Israel Policy Pod

Dr. Naysan Rafati, Iran analyst at the International Crisis Group, joins Tel Aviv-based journalist and Israel Policy Pod host Neri Zilber for a deep dive into the negotiations over a renewed Iran nuclear agreement. They discuss the history of the original deal signed under President Barack Obama, the U.S. withdrawal under President Donald Trump, and the prospects and challenges of President Joe Biden's efforts to negotiate a new deal given the sharp criticism from the Israeli government and Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program.Support the showFollow us on Instagram, Twitter/X, and Bluesky, and subscribe to our email list here.

Walla News Chief Political Correspondent Tal Shalev joins Tel Aviv-based journalist and Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor Neri Zilber to assess the state of play of the upcoming Israeli election, the polarizing issues determining voting patterns, and the political performances of Israel’s most recent prime ministers: Yair Lapid, Naftali Bennett, Benjamin Netanyahu, and one almost (and possibly future) prime minister, Benny Gantz.Support the showFollow us on Instagram, Twitter/X, and Bluesky, and subscribe to our email list here.

Haaretz Military Correspondent Amos Harel 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 Breaking Dawn. They assess the impact of the operation on Israel’s relations with Gaza and Hamas, PIJ’s military capabilities compared to other terrorist organizations, PM Lapid’s handling of the escalation, and more.Read our overview of Operation Breaking Dawn here.Support the showFollow us on Instagram, Twitter/X, and Bluesky, and subscribe to our email list here.

In this episode, Ksenia Svetlova, Director of the Israel-Middle East Program at Mitvim and an expert on Russia and Ukraine, joins Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor and Tel Aviv-based journalist Neri Zilber for a deep dive into the current state of the Ukraine conflict, growing tensions between Moscow and Jerusalem, what Russia and Iran may want from each other, how the war looks from Israel, and more.Support the showFollow us on Instagram, Twitter/X, and Bluesky, and subscribe to our email list here.

In this episode, Ehud Yaari, longtime Middle East commentator for Israel’s Channel 12 and international fellow of The Washington Institute, joins Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor and Tel Aviv-based journalist Neri Zilber for a wide-ranging conversation assessing President Biden's visit to the Middle East: the prospects for Saudi normalization with Israel, the budding regional defense architecture, growing Iran-Russia military ties, the Palestinians’ diplomatic standing, West Bank stability after Mahmoud Abbas, and more.Click here to receive updates featuring our content and analysis on the Israel-Palestinian conflict, U.S.-Israel relations, Israeli politics, Israeli-Arab regional integration, and the future of the two-state solution. Support the showFollow us on Instagram, Twitter/X, and Bluesky, and subscribe to our email list here.

With President Biden set to travel to Israel, the West Bank, and Saudi Arabia next week, Ambassador Martin Indyk (Israel Policy Forum Board Member and former U.S. Ambassador to Israel) joins Neri Zilber on Israel Policy Pod. Recalling previous presidential visits to Israel, they discuss Biden’s upcoming trip and its implications for U.S.-Israel relations, the two-state solution, and regional developments. They also discuss Amb. Indyk’s recent book, Master of the Game: Henry Kissinger and the Art of Middle East Diplomacy. Support the showFollow us on Instagram, Twitter/X, and Bluesky, and subscribe to our email list here.

Note: This episode is the audio recording from a special Israel Policy Forum video briefing held on Wednesday, June 22. With the passage of a preliminary vote in the Knesset today, the Bennett-Lapid coalition has begun the process of dissolving the Knesset and sending Israel back to elections. This marks the end of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid's yearlong historic political experiment that united eight parties from across the political spectrum. As soon as next week, Lapid will rotate in as acting prime minister, a position he will hold until a new government is formed.In this Israel Policy Briefing, Amir Tibon (Journalist, Haaretz) and Michael Koplow (Chief Policy Officer, Israel Policy Forum) discuss the impending end of the Bennett-Lapid government and what to expect in the coming months as Israel prepares for its fifth elections in four years.Support the showFollow us on Instagram, Twitter/X, and Bluesky, and subscribe to our email list here.

Amid strained U.S.-Palestinian relations and political uncertainty in Israel, President Biden is set to visit Israel and the West Bank next month. Nimrod Novik (Israel Fellow, Israel Policy Forum and former Israeli diplomat) 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) for a discussion on expectations for Biden’s visit, why the PA’s relations with the U.S. and Israel have reached a low point, what happened to Prime Minister Bennett’s mantra of “shrinking the conflict,” and what is in store for the PA after Mahmoud Abbas exits the stage.Support the showFollow us on Instagram, Twitter/X, and Bluesky, and subscribe to our email list here.

Diane and Guilford Glazer Family Foundation Director of Policy Research Shira Efron and Chief Policy Officer Michael Koplow join host Tel Aviv-based journalist and Policy Advisor Neri Zilber for a conversation on the state of U.S.-Israel relations amid the reported downgrading of the U.S. Security Coordinator in Jerusalem and the death of Shireen Abu Akleh. They also unpack the significant challenges facing the Bennett-Lapid coalition after it failed to pass the law extending Israeli civil and criminal law to West Bank settlers.Support the showFollow us on Instagram, Twitter/X, and Bluesky, and subscribe to our email list here.

This week's episode takes a deep dive into the last two tumultuous months in Israel and Palestine, which included a deadly wave of terror attacks, a major Israeli military operation in the West Bank, the tragic death of Shireen Abu Akleh, and tensions and violence in Jerusalem. Are we now past the worst of it? Tel Aviv-based journalist and Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor Neri Zilber hosts journalist Adam Rasgon, most recently of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, to get an on-the-ground perspective regarding the state of play in the Palestinian arena. Support the showFollow us on Instagram, Twitter/X, and Bluesky, and subscribe to our email list here.