Rising Omicron numbers and Israel's new consul general in NY

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. Founding editor David Horovitz and US correspondent Jacob Magid join host Jessica Steinberg. Horovitz looks at the rising numbers of those infected with the Omicron variant in Israel, with 200 serious cases so far, and how that is affecting Israelis and the country's approach to the ongoing pandemic. He also discusses the tragic death of the four-year-old Arab child shot dead by a stray bullet in a playground, and whether that portends any change for the government's approach to dealing with the ongoing wave of Arab violence. Magid spoke about his recent interview with Israel's new consul general in New York, Asaf Zamir, and their conversation about the lack of good responses to tough questions about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as well as Zamir's plan to work closely with college students. Magid also looks at Israel's resolution aimed at combating Holocaust denial, with lobbying prior to the upcoming vote before the United Nations General Assembly, ahead of International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27. Discussed articles include: Number of seriously ill COVID patients jumps past 200 as pandemic surges Who can travel to Israel and how, as country reopens to visitors on Sunday Thousands at funeral of Arab child shot dead in north, president expresses ‘horror’ Arab communities shattered, as organized crime fuels a skyrocketing murder rate Israel advancing UN General Assembly resolution aimed at combating Holocaust denial Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on iTunes, Spotify, PlayerFM, Google Play, or wherever you get your podcasts. IMAGE: An MDA health worker take test samples of Israelis at a testing center in Jerusalem, on January 09, 2022 (Photo by Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.