FDD's Foreign Podicy

Though the fighting is paused, Israel’s defensive war against Hamas continues. FDD Chief Executive Mark Dubowitz and former Israeli National Security Advisor Eyal Hulata — now a senior international fellow at FDD — just returned from Israel. Host Cliff May asks them what they saw, heard, and learned about Israel's ongoing war against Hamas, about Hamas’s allies – in particular Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah – and of course about the wizard behind the curtain: Iran’s rulers.They discuss known details of the ceasefire agreement and hostage exchange — including why calling it a "hostage exchange" is inaccurate, given the imbalance between the innocent civilians being held hostage in Gaza and those imprisoned in Israel for acts of terror; how the delivery of fuel into Gaza during the pause in fighting will likely be exploited by and used to the benefit of Hamas; whether other Iran-backed terrorist groups inside Gaza like Islamic Jihad will also put their weapons down; Qatar's role of both arsonist and firefighter; the sturdiness of President Biden's support for Israel amidst increasing pressure from some inside his camp; and why anticipated IDF operations in southern Gaza will be more difficult and complex than what we've seen in the north.

Although six weeks have passed since Iran-backed Hamas terrorists invaded Israel and butchered more than 1,200 innocent civilians while taking hostage another 240, this is just the beginning of Israel’s multi-front defensive war.One key battlefield: the information space.Historically, the odds of winning in this arena have not been in Israel’s favor. They don’t seem to be now, either.To understand why, host Cliff May and Israeli journalist and author Matti Friedman dissect both past and present media coverage of Gaza.They explain how almost all the foreign press’ current work inside Gaza is being conducted by local “fixers” who either support or dare not cross Hamas. In either case, Hamas controls the narrative.Despite an ethical imperative, most news organizations are not transparent about these restrictions that ultimately shape their coverage. And while this helps explain the “almost eagerness” of the press to accept without question and package as news Hamas talking points, Matti tells Cliff that a “deeper psychology” is also in play.

Experts Jonathan Schanzer and Jacob Nagel join host Cliff May to discuss Israel's ground offensive in Gaza. They explore the challenge of Hamas' underground tunnel network, including potential hostage situations. They debunk the idea of Qatar brokering a deal between Israel and Hamas. The episode also touches on Israel's determination to eliminate Hamas and various aspects of the ongoing conflict.

The October 7 atrocities committed against Israel and by Hamas terrorists with support from the Islamic Republic of Iran has frozen the rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Israel, as the clerical regime in Tehran doubtless anticipated. Now, the future of Saudi-Israeli relations may well depend on the outcome of Israel's war against Hamas. Host Cliff May is joined by top experts Bernard Haykel and Mark Dubowitz to discuss the status of Israeli-Saudi relations on October 6 versus now, including just how close the U.S. was to reaching a deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia — and the likelihood of those talks resuming; why these normalization efforts motivated Tehran to unleash Hamas on October 7; and how those who correctly decried the Khashoggi murder remain silent on the October 7 butchering of Americans in Israel. They consider the future of Israel's war against Hamas, including day-after scenarios for when Israel cripples Hamas — will this war really be over after that? And what future role might the Saudis play in a post-war Gaza and West Bank?They also break down the ways in which Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 expands beyond economics as a broader vision for the Middle East and Saudi Arabia's role in it; the importance of Vision 2030 building Saudi Arabia as a nation — and why this contradicts the Islamist vision of expansion held by the Islamic Republic of Iran.Bernard HaykelBernard is a professor of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University. His research focuses on the “political and social tensions that arise from questions about religious identity and authority” with a particular emphasis on Islam, history, and the countries of the Arabian Peninsula. His books include “Saudi Arabia in Transition” and “Revival and Reform in Islam.”Mark DubowitzMark is FDD’s chief executive officer. He has conducted extensive research in Saudi Arabia and in Israel and on (not in!) the Islamic Republic of Iran. Indeed, he has been both sanctioned and threatened by Tehran’s rulers. He has also been sanctioned by Russia and blacklisted by Turkey.  

Nearly a month ago, Hamas invaded Israel and murdered over 1,400 men, women, and children. It was the deadliest attack on the Jewish people since World War II, which was also a war against the Jews that culminated in the Holocaust. The Israel Defense Forces are now in Gaza aiming to cripple Hamas’s military capabilities, and it’s a challenging mission. To discuss, host Cliff May is joined by three FDD experts: Bradley Bowman, Hussain Abdul-Hussain, and Retired Maj. Gen. Amir Eshel (former commander in chief of the Israeli Air Force).They talk about the status of Israel's ground operation inside Gaza, including why forces are current concentrated in the northern part of the Strip; how the IDF might deal with Hamas' extensive system of underground tunnels; what happened at Al Shifa Hospital and why Hamas is using ambulances; if there's a difference between a ceasefire and 'humanitarian pause' as well as Israel's conditions for agreeing to the former; how Israel's Arab neighbors are reacting to the war; Saudi Arabia's interception of missiles fired by Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen at Israel — and other related issues.

Two of the world's top experts on human rights join host Cliff May to discuss the October 7 massacre in Israel — the atrocity carried out by Hamas and backed by Iran’s jihadi rulers — and about all that has followed since, in the Middle East, the US, Canada, and elsewhere. They discuss inaction by the United Nations and other international bodies charged with championing human rights not just in the aftermath of 10/7 but throughout recent history, a refresher on why calling Israel an apartheid state is incorrect,  a review of modern genocidal affronts across the international community (made not least of all by the Islamic Republic of Iran and its surrogates), defining the indigeneity of the Jewish people, and more. Irwin CotlerIrwin is a near-legendary champion of human rights. He’s carried out that mission as an attorney specializing in international law, as Canada’s minister of justice, attorney general, a member of Parliament, a law professor, and International Chair of the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, an organization he founded.He served as counsel to Soviet dissident Natan Sharansky, anti-apartheid activist and former South African President Africa Nelson Mandela, the Tutsi people of Rwanda, and many others both famous and not so famous.Last week in Washington, he was awarded the Tom Lantos Human Rights Prize.Orde KittrieOrde is a senior fellow at FDD and a law professor at Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. He also wrote the book Lawfare: Law as a Weapon of War, published by Oxford University Press.

It is the opinion of your Foreign Podicy host, Cliff May, that Andrew Roberts is the world’s greatest living historian.In recent years, he has written groundbreaking biographies of Churchill, Napoleon, and King George. He’s a Bradley Prize winner, and Cliff is the one who nominated him. However, Cliff was outdone by His Majesty Charles the Third, as Andrew is now Lord Andrew Roberts — the sovereign has conferred upon him the title of Baron Roberts of Belgravia.Lord Andrew Roberts joins Cliff to discuss his most recent book, co-authored with retired General David Petraeus, "Conflict: The Evolution of Warfare from 1945 to Ukraine.” This New York Times best-seller reached bookstores as the war between Hamas and Israel entered its second week. 

Hamas' terrorist attack on Israel has led to war. We have to think that’s what Hamas and its patrons in Tehran expected and very likely wanted.Is that because they believe they can win on the Gazan battlefields? Does Hezbollah, Tehran’s Lebanese foreign legion, plan to open a second front?Or do Israel’s many enemies in the Middle East, Europe, and here in America believe they can make Israel back off, agree to a ceasefire, and let Hamas live to kill Jews another day?What are Israel’s options? What are the tradeoffs?To discuss these and other questions — and attempt to penetrate the fog of war a little — host Cliff May is joined by FDD Senior Advisor Richard Goldberg; Bradley Bowman, Senior Director of FDD’s Center on Military and Political Power; and RADM (Ret) Mark Montgomery, Senior Fellow and Senior Director of FDD’s Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation.

Israel's war with Hamas, supported by Iran, is discussed by experts. The severity of the conflict and recent surprise attacks are explored. The role of Iran in supporting terrorist organizations, including Hamas, is highlighted. The need to take action against those who support atrocities is emphasized. Complacency from Israel's side and the misconception of improving lives in Gaza for peace are analyzed. Potential fronts of unrest in the Middle East and the strong alliance between Israel and the United States are discussed. The diverse audience is encouraged to further engage and visit a website for more information.

Americans, our elected officials in Congress, and individuals aspiring to be the next U.S. president are debating whether the United States should continue to support Ukraine. Some Republican presidential candidates are arguing against aid for Ukraine, while several others warn that abandoning Ukraine would be a costly mistake. In Congress, Republican leaders of key committees continue to support aid for Ukraine, but a vocal minority faction of the Republican party in the House of Representatives that opposes aid for Ukraine seems to be growing.To complicate matters, Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Russian forces is going more slowly than many hoped, and the battlefield outcome remains uncertain.In short, Ukraine is in the balance and Americans have questions.To get answers, Brad Bowman (Senior Director of FDD’s Center for Military and Political Power, filling in for host Cliff May) is joined by Celeste Wallander. Celeste WallanderCeleste serves as the Biden Administration’s Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs in the Pentagon. Previously, she served in the Obama administration’s National Security Council from 2013 to 2017 as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Russia and Central Asia. She’s a longtime Russia scholar, former professor at Harvard and Georgetown University, and the author of more than 80 publications.