The Jewish People's Podcast

Israel has voted, but the path to a new government remains uncertain. How did Netanyahu defy the polls? What explains Eisenkot’s rise? And can Israel’s political rivals find a way to govern together – or is yet another election inevitable? Veteran political analyst and author Gil Hoffman joins Yaakov to unpack the election results, the maneuvering behind the scenes, and the prospects for Israel’s next government. They also discuss Hoffman’s new book, The Blood Libel Machine, which examines the battle for global public opinion since October 7 – and what Israel can do to fight back.

Netanyahu defied the odds, Arab voters turned out in historic numbers, and Israel is left without a clear path to a government. Shmuel Rosner, pollster for Channel 13, joins Yaakov to unpack the election results, the winners and losers, and what comes next as Israel faces the prospect of political deadlock or another election.

What is Israel’s upcoming election really about, and why does Netanyahu remain so politically strong? Yaakov sits down with David Horovitz, founding editor of *The Times of Israel*, to discuss the possibility of another political deadlock, what should happen if neither bloc wins a majority, and what makes this election different from all the others he has covered in more than three decades leading Israeli news organizations.

New York Times columnist Bret Stephens discusses rising antisemitism, America’s declining support for Israel, and whether the relationship can be repaired. He warns of a possible US arms embargo and explains why Israel’s future depends on its ability to thrive, not win international sympathy.

With just two weeks to go until Israel’s October 27 election, who is leading, who could win, and what might happen on election night? Yaakov speaks to Shmuel Rosner, Channel 13 pollster and JPPI fellow, to break down the latest polls, the undecided voters, and whether Netanyahu can secure another term or the opposition can unseat him.

Three years after October 7, Yaakov talks to Yonah Jeremy Bob, co-author of In the War Room, for a behind-the-scenes look at how Israel’s war has been managed at the highest levels. They discuss the tensions between the prime minister, cabinet ministers and Israel’s security chiefs, the decisions that shaped the war, and what lessons - if any - have been learned since the day that changed the country.

Fleur Hassan-Nahoum joins the podcast to explain why she decided to run with Amcha Yisrael, what the new party hopes to bring to Israeli politics, and what it means for her to make the jump from Jerusalem politics to a national Knesset campaign as an Anglo olah.

Ex Military Intelligence officer Or Horvitz joins the podcast to explain the escalating Houthi threat, Israel’s early intelligence blind spots, Iran’s role in the conflict, and what it means that Gulf leaders are discussing the region’s future with Trump while Israel is not in the room.

As Israel heads toward elections, the word “peace” has virtually disappeared from its political vocabulary — and the Israeli left is weaker than it has been in decades. Shira Ben Sasson, Executive Director of NIF Israel, joins Yaakov to discuss violence in the West Bank, the impact of October 7 on Israeli politics, why peace has become such a toxic concept for many Israelis, and whether the Israeli left can find a way back into the national conversation.

Twenty-five years after the UN’s Durban conference became a turning point in the campaign to delegitimize Israel, Irwin Cotler and Gil Troy look back at what happened there, how the language of racism, apartheid and colonialism was weaponized against the Jewish state, and why Durban still matters in the battles over Israel today.