Israel Update
This is the audio version of Israel Update, a video podcast hosted by Israeli historian and political commentator Gadi Taub and Michael Doran, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute in Washington, D.C. The show offers news from the ground as well as an unparalleled insider perspective on the war.
Episodes
The NatCon Controversy
The recent National Conservatism conference in Jerusalem (in which Gadi participated) generated controversy over the question of how conservative Jews should respond to the rise of antisemitism on the right. Mike had a great deal to say.
The war in the Gulf is once again shape-shifting. Mike has the latest.
And then there are the coming elections, with a new smear campaign against Netanyahu, thi
What Will Israel Vote on?
The left-wing bloc in Israel is deliberately ignoring the elephant in the room: the war. They’re not saying anything about how they plan to pursue it. The reason is obvious. Their actual plans are very far from what the majority of voters – even their voters – want. Gadi and Mike meet in a disclosed location in Tel Aviv – actually, it’s 11 Pinsker St. if you want to know – to discuss all the lates
“Area P”: The Palestinian Bid to Take Over Judea and Samaria
Gadi returned from an intensive tour of the ranches in Judea and Samaria – where Jewish pioneers spearhead the struggle to prevent a Palestinian take-over of the territories. Aided by the Palestinian authority, Arabs buy land and build homes on deserted hilltops for which EU money supplies infrastructures and paves roads. If Israel does not wake up it will face a Gaza-like situation in the West Ba
Standing Ovation
The creators of the film NAZA, which accuses the IDF of AI-driven genocide, received a standing ovation whose length could rival the standing ovations of the Stalin-era Politburo.
Mike and Gadi discuss the film and the way it was received in Israel and abroad. It seems that peddling blood libels against Jews has taken on an entirely different meaning in the post–October 7 world.
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Haaretz Nonsense and David Remnick’s Toupee
The Haaretz “bombshell” story about a warning from MBZ to Netanyahu is not just nonsense — it’s hilarious nonsense. Still The New Yorker swallowed it whole. But precisely because it’s bogus, it actually tells you a lot about the state of Israeli politics - as the country gears up for elections. It’s been a while since Mike and Gadi had this much fun in a single show.
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Israel Update Special with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Gadi sits down with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a long conversation in Hebrew. To watch with English subtitles, please visit tabletmag.com/israelupdate, or you can access the video on Spotify, YouTube, or Rumble.
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Is Winter Coming for Netanyahu?
Former IDF general Ofer Winter has launched Amcha Yisrael (“People of Israel”), a new right-wing populist party. Gadi explains why Netanyahu’s camp sees Winter as a threat. In Israel’s fragmented electoral system, small parties can end up wasting votes by drawing support away from other right-wing parties that then fail to cross the threshold for entering the Knesset. Winter insists that he belong
There Are No Solutions
In the Middle East, argues Dan Schueftan, there are no solutions—only threats to contain, opportunities to exploit, and problems to manage. He joins Mike to explain why Gaza will require “violent maintenance,” why Turkey poses an immediate strategic challenge, and why economic pressure remains the best weapon against Iran.
Plus: Israel’s resilient society, its failing political class, and the h
Israel’s Wartime Boom
Strangely, almost unbelievably, Israel’s economy is booming, even after three difficult years of war. The Tel Aviv 35 Index is up 130% since this government took office. Mike and Gadi try to explain how this has come to pass.
Also on this episode: the plague of selective enforcement against the Israeli right in the showdown ahead of the coming elections, and our usual assessment of the state of t
Israel Will Not Yield
Dr. Einat Wilf sometimes sounds like the right, and sometimes like the left. Which is, perhaps, the point of the new political party she founded. It’s named courage (Oz, in Hebrew). We asked her what the party’s agenda would be.
We also discussed the suggested changes to the Gaza deal - which we agreed will not come to pass. Gadi’s long interview with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clearly co
What Did Netanyahu Get From Trump?
This is the 8th time that Netanyahu is invited to the White House since Trump returned to power. The stalemate in the Gulf was probably the main subject of their one and a half hour discussion. Mike surveys the possible plans they may have agreed or disagreed on.Meanwhile, the “Settler Violence” campaign is coming to a head as Palestian terrorism escalates. Are Israelis realizing they are being ma
Escalation in the Gulf
Mike lays out the four possible scenarios in which the current escalation in the Straits of Hormuz can develop. Gadi revisits the “settler violence” canard, in light of the devastating arson attack perpetrated by Palestinian terrorists against the settlement of Havat Gilad.
Also in this episode: J. D. Vance and Gadi Eisenkot.
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Election Season - Beware!
Mike thinks there’s a clear limit to how far Trump will escalate hostilities with Iran before the midterms, and Gadi explains the recent legislation blitz and why the ultra-orthodox draft has become such a hot button issue and why it's such an effective weapon for the left. It may well carry the day for them at the ballot box.
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Tempest in a Constitutional Tea Pot
The left-wing media is in full hysteria over the government’s refusal to accept a Supreme Court injunction that directly contradicts the letter of the law. The issue is media regulation — and, as Gadi explains, it is political, not legal. It is high time the cabinet stopped letting itself be bullied by a full-blown progressive court.
Also in this episode: Is Mike’s interpretation of the MOU turni
Can Israel save the us from its mistake? With guest Dan Schueftan
Trump’s MOU repeats a very American mistake, says guest Prof. Dan Schueftan: like many presidents before him he does not understand radicalism. But the Lebanon Deal may be able to rectify some of the damage. In which case, says Schueftan, it would not be the first time that Israel saves the US from its own mistakes.
Also in this episode: judges declare the bribery case against Netanyahu groundle
Netanyahu Won’t Back Down
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu once again affirmed that Israel will maintain its security zone in Lebanon – for as long as needed, regardless of any outside pressure. Mike and Gadi explain why yielding on this issue will cost Netanyahu the elections.
Batya Ungar-Sargon was our special guest on this episode. She joined us to discuss her new book The Jews and the Left.
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Is It Really So Bad?
Gadi thinks it is. The US has demonstrated that it will not really fight – unless it’s easy, can be done from the air, and includes very few casualties. That is a bad signal for every rogue regime the world over. Mike thinks the MOU is just a tactical retreat, and that hostilities will resume, eventually. Both, however, agree that it’s a blow for Israel in general and for Netanyahu’s election bid
Trump and Netanyahu: A Lovers' Spat
TRUMP AND NETANYAHU: A LOVERS' SPAT
Contrary to the media’s rendering, no great rift has opened between Trump and Netanyahu. Rest assured that the Israeli attack on Iran was fully coordinated with the Americans. Trump, though, would do well to insist that Lebanon should have no relation to the negotiations with the Islamic Republic.
Also on this episode: how rouge former head of Shin Bet, R
Rift Over Lebanon?
ent Trump tweeted out Mike’s piece on how this war will end, which means Mike just may have been on to something. And on that view, things are not as grim as many – on the left and as well as the right – seem to think. Mike explains. Meanwhile, the Iranians are playing the Lebanon card to sow discord between the US and Israel.
The episode opens, though, with one more hair-raising story in the
What Should Israel Do?
Calibrate your expectations to reality not to the media frenzy. This is the Middle East. Things are never as bad as the alarmists say and they are never as good as we would like. Mike, Gadi and guest analyst, Channel 14’s Tamir Morag, look at the pros and cons of the emerging deal, and ask how Israel should conduct itself vis-à-vis the American interests.
Also in this episode: the skit about “Bi
Iran Buckles Under Blockade
Iran is bleeding out under the naval blockade, suffering more pain than most reporters allow. Mike and guest host Tamir Morag, diplomatic correspondent for Israel’s Channel 14, discuss the real options on the table.
Also in this episode: what a deal should cover, why the war is reshuffling alliances, and, naturally, the case for Azerbaijan.
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Make No Mistake: Iran Is Feeling the Pain
Don’t let the press fool you: the massive economic pressure is having a huge effect, and it will continue. Mike and Gadi discuss – and rank by likelihood – the different possible outcomes.
Meanwhile high-ranking Israeli officials have been taunting Mike over and over again, about his opinions on Turkey – which are (finally!) shifting. Slightly.
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The Looming Israeli Elections
It’s that time of the cycle when everything is judged by its possible influence on the coming October 2026 elections. Mike and Gadi discuss Netanyahu’s health, the Oct. 7 not-yet-appointed Commission of Inquiry, and the new political party formed by the merging of Bennett 2026 with Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid.
Also in this episode: how the war is going.
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The Likely Scenarios
There are several possible developments moving forward on Iran: an improved version of a JCPOA; a resumption of hostilities; or a continuation of the current situation with economic pressure grinding down the Islamic Republic. The US can afford to wait longer than Iran can. Trump is likely to choose between those options based on how he views the impact on China.
Also in this episode: Israel’s i
It's the Economy, Habibi!
It is clear at this point who has the leverage: we—the U.S. and Israel—are winning this war. Rather than opening the Strait of Hormuz, Trump is closing it to Iranian shipping. It is unlikely that the Islamic Republic’s military dictatorship can survive this for long. Also in this episode: the China angle of the war, with our guest, the Hudson Institute’s Zineb Riboua. And finally, why Viktor Orbán
A Messy Victory
Mike thinks the achievements of this war are important enough to declare it a victory, though by no means a knock out. Mike and Gadi discuss the pros and cons of the ceasefire, the feasibility of an agreement, and the not unlikely return to military operations two weeks from now.
Also in this episode: What are the reactions in Israel, what effects will the ceasefire have on the ongoing war in Le
The Politics Behind the "Settler Violence" Campaign
The orchestrated campaign to create alarm about “Settler Violence” magnifies a very marginal phenomena as part of a well thought out long game. Mike and Gadi explain how it works, and what its purpose is.
We also have a guest on this show: Jennifer Brick Murtazashvili. She’s an academic, but she won’t bow down to the lies about the war.
Read her op-ed in the Washington Post here: https://www.was
The Global Implications of This Conflict Are Vast
What’s at stake is the American-led international order. If the regime in Iran remains standing, it will have shown that the US can no longer guarantee that order. The good news, Mike and Gadi think, is that Trump fully understands this. This is not to say, however, that all the challenges can easily be overcome.
Plus, Israel’s deep-state is reaching new level of legal surrealism.
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Trump’s Dilemma: Win It or End It
Will Trump go all the way with Iran? And if not, what are his options? There are many tools, apart from direct military assault, that the US can us to continue to weaken Iran, and prevent China from regaining its Middle East assets.
Also in this episode: Israel’s coming ground incursion into Lebanon, and an update on Sde Teiman: the indictments against the Force 100 soldiers, alleging abuse of
Iran Is Not What It Seems
What is the Iranian game plan, and is it working? What does the choice of Mojtaba Khamenei to be the heir to his father’s role as Supreme Leader say about the regime and its ability to sustain itself? Gadi and Mike discuss.
Plus, the reignited war with Hezbollah offers a chance, Gadi says, to rid ourselves of the idea that all of Israel’s military success can be reversed. It's time to make South
War Aims and Their Feasibility
Are the American and Israeli war aims the same? Regime change may turn out to be an ambiguous definition. Mike and Gadi assess the different scenarios which may fall under that phrase, and consider which ones events – and Trump – may end up imposing.
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Trump Will Strike Iran
The world is holding its breath while the US is gathering its forces in the region. Mike and Gadi are convinced Trump means business. What will emerge in Iran after a strike is, however, far from clear. Also in this episode: the Gaza board and the latest moves by Israel’s wild Supreme Court bent on toppling Netanyahu’s coalition. We call it legal surrealism. But most importantly: what did Mike’s m
The End of the Islamic Republic of Iran?
Mike sees three possible scenarios in which this can unfold. In all three there will be massive consequences for Israel, the US and the world order. Also on this episode: who is trying to break Trump’s faith-based coalition from within, and why? And finally: Gadi’s hilarious twitter feud with NYT’s Ronen Bergman.
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Antisemitism: Australia, the US and Israel
On this episode: the Bondi Beach shooting, the rising tide of antisemitism, and the recent conference at the Hudson Institute, about how the hatred of Jews is weaponized to undermine American national security. Also - Israel's Deep State is thrashing around in an attempt to cover up the crimes of the IDF Advocate General. Will it succeed? And this is the Icelandic comedian Gadi mentioned: https://
The UN Security Council Resolution: Gaza, Jerusalem, Baku, Washington, Ankara, and Riyadh
It is not clear how the theory of the Trump plan will be implemented in practice - and above all it is still unclear how Hamas will be disarmed. Has the UN Security Council Resolution made things any clearer? Are Israel's friends in Baku, Azerbaijan going to help solve this conundrum, and finally, have Israel Update's listeners managed to explain to Mike and Gadi what a conundrum is? And here are
The iPhone Suicide
The plot thickens! The tale of the rape that never was, and now the suicide attempt that Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer Yerushalmi seems to have faked, opens a window into everything that has been convulsing Israel in recent years.
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Head of IDF Prosecution Resigns Over Leaked Fake Rape Tape
The scandal over the doctored tape of the rape-that-never-was in Sde Teiman is the eye of a huge storm that has to do with everything that convulsed the country in recent years.
Major General Yifat Tomer Yerushalmi the head of the IDF prosecution resigned in disgrace over the affair – and was reported missing while we were recording this session. It turned out that she is alive, and just “lost” h
Tommy Robinson in Israel
Tommy Robinson, the outspoken activist against the importation of Jihad into the UK, visited Israel. His support for Israel's war won many hearts in the country. Mike was skeptical but Gadi insisted on having him on the show (in this Mikeless joint episode of Gadi's Hebrew language podcast Gatekeeper, and Israel Update).
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Did Israel Win The War?
The Trump plan – what’s in it? What are the implications of the Trump Declaration for Enduring Peace and Prosperity issued at Sharm El Sheikh? And what should we make of his Knesset speech? Plus, why did Israelis boo Netanyahu at Hostages Square? Mike and Gadi discuss.
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Defending Israel with Facts
Netanyahu gave a show at the UN, rebuking the weakness of Western leaders and defending Israel’s conduct of the war with facts. Gadi and Mike analyze the speech in detail.
Meanwhile antisemitism is rearing its ugly head on the right, led by the ubiquitous Tucker Carlson. How widespread is it?
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The Struggle Over Charlie Kirk's Legacy
The debate about Charlie Kirk's legacy is actually a struggle over the future of the Republican Party - and not least over US-Israeli relations. Video:https://youtu.be/LZ8xduB0hPo
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Cementing the American-Israeli Alliance
It is highly unlikely that the Israeli strike in Qatar was not coordinated with the White House. Are the Americans and Israelis employing a good cop / bad cop strategy? What does the Israeli operation mean for the balance of power in the region? Mike and Gadi discuss the implications of the strike. And they are by no means small.
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Israel Is Ruled By Its Atorney General
Attorney General Gali Baharav Miara is the de facto domestic ruler in Israel’s crazy system of government. And she is undermining both democracy and the rule of law, as a case of arson outside the Prime Minister’s residence has shown.
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Trump Administration: No Palestinian State
The Trump Administration has Israel's back. What is most notable about its day-after plan for Gaza is that the Palestinian Authority is not a part of it. Meanwhile, the administration also refuses to grant visas to the US to the PA leadership, so long as the PA maintains its pay-for-slay program, which grants financial aid to terrorists and their families. The message to leaders around the world w
The Media is Lying to You. What Else is New?
Yes, we will update you on Gaza, but we too are getting tired of it. So we turn our attention to the distorted mirror that passes for news-media in Israel and outside it. Haaretz, the NYT, mainstream anti-Israeli propaganda, etc. Also: who gets Pulitzers and for what?
Link to the Haaretz podcast with Gen. Yaakov Amidror (interview begins 33:20):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6vBwE61dYQ&t=201
The Truth Behind the Media Lies
Mike and Gadi lift the lid on the libelous narrative about the deliberate starving of Gazans.
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Famine in Gaza?
The Israeli press is leading the “famine” campaign. Mike and Gadi discuss its reasons for lying. Also, on this episode – the crisis with the Druze population on both sides of the Israeli-Syrian border opens a window to the shifts in regional geopolitics. Mike reminds Israel not to act rashly, lest it ends up helping Iran return to Syria.
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A Bond Like No Other?
Mike and Gadi assess the strong message that the intimacy between Netanyahu and Trump sends to the world and to the region, as well as to domestic friends and rivals, in both Israel and the States. Then there's the deal, and the war that's dragging on in Gaza. Also in this episode: Gadi's essay on Tablet about the myth of "settler violence."
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A Region-Wide Deal?
Israel’s domestic politics may have reached a turning point. But that may soon be overshadowed by even bigger geopolitical changes which may unfold during Netanyahu’s visit to the White House early next week. Mike and Gadi speculate, unburdened by what has been.
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New Mid-East Order?
Mike and Gadi think they ought to congratulate themselves for getting it right. Or mostly right. The question now is, is this the dawn of a new regional order, or is this just an improvement of the old?
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War with Iran?
Mike and Gadi try to read the tea leaves and ask whether a showdown with Iran is now inevitable. Plus: Israel is paying for its juristocracy with the lives of IDF soldiers.
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IU Special – How Israel Can Win In Gaza
We have a special guest for you this time: the man who planned the current operation in Gaza – Brigadier general (res.) Erez Winner, former Chief of Operational Planning, Southern Theater (Gaza).
We spoke about the plan that can deliver victory in 2-3 months, and why it hadn’t done that yet.
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Has Trump Turned his Back on Israel?
As Israel is moving into Gaza there is growing concern about Trump’s plans for the Middle East. Mike and Gadi discuss the administration’s policy vis-à-vis Teheran, Riyad, Ankara and Jerusalem.
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At the JNS Summit: Netanyahu vs. Edward Said + Gadi's Family Bio
We've been asked to say a few words about who we are, here's where you'll learn about one of us. That, plus Gadi's speech on Netanyahu's role in the global war over woke ideas.
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Israel's Legacy Media?
The rogue Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar has now announced he will retire on June 16 – a date of his own choosing. Ignoring the cabinet's decision to dismiss him, he took the fight to the Supreme Court where an affidavit by Prime Minister Netanyahu exposed his transparent lies. But the legacy media prefers to turn a blind eye, demonstrating once again that it would make a hero out of any villain provide
The Qatar-Gate Hoax
Ronen Bar, the insubordinate head of Shin Bet, steps up the investigation into alleged ties between members of the prime minister's staff and Qatar. Mike and Gadi think this is all nonsense, transparently designed to prevent the prime minister from removing Bar, as the cabinet unanimously voted to do. This does not mean the trumped-up charges will not become politically dangerous to Netanyahu's go
The Head of the Shin Bet Rebels Against the Cabinet
Gadi and Mike lay out the order of battle of the brewing crisis Israel is heading into in the wake of the cabinet's decision to terminate the tenure of the failed head of Shin Bet (Shabak), Ronnen Bar. The Supreme Court has already moved to freeze the cabinet's decision, but it is not clear whether the cabinet will obey the legally dubious order. Is a clash between the elected government and the a
Is Israel Wrong About Syria?
There is much that is patently false about the rhetoric regarding the savagery in Syria. But it should not distract Israel from the real game: the geopolitical problem is the Iranian attempt to use the Alawite minority in order to regain a foothold in Syria. And one cannot begin to make sense of the chaos without taking account of this development.
Also in this episode: former heads of Shin Bet u
The IDF and Shin Bet Cover-Up
We're back! And there's a lot to talk about. Like the recently submitted conclusions of IDF and the Shin Bet inquiries of the October 7 disaster. To the extent that the press releases represent the actual content, both are shamelessly political, and both attempt to excuse, cover up and shift the blame – to Netanyahu, of course. The press is therefore eager to cooperate.
Also on this episode: the
Gaza: Are Trump and Netanyahu on the Same Page?
Trump's plan for the future of Gaza caught the world by surprise. It seems to have caught prime minister Netanyahu by surprise too. To what extent is it feasible, and if it is - would it be good for Israel?
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IU Special: How Jews and Christians Can Save the West - with Author Melanie Phillips
Gadi spoke with British author Melanie Phillips about her new book The Builder's Stone: How Jews and Christians Built the West—and Why Only They Can Save It.
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Mike's and Gadi's Shouting Match Over Gaza
While Israel is reeling from the drama of the hostage deal, Judge Yitzhak Amit appoints himself President of the Supreme Court. Minister of Justice Levin refuses to accept the brazen move. But all this pales – at least on this episode – in the face of a fierce, Israeli style, shouting match over the future of Gaza. And then there is, of course, Trump disrupting the accepted terms we use for discus
Trump In - Halevi Out
Chief of IDF staff General Herzi Halevi resigned after a career that will be forever remembered as an abject failure. Gadi explains why so many – himself included – are breathing a sigh of relief, but Mike warns against judging Halevi motivation solely through a political lens.
Meanwhile, Trump's first days in office still send mixed signals to Israel and the Middle East.
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The Hostage Deal: Is Trump Endorsing Biden's Policy?
The deal that Israel is now forced to accept is not very different from the one the Biden administration has tried to impose. Combined with the rise of the isolationist elements of MAGA, this may signify a worrying trend. But Mike is less concerned than Gadi is. Granted, he also had significantly lower expectations.
Plus: turmoil in Israel's Knesset, and a new scandal involving the man designated
Mike's Visit to Damascus
Accompanied by a Turkish driver and two lightly armed escorts, Mike had the opportunity to see firsthand what post-Assad Syria is like. The country was devastated. The scenes of poverty and destruction are heart wrenching. At one-point Mike's escort had to change the route to evade an attack by Israel.
Meanwhile in Israel chief of staff Herzi Halevi seems intent on evading a serious enquiry in th
EXCLUSIVE: Biden’s January Surprise for Israel
A network of anti-Israel officials inside the Biden administration is encouraging President Biden and Secretary of State Blinken to spring on Israel a nasty January surprise. They are modeling their scheme on the ambush at the United Nations that the outgoing Obama administration sprung on Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government in December 2016.
Obama, you will recall, orchestrated the passing of
IU SPECIAL: Schueftan vs. Doran on Turkey
Is a clash inevitable between Israel and Turkey over Syria? Or can they find a mutually beneficial arrangement? Two heavy hitters, IU's Mike Doran and Haifa University's Dan Schueftan, face off against each other on this crucial issue for Israel's future.
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The Syrian Challenge
Mike has been following the Syrian question for decades and he explains why Israel has a great opportunity now, if it acts with a cool head, but may also fall into a dangerous trap if it does not.
Plus: we had some hearty laughs at the end.
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Ceasefire?
After a number of off the record talks with high ranking sources in Israel, both Gadi and Mike are under the impression that the talks of larger goals are sincere. In that case we are probably witnessing a lull, no more, until President Trump takes office.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu's domestic enemies are going into overdrive, with two new surprising investigations: one against the chief of Israel's Pr
Netanyahu vs. the Brass
Prime Minister Netanyahu issued a confrontational statement accusing his intelligence services of deliberately withholding information from him. It seems clear by now that the "leak scandal" is turning into a real internal crisis.
Since Mike was visiting Tel Aviv, we recorded this one on the fly, in Gadi's home.
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All You Need to Know About the Leak Scandal
This is more than an investigation of a leak. There are reasons why law enforcement and the state attorney are so intent on keeping the suspects in custody, despite the initial refusal of the lower court to extend their detention. Now it turns out that a rope and a suicide note were found in one suspect's cell. Gadi and Mike lay out three possible explanations for what this is really about.
Then t
Shin Bet vs. Netanyahu
Prime Minister Netanyahu is hinting that there is something more sinister going on behind an investigation of leaks from his office: yet another politically motivated use of law enforcement. And this time it's not the police, it's Israel's secret security service – Shabak (aka Shin Bet). Though we don't yet have all the information, Gadi thinks he's heard it all before – has Shabak director Ronen
Trump is in; Gallant is out
For over a year now Mike and Gadi have been wrestling with one central problem: can Israel go it alone against Iran? That awful dilemma may now be obsolete. Apart from a deep sense of relief, what are we to expect from a Trump presidency?
Meanwhile Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired Yoav Gallant, his minister of defense. Why did Netanyahu choose this timing, and what can the timing reveal ab
Is a Deal with Lebanon in the Works?
A report in the Israeli press talks of "advanced" negotiations for a deal to end the war in Lebanon. But Mike and Gadi are skeptical. The way the story is sourced, the journalist who wrote it, and the American blessing written all over it, suggest that around a grain of truth a fair amount to wishful thinking by the usual suspects has grown. Nevertheless, Mike thinks we can't dismiss the possibili
Israel's Strike on Iran - Mike and Gadi Sharply Disagre
Was it wise to limit the strike to military targets, as per the American red lines? Or did Israel just miss a once in a lifetime opportunity to take out Iran's nuclear facilities? Are we going to see further escalation or will it all wind down now in the run-up to the American elections? We found almost nothing to agree on this time, not even Yair Lapid.
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Special Edition: Sinwar Is Dead. What Next?
Predictably, the US is once again telling Israel to "take the win," and bring an end to the war in a ceasefire-for-hostages deal. But the very idea is outdated since there is no longer a central Hamas leadership able to deliver a deal. Instead Prime Minister Netanyahu's message is that Israel will deal separately with each local Hamas commander: whoever will deliver our hostages can get his life a
Is Hezbollah Regrouping?
Iran is stepping in to fill the gaps in the Hezbollah chain of command with IRGC men. The plan seems to be a tactical withdrawal to the north in order to regroup and sync the various weapon systems into a better organized counter-strike against Israel. Meanwhile UNIFIL, the UN "peacekeeping" force, is shielding Hezbollah from the IDF, as does, in other ways, the Biden Administration. Mike and Gadi
War with Iran
Recent weeks have improved Israel's strategic position vis-à-vis Iran considerably. But the direct confrontation that had just began can have extremely serious consequences, not all of which are easy to predict. Gadi and Mike discuss what Israel and the world could win, what they could lose, and how the Biden-Harris administration could impact the outcome.
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The Fall of Nasrallah: A Historical Hinge Point
With the killing of Hassan Nasrallah, Gadi and Mike agree, the war turned in Israel's favor. This masterstroke, coming as it did after a long string of impressive military achievements, weakened not only Hezbollah but also Iran, which has failed to respond in any meaningful way. Iran's major move, thus far, has been to threaten the United States. If the Americans would only stop restraining Israel
Game Changer
We did not expect this. For the first time in this war, Mike explains, Israel achieved escalation dominance, and regained its deterrence. But on the road ahead there are still major obstacles. Tactical, strategic, and political. The largest of them is the Biden administration.
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