Can the UN be repaired - or should it be defunded and replaced?

In this episode of Mideast Horizons, former Israeli Minister and Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan joins Asher Fredman for a candid, no-holds-barred conversation about the failure of the UN system, the future of Gaza, and the historic opportunity now facing the U.S. and Israel in Iran.

Ambassador Erdan pulls back the curtain on his four years at the UN, describing an organization that is “broken and corrupt” and dominated by non-democratic regimes. As PM Netanyahu meets with President Trump, Erdan argues that we are facing a "watershed moment” in which the U.S. and Israel must focus on one goal: regime change in Tehran.

Don’t miss this insider’s look at the global diplomatic battlefield! Watch, share, and subscribe to Mideast Horizons for more in-depth conversations with leading policymakers and strategic thinkers. You can send comments or suggestions to [email protected].

In this episode of Misgav Mideast Horizons, hosts Asher Fredman and Lahav Harkov sit down with Dr. Ariel Admoni - one of Israel’s leading experts on Qatar - for a deep dive into the most controversial actor in the Middle East today.

Is Qatar merely a mediator between warring sides - or something far more strategic and dangerous?

Dr. Admoni, a Senior Fellow at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, explains Qatar’s decades-long relationship with the Muslim Brotherhood, its hosting and financing of Hamas leadership, and how Doha has positioned itself as the “default” intermediary for the United States - from Gaza to the Taliban to the Houthis. We examine whether Qatar’s role reflects good-faith mediation or a sophisticated strategy to legitimize terror actors while expanding its global influence.

The conversation explores:

Dr. Admoni argues that Qatar’s power lies not in overt confrontation, but in subtle, long-term influence - shaping academic narratives, political incentives, and media ecosystems across the West.

In the opening segment, Asher and Lahav analyze the latest developments regarding Iran and the possibility of renewed U.S.–Iran negotiations, Israel’s strategic timeline vis-à-vis Iranian missile and air defense rebuilding, Israel’s surprising economic resilience in 2025, and the debate over how democracies should combat rising antisemitism.

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In this powerful episode of Mideast Horizons, recorded on the eve of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, hosts Asher Fredman and Lahav Harkov sit down with Arsen Ostrovsky, Misgav Institute Senior Fellow and Head of the Sydney Office of the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC).

Arsen shares his harrowing firsthand account of surviving the Bondi Beach terror attack, which claimed the lives of fifteen innocent people gathered for a Chanukah celebration. As gunfire rang out and victims lay wounded around him, Arsen was shot in the head and believed he might never see his wife and daughters again. His survival, which doctors later described as a miracle, has reshaped his personal mission and intensified his resolve to combat antisemitism worldwide.

The conversation explores the explosion of antisemitism since October 7, how anti-Zionism increasingly serves as a mask for anti-Jewish hate, and how unchecked incitement led to Islamist violence. Arsen discusses the lessons that the global Jewish community, Australia, and all democracies must learn from the deadly attack.

The episode also delves into the rise of AI-generated disinformation, the role of social media companies and governments in confronting online hate, the rise of Holocaust distortion, and strategies for defending Israel in the international legal and diplomatic arenas.

In the first part of this episode, Lahav and Asher discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by President Trump’s Board of Peace, the danger of Israeli concessions in Syria, developments in Iran, and the deeper trends driving Saudi Arabia’s increasingly hostile stance towards Israel and the UAE.

This is a sobering, courageous, and ultimately hopeful conversation about resilience, responsibility, and the urgent need for moral clarity and bold action in the fight against antisemitic hate.

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In this episode of Misgav Mideast Horizons, we sit down with Isaac “Yitz” Applbaum - one of the most experienced investors in Israeli technology and a key figure at the intersection of Israeli, American, Saudi, and Emirati innovation - for a wide-ranging conversation on the future of defense tech, regional cooperation, and the U.S.–Israel relationship.

Yitz, Chair of Kinetica Partners and Senior Advisor to the Saudi Minister of Communications, IT, and Space, shares his remarkable personal journey from Brooklyn to Israel to the GCC, and explains why he believes Israel–Saudi normalization is coming sooner than most people think. Drawing on years of firsthand experience in the Gulf, he outlines where cooperation between Israel and Saudi Arabia could be transformational - particularly in defense, healthcare, AI, agtech, and water - and why the combination of Israeli innovation and Saudi scale could be a true “100X” moment.

We also dive deep into the global defense tech boom following October 7, and what it means for Israel’s economy, innovation ecosystem, and international standing. Yitz explains why countries like Germany, Japan, and the United States are increasingly looking to Israel not just to buy systems, but to co-develop and co-invest in next-generation defense technologies. He discusses the rise of early-stage defense startups, the role of elite IDF talent, and what Israel’s government can do to better support this rapidly growing sector.

In the latter part of the conversation, we explore how U.S.–Israel defense cooperation could evolve beyond traditional military aid toward deeper partnerships, joint projects, and large-scale initiatives. Yitz also reflects personally on October 7, the surge in antisemitism on both the Left and the Right, and how it has changed the way he engages with the world.  

In the first part of the episode, we go beyond the headlines to discuss the latest developments related to President Trump’s Board of Peace, Gaza, the Iran protests, Josh Shapiro and the Harris campaign, and deepening UAE–India ties.

This is a candid, insider discussion on technology, alliances, and the future of the Middle East—with someone who is helping shape all three.

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Is it time for Israel to wean itself off of American military aid? According to former Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Oren, the answer is a resounding yes.

In this episode of Misgav Mideast Horizons, hosts Lahav Harkov and Asher Fredman are joined by Dr. Michael Oren—historian, diplomat, and former deputy minister—for a provocative conversation on the future of the U.S.-Israel alliance, Iran, and potential flashpoints between Trump and Netanyahu. Oren argues that U.S. aid has rendered Israel "less than sovereign" and exposed the Jewish state to dangerous pressure during wartime.

Oren also provides a historian’s perspective on the collapse of the Iranian regime and Israel’s current geopolitical strength, and sets the record straight on one of the most controversial conspiracy theories in U.S.-Israel history: the USS Liberty incident.

In this episode, Michael Oren discusses:

In the opening segment: Lahav and Asher analyze the latest psychological warfare coming out of Tehran, including "poetic" threatening text messages sent to Israelis. They also discuss the chaotic succession battle looming in the Palestinian Authority, what the latest developments teach us about Trump’s national security doctrine, and the life and legacy of late archaeologist Gabriel Barkay.

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As we kick off 2026, the Iranian regime finds itself at its most vulnerable point in 47 years. Following the devastating "12-Day War" that exposed the regime's military weakness, and amidst a crushing economic collapse, the Iranian people are rising up with renewed courage.

In this episode of Misgav Mideast Horizons, hosts Lahav Harkov and Asher Fredman are joined by Mehrdad Marty Yousefiani, an Iranian-American strategic communications expert and former chief strategic counselor to Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi. Drawing on his deep ties to actors on the ground and in the Iranian diaspora, Marty takes us inside the current protests, explaining why this wave is fundamentally different from the past – and what the Day After could look like.

In the opening segment, Lahav and Asher take stock of the start of 2026—looking at Israel’s surprising economic and societal resilience, the political and demographic debates shaping the year ahead, and the fast-moving regional dynamics that are putting Tehran under unprecedented pressure.

Don't miss this insider’s look at the crumbling of the Iranian regime and what a free Iran could mean for the entire Middle East.

00:00 - Opening: The End of the Iranian Regime?

01:06 - Welcome to Misgav Mideast Horizons

02:30 - Israel 2026: The Economic Miracle ($64k GDP) vs. Social Challenges

10:41 - The "Maduro Effect": Does Venezuela’s Fall Signal the End for Iran?

13:50 - Guest Intro: Who is Marty Yousefiani?

14:14 - Inside the New Iranian Revolution

18:15 - Why This Time is Different: The "Bazaar Strikes" & Economic Collapse

23:00 - Is the Regime Cracking? Signs of Instability in the IRGC

27:35 - After the "12-Day War": How Israel’s Air Superiority Exposed the Regime

32:30 - Trump’s Warning: How the Capture of Maduro Shook the Ayatollahs

35:55 - "Do No Harm": Critical Advice for Netanyahu & Trump on Supporting Iran

39:25 - Who Replaces the Mullahs? Pahlavi, Republicans & The Opposition Coalition

 43:10 - The Day After: A Vision for Peace & Trade Between Israel and a Free Iran

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Following Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s high-stakes meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, the world is asking: What really happens when the cameras turn off and the doors close?

In this episode of Misgav Mideast Horizons, hosts Lahav Harkov and Asher Fredman are joined by Ari Harow, former Chief of Staff and diplomatic advisor to Prime Minister Netanyahu. Drawing on his years of experience in the room where it happens, Harow takes us inside the dynamics of the Trump–Netanyahu relationship and explains how their ties and interests will shape what comes next in Gaza, Iran, and beyond.

In the first part of the episode, Lahav and Asher discuss the strategic implications of the ongoing anti-regime protests in Iran, the growing tensions between Israel and Turkey, and Israel’s bold diplomatic recognition of Somaliland.

Topics Discussed:

Don’t miss this insider’s guide to Israeli decision-making and the future of U.S.–Israel relations.

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Is a new war between Israel and Iran approaching—and what could trigger it?

In this episode of Misgav Mideast Horizons, Asher Fredman speaks with Dr. Yossi Mansharof, one of Israel’s leading experts on Iran, about the growing risk of an Iran–Israel war and the possibility of wider regional conflict.

As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares to meet U.S. President Donald Trump, Dr. Mansharof argues that the key question is no longer if Israel and Iran will clash again - but when. He analyzes Iran’s efforts to rebuild its military capabilities, the regime’s deepening internal crises, and whether regime change in Iran is a realistic strategic objective for Israel and

The discussion also explores Iran’s evolving tactics, including cyber operations, recruitment of Israeli citizens, and threats to Israeli and Jewish targets worldwide—along with what Washington and Jerusalem must do now to avoid being strategically surprised.

The conversation then turns to Hezbollah and Lebanon: whether the Lebanese state has the will or capacity to disarm Hezbollah, how Iran is working to rebuild its most important terror proxy, and a strategy for weakening Hezbollah’s grip on Lebanese society.

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In the wake of the horrific antisemitic terror attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney—and amid a global surge in anti-Jewish violence— Lahav and Asher speak this week with former Israeli Special Envoy for Combating Antisemitism Michal Cotler-Wunsh about the “eighth front” of the war that Israel and the Jewish People are facing. Cotler-Wunsh—now CEO of the International Legal Forum—delivers a bracing, no-holds-barred assessment of how antisemitism has been normalized, why anti-Zionism is today’s most dangerous strain of this ancient hatred, and how governments, universities, and social media platforms are failing to enforce their own laws and policies.

Cotler-Wunsh lays out the concrete legal, policy, and law-enforcement measures democracies must adopt now—starting with the full implementation of the IHRA definition of antisemitism—and explains how international law has been hijacked and weaponized against Israel and other democracies fighting terror. Cotler-Wunsh also warns about the malign role of state actors such as Qatar and Turkey, whose Islamist propaganda and funding fuel extremism.

In the episode’s opening segment, Lahav and Asher reflect on how the Bondi attack hit close to home, including the injury of Misgav Senior Fellow Arsen Ostrovsky. Asher also shares firsthand insights from recent reserve duty in Gaza, recounting the discovery of Hamas uniforms, training manuals, and stolen pillows from an Israeli hospital inside the home of a Hamas terrorist.

This is a sobering but urgent conversation about courage, effective action, and why antisemitism is not just a Jewish problem—but a warning sign for every democracy.

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In this episode of Mideast Horizons, Lahav Harkov and Asher Fredman speak with Dr. Yuval Steinitz, former cabinet minister and now chairman of Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, about how Israeli technology has shaped the multi-front war of the past two years. Steinitz discusses how Iron Dome, developed by Rafael, has prevented mass casualties and national paralysis by maintaining an exceptionally high interception rate. He describes the recent 12-day war with Iran as “the most technological conflict ever in human history,” highlighting Israel’s surprise strikes and rapid achievement of air superiority over Tehran.

Steinitz presents Rafael’s next breakthrough: the Iron Beam, the first system capable of downing rockets, missiles, mortars and drones with lasers. He outlines how the technology will push interception rates toward 100 percent while reducing the cost of each shot to only a few dollars. He also discusses deepening U.S.-Israel defense cooperation.

In the opening segment, Lahav and Asher examine instability along both the Gaza and Lebanon borders. They describe the realities on both sides of the “yellow line” inside Gaza, note Hezbollah’s increased activity a year after the Lebanon ceasefire, and address Iran’s economic and water crises. Domestically, they analyze Prime Minister Netanyahu’s unprecedented request for a presidential pardon and the political questions surrounding upcoming elections.

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