Israel Policy Pod

Rounding out the Israel Policy Forum-Terrestrial Jerusalem partnership series, Evan Gottesman and Danny Seidemann discuss the status quo governing access to the holy sites on Jerusalem's Temple Mount.Support the showFollow us on Instagram, Twitter/X, and Bluesky, and subscribe to our email list here.

What happened in the U.S. Congress this week? In today’s episode, Israel Policy Forum’s Policy Director Michael Koplow gets the inside scoop from Government Relations Director Aaron Weinberg. This Thursday, the House overwhelmingly passed a standalone bill to provide $1 billion in new funding to replenish Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system. The final vote was 420-9-2, showing that support for Israel's security is still a firmly bipartisan position in Congress. This came after several progressive Democrats refused to vote in favor of the continuing resolution (emergency spending) bill on Tuesday if it included Iron Dome funding. Party leadership yielded to this demand, as there was no Republican support for the CR and the progressives’ votes were necessary for it to pass. Now that the additional Iron Dome funding has been approved, what does this story say about how fault lines within the Democratic party around Israel are shaping politics in Washington and public discourse? Support the showFollow us on Instagram, Twitter/X, and Bluesky, and subscribe to our email list here.

As the United States completes its withdrawal from Afghanistan, some Israelis hear echoes of their own experiences in Southern Lebanon and Gaza. What lessons can be learned from these parallels? And does the collapse of the Afghan government and military portend a similar fate for the Palestinian Authority and its security forces, as politicians and pundits on the Israeli right have suggested? Israel Policy Forum's Evan Gottesman and Neri Zilber discuss.Israelis Watch Afghanistan and Remember Lebanon - Neri Zilber (Newlines Magazine)State with No Army, Army with No State - Neri Zilber and Ghaith al-Omari (The Washington Institute)Support the showFollow us on Instagram, Twitter/X, and Bluesky, and subscribe to our email list here.

In the latest installment of the Israel Policy Forum-Terrestrial Jerusalem podcast series, Evan Gottesman and Danny Seidemann discuss this month's court proceedings over Sheikh Jarrah evictions, the compromise put forth by the Israeli justices, and why neither the Palestinian residents nor the settler-linked company Nahalat Shimon are rushing to accept the proposed arrangement.Support the showFollow us on Instagram, Twitter/X, and Bluesky, and subscribe to our email list here.

Israel Policy Forum Executive Director David A. Halperin joins hosts Evan Gottesman and Shanie Reichman to reflect on the past five years of the organization's work and exciting changes and growth coming down the pipeline.We're hiring for Deputy Policy Director, Director of Public Engagement, Development Manager, IPF Atid Leadership Engagement Associate, and Staff Associate. Come join our growing team!Apply for the IPF Atid Charles Bronfman Conveners SummitSupport the showFollow us on Instagram, Twitter/X, and Bluesky, and subscribe to our email list here.

With the Palestinian Authority in crisis and Hamas's popularity on the rise, is it too late to improve Israel-PA relations? Ksenia Svetlova (IDC Herzliya, Mitvim) joins host Evan Gottesman to break down the relationship and steps the new Israeli government is taking to change the state of affairs across the Green Line.Read Ksenia in The Jerusalem Post/The Media Line: "Israeli reconsideration of PA ties may be too little, too late."Support the showFollow us on Instagram, Twitter/X, and Bluesky, and subscribe to our email list here.

Host Evan Gottesman checks in with Israel Policy Forum Fellow Nimrod Novik for an evaluation of the new Israeli government's performance since its inauguration in June.Read Nimrod Novik in Just Security: "As Israeli Leader Bennett Prepares to Visit the White House, Biden’s Message Might Prove Formative"Support the showFollow us on Instagram, Twitter/X, and Bluesky, and subscribe to our email list here.

The new Israeli government seems intent on turning the page in its relations with the country with which it shares its longest border: Jordan. Will the effort be successful? How will Israel-Jordan ties affect (and be affected by) developments in Jerusalem and with the Palestinians? Haaretz journalist Noa Landau and Middle East analyst Aaron Magid discuss.Support the showFollow us on Instagram, Twitter/X, and Bluesky, and subscribe to our email list here.

Host Evan Gottesman joins Terrestrial Jerusalem's Danny Seidemann to discuss issues that could impact Jerusalem in the coming weeks and months, from potential court decisions on  evictions in Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan to a public hearing on settlement building in the contentious E1 area east of the city.Support the showFollow us on Instagram, Twitter/X, and Bluesky, and subscribe to our email list here.

Palestinians are protesting across the West Bank. In major cities like Ramallah and Hebron, people have been turning out to demonstrate against the Palestinian Authority after anti-corruption activist Nizar Banat died in PA custody; Banat was reportedly brutally beaten by security forces during his arrest last week. Host Evan Gottesman speaks with Ibrahim Eid Dalalsha, director of the Horizon Center, a Ramallah-based think tank, about the situation.Support the showFollow us on Instagram, Twitter/X, and Bluesky, and subscribe to our email list here.