National security and Israel’s climate crisis
The Times of Israel Daily Briefing
The Times of Israel
4.5 • 1.1K Ratings
🗓️ 22 May 2026
⏱️ 23 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.
Environmental reporter Sue Surkes joins host Gabriella Jacobs for today's episode.
Four years ago, Israel’s National Security Council established a unit focused on climate policy. In what Surkes calls a "shock decision," the NSC’s Climate and National Security Forum and Climate Intelligence Forum had ceased to operate as of April 1. We learn what the potential implications could be.
Next, we learn about Elad Blumental, the head of OneDay, which provides one-time social volunteering activities. Recently, the NGO pivoted to training volunteer earthquake rescue teams on the heels of repeated State Comptroller reports and Knesset committee hearings warning that Israel is woefully unprepared for an inevitable earthquake.
Finally, we learn about a new initiative earmarked for reservists and soldiers who are living with trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Metiv — The Israel Psychotrauma Center launched a new campaign on Sunday to encourage restaurants, cafes, bars and other social venues to create spaces that are more aware, sensitive and accessible. Surkes gives details.
Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.
For further reading:
In shock decision, National Security Council stops work on climate change
New ‘PTSD-friendly’ scheme aims to adapt Israel’s public spaces
Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to Times of Israel's Daily Briefing. This episode is being recorded on Wednesday, May 20th, and I am your host, Gabriela Jacobs, here from our Jerusalem studio. |
| 0:14.6 | Today, I'm going to be speaking with environmental reporter Sue Sirks. Welcome, Sue. Thank you. |
| 0:19.7 | Today we are going to begin by discussing |
| 0:21.7 | Sue's recent reporting on a shocking decision by Israel's National Security Council to stop |
| 0:29.1 | working on climate policy, even though there's lots of evidence to suggest that climate change |
| 0:35.9 | is in fact a security risk. |
| 0:37.8 | We are going to move on to discuss Israel's unpreparedness for the possibility of earthquakes |
| 0:43.5 | and the people who are actually doing something about it. |
| 0:46.8 | And we will close by discussing renewed efforts to make Israel's public spaces more accessible |
| 0:53.7 | to those suffering from PTSD and trauma following years of war. |
| 0:58.2 | All that and more after the break. |
| 1:17.8 | Thank you. And we are back. So, Sue, let's start with this National Security Council story. |
| 1:23.3 | Before this decision, what role was the NSC playing in Israel's climate policy? |
| 1:29.0 | Israel is very, very behind on preparing for climate change, even though the country is warming |
| 1:34.6 | at something like twice the rate of the global average. It's called a climate hotspot. |
| 1:40.2 | The National Security Council accepted the idea of dealing with climate as a security risk in 19. |
| 1:47.0 | The National Security Council set up a climate forum in 2022. |
| 1:53.0 | That was during the change government of Bennett and Lapid. |
| 1:56.0 | And they appointed a very highly respected man in the field, Victor Weiss, to head it. They set up a climate |
| 2:02.7 | forum to discuss policy, to bring together ministers and all sorts of government bodies, to look |
| 2:08.2 | at issues like food security, you know, how the infrastructure will continue when it gets very |
| 2:13.5 | hot, and, you know, the health, how the health system will cope and so forth. |
... |
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