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Israel Policy Pod

Israel Policy Forumwww.israelpolicyforum.org

A weekly podcast that goes beyond the headlines to bring you analysis from Israel Policy Forum experts and distinguished guests. 

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Episodes

Today and the Day After in Gaza

In this episode of Israel Policy Pod, Tel Aviv-based journalist and Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor Neri Zilber hosts Chief Policy Officer Michael Koplow and Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation Senior Director of Policy Research Shira Efron to discuss the state of affairs in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war and their forthcoming policy report, Starting From the Ground Up: U.S. Policy Options for Post-Hamas Gaza , releasing early next week. — Nearly two months since the horrific Hamas terrorist a...

Dec 07, 20231 hr 5 min

A Temporary Ceasefire

On this week’s episode, IPF Atid Director Shanie Reichman hosts Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor and Tel Aviv-based journalist Neri Zilber for another update amid a temporary truce between Israel and Hamas that has allowed for the release of over 90 hostages. They discuss the details of the deal that has enabled the release of hostages, what a resumption of the ground invasion of Gaza may look like, how the situation is viewed by the U.S., the PA, and other key players, the mood of the Israeli...

Nov 30, 202353 min

The Complex Challenges of the Israel-Hamas War

On this week’s episode, IPF Atid Director Shanie Reichman hosts Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor and Tel Aviv-based journalist Neri Zilber for another wartime update as the IDF progresses in its ground invasion of the Gaza Strip. They discuss the unfolding situation at Gaza City’s al-Shifa Hospital and other key locations to watch in the Strip, the status of efforts to secure the release of the hostages, the backstory of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, scenarios for the day after in Gaza, the state...

Nov 14, 20231 hr 7 min

A New Phase and a Long War Ahead

On this week’s episode, IPF Atid Director Shanie Reichman hosts Tel Aviv-based journalist and Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor Neri Zilber for a wide-ranging conversation on the newly-entered phase in the Israel-Hamas war. They discuss Israel’s methodical launch of a ground offensive and surrounding storylines such as calls for a ceasefire, Netanyahu’s failed Gaza strategy leading up to October 7, civilian casualties in Gaza, escalating settler violence in the West Bank, and the ongoing hostag...

Nov 01, 20231 hr 3 min

On the Ground, Amid the Pending Ground Invasion

On this week’s episode, IPF Atid Director Shanie Reichman hosts Tel Aviv-based journalist and Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor Neri Zilber for a wide-ranging conversation on the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. They discuss various issues impacting the multiple fronts of this conflict, including the Israeli hostages in Gaza, humanitarian aid for Gaza, Hamas’ history as a spoiler for efforts to promote Israeli-Palestinian peace, violence in the West Bank, and Israelis’ resilience as the country respon...

Oct 25, 202356 min

Seeing Through the Fog of War

On this week’s episode, IPF Atid Director Shanie Reichman returns to the podcast to discuss the ongoing Israel-Hamas war with Tel Aviv-based journalist Neri Zilber. They reflect on Israelis’ trauma almost two weeks after the devastating October 7 attacks, discuss the explosion at al-Ahli hospital in Gaza and the role of misinformation, unpack President Biden’s visit to Israel and the state of U.S.-Israel ties, and provide an overview of how the conflict has impacted other states in the region. I...

Oct 19, 202355 min

Unimaginable Tragedy and Unfolding War: Israel Mourns and Mobilizes

On October 7, 2023, Israelis faced the unthinkable when Hamas militants breached the Gaza border, carried out a violent rampage, took hundreds of Israelis hostage, and indiscriminately slaughtered at least 1,300 people—mostly civilians, many of them women, children, and elderly. These attacks resulted in the most Jews killed in a single day since the Holocaust. On this week’s episode, IPF Atid Director Shanie Reichman joins Tel Aviv-based journalist Neri Zilber to reflect on the darkest day in I...

Oct 12, 202359 min

Israel Under Attack (Audio Recording of Emergency Video Briefing)

In this emergency video briefing, we convened with our team of experts, Neri Zilber, Shira Efron, Nimrod Novik, and Michael Koplow to assess the unfolding situation in Israel. Our Statement from October 7, 2023: Israel Policy Forum is outraged by the despicable attacks by Hamas terrorists. We stand in firm support of Israel as it defends itself against this terrorist assault and provides security for its citizens, and we call on the international community to do the same. There is absolutely no ...

Oct 10, 202357 min

An Alternative View From Across the Green Line

On this week's episode, Tel Aviv-based journalist and Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor Neri Zilber hosts Israel Piekrash, the co-founder and director of the Anahnu Movement, to discuss Israel's crumbling social cohesion and whether a new national consensus and a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are possible. They dive into Israel Piekrash's unique upbringing in the religious Zionist community, his shift in thinking about the Palestinians, and the vision of the Anahnu Movement befor...

Oct 05, 20231 hr 4 min

Previewing the Bibi-Biden Meeting and a Holiday Recap

On this week’s episode, Tel Aviv-based journalist and Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor Neri Zilber hosts Chief Policy Officer Michael Koplow and Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation Senior Director of Policy Research Shira Efron for a wide-ranging conversation about the Oslo Accords’ 30th anniversary last week, the historic Supreme Court hearing over the law that ended the reasonableness standard, the long-delayed upcoming meeting between President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanya...

Sep 19, 20231 hr 19 min

Oslo at 30

As we mark the 30th anniversary of the Oslo Accords next week on September 13, Ambassador Martin S. Indyk (Israel Policy Forum board member and former U.S. ambassador to Israel) joins host Neri Zilber (journalist and Israel Policy Forum policy advisor) to reflect on the signing of that historic agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. They discuss the mood in Washington leading up to the White House ceremony, the birth of the Middle East peace process, where Oslo went wrong, subsequent pea...

Sep 05, 20231 hr 8 min

Palestinian Politics and Presidential Succession

Tel Aviv-based journalist and Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor Neri Zilber hosts journalist Adam Rasgon for a deep dive into Palestinian politics. They discuss the article he recently co-authored with Aaron Boxerman in Foreign Policy Magazine, titled "The Palestinian Leader Who Survived the Death of Palestine," the life and role of senior official Hussein al-Sheikh, the current state of the Palestinian Authority, and the looming battle to succeed President Mahmoud Abbas. Join us for The Oslo L...

Aug 29, 20231 hr 8 min

The View From Riyadh: Israel-Saudi Normalization

Saudi foreign policy analyst Aziz Alghashian joins journalist and Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor Neri Zilber to analyze the prospects for a U.S.-brokered normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia. They discuss the complexities involved in the three-way agreement, the reported security demands of the United States by Saudi, the need for real tangible concessions by Israel towards the Palestinians, and the shadow cast by the Abraham Accords over any new normalization push. Finall...

Aug 09, 20231 hr

An Unsettled Question

Israel Policy Forum has released its latest policy report, An Unsettled Question: Recalibrating U.S. Policy on Israeli Settlements , which outlines detailed policy prescriptions for how Washington can more effectively combat Israeli settlement construction. On this episode, co-authors Dan Rothem, Jess Manville, and Michael Koplow join Tel Aviv-based journalist Neri Zilber for a discussion on the new study. They provide an overview of the current state of play in the West Bank under Israel’s far-...

Aug 02, 20231 hr 8 min

Israeli Security in the Shadow of the Judicial Overhaul

Haaretz Military Correspondent Amos Harel joins Tel Aviv-based journalist and Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor Neri Zilber to analyze how the passage of the Netanyahu government’s first judicial overhaul bill is impacting—and likely damaging—Israeli national security. They discuss the growing wave of Israeli military reservists threatening to stop reporting for duty, the scale of the unrest inside the Israel Defense Forces, the recent conduct of key security officials like Defense Minister Gal...

Jul 26, 20231 hr 3 min

Reasonableness in the Crosshairs

Tel Aviv-based journalist and Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor Neri Zilber hosts Prof. Suzie Navot, the vice president for research at the Israel Democracy Institute, to analyze the renewed push by the Netanyahu government to overhaul Israel's judicial system. They discuss how the reasonableness test is used and why it’s important, the impact on government decisions and appointments if it's eliminated, what the government's future plans likely are, and her experience participating in the judic...

Jul 17, 202354 min

Analyzing the Jenin Camp Operation

In the wake of this week's Israeli military operation in the Jenin refugee camp, Nimrod Novik (Israel Fellow, Israel Policy Forum) and Ibrahim Dalalsha (Director, Horizon Center for Political Studies and Media Outreach) join host Neri Zilber (Policy Advisor, Israel Policy Forum and Tel Aviv-based journalist) to analyze what just happened and why it happened. They spoke about the objectives of the Israeli government and military, the history and politics of the Jenin refugee camp, the current sta...

Jul 06, 20231 hr 1 min

Palestine 1936: The Great Revolt and the Roots of the Middle East Conflict

Kicking off our summer book club series, Tel Aviv-based journalist and Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor Neri Zilber hosts journalist and analyst Oren Kessler to discuss his new book, "Palestine 1936: The Great Revolt and the Roots of the Middle East Conflict." They discuss the reasons why this historical period is so critical to understanding our current moment, the similarities of the Great Arab Revolt to later mass popular uprisings, British attempts to launch the first Middle East peace pro...

Jun 27, 20231 hr 2 min

The Violent Crime Wave Facing Israel’s Arab Citizens

Mohammad Darawshe, an expert on Arab-Jewish relations in Israel, joins host Neri Zilber for a deep dive into the escalating violent crime and murder wave in Arab Israeli communities. They discuss the root causes of what is already a tragically record-breaking year, the absence of the Israeli state in Arab towns and villages, the proliferation of organized crime families, the impact of the violence on regular Arab citizens, the complete failure of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and th...

Jun 14, 20231 hr 3 min

Across the Middle East

On this week's episode, Tel Aviv-based journalist and Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor Neri Zilber hosts Chief Policy Officer Michael Koplow and Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation Director of Policy Research Shira Efron to analyze recent events across the Middle East. They discuss this past weekend's terror attack on the Israel-Egypt border, the Israeli government's intentions for the West Bank, the chances of a peace agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel, the U.S. role in any such deal,...

Jun 07, 20231 hr 11 min

What Does Bibi Actually Want?

Walla News Chief Political Correspondent Tal Shalev joins Tel Aviv-based journalist and Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor Neri Zilber to assess the current state of play in Israeli politics after the passage of the state budget last week. They discuss what upcoming pitfalls await the Netanyahu government this summer, the fate of the judicial overhaul, the pressures on Bibi from both the protest movement in the streets and the hardliners in his own coalition, and the political fortunes of opposi...

May 30, 20231 hr 7 min

Analyzing Another Gaza Escalation

Col. (res.) Dr. Michael Milshtein, the former head of the Palestinian arena in Israeli Military Intelligence, joins Tel Aviv-based journalist and Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor Neri Zilber for an in-depth conversation on the recent Israel-Palestinian Islamic Jihad conflict, Operation Shield and Arrow. They assess what this latest round of fighting means for Israel's overall Gaza strategy, the relationship between PIJ and Hamas, and Iran's role, and if (but most likely when) violence will eru...

May 19, 20231 hr 1 min

Ghosts of Beirut

On this week's episode, Tel Aviv-based journalist and Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor Neri Zilber hosts Israeli journalist and Fauda co-creator Avi Issacharoff to discuss his new upcoming show, "Ghosts of Beirut," about Hezbollah arch-terrorist Imad Mugniyeh and the decades-long hunt by the CIA and Mossad to kill him. They also discuss current events, including this week's one-day escalation between Israel and Gaza and the ongoing protest movement in Israel against the Netanyahu government. L...

May 04, 202348 min

Israel at 75

On this week's episode, Tel Aviv-based journalist and Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor Neri Zilber hosts Chief Policy Officer Michael Koplow and Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation Director of Policy Research Shira Efron to reflect on Israel's 75th Independence Day. They discuss the recent anti-government protests at Diaspora Jewish conferences being held in Israel, the possible fate of the judicial overhaul, and recent changes in Middle East geopolitics, and take stock as the Jewish state ce...

Apr 25, 20231 hr 13 min

Rockets, Protests, and Un-Firings

Haaretz Military Correspondent Amos Harel joins Tel Aviv-based journalist and Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor Neri Zilber to break down all the major security events of this tumultuous holiday period, including the recent multi-front escalation in Jerusalem, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank; the chances for a real war breaking out soon; the IDF's relationship to the ongoing protest movement; the un-firing of Defense Minister Yoav Galant; and a looming crisis over the conscription of th...

Apr 19, 20231 hr 1 min

The Israeli Spring

After three months of mass demonstrations against his plan to undermine Israel's judicial system—and after an outpouring of anger in the wake of the firing of Defense Minister Yoav Galant—Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu finally relented and said he was suspending the legislative blitz until after Passover. To discuss the significance of this dramatic development, IPF Atid Director Shanie Reichman turns the tables on regular host Neri Zilber (Israel Policy Forum policy advisor and Tel Aviv-base...

Mar 27, 202356 min

Circumventing Courts, Discarding Disengagement, and Regional Rivalries: Israel’s Coalescing Crises

On this week's episode, Tel Aviv-based journalist and Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor Neri Zilber hosts Chief Policy Officer Michael Koplow and Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation Director of Policy Research Shira Efron for a wide-ranging conversation about the escalating crisis in Israel over the government's judicial overhaul plans, growing concerns in Washington and the American Jewish community, Israeli-Palestinian diplomacy (and violence) on the eve of the sensitive holiday period, and ...

Mar 22, 20231 hr 8 min

Start-Up Nation Revolts

Amir Mizroch, tech journalist and consultant, joins Neri Zilber, policy advisor at Israel Policy Forum and Tel Aviv-based journalist, to discuss the Israeli tech sector's role in the protest movement against the Netanyahu government's judicial overhaul. Amir also provides an overview of the origins of Israel as the "start-up nation," the tech sector’s concerns if the judicial plans go through, and the impact on the industry so far after two months of upheaval. Support the show Follow us on Insta...

Mar 06, 202359 min

The West Bank on the Brink

Amid escalating violence in the West Bank between Israelis and Palestinians, Nimrod Novik (Israel Fellow, Israel Policy Forum) and Ibrahim Eid Dalalsha (Director, Horizon Center for Political Studies and Media Outreach) join host Neri Zilber (Policy Advisor, Israel Policy Forum and Tel Aviv-based journalist) to assess the deadly events of the past week and the chances for de-escalation on both sides. They spoke about the recent violence in the town of Huwara, the security policies of the Israeli...

Mar 02, 20231 hr 3 min

Israeli Politics Amid the Judicial Crisis

As the judicial and constitutional crisis in Israel deepens, Tel Aviv-based journalist and Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor Neri Zilber hosts Tal Schneider, chief political correspondent for the Times of Israel, to analyze the politics of the current moment. They discuss the first judicial overhaul bills passed in preliminary and first readings in the Knesset this week, the prospects for a negotiated compromise, what Benjamin Netanyahu ultimately wants, whether he even still has control over h...

Feb 23, 202355 min
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