State of Tel Aviv, Israel Podcast

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/stateoftelavivJonathan 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. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

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/stateoftelavivPodcast 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 bioJonathan 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. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

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/stateoftelavivYaakov 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 @yaakovkatzState 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 public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

Six Al Jazeera journalists have been killed in targeted strikes by Israel recently and much of the world is up in arms. On Thursday, television host Piers Morgan invited two journalists to discuss the issues and their very different takes. Jotam Confino is based in Israel and writes extensively for international media, primarily in Europe and the U.K. His commentary on this issue on social media and elsewhere has attracted significant attention and among those who took note is Piers Morgan. He invited Confino onto Uncensored last Thursday. Morgan hosts what is probably the most watched English language program dealing with current events. Confino is furious that these six journalists who worked for Al-Jazeera are being lionized as truth warriors, when they are nothing more than craven propaganda shills, in his view. Presenting a very different perspective is Jamal Elshayyal, a long-time Al-Jazeera newsman. Based on his defense of Al Jazeera editorial conduct as well as the work of his colleagues, Confino questions why he even considers himself a journalist. And Confino came to this standoff prepared. He studied the social media posts of many Al-Jazeera journalists. Elshayyal relies more upon eyerolls and dismissive expressions.Did Israel kill journalists? Or terrorist supporters paid to shill for Hamas?Show your support for STLV at buymeacoffee.com/stateoftelavivPodcast Notes:* Link to full episode of Piers Morgan Uncensored, aired Wednesday, August 14.* Social media post with footage of Al-Jazeera journalist, Anas Al Sharif - given exclusive access to film hostage Agam Berger as she was being released into Red Cross custody. No one but Al-Jazeera and Hamas operatives have such close access to these sensitive Hamas-controlled operations. Does Anas Al Sharif work here as a journalist or as a propagandist? * Two choice social media posts of Jamal Elshayyal made on October 7.About our guestJotam Confino is a Middle East correspondent and author based in Israel. He has covered the region for a variety of international outlets, such as The Daily Telegraph, CBS News, BBC, USA Today, Daily Mail, and The Times Radio. He also works for Danish newspaper B.T., the biggest online paper in Denmark. He holds a BA in international studies and an MA in Security and Diplomacy.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 public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

Andrew and I recorded the second part this morning and I was keen to get it out ASAP. We speak at length about his experience on the ground in Rafah last week at the food distribution site operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. His professional eye and observations make clear that there is much to be commended and improved.Show your support for STLV at buymeacoffee.com/stateoftelavivAndrew Fox served in the British Army from 2005 to 2021, completing three tours in Afghanistan, including one attached to the US Army Special Forces. He served in the Parachute Regiment and the Special Forces Support Group, with additional tours in Bosnia, the Middle East, and Northern Ireland.After his active service, he spent three years as a senior lecturer in the War Studies and Behavioural Science departments at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Andrew specialises in Defence, the Middle East, and disinformation. He holds degrees in Law & Politics, Modern War Studies, and Psychology.His extensive experience has established him as a recognised authority in his field and he provides regular commentary on defence and foreign policy across the media including articles in the New York Post, the Telegraph and Spiked. He has amassed a large following across his digital platforms, including X (formerly Twitter) and Substack, where he writes on disinformation, defence and security as stories develop.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 public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

In the first of this two-part podcast focuses on the many twists and turns that have landed Israel in its current very difficult spot in the Gaza Strip. A veteran of multiple deployments with the U.K. military in wars and humanitarian crisis zones throughout the world, Fox brings depth, experience, knowledge and compassion to his analysis of the challenges faced by Israel in the Gaza Strip. He has seen a lot. And he says that he has never witnessed a more complex environment that what presents in the Gaza Strip.Show your support for STLV at buymeacoffee.com/stateoftelavivPodcast Notes Andrew Fox served in the British Army from 2005 to 2021, completing three tours in Afghanistan, including one attached to the US Army Special Forces. He served in the Parachute Regiment and the Special Forces Support Group, with additional tours in Bosnia, the Middle East, and Northern Ireland.After his active service, he spent three years as a senior lecturer in the War Studies and Behavioural Science departments at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Andrew specialises in Defence, the Middle East, and disinformation. He holds degrees in Law & Politics, Modern War Studies, and Psychology.His extensive experience has established him as a recognised authority in his field and he provides regular commentary on defence and foreign policy across the media including articles in the New York Post, the Telegraph and Spiked. He has amassed a large following across his digital platforms, including X (formerly Twitter) and Substack, where he writes on disinformation, defence and security as stories develop.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 public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

On Saturday evening a five minute video of Hamas hostage Evyatar David, a 24-year-old music lover kidnapped from the Nova Music Festival, was released for publication by his family. A second video of hostage Rom Braslavski was released soon after. These young men have been starved for 22 months. Held in dark, filthy, airless tunnels. Tortured. Humiliated. We know much from hostages who had been held with them and were released in the last hostage deal in the winter. In the ensuing months their condition has deteriorated alarmingly and medical assessments give them a few weeks, days, perhaps hours, to live. State of Tel Aviv regular guest, Ya’akov Katz, joined me today on short notice to try to understand the impact of this harrowing footage on the Israeli population and the urgency - on so many levels - for the war to end and the hostages brought home. Since we recorded this afternoon, we have learned that the Cabinet is, incomprehensibly, nearing a decision to ramp up the war on Gaza and occupy much of the Strip. At this point nothing is confirmed, the hostages are dying and the moral fiber and cohesiveness of Israel is being put to an extreme test. Our conversation today is tough but important. And I wanted those not living here to understand how tormented most Israelis are. Not just by the hostages plight but also by the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.Show your support for STLV at buymeacoffee.com/stateoftelavivState of Tel Aviv is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Podcast NotesYaakov 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 Yaakov Katz This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

This is the third podcast this week focusing on the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. We will be dropping a fourth tomorrow - and interview with the amazing Andrew Fox. And then might catch our breath for a day or two. But as a senior Israeli foreign affairs official commented tonight during a television interview, Israel is dealing with a “diplomatic tsunami.” He has never seen anything like it. In decades. And the reason for this surge in international pressure? The humanitarian crisis in Gaza.There’s no question that Israel has managed this crisis disastrously. But what Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib‒a native son of Gaza‒understands is that Hamas bears primary responsibility for this disaster. The terror group ruling the Strip has long used food as a control method over the population. And Hamas does not care. At all. About the welfare of its people. If it did they would have negotiated a ceasefire by now. Hamas cares about one thing. Staying in power. And to do that, they must keep the hostages captive… and control their own people mercilessly.Ahmed and I get into the complex reality on the ground that led to and perpetuates this crisis. There are no angels. But there are devils.Food, in the Gaza Strip, is power. And Hamas will fight to the bitter end to control access to food. No matter the toll it takes on Palestinian civilians.Another fascinating conversation with Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib. It’s complicated.Show your support for STL at buymeacoffee.com/stateoftelavivState 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 I have included links and texts here to three of Alkhatib’s recent posts on X that are brilliant. Read them. They are enlightening and he is a very clear-eyed analyst. If an Israeli wrote these they’d be dismissed. But from Alkhatib, they carry weight and credibility. I think they are remarkable.Guest bioAhmed Fouad Alkhatib leads Realign For Palestine, a groundbreaking new project at the Atlantic Council. This project challenges entrenched narratives in the Israel-Palestine discourse and develops a new policy framework for rejuvenated pro-Palestine advocacy. Realign For Palestine aims to cultivate a new generation of Palestinian voices committed to a two-nation solution, nonviolence, and radical pragmatism.Alkhatib serves as a resident senior fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Middle East Programs, where he writes extensively on Gaza’s political and humanitarian affairs, is an outspoken critic of Hamas, and a promoter of a radically pragmatic approach to peace and Palestinian statehood as the only path forward between Palestinians and Israelis. His writing and opinions have been published and featured across the US, Israeli, and international press, and his views are prominently featured across social media platforms, with his accounts that have tens of thousands of engaged followers.Alkhatib holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s in intelligence and national security studies. He grew up in Gaza City and left Gaza in 2005 to attend college in the United States as an exchange student. Much of Ahmed’s experience is influenced by having grown up in Gaza during the Oslo peace process, and the difficulties resulting from Oslo's failure, and the rise of Hamas and Islamism in Gaza.Following the deadly October 7 massacre, Alkhatib’s life was deeply impacted when three different airstrikes killed 33 of his immediate and extended family members. Still, he has made a deliberate choice to be part of breaking the cycle of dehumanization and defying the cycle of hatred, incitement, violence, and revenge. In his presentations to students, policymakers, and thought leaders, Alkhatib exemplifies how others can exercise individual responsibility, spread empathy, and engage peacefully in the often-divisive Israel and Palestine discourse.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 public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

Johnnie Moore has been running the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation for two months now and the current he’s swimming against seems to just keep on getting stronger. Speaking with State of Tel Aviv and Beyond on the afternoon of Friday, July 25, Moore was forthright about how the entrenched humanitarian ecosystem that has been the overseer of the Gaza Strip for almost 20 years — the UN — has been less than enthusiastic about co-operating with GHF to ensure that civilians in the Strip receive adequate food and other supplies. Moore has reached out to many senior UN officials - including Secretary General Antonio Guterres - whose staff took their time in responding. And when they finally did reply — they told Rev. Moore — by email, that the Secretary General did not have time to meet. Or speak. Same with those to whom Guterres delegated the matter. GHF was working 24 /7 to ensure that civilians in Gaza received adequate food. And the Secretary General was… too busy to take a call? It’s shocking — what Moore shares. But he is undeterred. He presses on and his team on the ground delivers more food each day. Extraordinary.Show your support for STLV at buymeacoffee.com/stateoftelavivState 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 - some interesting X posts and photo and bio of Rev. Johnnie MooreGuest bioRev. Johnnie Moore, PhD is a globally recognized human rights advocate, humanitarian strategist and multifaith leader who serves as Executive Chairman of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). In this capacity, he provides leadership to GHF’s efforts with governments, media, civil society and other stakeholders to ensure the world understands how GHF is delivering emergency food aid to civilians in Gaza.Rev. Moore is widely respected for his decades of work at the intersection of faith, foreign policy and humanitarian action. His advocacy on behalf of persecuted and displaced communities has spanned the Middle East, Africa and Asia, and includes playing a key role in the response to ISIS atrocities, contributing to genocide recognition efforts and helping secure the release of religious prisoners in many countries.He was appointed twice to the bipartisan United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, serving under both the Trump and Biden administrations. He has engaged with heads of state across the Islamic world and was instrumental in building bridges between faith communities that contributed to peace-building efforts such as the Abraham Accords.Rev. Moore is the author of ten books and has written for CNN, The Washington Post, Fox News and Religion News Service. He lives in Washington, D.C. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

FDD’s Jonathan Conricus delivers a blistering analysis of the humanitarian crisisThis is the first of what will be four or more episodes of State of Tel Aviv and Beyond focused on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. We are moving at top speed to interview key experts representing diverse perspectives and professional focuses. Military. Diplomatic. Communications. Humanitarian relief. Political. We begin with a State of Tel Aviv regular guest and listener favorite - Jonathan Conricus. Lt. Col. (Res.) in the IDF, senior fellow at FDD and a man who seems to be on every international television channel for his sought-after analysis. I spoke with Conricus last night and we packed a lot into a short but pithy discussion. Israelis are fatigued, fed up and deeply frustrated. They are also deeply disturbed by the suffering in Gaza. We begin with a master to get into it all.Show your support for STLV at buymeacoffee.com/stateoftelavivState 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 - Some interesting X posts and bio and photo of Jonathan ConricusGuest bioJonathan 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. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe