Could 2026 be the year that redefines the Middle East? In this episode, our hosts dive into the unthinkable: a potential Israeli-Syrian security pact, President Trump brokering backdoor deals and the collapse of Iran’s regime from within. But that’s just the beginning. From Hamas refusing to disarm to Saudi Arabia stalling normalization, the future is anything but certain. And as Lebanon simmers and PM Netanyahu prepares for a political comeback, one question hangs in the air: will the region break through or break down?

Behind the polite smiles and diplomatic clichés, something far more dangerous is unfolding. As Israel weighs its next move against Iran’s ballistic missile threat, serious cracks are emerging between Jerusalem and Washington. In this episode of "Israel Undiplomatic", Mark Regev and Ruthie Blum cut through the speculation to ask the questions no one else will: Is the U.S. truly aligned with Israel’s security needs or drifting toward strategic illusions? And what, really, might be brewing behind closed doors ahead of a possible Trump-Netanyahu meeting?

Israel is on edge again as three political shockwaves collide: Itamar Ben‑Gvir ignites global outrage by wearing a yellow noose pin in the Knesset debate over the death penalty for terrorists; Hamas kingpin Khaled Mashaal resurfaces in Istanbul with a chilling vow to eliminate Israel and reject any Trump‑brokered plan; and President Trump prepares to host Prime Minister Netanyahu at Mar‑a‑Lago to force momentum on “Phase 2” of his Gaza blueprint.

Israel’s political earthquake is shaking the very foundations of its democracy. President Herzog is weighing a potential pardon for Prime Minister Netanyahu just as President Trump dramatically invites Bibi to the White House. Is this a presidential favor or a veiled ultimatum? Ruthie Blum and Mark Regev expose the legal chess match, deep-state power grabs and the media circus surrounding the most polarizing figure in Israeli politics. Will Netanyahu beat the system...or is the system too broken to fix? This episode of "Israel Undiplomatic" pulls no punches.

Hezbollah’s top military commander is dead and the clock is ticking. As the IDF braces for an inevitable retaliation, Israel drills, strikes and reshapes the northern front. But just as war brews in Lebanon, a shadow negotiation unfolds in Cairo, where Hamas still refuses to disarm and the second phase of Trump’s 20-point peace plan hangs in the balance.

President Trump just dropped a geopolitical bombshell approving the sale of the stealth F-35 to Saudi Arabia, potentially shattering Israel's decades-long aerial supremacy. As Riyadh inches toward the Abraham Accords on the condition of Palestinian statehood, the stakes skyrocket. Mark Regev and Ruthie Blum dissect the consequences for Israel, the U.S. and the broader Middle East...questioning everything from Saudi trustworthiness to the future of peace and war in the region. Is normalization a strategic masterstroke or a mirage in the desert?

Mark Regev and Ruthie Blum unpack the explosive political, moral and strategic debate over Israel’s proposed death penalty for terrorists, a bill passed in its first reading just as Hadar Goldin’s body was returned after 11 years in Gaza. With Prime Minister Netanyahu’s backing and public support surging post-October 7th, the law may seem inevitable. But is it truly a deterrent, or just symbolic? The hosts wrestle with questions of justice vs. revenge, deterrence vs. diplomacy and whether executing terrorists prevents future kidnappings or fuels them. Alongside this, they explore the chilling dilemma of 200 Hamas terrorists reportedly trapped in a tunnel, the risks of a renewed regional war and the limits of peace in a Middle East still riddled with jihadist threats.*TO ENTER The Dream Raffle* Win a 1.2-million-dollar apartment in the heart of Jerusalem: https://shorturl.at/ujCk5

In this special episode of Israel Undiplomatic, Mark Regev and Ruthie Blum sit down with John Podhoretz, editor-in-chief of Commentary, to unpack what Zohran Mamdani’s election as New York City mayor signals for American Jewry, Israel and U.S. politics. They explore the “Corbynization” of the Democratic Party, the normalization of anti-Zionism in America’s most Jewish city and how bipartisan support for Israel is fraying, while warning that rising populist currents on both left and right could reshape U.S.–Israel relations. A timely, urgent conversation on what comes next for New York, American Jews and Israel.

IDF strikes in Gaza, Hamas ceasefire violations, hostage-remains scandal, and U.S.–Israel strategy—what’s next? On this week’s Israel undiplomatic, senior contributing editor at JNS Ruthie Blum and former Israeli ambassador to the United Kingdom Mark Regev—both former advisers in the Prime Minister’s Office— unpack Israel’s retaliatory strikes after renewed Hamas attacks, staged “searches” before the Red Cross and the new calculus now that no live Israeli hostages remain in Gaza. They weigh whether the ceasefire is sliding into a war of attrition or setting the stage for Phase Two of the Trump plan—Hamas disarmament and an end to its rule—while assessing U.S. backing from President Trump and Vice President JD Vance, Washington’s leverage over Qatar and Turkey, and the balance between deterrence, limited incursions and diplomatic pressure to force the return of remains and prevent Hamas rearmament.

Senior contributing editor at JNS Ruthie Blum and former Israeli ambassador to the United Kingdom Mark Regev—both former advisers in the Prime Minister’s Office—take on the most pressing geopolitical questions surrounding the Trump-brokered ceasefire, the release of Israeli hostages, and whether a renewed war with Hamas is inevitable.