Daily Briefing Apr. 7 – Rivlin taps Netanyahu for another Catch-22 coalition

April 07, 2021

Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing: Your 15-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East, and the Jewish world, from Sunday through Thursday.

Today’s panel comprises ToI editor David Horovitz and editor-in-chief of our Hebrew sister site Biranit Goren, along with host Amanda Borschel-Dan.

President Reuven Rivlin reluctantly gave Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the nod to form a new government on Tuesday, saying, “This was not an easy decision on a moral and ethical basis, in my mind… And I fear for my country.” What do these astounding words signify, and can Netanyahu actually form a coalition?

The 24th Knesset was coincidentally also sworn in yesterday, with much fanfare — and an activist stunt on the part of four out of six Arab Joint List MKs, who swapped out a declaration of allegiance to the State of Israel and Knesset for fighting “apartheid,” “occupation,” and “racism.” Goren speaks about a previous Likud government that took part in an even more sweeping protest several decades ago.

And finally, we give a brief update on the new position held by the Population and Immigration Authority, which is allowing non-Israelis with first-degree relatives in the country to finally come to the Holy Land for a visit.