menu_open Columnists
Jacob Magid

Jacob Magid

The Times of Israel

We use cookies to provide some features and experiences in QOSHE

More information  .  Close

US embassy to boycott Tel Aviv Pride Parade, in Trump-era reversal

Notification of absence sent to Foreign Ministry reportedly referred to ‘LGB’ community, in line with Trump administration’s moves against...

yesterday 30

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Katz urges Egypt to block Gaza-bound activist convoys

Cairo says it backs ‘pressure on Israel’ to lift blockade but stresses foreigners seeking to visit border with Strip must receive official approval

yesterday 50

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

MBS attendance at 2-state confab to signal that France will recognize Palestinian state

Final decision not made, but diplomats tell ToI that Saudi crown prince instructed staff to prepare for his arrival at UN conference, which could lead...

yesterday 50

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Former CIA analyst sentenced to 37 months in prison for leaking Israeli attack plans

Asif Rahman faced up to 20 years behind bars for leak of top secret files outlining Israel’s preparations to strike Iran in retaliation for...

yesterday 40

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Gaza aid group says Hamas killed at least 5 local staffers, possibly abducted others

GHF says operatives attacked bus ferrying workers to distribution site, while Hamas-linked accounts say terror group targeted members of Israel-backed...

yesterday 90

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

US begins evacuating Mideast embassies, army bases as Iran nuclear talks come to a head

CENTCOM chief shelves Senate testimony as nonessential embassy staff, troops’ dependents depart region; Iranian defense minister threatens to strike...

yesterday 100

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Rubio denounces UK-led sanctions on Ben Gvir and Smotrich, urges reversal

Sa’ar praises top US diplomat’s ‘clear moral voice’; Australia’s PM derides US, Israel’s response as ‘predictable’ and says Netanyahu...

previous day 50

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Smotrich moves to paralyze Palestinian economy in response to Western sanctions

Finance minister orders cancellation of waiver allowing Israel-PA bank ties, though Palestinian Authority not known to have been involved in UK-led...

previous day 70

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

In first, Palestinian Authority’s Abbas condemns Hamas October 7 attack

PA president issues criticism in letter to Saudi and French leaders ahead of UN confab they’re hosting next week aimed at boosting prospects for...

previous day 40

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Hostage talks said to reach impasse after brief US optimism about potential breakthrough

Sources say mediators are trying to push Hamas to soften its position; Einav Zangauker says Hamas lied to her son, told him to prepare to be freed...

09.06.2025 50

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Gaza aid group says Hamas threats to staff kept distribution hubs closed on Saturday

GHF accuses terror group of trying to restore the UN-backed mechanisms used previously as it had been able divert goods from those in need for its own...

08.06.2025 90

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Trump insists nuclear deal won’t let Tehran enrich uranium, hints US could strike Iran

‘If they enrich, then we’re going to have to do it the other way,’ US president tells reporters; Iran rejected deal that would have reportedly...

07.06.2025 70

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Palestinian arrested for assaulting rabbi with a chair at a Paris cafe

Rabbi Elie Lemmel says this is the second time he has been assaulted in a week amid surge of post-Oct. 7 antisemitic attics

06.06.2025 20

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

US slated to reverse planned nix of office tasked with boosting Israel-PA security ties

Office of Security Coordinator in Jerusalem will be moved into the US embassy, according to State Department notification sent to Congress and...

06.06.2025 30

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Trump administration slaps sanctions on four ICC judges over Israel and US cases

Measures target pair of judges on panel that authorized arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant; two others okayed probe into alleged war crimes...

06.06.2025 80

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Arab envoy: Netanyahu’s arming of Gaza gang shows ‘he’s learned little since Oct. 7’

Ambassador laments Israeli PM’s unabated effort to weaken PA, warning that latest effort to divide Palestinians ‘increases chances of Somalia-like...

06.06.2025 80

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

GHF says Gaza aid sites won’t reopen Thursday morning as planned, after one-day shutdown

Body distributing aid indicates it will resume operations later in the day, but does not say when

05.06.2025 80

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Mediators optimistic Hamas will soon submit softened hostage deal proposal — sources

Witkoff upbeat during meet with hostage families about chances for breakthrough by week’s end, but another round of proximity talks would still be...

05.06.2025 80

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Seeking to bolster security after repeated shootings, GHF says sites closed Wednesday

Aid group says it’s working to accommodate larger crowds and has made a series of requests to IDF aimed at boosting safety measures after three...

04.06.2025 80

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Ex-top Biden official: No genocide in Gaza, but Israel ‘without doubt’ committed war crimes

Former State Dept. spokesperson Matthew Miller says it’s an ‘open question’ whether Israel pursued a policy of war crimes, but that there are...

03.06.2025 90

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Hamas says ready for indirect talks to resolve ‘points of contention’ on Gaza deal

Announcement comes amid pressure from Arab mediators for terror group to soften its response to Witkoff proposal, but statement doesn’t specify...

02.06.2025 70

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Arab ministers condemn ‘arrogant’ Israeli decision to ban them from West Bank visit

FMs from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, other Arab states say Jerusalem’s refusal to allow landmark trip to Ramallah reflects government’s...

01.06.2025 60

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

As Hamas answers truce offer with new demands, Witkoff says response ‘totally unacceptable’

Terror group seeks amendments regarding ‘US guarantees, timing of hostage release, delivery of aid, withdrawal of Israeli forces’; Israel says it...

01.06.2025 70

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Trump says Gaza deal ‘very close,’ suggests announcement could be imminent

Hamas says it is still reviewing proposal; Defense Minister Katz says terror group must take it or be destroyed.

31.05.2025 60

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Israel to block Saudi-led delegation of Middle Eastern ministers from visiting West Bank

Senior Israeli official says Jerusalem won’t cooperate with moves that harm its security, claiming PA’s Abbas was slated to use visit to advance...

31.05.2025 50

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

PM said to principally back Witkoff outline; Hamas may okay it — with reservations

Hamas official says proposal ‘doesn’t respond to any of our people’s demands,’ but doesn’t reject it; terror group wants edits so Israel...

30.05.2025 50

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Full text of Witkoff’s proposal for 60-day Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal

‘Framework for Negotiating an Agreement to a Permanent Ceasefire’ calls for release of 10 living Israeli hostages and remains of 18 slain...

30.05.2025 40

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

UAE issues rare warning to Israel after summoning envoy over Jerusalem Flag March

Official tells ToI ‘it’s utterly unfathomable Israel allowed annual spectacle of unchecked violence to proceed amid Gaza carnage,’ says Abu...

29.05.2025 50

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Witkoff says US to issue new Gaza terms, has ‘very good feelings’ on reaching hostage deal

Hamas says it reached ‘general framework’ for permanent truce; Israeli official rejects the claim as propaganda; report says Hamas ‘under...

29.05.2025 30

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Trump: I told Netanyahu striking Iran would be ‘very inappropriate,’ as deal close

Iranian sources say Tehran may agree to pause uranium enrichment in exchange for frozen funds, while permanent deal negotiated; US officials say...

28.05.2025 9

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

US will renew push for countries to fund GHF once it demonstrates results — official

Trump official says countries spurned idea when approached earlier this month ‘because they’re used to doing what they have always done,’ but is...

28.05.2025 40

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Gazans overrun Strip’s new aid center; operators says distribution has resumed

IDF confirms it fired shots into air, not at center itself; US-backed aid group says centers have given out 8,000 food boxes; UN says mechanism far...

27.05.2025 20

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

New Gaza aid body starts operating, pans Hamas threats toward those cooperating with it

GHF doesn’t reveal how much aid so far delivered, but says amount will increase each day; group names new CEO after previous one resigns due to...

27.05.2025 40

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Witkoff: Israel prepared to accept temporary ceasefire; Hamas should do the same

US envoy denies that Hamas has accepted his hostage deal proposal; Palestinian official claims he walked back previous understandings; Israeli...

27.05.2025 60

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Trump says US saw ‘real progress’ in latest talks with Iran, predicts ‘good news’

US president strikes more optimistic tone than Omani negotiator, who cautioned that there had been no ‘conclusive progress’ during weekend meet

26.05.2025 40

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

American-German national charged with trying to firebomb US embassy’s Tel Aviv branch

Joseph Neumeyer deported from Israel, arrested in New York after he left a backpack full of Molotov cocktails outside the embassy branch building...

26.05.2025 30

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Spain’s top diplomat proposes imposing sanctions on Israel to force end to Gaza war

Spanish foreign minister urges allies to impose arms embargo on Israel, as well as individual sanctions on people who are trying to ‘ruin the...

26.05.2025 60

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

In blow to Israeli-backed Gaza aid effort, CEO of group tasked with managing it resigns

Future of Gaza Humanitarian Foundation uncertain as CEO Jake Wood says he realized project doesn’t abide by humanitarian principles; Trump suggests...

26.05.2025 40

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Rubio ‘optimistic’ Gaza war could end soon, but admits having felt same way before

US secretary of state predicts more countries will join Abraham Accords by end of the year, while acknowledging Saudi Arabia has ‘certain...

22.05.2025 40

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Rubio: US ‘pleased’ by lifting of Gaza aid blockade, but deliveries still not enough

Secretary confirms administration reaching out to countries to see if they’ll temporarily take in those looking to leave Strip, but says...

21.05.2025 9

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

US says it wants Gaza war to end, but denies threatening Israel if it doesn’t comply

US, Palestinian officials quash speculation that aid to Gaza stemmed from US deal with Hamas; Huckabee says report that Trump will...

20.05.2025 60

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Vance says logistics scotched Israel trip, after report said it was differences over Gaza op

Possible visit by US vice president this week was said to be forestalled to avoid showing US support for expanded IDF activities in Gaza; Vance says...

19.05.2025 20

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Witkoff says US ‘red line’ in Iran talks is any ability for Tehran to enrich uranium

As US-Iran talks enter technical phase, Islamic Republic insists on right to enrichment, says it hasn’t received US proposal and warns diplomacy...

19.05.2025 40

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Witkoff told mediators US not planning to force Israel to end Gaza war, officials say

Arab sources tell ToI Trump envoy currently working to coax Hamas to release smaller number of hostages than what Israel has been demanding, hoping to...

16.05.2025 30

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Rubio ‘troubled’ by Gaza humanitarian crisis, urges solutions around Hamas aid theft

Secretary says he spoke to Netanyahu but avoids specifying whether he pushed PM to lift blockade; recognizes criticism of new initiative, asserts...

16.05.2025 10

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Hostage talks kick off in Doha, but PM’s insistence on not ending war curbs optimism

Witkoff holds 2 hour call with Netanyahu, but fails to extract major compromise; US pressure on parties expected to ramp up in next 48 hours; Hamas...

15.05.2025 30

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

New aid group: We’ll start Gaza operations by June; Israel to lift blockade in interim

Organization says Israel will establish more distribution sites throughout Strip after initially only agreeing to 4 in the south; US still working to...

15.05.2025 50

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Palestinian-US political activist operated key backchannel in Edan Alexander’s release

Bishara Bahbah passed messages between Witkoff and senior Hamas official Ghazi Hamad, and succeeded in convincing terror group to free the...

14.05.2025 30

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Visiting Riyadh, Trump tells Saudi Arabia: You’ll join Abraham Accords in your own time

US president acknowledges hosts not rushing to normalize ties with current Israeli government as Gaza conflict rages, says he’s working to end the...

14.05.2025 50

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid

Backchannel helped secure release of American-Israeli hostage, sources tell ToI

Witkoff was kept in loop about talks 3rd-party mediator held with Hamas that managed to convince the terror group to free the 21-year-old...

12.05.2025 80

The Times of Israel

Jacob Magid