Boundless Insights - with Aviva Klompas

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to podcast@boundlessisrael.org or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas.In this episode of Boundless Insights, host Aviva Klompas speaks with Dr. Einat Wilf about her decision to launch a new political party in Israel and what she believes the country urgently needs right now. Wilf explains why she founded the Oz Party, arguing that Israel must move from what she calls “exile-consciousness” to true sovereign behavior — reclaiming clarity, responsibility, and strategic purpose in a time of political exhaustion.Their conversation explores Wilf’s insistence that any future peace depends on Arab and Palestinian recognition of Zionism and the legitimacy of the Jewish state, as well as her views on citizenship, military service, sovereignty, and the limits of the current political consensus. Wilf also addresses skepticism about her platform, the challenges of building a new coalition in a polarized landscape, and what kind of leadership she believes Israel requires to navigate its next chapter.Boundless relies on your support to produce courageous conversations and nuanced analysis at a time when clarity matters more than ever. If this episode helped you better understand the moment we’re living in, please consider making a donation at boundlessisrael.org/donate.Guest BioDr. Einat Wilf is a leading thinker on Israel, Zionism, foreign policy and education. She was a member of the Israeli Parliament from 2010 to 2013, where she served as Chair of the Education Committee and Member of the influential Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.Born and raised in Israel, Dr. Wilf served as an Intelligence Officer in the Israel Defense Forces, Foreign Policy Advisor to Vice Prime Minister Shimon Peres and a strategic consultant with McKinsey & Company.Dr. Wilf has a BA from Harvard, an MBA from INSEAD in France, and a PhD in Political Science from the University of Cambridge. She was the Goldman Visiting Professor at Georgetown University.Dr. Wilf is the author of seven books that explore key issues in Israeli society. “We Should All Be Zionists“, published in 2022, brings together her essays from the past four years on Israel, Zionism and the path to peace; the co-authored “The War of Return: How Western Indulgence of the Palestinian Dream Has Obstructed the Path to Peace”, was published in 2020

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to podcast@boundlessisrael.org, or message Aviva on X at @AvivaKlompas. Boundless relies on your support to produce courageous conversations and nuanced analysis at a time when clarity matters more than ever. If this episode – or any of our work – has helped you better understand the moment we’re living in, please consider making a contribution at boundlessisrael.org/donate.Host Aviva Klompas sits down with Dr. Michael Oren to examine how the U.S.–Israel relationship has been reshaped over the course of the war — and what Israel may be conceding in the process.Together, they explore how shifting American leadership has transformed the boundaries of Israeli decision-making, from constraints on military operations to mounting pressure around Gaza’s future governance and a potential path toward Palestinian statehood. Dr. Oren unpacks the tension between strategic dependence and national sovereignty, and questions whether Israel is being nudged toward an uneasy reality in which Hamas survives by default.Their conversation also addresses growing concerns over Israel’s qualitative military edge, the implications of arms commitments to regional powers, and whether the alliance still rests on shared values or has evolved into a more transactional dynamic.Guest BioDr. Michael Oren is a historian, author, and former Israeli ambassador to the United States. A leading voice on Middle East strategy and Israeli politics, he has written numerous best-selling books and served as a Member of Knesset and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office.

Middle East analyst David Makovsky joins Dr. Rachel Fish to unpack the “phase one to phase two” handoff in Gaza: what the Trump plan actually changed, why returning the remaining hostages bodies still matters, and why an international stabilization force is unlikely to disarm Hamas. Makovsky outlines a de-Hamas future for Gaza built on a West-Berlin model that pairs PA-Israel security coordination with technocratic Palestinian governance, while Arab states provide funding and public cover. They also map the Saudi calculus on normalization, the risks of delay, and how Israel’s coming election could reshape U.S.–Israel ties, regional alignments, and Israel’s democratic character.Further ReadingDavid Makovsky and Shira Efron, For Progress in Gaza, Empower the Palestinian Authority

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to podcast@boundlessisrael.org, or message Aviva on X at @AvivaKlompas.In this episode, Aviva sits down with Dr. Michael Oren to examine the troubling spike in settler violence in Judea and Samaria. In recent weeks, attacks on Palestinian communities and farmers have become more frequent and more brazen, raising alarms among Israel’s top political and military leaders.Although the government maintains that only a small fringe is responsible, the surge has exposed deeper problems in enforcement, politics, and public trust. Aviva and Dr. Oren explore what’s fueling the unrest, how it connects to the broader wartime landscape, and why these incidents pose real risks to Israel’s security and international standing. This Giving Tuesday, please consider supporting Boundless. Your gift helps us produce thoughtful conversations like this one, elevate courageous voices, and build a future grounded in knowledge, strength, and moral clarity. You can make a tax-deductible donation at boundlessisrael.org/donate.Guest BioDr. Michael Oren is a historian, author, and former Israeli ambassador to the United States. A leading voice on Middle East strategy and Israeli politics, he has written numerous best-selling books and served as a Member of Knesset and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office.Mentioned in this EpisodeIn 2048: The Rejuvenated State by Ambassador Michael Oren

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to podcast@boundlessisrael.org or message Aviva on X at @AvivaKlompas.The Republican Party is in flux. Once unified around faith, freedom, and family, it now finds itself wrestling with internal divisions — between traditional conservatives, populists, and the MAGA movement — over what it means to be a Republican in America today.In this episode, Florida Congressman Randy Fine joins host Aviva Klompas to talk about the battle for the soul of the GOP and the rise of antisemitism on the right.This Giving Tuesday, please consider supporting Boundless. Your gift helps us produce thoughtful conversations like this one, elevate courageous voices, and build a future grounded in knowledge, strength, and moral clarity. You can make a tax-deductible donation at boundlessisrael.org/donate.Guest BioCongressman Randy Fine was elected to represent Florida’s 6th Congressional District in April 2025 and serves on the House Foreign Affairs and Education and Workforce Committees. A third-generation Floridian, he attended Harvard twice and built a successful career as an entrepreneur before retiring at 40 to spend time with his family. In 2016, he began his public service in the Florida House, later serving in the Florida Senate and passing more than forty bills over eight years. he is working to ensure that the values of faith, freedom, and family continue to guide the nation.

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to podcast@boundlessisrael.org or message Aviva on X at @AvivaKlompas.Zohran Mamdani’s election as mayor of New York City has stirred a deeper conversation about the Democratic Party’s identity. Once defined by pragmatism and broad coalitions, the party is now grappling with a rising current of ideological purity and moral outrage — one that increasingly casts Israel, and sometimes Jews, as symbols of injustice.Aviva Klompas speaks with political commentator and lifelong Democrat Brianna Wu about what’s driving this transformation, how the Democratic Socialists of America gained power, and whether the party’s center can hold — or if this is the new political reality on the left.Guest Bio:Brianna Wu rose to national prominence during Gamergate, a flashpoint in the video game industry that pioneered many of the toxic tactics now common in online political discourse. She ran for Congress in 2018 as a progressive Democrat, but experienced a sharp break with her party following the October 7th Hamas attacks. Today, she is a prominent advocate for U.S./ Israel national security cooperation and a leading voice in the evolving debate over liberalism, extremism, and the future of the trans movement.

Michael Rapaport, an actor and comedian known for being a vocal advocate against anti-Semitism, joins Aviva to dissect the implications of Zoran Mamdani's recent election as New York mayor. They delve into the cultural shifts in New York politics, exploring how generational discontent has reshaped voter behavior. Michael shares his journey to activism and critiques the silence from celebrities amid rising anti-Jewish sentiment. The conversation culminates in a message of resilience and pride within the Jewish community, emphasizing the importance of collective action in uncertain times.

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to podcast@boundlessisrael.org or message Aviva on X at @AvivaKlompas.Eli Sharabi spent 491 days in Hamas captivity — hidden in homes, held in tunnels, and forced to survive the unthinkable. When he finally emerged, Israel rejoiced, but his freedom came with unbearable news: his wife and daughters were among the victims of October 7.In this powerful conversation, Eli reflects on life before the massacre, the will to survive, and what it means to rebuild after loss. He also speaks about the moral clarity that came from witnessing Hamas up close and why confronting that ideology is central to any hope of peace.Eli’s memoir, Hostage, has become a global phenomenon — the fastest-selling book in Israel’s history and a #1 New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller. In this raw and unflinching firsthand account, Sharabi offers an unprecedented look inside Hamas captivity, chronicling the starvation, isolation, brutal beatings, and psychological torment he endured — and the extraordinary will to survive that carried him through.Guest BioEli Sharabi is a former hostage who survived 491 days in Hamas captivity following his abduction from Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, 2023. Sharabi became a global advocate for the remaining hostages, meeting with world leaders like US President Donald Trump, speaking at the United Nations, and sharing his story with audiences around the world. His memoir,  Hostage, the first published account by a released Israeli hostage, became an instant number one bestseller in Hebrew (the fastest selling book in Israeli history) and an instant New York Times (US) and Sunday Times (UK) bestseller.Born in Tel Aviv to Yemenite and Moroccan parents, Sharabi moved to Be’eri as a teenager and later married Lianne, a British woman with whom he shared two daughters, Noiya and Yahel, aged sixteen and thirteen. A longtime resident of Be’eri, Sharabi served as the Kibbutz’s business manager, as well as the Chief Financial Officer of the Kibbutz, Be’eri Printing, and other private companies in Israel. Sharabi continues to work tirelessly as leading advocate for raising awareness of the October 7th atrocities. 

Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, a Gazan-born analyst and founder of Realign for Palestine, discusses the aftermath of the war's freeze in Gaza. He reveals how Hamas is exploiting the pause to strengthen its grip and intimidate opponents, raising concerns about the future of governance. Alkhatib emphasizes the necessity of a robust international stabilization force for disarmament and reconstruction, critiques the roles of Qatar and Turkey, and highlights the complications surrounding UNRWA's neutrality. His insights challenge prevailing narratives and advocate for a pragmatic approach to Palestinian advocacy.

Send questions and comments to podcast@boundlessisrael.org or message Aviva on X at @AvivaKlompas.After two years of war, Israel now faces a new kind of battle — the challenge of winning the peace. President Trump’s Gaza plan calls for the demilitarization and deradicalization of Gaza: dismantling Hamas’s weapons and tunnels, building a new Palestinian police force, and bringing in an international coalition to oversee security and reconstruction.But can Gaza truly be transformed into a terror-free zone? What will it take to keep Hamas and other armed groups from rebuilding? And how does Israel secure long-term stability while navigating complex regional politics?John Spencer — one of the world’s foremost experts on urban warfare and modern conflict — joins Aviva to explore what success might look like, the risks that remain, and whether peace can finally take root.Guest Bio:John Spencer is an award-winning scholar, internationally recognized expert and advisor on urban warfare, military strategy, tactics, and other related topics. Considered one of the world’s leading experts on urban warfare, he served as an advisor to the top four-star general and other senior leaders in the U.S. Army as part of strategic research groups from the Pentagon to the United States Military Academy. John currently serves as the Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at the Madison Policy Forum, Co-Director of the Urban Warfare Project, and host of the Urban Warfare Project podcast.