Day 640 - PM lands in DC, issues to resolve before Trump meeting
The Times of Israel Daily Briefing
The Times of Israel
4.5 • 1.1K Ratings
🗓️ 7 July 2025
⏱️ 24 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.
Political correspondent Tal Schneider and reporter Sue Surkes join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.
As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lands in the US, Schneider discusses the day ahead for the Israeli leader, ahead of his Monday evening meeting with US President Donald Trump in the White House, and the expectations for the announcement of a permanent ceasefire at that point.
Schneider looks at the issues that still need to be resolved, including the hostages, aid distribution in Gaza and who will manage Gaza if Hamas is no longer in power.
She also discusses the continuing clashes between Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, as Smotrich and his supporters accuse Zamir of being too weak in his handling of Gaza and he has lashed back, with their arguments leaked to the media.
Surkes looks at what is happening at Haifa's oil refineries after two Iranian missiles hit the plant, killing three workers and creating additional environmental concerns due to pollution from the plant, with calls to shut it down.
She also reports on residents from Gaza envelope communities being told by the government to return home in the next weeks and months, although there are still the sounds of war and explosions in their communities.
Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.
For further reading:
Heading to DC, Netanyahu seeks Gaza deal ‘on our terms,’ vows Hamas will be destroyed
Smotrich reportedly clashes with Zamir over aid distribution in Gaza: ‘You have failed enormously’
Missile that hit Haifa oil refinery brings renewed urgency to plant’s closure plan
Refinery hit by Iran missiles emitting ‘100 times higher than usual’ levels of benzene
State approves immediate return home of 7 of 13 worst-hit Gaza border communities
Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.
IMAGE: US President Donald Trump, left, shakes hands with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as he leaves the West Wing of the White House, April 7, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/ Mark Schiefelbein)
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hi, welcome to the Times of Israel's Daily Briefing. It is Monday, July 7th, and I'm Jessica Steinberg. |
| 0:10.9 | I'm speaking today with political correspondent Hals Schneider and reporter Sue Sierks. Hi to both of you. |
| 0:16.0 | Good morning. Good morning, Jessica. Good morning. Hi there. It is day 640 of the war. |
| 0:22.5 | As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lands in Washington, D.C., before heading to his White House meeting with United States President Donald Trump, we will talk about his messaging at the airport before he left, as he said that he and President Trump would discuss the Gaza deal, |
| 0:38.6 | but on Israel's terms without leaving Hamas and Gaza. We'll also talk about the meeting in D.C. |
| 0:45.5 | And the ongoing negotiations in Qatar, as well as what has been happening between Finance |
| 0:51.6 | Minister Batsala Smotrichitch and IDF Chief of Staff, |
| 0:55.0 | Lieutenant General Ayal Zamir. |
| 0:57.1 | We will also discuss the fallout from the Iranian missile attack on Israel, including the |
| 1:02.0 | closure of the country's main oil refinery in Haifa and the government's decision to greenlight |
| 1:07.3 | the return home of seven of the 13 communities that were the worst hit by the |
| 1:12.1 | October 7th Hamas terrorist attack and what that means for those residents. Stay with us. |
| 1:22.9 | It's been a difficult time for our community. If you're feeling overwhelmed, you're not alone. |
| 1:29.1 | The Jewish Community Mental Health Initiative offers over 25 free virtual support groups every week |
| 1:34.6 | designed to provide connection, healing, and resilience. |
| 1:38.6 | Led by licensed professionals, these small, inclusive groups offer a safe space to process grief, fear, and uncertainty. |
| 1:45.6 | Wherever you are, support is just a click away. |
| 1:48.7 | Visit jcmh.com to join a virtual group today. |
| 1:53.2 | That's jcmh.com. |
| 1:56.5 | In community, we thrive. |
| 2:15.3 | Okay, so Tal, as we got on the podcast, we saw that the prime minister landed in Washington, D.C. He is heading into several days of meetings, |
| 2:21.4 | most importantly, the meeting with President Trump. We're hearing a lot of different things. |
... |
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