Just when it seemed that we might enjoy a lull with the ceasefire, a fresh scandal overtakes the public sphere in Israel. This one is a homegrown domestic mess but it could lead to far reaching, international consequences. In July, 2024, allegations of prisoner abuse at Sde Teiman prison in southern Israel began to surface. This is the prison where detainees captured in the Gaza Strip were held. Then a video - purporting to show physical abuse by IDF soldiers in the prison - was released. The video, in fact, is very grainy and does not show what has been suggested. Nevertheless, when it was leaked an international uproar ensued. Several IDF soldiers were indicted on serious criminal charges but it is unclear exactly what they pertain to.

The indictments of IDF reservists sparked serious riots in Israel, when civilians broke into two IDF bases. A series of probes within the legal system were conducted, and we didn’t hear much more - until Wednesday, October 29. On that day, the top lawyer in the IDF - Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi - was put on leave. Two days later she resigned and admitted, in writing, that she had leaked the video. So now we have a leak and cover up at the highest levels. During the last week there has been high drama in this case. Yerushalmi disappeared for a few hours - causing major alarm. Her phone disappeared and was found five days later in the sea. Incredibly, it still worked. She was held in custody for five days and then released to house arrest. Tonight she is in hospital following an overdose and what appears to be a suicide attempt.

Everything about this case is sensational and horrible; the personal suffering and indignity and the profound implications for the justice system in Israel. We discuss it all with former IDF MAG lawyer, Ben Wahlhous, who now works as an attorney in private practice in Israel. Wahlhous explains the role of the unit and what is concerning about this case. He also puts it into perspective - making clear that this case demonstrates how strong and ethical the Israeli justice system remains.

Because the facts of this case are so - complicated - and important to understand….and there is so much going on, I have divided this podcast into four parts:

Part 1 - Introduction and The Facts

00:00 - 14:25

Part 2 - Interview with Ben Wahlhous, attorney and former lawyer in IDF legal unit - MAG

14:26 - 41:39

Part 3 - Update on the Facts Current to the evening of Sunday, November 9 41:40-44:28

Part 4 - A Little Levity - An iPhone Experiment Conducted on a Top Political Analysis Show

44:29 - end

Show your support for STLV at buymeacoffee.com/stateoftelaviv

Podcast Notes

Ben Wahlhaus served for many years as an officer in the IDF’s International Law Department. He has been a member of Israel’s defense team at The Hague against South Africa’s allegations of genocide, advised on Israel’s peace treaties and agreements, and appeared in international media explaining the IDF’s commitment to international law. Today Ben serves in the International Law Department as a reserve duty officer, and works in private practice.

State of Tel Aviv is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Ya’akov Katz is back in Israel following a two-week book promotion tour in the U.S. See the information below. It is a beautifully written, incisive analysis of what went wrong on October 6 and 7. A page turner.

It was great to have him on the podcast to take a close look at what is going on in the Gaza Strip - and what is not happening. It is almost one month since the Trump Peace Plan was signed and hope was high. Less so in Israel, perhaps, where so many weak spots were apparent. But it was something. And the first phase ensured that all living hostages would be released within days of signing. That alone was so important to the majority of Israelis. Incredibly, they did come out on Monday, October 13, after two years in captivity. A miracle that many thought would never come to pass. But then the chicanery began. Hamas has been dragging out the return of bodies of the hostages murdered in captivity. Why? Each day buys them time; to re-arm and regroup. And that is exactly what they are doing. Hamas controls approximately 50% of the Gaza Strip now and has no intention of relinquishing power or surrendering arms. They never did. They are brutalizing the people under their control and also conducting ambushes of IDF soldiers in the area that is controlled by Israel. The situation is volatile and operations are somewhat stalled. Just who will disarm Hamas remains unclear. And this is what Ya’akov Katz and I discuss today. Whereto from here?

Show your support for STLV at buymeacoffee.com/stateoftelaviv

Podcast Notes:

“Crisply written... draws on excellent sources within Israel’s military and intelligence services.” —The Wall Street JournalA powerful indictment of the political and military decisions that led to October 7While Israel Slept tells the gripping inside story of how Hamas, Israel’s weakest enemy, succeeded in launching a surprise attack on one of the world’s most powerful militaries. Through a detailed examination of the events leading up to October 7, 2023, the book exposes the intelligence and strategic failures that enabled this devastating invasion. It takes readers back in time, showing how years of complacency, mistaken intelligence analysis, and a misguided policy of containment enabled Hamas to prepare for an assault that Israel did not believe was possible and that would change the Middle East.The book unveils the dramatic events of the night before the attack, highlighting the cracks in Israel’s military and political leadership. It provides unprecedented details on how key warnings were missed, and how Israel ignored the growing threat from Hamas, believing that the group was weak and deterred. By exposing these failures, While Israel Slept offers a stark, sobering account of how overconfidence and complacency paved the way for disaster, while underscoring the critical lessons Israel must embrace to safeguard its future.

Yaakov Katz is an Israeli-American author and journalist. Between 2016 and 2023, Yaakov was editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post where he continues to write a popular weekly column.

He is the author of three books: “Shadow Strike – Inside Israel’s Secret Mission to Eliminate Syrian Nuclear Power”, “Weapon Wizards—How Israel Became a High-Tech Military Superpower” and “Israel vs. Iran: The Shadow War.”

Prior to taking up the role of editor-in-chief, Yaakov served for two years as a senior policy adviser to Naftali Bennett during his tenure as Israel’s Minister of Economy and Minister of Diaspora Affairs.

In 2013, Yaakov was one of 12 international fellows to spend a year at the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University.

Originally from Chicago, Yaakov has a law degree from Bar Ilan University. He lives in Jerusalem with his wife Chaya and their four children.

Find Yaakov Katz on X.

State of Tel Aviv is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

After two years of shock and awe in Israel the pace really isn’t letting up. If anything, it is intensifying. The last few days are typical. Over the weekend, most of the 20 hostages who returned alive, miraculously, from Hamas captivity on October 13, were released from hospital. The remains of those who were murdered in captivity are being returned by Hamas, in “dribs and drabs”, as President Trump would say. Just as Israelis begin to mentally adjust to the possibility of peace with Hamas…..things began to fall apart. Enter Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner and Vice President J.D. Vance, who popped into Israel this week for whirlwind visits. As VP Vance departed today, Secretary Rubio arrived. Yesterday, Jonathan Conricus and I discussed the constantly shifting parameters for what passes as reality in this part of the world. And we get into whether the heavy American presence is intended to keep PM Netanyahu and his extreme right coalition government “in line”, or just a friendly series of drop-ins. And I couldn’t resist slipping in a brief look at Canadian PM Mark Carney - who continues to make it his business to remind Israel at every opportunity that Canada is many things under his leadership but is no friend of Israel.

Show your support for STLV at buymeacoffee.com/stateoftelaviv

Podcast Notes

Jonathan Conricus is a senior fellow with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington D.C.-based think tank. He served in the IDF for 24 years, four of them as spokesman during the intense 11 days of the Guardian of the Walls Operation between Israel and Hamas. Now a reserve officer with the rank of Lt. Col., he is a sought-after speaker internationally and is frequently seen on major television news shows. Jonathan was born in Jerusalem to a Swedish father and an Israeli mother and spent his formative years in Sweden.

State of Tel Aviv is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

On October 7, 2023, exactly two years ago, an unimaginable horror overtook southern Israel. We all recall when we found out. The shock. Disbelief. Which only intensified with time.

And the unanswered questions. So. Many questions.

It seemed appropriate to publish this podcast today.

In this episode, Ya’akov Katz, a regular guest on State of Tel Aviv and Beyond, discusses a book he has co-authored with Amir Bohbot; an expose that looks at the damning evidence and records of what happened. And what, tragically, did not. Where was the army? Air Force? What took so long for help to arrive as Hamas was slaughtering its way through southern Israel, unimpeded? Why? How?

Amir and Ya’akov had been working on a different book when October 7 happened, and they quickly pivoted. Both have extensive backgrounds in military affairs and related fields which they bring to bear in this daunting project. The book is superb. Truly - a page turner. Published on September 2, it has already made one or two bestseller lists in the U.S. Most importantly, it begins a long-awaited examination of facts. Some of which are discussed publicly here for the first time.

In this episode, Ya’akov discusses the failure of every critical security, intelligence, and political institution to interpret the information available to prevent one of the greatest disasters in Jewish history.

Show your support for STLV at buymeacoffee.com/stateoftelaviv

Podcast Notes:

“Crisply written... draws on excellent sources within Israel’s military and intelligence services.” —The Wall Street JournalA powerful indictment of the political and military decisions that led to October 7While Israel Slept tells the gripping inside story of how Hamas, Israel’s weakest enemy, succeeded in launching a surprise attack on one of the world’s most powerful militaries. Through a detailed examination of the events leading up to October 7, 2023, the book exposes the intelligence and strategic failures that enabled this devastating invasion. It takes readers back in time, showing how years of complacency, mistaken intelligence analysis, and a misguided policy of containment enabled Hamas to prepare for an assault that Israel did not believe was possible and that would change the Middle East.The book unveils the dramatic events of the night before the attack, highlighting the cracks in Israel’s military and political leadership. It provides unprecedented details on how key warnings were missed, and how Israel ignored the growing threat from Hamas, believing that the group was weak and deterred. By exposing these failures, While Israel Slept offers a stark, sobering account of how overconfidence and complacency paved the way for disaster, while underscoring the critical lessons Israel must embrace to safeguard its future.

Yaakov Katz is an Israeli-American author and journalist. Between 2016 and 2023, Yaakov was editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post where he continues to write a popular weekly column.

He is the author of three books: “Shadow Strike – Inside Israel’s Secret Mission to Eliminate Syrian Nuclear Power”, “Weapon Wizards—How Israel Became a High-Tech Military Superpower” and “Israel vs. Iran: The Shadow War.”

Prior to taking up the role of editor-in-chief, Yaakov served for two years as a senior policy adviser to Naftali Bennett during his tenure as Israel’s Minister of Economy and Minister of Diaspora Affairs.

In 2013, Yaakov was one of 12 international fellows to spend a year at the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University.

Originally from Chicago, Yaakov has a law degree from Bar Ilan University. He lives in Jerusalem with his wife Chaya and their four children.

Find Yaakov Katz on X.

State of Tel Aviv is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Since President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu announced the groundbreaking Peace Proposal for the Israel-Hamas war and, more broadly, the Middle East, speculation as to what it all means is rampant.

I caught up with State of Tel Aviv and Beyond regular guest, Lt. Col. (Res.) and Senior FDD Fellow, Jonathan Conricus, to take a hard look at what the 21 (now 20) point plan sets out. Bibi was beaming at the White House when it was announced but it’s not all roses for Israel. Even before the announcement, Netanyahu was basically forced to swallow a clump of thorns. His phone call to the Emir of Qatar - during which he read from a prepared script and apologized for having approved an air attack on senior Hamas operatives meeting in Doha on September 9 to discuss a hostage deal - was just the first of many challenges to be faced. We wrote about that moment last week - which caused many politicians to rip into Bibi.

But he did it. And Trump seems to have managed the inconceivable, getting Qatar and all significant middle eastern Arab nations to step up and publicly support the plan. It’s an extraordinary accomplishment, made possible only because middle eastern nations respect Trump. And that is because they fear him. For more on that read this piece that we dropped last week.

Conricus and I go straight to it, getting into what it means for the hostages, Hamas and Israel. Who will secure the Strip and who will govern? Is de-militarization of Gaza realistic? Will Hamas accept the terms of expulsion from the Gaza Strip? How will Israel handle the first big challenge, which is expected to arise when negotiations begin in earnest on Monday in Sharm el Sheikh? It will almost certainly be about the hostages and their immediate release, a condition precedent on which neither Trump nor Bibi are likely to budge.

I wanted to get this out today so that you have the benefit of digesting this discussion before negotiations gather momentum tomorrow.

Oh. And the other major challenge? Qatar. As a state sponsor of terror and Hamas’ main benefactor, Qatar holds a lot of sway in these negotiations; and that may not bode well. We break it all down in under an hour.

Show your support for STLV at buymeacoffee.com/stateoftelaviv

Podcast Notes:

Map published on social media by President Trump and referred to in the podcast by Jonathan Conricus:

Jonathan Conricus is a senior fellow with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington D.C.-based think tank. He served in the IDF for 24 years, four of them as spokesman during the intense 11 days of the Guardian of the Walls Operation between Israel and Hamas. Now a reserve officer with the rank of Lt. Col., he is a sought-after speaker internationally and is frequently seen on major television news shows. Jonathan was born in Jerusalem to a Swedish father and an Israeli mother and spent his formative years in Sweden.

State of Tel Aviv is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

(I’m editing and finalizing this podcast in an airport. So please excuse any small glitches or errors today. I thought it important to get this podcast out asap.)

Most people may have heard of Charlie Kirk in passing before he was assassinated on September 10, but if you are not “Gen Z” you likely didn’t know much about him. I certainly didn't - until a few months ago when he hosted a debate at one of his Turning Point conferences. The discussion focused on whether America should support Israel and featured Josh Hammer - our STLV guest today - and Dave Smith, a “comedian” turned geopolitical expert. You can find the link to that podcast below, in the notes. It’s worhh to watching.

Josh had a long conversation with Charlie and a few others on the night before his murder. They discussed a range of issues relating to Israel, antisemitism and Jews. Charlie was preparing. He told Josh that 50% - FIFTY PERCENT - of the questions he dealt with these days were about - Jews. That is astonishing.

Turning Point is an advocacy organization founded by Kirk which over the years has become one of the most influential political groups in America and, possibly, beyond. Not until his death did the extraordinary reach of this young man become apparent to - the masses. He had certainly made a name for himself among young Americans, touring relentlessly to speak and engage on critical issues: social, foreign, and economic policy. He angered many and affirmed others. He opened and probably closed minds. Charlie was tenacious, hardworking, sincere, and head strong. He was unwavering in his beliefs. All of them. Recently, he had also come under attack by more than the usual detractors. Very big names in the podcast world - with millions of followers - turned on Kirk. They accused him of being a stooge for Israel. Some said he was rethinking his support for Israel and Jewish people and more than suggest that this angered the “wrong people.” Blame the Jews.

Since his brutal death they’ve doubled down. It’s beyond ghoulish.

I was shaken and shocked when I heard about Kirk’s murder. A young man. Earnest. Engaged. A husband and father. Gunned down while speaking to a group of students, as his wife and children watched. That our society has become so hateful, so dumb, so violent, should make us all stop. Think. And then think again. No bad pun intended but Kirk’s assassination may well mark a turning point for America and western civilization. This epic war being waged on the foundational values of western liberal democracy is real. Dangerous. And could well destroy our way of life if we do not wake up. That was Charlie’s message as well. I share some - but not all - of his views.

But that’s irrelevant. This isn’t about me.

What kind of world do we want to live in?

Show your support for STLV at buymeacoffee.com/stateoftelaviv

Josh Hammer is the author of the new book, Israel and Civilization: The Fate of the Jewish Nation and the Destiny of the West. He is the senior editor-at-large of Newsweek, a syndicated columnist, and a fellow with the Edmund Burke Foundation and the Palm Beach Freedom Institute. He also hosts The Josh Hammer Show, a Newsweek podcast and syndicated radio show. A frequent pundit and essayist on political, legal, and cultural issues, Josh is a constitutional attorney by training and additionally serves as senior counsel for the Article III Project.

Josh has been published by the Los Angeles Times, the New York Post, The Telegraph, the Daily Mail, U.S. News & World Report, National Review, First Things, National Affairs, American Affairs, the Claremont Review of Books, The New Criterion, City Journal, Public Discourse, Tablet Magazine, Deseret Magazine, The Spectator, Fortune, Fox Business, The Times of Israel, The Forward, and the Jewish Journal. His legal scholarship has been published by the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy and the University of St. Thomas Law Journal. Josh is a college campus speaker through Young America's Foundation and the Intercollegiate Studies Institute, and a law school campus speaker through the Federalist Society.

Josh graduated from Duke University, where he majored in economics, and from the University of Chicago Law School. He lives in Florida with his wife and daughter, and he also remains an active member of the State Bar of Texas.

State of Tel Aviv is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a special podcast that I’ve been working on since June. I first heard about Matan Yaffe from a friend in April. He was founding a new political party and the platform was generating real excitement. The founders - including Matan - were all over Israel constantly hosting evening information sessions. Very grassroots and spreading like wildfire. So I reached out to Matan and we had several long chats, some recorded, some not. He is at the forefront of what could be a seismic political change in Israel in the near future.

The result of our discussions is this longer podcast; a two part interview with Matan who - along with several colleagues - has founded El HaDegel. It translates in English as “To the Flag.” They are a movement and political party that will run in the next elections.

El HaDegel’s core principle is a concept that was central to the vision of David Ben Gurion and the founding mothers and fathers: mamlachti’ut. And that roughly translates to putting the state first. Service. Leave no one behind. No “special deals.” Israeli society is being torn apart from the inside, never mind our external enemies. Three years of domestic conflict, including two years of war, have drained the count of resources - physical and psychological. And Matan Yaffe and his colleagues believe they understand why and propose a solution. They advocate a reformed Israel in which all citizens work and serve the state - whether through the military or in a civilian context. No exceptions. And that is the platform on which they are running - and polling strongly. There are now two parties - El HaDegel and Miluimnikim (which translates as “reservists”) which have been founded recently by IDF reserve soldiers who believe that the state is long overdue for a constitutional rebuild. If not, many worry, it will face a multi-faceted existential crisis.

Matan and his colleagues are energetic, smart, accomplished and determined. We get into all the tough issues in this two part podcast, and I know you will learn much from our discussion. I certainly did.

My brief introduction to this podcast is audio only but for those who prefer to watch on YouTube the main podcast is full audio visual. It’s been little challenging lately - I’ve been traveling a lot - and finding a place with the right light, etc, is not as easy as you would think.

Show your support for STLV at buymeacoffee.com/stateoftelaviv

State of Tel Aviv is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Podcast Notes

Matan Yaffe’s social media links (predominantly in Hebrew):

Matan Yafe on IG (post in English)

Matan Yafe on X

Matan Yafe on Instagram

Matan Yafe on Facebook

El HaDegel social media links (in Hebrew):

El Hadegel on X

El Hadegel on Instagram

El Hadegel on Facebook

Matan Yaffe is an Israeli civic leader, reservist, and social entrepreneur dedicated to renewing Zionism for our time. A Major (Res.) in the IDF Commando Brigade with more than 370 reserve days since October 7, he has combined frontline service with groundbreaking civic initiatives from founding Desert Stars, which cultivates Bedouin leadership in the Negev, to co-founding the Shoresh Fund, which invests in ventures strengthening Israel’s resilience.

A graduate of Harvard Kennedy School, he also secured a landmark settlement that forced Harvard to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism. Today, as a founding leader of El HaDegel, Yaffe is helping shape a new Zionist movement born from the fire of October 7th: one country, one people, united by collective responsibility and equal service, determined to break the cycle of left-versus-right tribalism and rebuild Israel on the foundations of security, shared sacrifice, and moral clarity of our moral right to live as free people in the land of Israel.

Wild news from the Middle East today as Israel hit a building in Doha where senior Hamas leadership were gathered to reportedly discuss the latest American and Israeli proposal to end the war and bring the hostages home. We caught up with FDD Senior Fellow and State of Tel Aviv friend and regular, Lt. Col. (Res.) Jonathan Conricus to discuss what we know, what we don’t and what this might portend. Both Jonathan and I are on the road, so this episode has no visuals - other than at the very outset. It’s an old-fashioned audio only podcast - we thought it important to skip the bells and whistles and get the information out to our listeners ASAP.

Show your support for STLV at buymeacoffee.com/stateoftelaviv

Jonathan Conricus is a senior fellow with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington D.C.-based think tank. He served in the IDF for 24 years, four of them as spokesman during the intense 11 days of the Guardian of the Walls Operation between Israel and Hamas. Now a reserve officer with the rank of Lt. Col., he is a sought-after speaker internationally and is frequently seen on major television news shows. Jonathan was born in Jerusalem to a Swedish father and an Israeli mother and spent his formative years in Sweden.

State of Tel Aviv is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

When I saw the viral clips from Piers Morgan’s show - featuring State of Tel Aviv and Beyond friend and regular guest, FDD Senior Fellow, Jonathan Conricus debating Mehdi Hasan - I could not resist. Jonathan and I spoke Sunday morning about what went down during that raucous exchange, which is more than television theatrics. Conricus has emerged as one of the most powerful and articulate spokespeople globally addressing issues arising regarding the Israel-Hamas war as well as regional issues. He has deep experience in the military and a gift for explaining complex issues in a way that makes them accessible. And, unlike Mehdi, he never loses his cool. We spend most of our time today speaking about the IDF operation in Gaza City and Conricus explains why he believes that it is the correct course of action for Israel at this time, in spite of the fact that the operation imperils the lives of the remaining hostages held by Hamas. It’s hard to keep up, I know. But it struck me that we are at a critical nodal point regarding Hamas, Gaza and the hostages and merited a quick rundown. Given what’s going on - this discussion is a quickie.

The issue of media handling of issues relating to Israel is a longstanding interest of mine, as you are likely aware. And the tenor of Piers Morgan’s show is also important, in my view. Like him or hate him he has millions of viewers globally and has maintained a strong focus on the Israel-Hamas war. Which means we have no choice but to pay attention to what goes down on his show. You can watch the full episode of the Conricus-Hasan debate at the link provided in the notes. Also there is a link to a previous podcast episode with Conricus in which we speak about the pros and cons of participating on Piers Morgan Uncensored.

Show your support for STLV at buymeacoffee.com/stateoftelaviv

Podcast Notes

* Podcast episode of STLV discussing how Piers Morgan treats the Israel-Hamas war and related issue

* Episode of Piers Morgan Uncensored featuring Mehdi Hasan and Jonathan Conricus, below. The Conricus-Hasan debate begins at 14:37.

* Jonathan Conricus - Brief bio

Jonathan Conricus is a senior fellow with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington D.C.-based think tank. He served in the IDF for 24 years, four of them as spokesman during the intense 11 days of the Guardian of the Walls Operation between Israel and Hamas. Now a reserve officer with the rank of Lt. Col., he is a sought-after speaker internationally and is frequently seen on major television news shows. Jonathan was born in Jerusalem to a Swedish father and an Israeli mother and spent his formative years in Sweden.

State of Tel Aviv is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Tuesday, July 26 I embedded with the IDF to see the newly built humanitarian aid distribution center being built on the outskirts of Rafah, abutting the border with Egypt. As the Netanyahu government prepares for a major IDF operation on Gaza City in the coming weeks it also anticipates that humanitarian distress will soar. Civilians will be displaced from the Gaza City area to the humanitarian zone in Al Muwasi, near Rafah. IDF International Spokesman, Nadav Shoshani, travelled with a small group of western journalists to see the facility and explain how it will implement the lessons learned from the war to date. The center will be close to civilians, operate 24/7 and it will only take ten minutes to walk there and retrieve food aid quickly. That’s the plan. We show you footage of the total devastation of the Rafah area - taken from the armed convoy in which we travelled. A short interview with Lt Col Shoshani is followed by a discussion with State of Tel Aviv regular and friend, Ya’akov Katz, about the political and military issues complicating the Gaza op.

Show your support for STLV at buymeacoffee.com/stateoftelaviv

Yaakov Katz is an Israeli-American author and journalist. Between 2016 and 2023, Yaakov was editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post where he continues to write a popular weekly column.

He is the author of three books: “Shadow Strike – Inside Israel’s Secret Mission to Eliminate Syrian Nuclear Power”, “Weapon Wizards—How Israel Became a High-Tech Military Superpower” and “Israel vs. Iran: The Shadow War.”

Prior to taking up the role of editor-in-chief, Yaakov served for two years as a senior policy adviser to Naftali Bennett during his tenure as Israel’s Minister of Economy and Minister of Diaspora Affairs.

In 2013, Yaakov was one of 12 international fellows to spend a year at the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University.

Originally from Chicago, Yaakov has a law degree from Bar Ilan University. He lives in Jerusalem with his wife Chaya and their four children.

Find Yaakov Katz on X @yaakovkatz

State of Tel Aviv is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.