Israel Policy Pod

As the judicial and constitutional crisis in Israel deepens, Tel Aviv-based journalist and Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor Neri Zilber hosts Tal Schneider, chief political correspondent for the Times of Israel, to analyze the politics of the current moment. They discuss the first judicial overhaul bills passed in preliminary and first readings in the Knesset this week, the prospects for a negotiated compromise, what Benjamin Netanyahu ultimately wants, whether he even still has control over his coalition, and the current state of both the opposition and the widespread anti-government protest movement.

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On this week's episode, Tel Aviv-based journalist and Israeli Policy Forum Policy Advisor Neri Zilber hosts Chief Policy Officer Michael Koplow and Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation Director of Policy Research Shira Efron for a wide-ranging conversation about this week's tragic earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, the recent escalation in Jerusalem and the West Bank, the Netanyahu government’s security policy thus far, U.S. efforts to de-escalate tensions, and of course the ongoing efforts by the Israeli government to reform/overhaul/destroy the country's judicial system.

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**Note: This episode was recorded before the events of January 26 in the Jenin refugee camp.

Haaretz Military Correspondent Amos Harel joins Tel Aviv-based journalist and Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor Neri Zilber for a wide-ranging conversation on Israeli security policy under the new Netanyahu government. They assess the blurred lines of control between several ministers in the West Bank, the IDF under new Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, prospects for escalation in the Palestinian arena, U.S.-Israel defense ties, Israel's Ukraine policy, and more.

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With the new Israeli government barely two weeks old, a major crisis is looming over its intention to completely overhaul the country's judicial and legal system. Dan Meridor, a former Likud justice minister and deputy prime minister, joins Neri Zilber (Tel Aviv-based journalist and Israel Policy Forum policy advisor) to discuss the fateful consequences of these plans for Israeli democracy, what happened to the old Likud party, recollections of his time working closely with Benjamin Netanyahu, and the evolution of his thinking about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and two-state outcome. 

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Most years in Israel are described as "historic," but for 2022 it happens to be very true. The year began with Benjamin Netanyahu in the opposition and considering a plea deal in his corruption trial, and is now ending with Netanyahu marking a dramatic return to power at the head of a far-right government. Between these two events, we witnessed the demise of the Bennett-Lapid government, renewed violence and instability in (and from) the West Bank, a U.S. presidential visit, yet another election, and much more. To recap this eventful year and present the second annual Israel Policy Pod End-of-Year Awards, Tel Aviv-based journalist and Policy Advisor Neri Zilber hosts Chief Policy Officer Michael Koplow and Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation Director of Policy Research Shira Efron to make their prestigious selections and offer predictions for the year ahead.

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It’s a challenging moment for the Palestinian Authority. INSS researcher and Israeli-Palestinian Research Program Coordinator Noa Shusterman joins IPF Atid Director Shanie Reichman to assess several worrying trends in the West Bank that have weakened the PA, including the rise of new Palestinian militant groups and IDF incursions into Area A. Looking forward, they also discuss the Israeli security establishment’s assessment of these trends and consider scenarios for the day after Abu Mazen.

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Tel Aviv-based journalist and Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor Neri Zilber hosts Prof. Suzie Navot, the vice president for research at the Israel Democracy Institute, for a deep dive into the incoming Israeli government's intentions to "reform" the country's judicial and legal system. They discuss the plan to pass an override clause for Supreme Court decisions, the role of the attorney general, efforts to stop Netanyahu's corruption trial, and what it all could mean for the future of Israeli democracy itself. 

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In the wake of the recent Israeli election, Tel Aviv-based journalist and Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor Neri Zilber hosts Amir Tibon, a senior editor and writer at Haaretz, to assess the fallout and analyze the implications of Benjamin Netanyahu's dramatic comeback, likely at the head of a far-right governing coalition. They discuss the future of the Israeli left, the reasons for the far-right's ascendance, the ongoing coalition talks between Netanyahu and his right-wing allies, and what such a government would mean for U.S.-Israel relations.

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As Israelis go to the polls once again on November 1, Tel Aviv-based journalist and Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor Neri Zilber hosts Tal Schneider, chief political correspondent for The Times of Israel, to preview what might happen. They discuss the campaign run by Prime Minister Yair Lapid, the difficulties for the rest of the anti-Netanyahu camp, the prospects for Benjamin Netanyahu to get out the Likud vote, and the rise of Itamar Ben Gvir and the far right—and what it could mean for Israeli democracy.

Register to attend our post-Israeli election day video briefing with Michael Koplow, Shira Efron, and Neri Zilber on November 7 via Zoom here: ipf.li/electionbriefing

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Mohammad Darawshe, an expert on Arab-Jewish relations in Israel, joins host Neri Zilber for a deep dive into the current state of Arab-Israeli politics ahead of the November 1 Israeli election. They discuss reasons behind the expected low turnout in Arab society, the divisions amongst Arab political parties, how Mansour Abbas is viewed after his historic move to join a governing coalition, and why Arab-Israelis likely hold the key to whether Benjamin Netanyahu returns to power or Yair Lapid continues as prime minister. 

Register to attend our post-Israeli election day video briefing with Michael Koplow, Shira Efron, and Neri Zilber on November 7 via Zoom here: ipf.li/electionbriefing

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