Day 815 - As Trump and Netanyahu meet today, what's on the table?
The Times of Israel Daily Briefing
The Times of Israel
4.5 • 1.1K Ratings
🗓️ 29 December 2025
⏱️ 26 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.
US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
Finally, some good news on The Daily Briefing: Former hostage Matan Zangauker and his girlfriend, former hostage Ilana Gritzewsky, have become engaged, according to a photo posted by Matan’s mother Einav.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in Florida, where he is set to meet with US President Donald Trump for an unprecedented sixth time in less than a year. We hear what’s on the schedule for today, who else may be in the room and what's on the table.
Somaliland enjoys a strategic position on the Gulf of Aden and has its own money, passports and army. But it has been diplomatically isolated since its unilateral declaration of independence. On Friday, Netanyahu made headlines by announcing Israel's recognition of the country. Why has Israel basically put Somaliland on the map now and what has been the backlash so far?
Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.
For further reading:
Former hostages Matan Zangauker and Ilana Gritzewsky become engaged
In the US, Netanyahu aims to convince Trump that only threat of war can bring peace
Hezbollah leader says Lebanese efforts to disarm group ‘not in country’s interest’
Iran’s president says country in midst of ‘total war’ with US, Israel and Europe
UN Security Council to convene emergency meeting on Israel’s Somaliland recognition
Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves and Ari Schlacht.
IMAGE: President Donald Trump meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago estate, July 26, 2024, in Palm Beach, Florida. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the Times of Israel's daily briefing. |
| 0:06.3 | Today is Monday, December 29th, Day 815 of the war. |
| 0:11.8 | I'm Ahmed Daborschal Dan here with our U.S. Bureau Chief Jacob Magid. |
| 0:15.8 | Jacob, thank you so much for joining me by the Don's early light. |
| 0:19.9 | Thanks, Amanda, for having me. Always a pleasure. |
| 0:22.3 | It is a pleasure. And we are recording very early for me because Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu |
| 0:27.4 | is set to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump for a sixth time during this administration |
| 0:34.3 | today in Florida. And Jacob will be joining them there. So we'll hear what may or |
| 0:40.6 | may not be on the agenda. Israel is now the first country in the world to recognize Somaliland |
| 0:47.0 | after it itself declared independence 30 years ago. So we're going to hear all about that |
| 0:54.0 | as well when we're back. |
| 1:04.0 | And we're back. I'm Ahmed Worsal Dan here with our U.S. Bureau Chief Jacob Magid. |
| 1:08.9 | Jacob, it is so rare that we can start the daily briefing with a bit of good news, |
| 1:13.4 | but we heard overnight that former hostage, Matan Zangauker, |
| 1:17.4 | and his girlfriend, also a former hostage, Ilana Grutzowski, have become engaged. |
| 1:24.0 | His mother, Enav, who led all the protests and was basically the face of the parental hostage protests, |
| 1:32.6 | announced it very proudly on X, formerly known as Twitter, last night. |
| 1:38.0 | Now, Jacob, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in Florida already, |
| 1:41.9 | where he is set to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump, |
| 1:44.7 | as I said, for an unprecedented sixth time during just this administration. |
| 1:51.0 | But he's not only meant to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump. |
| 1:55.6 | Who else is set to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin and Yao today? |
... |
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