State of Tel Aviv, Israel Podcast

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.stateoftelaviv.comUpdate: In the hours since we began final production of this podcast, Iran has initiated at least two military provocations targeting American forces in the Strait of Hormuz. The regime has also backpedaled on its commitment to negotiate with America and other nations in Ankara on Friday. Now Iran says that it will meet only with America and that it mus…

In this special podcast we go deep into the darkness that has descended upon the Kurdish ethnic minority in northern Syria. The massacre of civilians and brutality is reminiscent of ISIS. In fact, the Syrian state army is comprised of many former jihadists - some still openly wearing ISIS patches on their uniforms. The Kurds, of course, led the military force that led the assault on ISIS and its eventual retreat and defeat. But with the anointment of former al Qaeda man, Ahmed al Sharaa, as President of Syria…..violent Islamism has enjoyed something of a resurgence.Absolute hell has been visited upon the Syrian Kurds while the west and the world are distracted by chaos in the Islamic Republic of Iran. But the massacre of Syrian Kurds has barely been noticed. We feature interviews with four experts on the Syrian Kurds. (Their photos and bios are set out below in the Podcast Notes.) Each one brings a very deep understanding of the complexity of this situation. In order to assist as you work your way through this we have provided time stamps so that you may skip to particular bits that interest you more.In addition to the experts featured here we spoke to many others. I am grateful to all for their time and generosity in sharing their expertise and insight. I would like to draw particular attention to Noor Dahri, a devout Muslim living in the UK and originally from Pakistan. I learned so much from Noor and hope to share part of our interview in the near future. Editing such rich material is not easy. So thanks, Noor, for helping me to better understand the forces that are driving fanatical Islamism in the Middle East and the west.And to our loyal listeners, this episode is being made available to all subscribers in full. Consider it our contribution to doing whatever is possible to amplify awareness of the Kurdish plight.There are some graphic videos included in this podcast. If you prefer not to view them we provide advance notice so that you may skip over them.Timestamps:Introduction with video clips: 00:00Interview with Dr. Qanta A. Ahmed: 05:53Al Jazeera report on the release of ISIS prisoners in Al Hol Detention Camp in northern Syria: 36:41Interview with Ateret Shmuel: 39:22Interview with Dr. Jan Ilhan Kizilhan: 51:54Interview with Ahmad Sharawi: 01:02:15Conclusion: 1:19:08Show your support for STLV at buymeacoffee.com/stateoftelavivPodcast Notes:* Maps referred to and shown in the podcast introduction:* X post of U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack, on January 20, 2026:Full text of this post: The greatest opportunity for the Kurds in Syria right now lies in the post-Assad transition under the new government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa. This moment offers a pathway to full integration into a unified Syrian state with citizenship rights, cultural protections, and political participation— long denied under Bashar al-Assad’s regime, where many Kurds faced statelessness, language restrictions, and systemic discrimination.Historically, the US military presence in northeastern Syria was justified primarily as a counter-ISIS partnership. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), led by Kurds, proved the most effective ground partner in defeating ISIS’s territorial caliphate by 2019, detaining thousands of ISIS fighters and family members in prisons and camps like al-Hol and al-Shaddadi. At that time, there was no functioning central Syrian state to partner with—the Assad regime was weakened, contested, and not a viable partner against ISIS due to its alliances with Iran and Russia.Today, the situation has fundamentally changed. Syria now has an acknowledged central government that has joined the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS (as its 90th member in late 2025), signaling a westward pivot and cooperation with the US on counterterrorism. This shifts the rationale for the US-SDF partnership: the original purpose of the SDF as the primary anti-ISIS force on the ground has largely expired, as Damascus is now both willing and positioned to take over security responsibilities, including control of ISIS detention facilities and camps.Recent developments show the US actively facilitating this transition, rather than prolonging a separate SDF role:• We have engaged extensively with the Syrian Government and SDF leadership to secure an integration agreement, signed on January 18, and to set a clear pathway for timely and peaceful implementation.• The deal integrates SDF fighters into the national military (as individuals, which remains among the most contentious issues), hand over key infrastructure (oil fields, dams, border crossings), and cede control of ISIS prisons and camps to Damascus.• The US has no interest in long-term military presence; it prioritizes defeating ISIS remnants, supporting reconciliation, and advancing national unity without endorsing separatism or federalism.This creates a unique window for the Kurds: integration into the new Syrian state offers full citizenship rights (including for those previously stateless), recognition as an integral part of Syria, constitutional protections for Kurdish language and culture (e.g., teaching in Kurdish, celebrating Nawruz as a national holiday), and participation in governance—far beyond the semi-autonomy the SDF held amid civil war chaos.While risks remain (e.g., fragile ceasefires, occasional clashes, concerns over hardliners, or the desire of some actors to relitigate past grievances), the United States is pushing for safeguards on Kurdish rights and counter-ISIS cooperation. The alternative—prolonged separation—could invite instability or ISIS resurgence. This integration, backed by US diplomacy, represents the strongest chance yet for Kurds to secure enduring rights and security within a recognized Syrian nation-state.In Syria, the United States is focused on: 1) ensuring the security of prison facilities holding ISIS prisoners, currently guarded by the SDF; and 2) facilitating talks between the SDF and the Syrian Government to allow for the peaceful integration of the SDF and the political inclusion of Syria’s Kurdish population into a historic full Syrian citizenship.* Dr. Qanta A. AhmedDr. Ahmed is a physician, non-fiction author and broadcast media commentator. Her first book, In the Land of Invisible Women (Sourcebooks 2008) details her experience of living and working in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and has been published internationally in 14 countries. She is also a prolific opinion journalist and contributor to the American, British, Australian, Pakistani and Israeli media. Dr.Ahmad has been recognized for her work as a physician, researcher, journalist and advocate. She lives and works in New York City.* Ateret Shmuel Ateret Shmuel lives with her two children in Jerusalem and is the founder of the not-for profit organization Indigenous Bridges and has worked with Kurdish communities and organizations in the Middle East for more than 20 years. https://www.indigenousbridges.com/* Jan Ilhan KizilhanDr. Jan Ilhan Kizilhan is a psychologist, psychotherapist, trauma expert, orientalist, author and publisher. He is also the Director of the Institute for Health Science the State University in Baden-Württemberg, Germany and the chief psychologist of the Special-Quota Project, a programme funded by the State Government of Baden Württemberg. The project brought 1,100 women and children who were in IS captivity to Germany for medical treatment. He is the Founding Dean of the Institute for Psychotherapy and Psychotraumatology at the University of Duhok/Northern Iraq.* Ahmad SharawiAhmad Sharawi is a senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, focusing on Middle East affairs, specifically the Levant, Iraq, and Iranian intervention in Arab affairs, as well as U.S. foreign policy toward the region. Previously, Sharawi worked at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, where he focused mainly on Hezbollah. He created a map visualizing the border clashes on the Israeli-Lebanese frontier and authored articles on Jordan and Morocco. Ahmad previously worked at the International Finance Corporation and S&P Global. He holds a B.A. in international relations from King’s College London and an M.A. from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.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

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.stateoftelaviv.comWe were fortunate to speak yesterday with Lt. Col. (Res.), senior fellow at FDD and regular on State of Tel Aviv and Beyond, Jonathan Conricus- who is catching his breath between speaking tours and consulting abroad. On Monday afternoon, moments after the news came that the remains of Ran Gvili had been identified in the Gaza Strip and were being return…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.stateoftelaviv.comAmbassador Michael Oren brings decades of deep experience as an historian, diplomat, and politician to bear on this critical moment in Mid-East volatility. Asked at the outset of our discussion what’s at stake, he did not hesitate for a second. “Everything.” We discuss the always wobbly status quo in the region and the sweeping change that has gone down…

Last Thursday Negar Mojtahedi of Iran International spoke with State of Tel Aviv and Beyond about the horrific testimonies seeping through the digital and telephone blackout in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Today, we bring you a special report on Mojtahedi’s interview with one man who had been visiting family in Iran when the uprising began. He managed to leave last week. Mojtahedi’s interview with him - which we show here - is a rare first-hand account of the horror unfolding in Iran. We thought it more important to share this footage as quickly as possible, which is why there are no English subtitles. (AI cannot handle heavily accented English - yet.) The gentleman interviewed speaks English well….you will just have to focus and listen, carefully. This interview is the most detailed, lengthy and compelling testimony that I have come across since this crisis began. Extraordinary work by Negar Mojtahedi and Iran International. After the interview, we provide some brief commentary and context for the current state of affairs: Will the U.S. intervene? Please check the time stamps below if you wish to skip ahead. This episode is available to all subscribers. Tomorrow we bring you a special in-depth interview with Ambassador Michael Oren, where we dive into the history and present positions of key middle eastern countries and how they are posturing as this crisis intensifies. That podcast will be available for premium, subscribers only. (A short preview will be available to all.)Introduction: 00:00-2:49Interview with man in Tehran: 2:50-24:12Context and conclusion: 24:13-29:15Show 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. 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

As I write this short note, we are waiting for President Trump to begin a live press conference any minute. It is 10:20 pm in Israel and you can feel it in the air. Bristling tension. Airlines have cancelled flights to and from Israel and there is a pace of information flowing that is beyond frenetic. Whatever happens - or doesn’t - the conversation I had earlier today with Negar Mojtahedi- will be as relevant tomorrow as it is at the moment, no matter what transpires.Mojtahedi is a Canadian journalist of Iranian descent who is fluent in Farsi. Based in Vancouver, Canada, she is a journalist with Iran International, the premiere media voice for the Iranian diaspora and opposition to the Islamic Republic regime.In this podcast we discuss the brutal slaughter that has been unleashed on the Iranian people since December 28 by Iranian police and others. This podcast is direct and nothing is sugar coated. Mojtahedi is in constant contact with experts globally as well as sources within Iran. Her plea - which you will hear - reflects desperate concern.The U.S. must do something. Now. Before it’s too late.We discuss the brutality of the Basij and other police - opening fire with military grade weapons on masses of unarmed civilians. This is a quick update and includes very informative clips that you may have missed. The Basij police - a force of at least 2 million of a population of 90-million - are singled out for particular attention, as they have been in Israel as well. This low-level militia force is likely doing much of the killing - and Iranians have begun to dox them with red paint and threats on their homes. Tune in for this and more.Follow Negar on X @NegarMojtahedi / Instagram @negarmojtahedi 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

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.stateoftelaviv.comOur first episode of Season 4 (FOUR!!!) kicks off with a tour de force featuring State of Tel Aviv and Beyond regular contributor , Lt. Col. (Res.) Jonathan Conricus. We spoke longer than usual because there is so much going on, and we just went with a relaxed New Year’s Day vibe. This episode is divided into three sections: Part 1 deals with the entren…

From all of us at State of Tel Aviv and Beyond, to you and your loved ones, best wishes for a Happy New Year! This short video message is my first foray into actually using AI……give it a look. Short. Kinda cute. And meaningful. All packed into two-ish minutes. For those of you who haven’t yet signed up as premium subscribers….we have extended the special subscription deal one day. Ends January 1, 2026. 🍾🎉🥳. 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

It’s that time of year, when we reflect on what has gone down for the last 12 months and dare to look at ahead at what may be in store. State of Tel Aviv and Beyond regular commentator, Ya’akov Katz, joins me to attempt the impossible; try to understand what had happened in Israel and what may be coming at us. We focus on the big picture; in particular, why Israelis are so divided and what may address these rifts going forward. A crisis of trust and values afflicts this country. But the difference with Israel from most other countries is that we exist on a knife edge. In a flash, on October 7, 2023, we went from being a strong, regional power to a nation attacked by a terrorist group that had become a well-oiled, armed, and disciplined military force. Since then Israel has regained its military footing, somewhat, but is a country more deeply divided than ever. And the vested political interests seem to be determined to keep it that way. We discuss some of the more spectacular political scandals and the increasingly illiberal conduct by members of the coalition government. This is an election year in Israel. Ya’akov and I agree that the future of Israel will turn on the outcome of this election….that is….if it even happens.Reminder: Until midnight on December 31 (EST), our subscription special offer of $45 for one year is in place. On January 1, subscription rates go up and most of our content will be available to premium subscribers only. Please consider supporting our work. State of Tel Aviv is an independent enterprise. We depend on subscriber support to operate.Happy new year to all.Show your support for STLV at buymeacoffee.com/stateoftelavivPodcast Notes* Podcast on State of Tel Aviv and Beyond, discussing issues raised in this discussion with Ya’akov Katz.* Column by Ya’akov Katz published in Jerusalem Post, Friday, December 26, 2025.Blurred loyalties in PMO are a danger Israel cannot ignoreAfter watching the three-part interview with Eli Feldstein, one of the central figures in the leak of classified intelligence documents to BILD and the broader Qatargate affair, a few things become clear.First, Feldstein is a deeply problematic character. Second, these interviews were clearly intended to rehabilitate his image ahead of a looming court case. And third, his central argument is simple: he portrays himself as a pawn, knowingly or unknowingly manipulated by more powerful figures operating in the prime minister’s inner circle - including Prime Minister’s Office adviser Jonathan Urich, former Likud campaign strategist Srulik Einhorn, and ultimately allegedly Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu himself.Some of what Feldstein says is hard to swallow. His attempt to cast himself as a passive bystander in one of the most serious national security scandals in years is not easy to believe. And yet, it is equally impossible to simply dismiss everything he says out of hand. That tension alone should set off alarm bells.Because when allegations are this severe, and when they touch the very nerve center of Israeli decision-making, silence is not an option. Shrugging it off as spin by a defendant trying to save himself is simply reckless.This leads to one unavoidable conclusion: Israel must conduct a serious, deep, and independent investigation into what happened here. Not only into the leaks themselves, but into how three people operating at the heart of the Prime Minister’s Office ended up working - whether knowingly or not - in the service of Qatar.This is not a marginal scandal. It hits at the core of our national security and the public's trust in its government. If foreign interests penetrated the PMO, even indirectly, the implications are staggering. And if they did not, then the public deserves to know that as well. Either way, the truth must be reached.There is also a broader lesson that cannot be ignored. Israel urgently needs clear rules and hard red lines. An adviser to the prime minister cannot be allowed to simultaneously serve other clients. The notion that someone can advise Israel’s most powerful decision-maker while also consulting for foreign governments, multinational corporations, or even tech companies is dangerous.This principle must apply to the current prime minister and to anyone else who aspires to the job. Public service at this level cannot coexist with private interests. National security does not allow for blurred lines.Without accountability, there can be no leadershipAccountability is famously a word in English that does not have a direct translation into Hebrew. There are phrases that attempt to approximate it, but none that fully capture its meaning – an obligation to accept responsibility, to answer for decisions that are made, and to face their consequences.That absence of the word is not merely linguistic. It reflects something deeper about Israeli political culture and what has become a constant in the country: Try to avoid responsibility, deflect blame, and do everything to remain in power.That deficiency helps explain more than the current debate over a commission of inquiry. It also explains something no less disturbing: how, despite the scale of the failures of October 7 and the war that followed, Israeli politics are almost exactly the same as they were before.The same figures are once again vying for power ahead of the elections that will be held in the second half of 2026. The same names are in the polls, from the politicians currently in the Knesset to those who were there just a couple of years ago.It would have been natural to think that, in the aftermath of the greatest disaster in our national history, new leadership would have already emerged. Someone – or even multiple people – would be electrifying the country, showing that things can be done differently and that there are alternatives to the current cadre leading us now or vying to lead us in the future.But there aren’t, and this is striking. Israel is a country known for its innovation, creativity, and courage. It produces world-class entrepreneurs, military commanders, scientists, and civil-society leaders. Yet when it comes to politics, the system seems stuck.Even the party that claims to represent the reservists who fought in Gaza and Lebanon over the last two years – a movement that should carry one of the most morally compelling voices today – is being led by a former failed politician. Not a new figure, but by someone from the same old political class.The reason this is the case, I believe, is because systems that avoid accountability also suppress renewal. When failure carries no real consequences and leaders do not step aside, those watching from the outside are taught a clear lesson: Politics is not a path to service, but rather a place where staying on the wheel and in the game come first. It is less about what you do and more about how long you can be there.It is through this lens that the Knesset vote on Wednesday must be understood. The legislation advanced this week, aimed at giving the government the ability to establish a commission of inquiry and appoint its members, stands in stark contrast to a state commission of inquiry – Israel’s highest investigative authority – whose composition is determined independently by the judiciary.Both options are flawed and will be rejected by about half of the people. If the state commission is appointed, the half that does not trust the Supreme Court will not believe a word that the commission writes. If the government-appointed committee moves ahead, the same will happen, just from the other side. Either way, to some extent, Israel is stuck – there is no perfect option.But beyond the numbers of who supports what, something even more basic is at stake and should be the determining factor.Anyone detained by the police does not get to choose the detectives handling the case. When citizens appear before a zoning or planning commission, they do not get to select the panel that will hear their appeal. When people go to court, they do not get to decide who the judges will be.In every functioning system, this principle is non-negotiable. The moment a suspect chooses the investigator, the investigation ceases to be credible.Yet in this case, we are being told that the same ministers who failed in the years leading up to October 7 – and on October 7 itself – should determine who will investigate those failures. In what world does this make sense? And in what reality does this lead to accountability? It doesn’t. With such a commission, there is only one result – evading responsibility.Israelis deserve to know what went wrong before and on October 7. Not for political gain, and not for revenge, but to ensure that such a catastrophe never happens again. Accountability is not about settling scores. It is about learning, correcting, and preventing.And we already have a clear indication of how a politically appointed commission would function.All one had to do was listen to the first meeting of the committee tasked with appointing it. Instead of focusing on decisions taken in the years leading up to the war, the discussion immediately drifted backwards – to the Oslo Accords, to the disengagement from Gaza. Other MKs spoke of the need to investigate the judiciary and the attorney general.Was there any serious discussion of the policy of containment crafted by the prime minister and adopted by successive governments? Any real reckoning with the Qatari cash transferred to Gaza with the approval of all prime ministers over the last seven years? Any willingness to examine decisions made at the highest political level within this government?Of course not.And that brings us back to the absence of renewal. When accountability is avoided, truth is delayed. When truth is delayed, leaders cling to power. And when leaders never step aside, new leadership cannot emerge.The choice facing Israel, therefore, is not just technical and about what model of inquiry we should adopt. It is between two different approaches to power.One seeks to uncover the truth, however uncomfortable it may be, with the purpose of rebuilding. The other is designed to protect those in power from the consequences of their own decisions.After October 7, Israel does not need another round of blame or the re-litigation of historical events with, at best, tangential relevance to October 7. The country needs a reckoning rooted in independence and integrity. It needs accountability – precisely the one thing that cannot be obtained by those who fear it most.Yaakov 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.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

Another day, another attack. This urgent podcast was pulled together today, to draw attention to the parallels between the extreme antisemitism that flourishes in Australia and Canada - with a focus, of course, on the recent Bondi Beach massacre in Sydney. The similarities between the tolerance for Islamist and left-wing Jew hatred in Australia and Canada - by law enforcement and political leadership - are longstanding, horrifying and very, very real. In both countries, if Jews voice about the surge in open antisemitism, they are treated with contempt. Told that they are being “Islamophobic.” Well. After two years of official indulgence of extreme Islamism in both countries it seems that the threats to Globalize the Intifada are being realized.Diversity is actually not our strength, as it turns out.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. 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