Is the Saudis’ first PA envoy a herald of ties with Israel?

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. Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman and heath reporter Renee Ghert-Zand join host Amanda Borschel-Dan in today's episode.  With the uptick in fighting in Ethiopia’s Gondar region, Israel extracted some 200 citizens and local Jews from conflict zones in Ethiopia Thursday. Today at 11 there is set to be a protest by veteran immigrants, including members of Knesset, saying this is just a drop in the bucket. How was the operation carried out? Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Jordan presented his credentials on Saturday to begin also serving as Riyadh’s first-ever non-resident ambassador to Palestine. Is this nod to the PA is basically checking the list before relations with Israel? The US and Iran reached a tentative deal in which Iran will release five American detainees in exchange for the release of several billion dollars in frozen Iranian assets. What did Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have to say about this? On Thursday, Netflix’s dropped a six-episode limited series, “Painkiller,” which focuses on the prescription opioid crisis in the United States. On the same day, the US Supreme Court temporarily blocked a nationwide settlement with OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma that would shield members of the Sackler family who own the company from civil lawsuits over the toll of opioids. According to “Painkiller,” what was the family’s knowledge of how addictive OxyContin really is? A collaborative team of researchers from several Israeli institutions has created an itsy bitsy beating heart from stem cells that is the size of a third of a grain of rice. We hear more about this and other human organoids. Discussed articles include: Israel rescues some 200 citizens and Jews from Ethiopia conflict region Saudi Arabia appoints its first ever non-resident ambassador to Palestine PM scorns US-Iran deal unfreezing Iranian assets in exchange for release of prisoners Netflix’s ‘Painkiller’ is mesmerizing drama about Sackler role in ongoing opioid crisis US Supreme Court blocks OxyContin bankruptcy deal that would shield Sacklers Created from stem cells, Israeli researchers grow tiny, beating model of human heart Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on iTunes, Spotify, PlayerFM, Google Play, or wherever you get your podcasts. IMAGE: In this file photo provided by Saudi Press Agency, SPA, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman chairs the Arab summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, May 19, 2023. (Saudi Press Agency via AP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.