Passages Pulse

Israel has pulled off some of the most remarkable military and intelligence operations in modern history. And yet it has never been more isolated on the world stage. How is that possible and what does it mean for the future?

In this special episode of Passages Pulse, Josiah and Olivia step back from the weekly news cycle to reflect on what a year of covering Israel, the Middle East, and Christian response to it all has actually taught them. From the rise of AI on the battlefield to the decline of Christian Zionism in the West, this conversation covers the big picture questions that do not always make it into a single episode.

If you are a Passages alumni join us this September at the Israel Impact Summit in Washington DC: https://www.passagesisrael.org/trip-types/washington-dc

We unpack:

🌍 Why Israel is simultaneously stronger and more isolated than it has been in decades

🤖 How artificial intelligence is making it harder than ever to know what is real in modern warfare

✝️ What has happened to Christian Zionism since October 7 and why it matters

🇺🇸 The dangerous forces on both the far left and far right threatening the US Israel relationship

📅 What to expect from Israeli elections this fall and why they are so consequential

🎙️ What is changing about Passages Pulse and what comes next

Disclaimer: Individual views expressed in this episode are their own and do not necessarily represent those of Passages. Passages exists to build a community of Christians who are informed, engaged, and connected to Israel and the Jewish people. Learn more at www.passagesisrael.org and follow us on Instagram @passagesisrael.

00:00 Celebrating Independence: A Fourth of July Reflection

04:22 Passages Podcast Update: A New Direction

11:22 Reflections on the Past Year: Lessons Learned

24:21 Looking Ahead: Future Engagements and Conversations

#Israel #ChristianZionism #MiddleEast #October7 #ChristianNews

Qatar has spent $400 billion in America. That number is not a guess. It is backed by federal disclosures, public records, and a two-year investigation into where every dollar actually went. So where is all that money going, and why does it matter?

In this episode of Passages Pulse, Josiah sits down with Natalie Ecanow, senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, to break down her bombshell report on Qatar's footprint in America. From university donations to defense contracts to elementary school classrooms, the scope of this spending touches nearly every corner of the country.

We unpack:

💰 How Qatar spent $400 billion in America and why that number is actually an undercount

🎓 Why Qatar has outspent China on American universities by $2 billion

🏫 How Qatari funded curriculum ended up in American classrooms without Israel on the map

🔥 Why Qatar funds Hamas and American hurricane relief at the same time

🕵️ How a researcher tracked two decades of Qatari spending using public records alone

⚖️ What practical steps could actually hold Qatar accountable

Natalie’s Report: https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2026/06/03/mapping-qatars-400-billion-footprint-in-the-united-states/

Disclaimer: Individual views expressed in this episode are their own and do not necessarily represent those of Passages.

Passages exists to build a community of Christians who are informed, engaged, and connected to Israel and the Jewish people. Learn more at www.passagesisrael.org and follow us on Instagram @passagesisrael.

00:00 Introduction to Qatar's Influence

03:36 Following the Money: Research Methodology

08:29 The Evolution of Qatari Spending

12:45 Significant Recipients of Qatari Funding

19:59 Concerns Over Foreign Investment

20:15 Understanding Qatar's Complex Role

26:45 Malign Influence in Education

31:24 Practical Solutions for Transparency

#Qatar #ForeignInfluence #MiddleEast #Israel #ChristianNews

What does a Palestinian political activist actually think about Israel, Hamas, Abbas, and the future of the conflict? The answer might surprise you.

Samer is a Palestinian leader, master's student in conflict resolution at Hebrew University, and chairman of the Jerusalem Development Fund. He is also one of the only high-profile Palestinian politicians to visit the Gaza envelope after October 7 and sit with the Bibas family during their mourning. And he sat down with our students in Israel to have an honest conversation about the conflict.

We unpack:

🇵🇸 Why a Palestinian activist says this is the most misunderstood conflict in history

⚡ What Samer says is the real root of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

🗳️ Why Palestinians are fed up with both Hamas and Abbas

🕊️ What Palestinian coexistence actually looks like on the ground in Israel

🧭 Whether a two-state solution is still realistic and what young Palestinians actually think

🌍 What needs to change on the Palestinian side for peace to be possible

✝️ Why Christians should care about Palestinian voices like this one

Disclaimer: Individual views expressed in this episode are their own and do not necessarily represent those of Passages. Passages exists to build a community of Christians who are informed, engaged, and connected to Israel and the Jewish people.

Learn more at www.passagesisrael.org and follow us on Instagram @passagesisrael.

00:00 Introduction to Passages Pulse and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

02:36 Understanding the Sources of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

04:45 The Role of Leadership in the Conflict

06:53 Historical Context and Coexistence

09:13 Palestinian Identity and Nationalism

11:30 Divisions within Palestinian Politics

13:56 The Need for a New Palestinian Strategy

16:14 The Dynamics of Hamas and Fatah

18:13 International Influence and Palestinian Leadership

20:43 Reconciliation and the Path to Peace

22:52 The Political Landscape of Palestinian Leadership

26:25 The Role of Polls in Palestinian Politics

30:15 The Stagnation of the Peace Process

30:57 The Dilemma of Two-State vs. One-State Solutions

33:49 The Changing Perspectives of Palestinian Youth

37:31 Humanity Beyond Conflict

38:08 The Future of Israeli-Palestinian Relations

A deal with Iran has apparently been signed. But nobody has actually read it. American and Iranian officials are making contradictory claims, leaked copies keep surfacing, and Israel was not even part of the negotiations.

So what is actually in this Iran MOU, and should Christians who care about Israel be concerned?

In this episode of Passages Pulse, Josiah and Olivia break down everything we know about the Iran memorandum of understanding, what it means for Israel, and what it was actually like being on the ground in Israel with students in the middle of all of this.

We unpack:

📄 What an MOU actually is and how it differs from a permanent deal

⚠️ Why Israel has not seen the agreement and what that means

🇮🇷 Whether Iran can actually be trusted to follow through

🤔 Whether the Trump administration is being naive or strategic

🇮🇱 What Israelis on the ground are actually saying about the war right now

✈️ Why Israelis just want their airport back and what that tells us about the mood there

🙏 What it was like bringing students to Israel in the middle of all of this

Disclaimer: Individual views expressed in this episode are their own and do not necessarily represent those of Passages.

Passages exists to build a community of Christians who are informed, engaged, and connected to Israel and the Jewish people. Learn more at www.passagesisrael.org and follow us on Instagram @passagesisrael.

Chapters

00:00 Welcome Back and Reflections on Israel

02:26 Experiencing Israel with Students

05:11 Personal Highlights from the Trip

08:30 Learning and Growth Through Student Experiences

11:37 Observations on Israeli Society and Community

14:57 The Impact of Ongoing Conflict on Daily Life

17:45 The Current State of U.S.-Israel Relations

19:43 Understanding the Iran Deal and Its Implications

25:36 Reactions to the Iran MOU and Future Concerns

Headlines are claiming Israel is breaking the ceasefire in Lebanon. But is that actually what is happening? And does anyone even know if there is still a ceasefire to break?

So what is really going on in Lebanon right now, and why is the story so much more complicated than what you are seeing in the news?

In this episode of Passages Pulse, Josiah and Olivia break down the Lebanon ceasefire confusion, explain why Hezbollah is the real spoiler in these negotiations, and share what life is actually like for communities in northern Israel that Western media is largely ignoring.

We unpack:

🇱🇧 Why there is a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon but not between Israel and Hezbollah

⚠️ How Hezbollah is actively sabotaging the deal it never agreed to in the first place

🚁 Why drone attacks on northern Israeli communities are escalating despite the ceasefire

📰 The story of northern Israel that is not making Western headlines

🗺️ Whether Israel is actually trying to expand territory into Lebanon

🙏 Where Christians should place their hope when the headlines feel overwhelming

Disclaimer: Individual views expressed in this episode are their own and do not necessarily represent those of Passages.

Passages exists to build a community of Christians who are informed, engaged, and connected to Israel and the Jewish people.

Learn more at www.passagesisrael.org and follow us on Instagram @passagesisrael.

00:00 Introduction and Context of Lebanon Conflict

01:21 Historical Background of Hezbollah and Lebanon

03:27 Ceasefire Agreements and Their Limitations

06:35 Hezbollah's Rejection of Ceasefire and Escalation

07:48 Current Military Tensions and Violations

11:04 Iran, Hezbollah, and US Negotiations

14:16 Iran's Support for Proxy Groups and Regional Strategy

17:20 Implications for Israel and Regional Security

21:25 Israel's Military Strategy and Historical Lessons

26:47 Drone Warfare and Threats to Israeli Communities

29:17 Living Under Threat: The Human Impact in Northern Israel

32:23 Hope, Faith, and the Christian Response to Conflict

"Is it anti-Semitic to criticize Israel?" It is one of the most asked and most misunderstood questions in the conversation around Israel today. And the answer is more nuanced than most people are willing to admit.

So what actually separates legitimate criticism of Israel from anti-Semitism? And where does that line get crossed?

In this episode of Passages Pulse, Josiah and Olivia tackle the questions their audience has been sending in, including the legal definition of genocide, what is really happening on the ground in Gaza right now, and why the Hamas-led exploitation of Palestinian civilians is not making Western headlines.

We unpack:

⚖️ Where legitimate criticism of Israel ends and anti-Semitism begins

🚢 What Gaza flotillas actually are and why Israel boards them

🌍 What life in Gaza really looks like right now

📰 The Hamas corruption story Western media is not covering

🧠 How to talk about Israel critically without crossing into anti-Semitic tropes

🙏 How Christians can hold both compassion and critical thinking at the same time

Article about Gaza conditions: https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hkdqkhwpzl#google_vignette

Disclaimer: Individual views expressed in this episode are their own and do not necessarily represent those of Passages.

Passages exists to build a community of Christians who are informed, engaged, and connected to Israel and the Jewish people.

Learn more at www.passagesisrael.org and follow us on Instagram @passagesisrael.

"Christian Zionist" is being used as an insult. But what does it actually mean, and should Christians who support Israel be ashamed of the label?

In this episode of Passages Pulse, Josiah and Olivia answer listener and live audience questions on some of the most pressing topics in the Christian and Israel conversation, from whether support for Israel is conditional on Israel's spiritual state, to the loneliness that comes with standing publicly for Israel in today's climate.

They cover whether Christian Zionism requires a specific end times view, how to raise kids with biblical literacy and a heart for Israel, how to share the gospel with Jewish friends without watering down the truth, and why so many pro-Israel Christians feel isolated and what to do about it.

Want to connect with a community of Christians who care about Israel? Visit www.passagesisrael.org and follow us on Instagram @passagesisrael.

Is Christianity actually legal in Israel? Can Christians openly worship, evangelize, and build churches there, or is the reality very different from what people are being told online?

In this episode of Passages Pulse, Josiah McGee and Olivia Layne tackle one of the biggest questions flooding social media right now: has Israel outlawed Christianity?

As viral claims spread accusing Israel of suppressing Christians and banning evangelism, Josiah and Olivia break down what Israeli law actually says, what Christians experience on the ground, and why so much misinformation is shaping the conversation.

We unpack:

⛪ Whether Christians can legally worship and open churches in Israel

📖 What Israeli law actually says about evangelism and conversion

⚖️ The truth behind claims that Christianity has been “outlawed”

🧠 Why so many viral narratives about Israel and Christians lack important context

🌍 The complicated reality facing Christians in the West Bank

📣 How social media and influencers shape public perception about Israel

🙏 How Christians should think critically, pursue truth, and respond wisely

Disclaimer: Individual views expressed in this episode are their own and do not necessarily represent those of Passages.

Want to learn more about Passages? Visit www.passagesisrael.org and follow us on Instagram @passagesisrael.

In this episode of Passages Pulse, Josiah McGee is joined by Samuel Ben-Er for an important conversation about a growing global reality: why are Christians being targeted in different parts of the world?

From the Middle East to places like China and Iran, restrictions on faith are increasing and in some cases turning into outright persecution. Drawing on historical context and present-day examples, this episode explores why Christianity is often seen as a threat and what that reveals about power, control, and belief.

Samuel’s article: https://providencemag.com/2026/04/christianity-is-the-vanguard-of-western-civilization-and-america-must-protect-it-abroad/

So what’s really going on, and why does this matter right now?

We unpack:

🌍 Where Christians are facing the most pressure globally and what that looks like on the ground

⚖️ Why authoritarian regimes often view Christianity as a threat

🧠 The deeper political and ideological reasons behind restrictions on faith

⛪ What happens when belief challenges government authority

📣 Why this issue is often misunderstood or overlooked in mainstream conversations

🙏 How Christians should respond with awareness, wisdom, and prayer

Disclaimer: Individual views expressed in this episode are their own and do not necessarily represent those of Passages.

Want to learn more about Passages? Visit www.passagesisrael.org and follow us on Instagram @passagesisrael.

In this episode of Passages Pulse, Josiah McGee and Olivia Layne unpack a viral moment that sparked major controversy online: a widely circulated image involving Israeli security forces and a Christian site in Lebanon.

What actually happened? And why did so many people immediately jump to conclusions?

As reactions spread across social media, many began asking deeper questions about Israel, Christianity, and whether tensions between the two are growing. But is the narrative we’re seeing online telling the full story?

We unpack:

📸 The viral IDF photo and what actually took place on the ground

🧠 How misinformation and missing context shape public perception

⛪ The complex reality of Christian identity and worship in Israel today

⚠️ Why quick reactions online can often miss critical details

🙏 How Christians should respond with wisdom, patience, and discernment

IDF confirms photo of soldier smashing Jesus statue in Lebanon is genuine: https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-says-image-of-soldier-destroying-jesus-statue-in-lebanon-is-real-vows-action/

Disclaimer: Individual views expressed in this episode are their own and do not necessarily represent those of Passages.

Want to learn more about Passages? Visit www.passagesisrael.org and follow us on Instagram @passagesisrael.