Israel Policy Pod

The West Bank is facing an uptick in violence, with clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants becoming increasingly commonplace in major Palestinian cities. To assess this period of unrest, Tel Aviv-based journalist Neri Zilber hosts Shira Efron (Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation Director of Policy Research, Israel Policy Forum) and Dan Rothem (Senior Policy Advisor, Herbert Kelman Institute for Conflict Transformation) for a discussion on Israel’s current policy toward the Palestinian Authority, the potential for further instability during the upcoming Jewish holidays, and what the U.S. and the international community can do to prevent the situation from further deteriorating.

Note: This episode was recorded on Monday, September 19, before the suspected terror attack on Tuesday in Holon that claimed the life of an elderly Israeli woman.

To further unpack the state of the security situation in the West Bank, join us on Thursday, September 22 at 1pm ET for a video briefing with Ibrahim Eid Dalalsha (Director, Horizon Center for Political Studies and Media Outreach) and Amos Harel (Military Correspondent, Haaretz), moderated by Shira Efron (Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation Director of Policy Research, Israel Policy Forum). Register here.

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Dr. Gilad Malach of the Israel Democracy Institute joins Tel Aviv-based journalist and Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor Neri Zilber to analyze the important but poorly understood world of Israel's ultra-Orthodox ("Haredi") community. They discuss the rapidly growing ultra-Orthodox population, their complex relationship with education, employment, and military service, the reasons behind their long-standing political covenant with Bibi Netanyahu, and the chances of this alliance enduring past the upcoming election. 

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Dr. Naysan Rafati, Iran analyst at the International Crisis Group, joins Tel Aviv-based journalist and Israel Policy Pod host Neri Zilber for a deep dive into the negotiations over a renewed Iran nuclear agreement. They discuss the history of the original deal signed under President Barack Obama, the U.S. withdrawal under President Donald Trump, and the prospects and challenges of President Joe Biden's efforts to negotiate a new deal given the sharp criticism from the Israeli government and Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program.

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Walla News Chief Political Correspondent Tal Shalev joins Tel Aviv-based journalist and Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor Neri Zilber to assess the state of play of the upcoming Israeli election, the polarizing issues determining voting patterns, and the political performances of Israel’s most recent prime ministers: Yair Lapid, Naftali Bennett, Benjamin Netanyahu, and one almost (and possibly future) prime minister, Benny Gantz.

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Haaretz Military Correspondent Amos Harel joins Tel Aviv-based journalist and Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor Neri Zilber for an in-depth conversation on the recent Israel-Palestinian Islamic Jihad conflict, Operation Breaking Dawn. They assess the impact of the operation on Israel’s relations with Gaza and Hamas, PIJ’s military capabilities compared to other terrorist organizations, PM Lapid’s handling of the escalation, and more.

Read our overview of Operation Breaking Dawn here.

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Israel and Lebanon could be on the verge of a breakthrough in indirect negotiations over their maritime border—but Hezbollah could spoil it. Policy Associate Alex Lederman assesses the state of the U.S.-mediated talks in this week’s #IsraelPolicyPause.

Watch the video version of this podcast here.

Introducing Israel Policy Pause, our quick midweek news update. This week, Policy and Communications Associate Alex Lederman unpacks Russia’s crackdown on the Jewish Agency and the plan for a controversial new Jewish neighborhood in East Jerusalem.

In this episode, Ksenia Svetlova, Director of the Israel-Middle East Program at Mitvim and an expert on Russia and Ukraine, joins Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor and Tel Aviv-based journalist Neri Zilber for a deep dive into the current state of the Ukraine conflict, growing tensions between Moscow and Jerusalem, what Russia and Iran may want from each other, how the war looks from Israel, and more.

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In this episode, Ehud Yaari, longtime Middle East commentator for Israel’s Channel 12 and international fellow of The Washington Institute, joins Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor and Tel Aviv-based journalist Neri Zilber for a wide-ranging conversation assessing President Biden's visit to the Middle East: the prospects for Saudi normalization with Israel, the budding regional defense architecture, growing Iran-Russia military ties, the Palestinians’ diplomatic standing, West Bank stability after Mahmoud Abbas, and more.

Click here to receive updates featuring our content and analysis on the Israel-Palestinian conflict, U.S.-Israel relations, Israeli politics, Israeli-Arab regional integration, and the future of the two-state solution. 

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With President Biden set to travel to Israel, the West Bank, and Saudi Arabia next week, Ambassador Martin Indyk (Israel Policy Forum Board Member and former U.S. Ambassador to Israel) joins Neri Zilber on Israel Policy Pod. Recalling previous presidential visits to Israel, they discuss Biden’s upcoming trip and its implications for U.S.-Israel relations, the two-state solution, and regional developments. They also discuss Amb. Indyk’s recent book, Master of the Game: Henry Kissinger and the Art of Middle East Diplomacy. 

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