BICOM's Podcast

Episode 245 | Winter in the Knesset

Thu, 09 Jan 2025 14:42:06 +0100

In this episode Dr Amira Halperin speaks with MK Shelly Tal Meron. They discuss the prospects of a hostage deal, the displaced Israelis in northern and southern Israel. She also presents a vision for the day after the war end and the involvement of President Trump in the negotiations.

MK Meron is a Yesh Atid MK and the co-Chair of the Israel-UK Parliamentary Friendship Group. She is a member of the Women's Rights and Finance committees in the Knesset. She completed her military service as a Captain in the Israeli Air Force.

Episode 244 | Regional roundup

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 11:16:27 +0100

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks to Jonathan Paris about the latest developments following the fall of Assad. They discuss the future of Syria and the role of Turkey and Iran plus the potential ramifications for Lebanon and Jordan. Jonathan also explores the potential strategy of the incoming Trump administration in relation to Iran. Jonathan Paris is a London-based Middle East analyst and former fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. He is currently Senior Fellow at the Center for Advanced Studies on Terrorism (CAST) and Senior Advisor Emeritus at the Chertoff Group where he shares his expertise on the region.

Episode 243 | Iran, its politics, and its regional influence

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 17:11:25 +0100

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks to Behnam Ben Taleblu about Iran, its internal politics, proxies and the future of the region under President Trump.

Behnam Ben Taleblu is the senior director of FDD’s Iran Programme. Prior to his time at FDD, Behnam worked on non-proliferation issues at an arms control think tank in Washington. Behnam earned his MA in international relations from the University of Chicago, and his BA in international affairs and Middle East studies from the George Washington University.

Episode 242 | Facing the charges of the ICC

Thu, 28 Nov 2024 10:00:56 +0100

In this episode Richard Pater speaks to Dr. Michal Hatuel-Radoshitzky about the ICC, international lawfare, and the UN and UNRWA in Gaza. Dr. Hatuel-Radoshitzky is a senior adviser and programme director at Mind Israel and a founding member of the Dvora Forum. She is an adjunct lecturer at Tel Aviv University, where she earned her PhD.

Episode 241 | Trump and the Middle East

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 10:56:52 +0100

In this episode Richard Pater talks to Professor Jonathan Rynhold about the impact of Trumps's victory on the region. They explore the potential impact on the current fighting in Lebanon and Gaza as well the Iranian threat and the prospect of normalisation with Saudi Arabia.

Professor Rynhold is the Head of the department of Political Studies and the Academic Director of the Jonathan Sacks institute, both at Bar Ilan University. He is also the author of The Arab-Israeli Conflict in American Political Culture.

Episode 240 | Israeli – Jordanian relations

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 11:32:31 +0100

In this episode Richard Pater speaks with Dr. Joshua Krasna, ahead of the 30th anniversary of Israel – Jordan diplomatic ties. They discuss cooperation in the fields of energy and security whist political relations remain fraught. They also discuss the ramifications of the ongoing war, its effect on domestic Jordanian politics, Palestinian – Jordanian ties and more.

Dr. Krasna served for 30 years as a strategic analyst working for the Israeli government where his main focus was Israel - Jordanian relations. Since leaving government he is a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute and a Research Fellow at the Moshe Dayan Centre in Tel Aviv University. He also teaches at NYU’s Centre for Global Affairs.

Episode 239 | Humanitarian Aid into Gaza

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 11:36:17 +0200

In this episode Dr Amira Halperin speaks with Professor Dorit Nitzan. They discuss the mechanism of humanitarian aid to Gaza, as Israel works in coordination with international organisations including UNRWA. Professor Nitzan highlights the complexity of the mission that Israel has taken on since the beginning of the war.

Professor Dorit Nitzan is an advisor on humanitarian aid to Israel’s Defence Minister and the Acting Regional Emergency Director of the World Health Organisation's European Region Health Emergencies Programme. She is also the Director of the MA programme in Emergency Medicine at Ben Gurion University.

Episode 238 | Insight into Lebanon

Fri, 20 Sep 2024 11:23:19 +0200

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks to Hagar Chemali about the current situation in Lebanon, including her assessment of the public’s view of Hezbollah. Hagar also shares her perspective on US regional policy and gives her prediction for the US presidential election. Chemali is a former US official, serving in various positions in the Obama administration including as Director for Syria and Lebanon at the National Security Council. She is now the host and creator of an award-winning world news show on YouTube called Oh My World! as well as an adjunct professor at Columbia University and a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council.

Episode 237 | Four Years of the Abraham Accords

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 14:43:19 +0200

In this episode, Daniel J. Levy speaks to Dr Nir Boms about the 4th anniversary of the signing of the Abraham Accords. They discuss the state of the Accords, their potential for expansion, as well as current relations with Jordan and Egypt. Boms is a Research Fellow at the Moshe Dayan Center at Tel Aviv University. He is the Chairman of the Syria Research Forum and the Gulf Israel Policy Forum, as well as the coordinator of the TAU Workshop on Israel and the Middle East and the Hiwar Forum for Intra-Regional Dialogue.

Episode 236 | Iran's pending strike on Israel?

Thu, 15 Aug 2024 06:30:00 +0200

In this episode a day ahead of hostage release and ceasefire negotiations resuming in Qatar, Dr Amira Halperin speaks with Professor Uzi Rabi. They discuss the possibility of an Iranian strike on Israel following Ismail Haniyeh's assassination in Tehran, as well as American attempts to prevent the outbreak of a catastrophic regional war. He also argues that the terrorists groups, Hamas and Hezbollah, motivated by Iran, are using the democratisation in Western countries to act there, as terrorism pose a threat in the West.

Professor Uzi Rabi, Ph.D (Tel Aviv University, 2000) is the Director of the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies, a Professor of Middle Eastern History at the Department of Middle Eastern and African Studies, and a senior researcher at the Center for Iranian Studies, all at Tel Aviv University. Formerly, he was the Head of the Department of Middle Eastern and African History at Tel Aviv University.

Episode 235 | Netanyahu in the US

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 11:21:40 +0200

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks to Dr Guy Ziv. They discuss PM Netanyahu's recent visit to the US, his speech to Congress, and meetings with President Biden, VP Harris, and former President Trump. They also discuss the state of US-Israel ties, and his recent book, Netanyahu vs The Generals: The Battle for Israel's Future.

Dr Guy Ziv is an associate professor in American University's School of International Service's US Foreign Policy Programme. His research focuses on foreign policy decision-making, the role of political elites in the Arab-Israeli conflict, and civil-military relations in Israel. He has previously worked for the US State Department and regularly appears across US and Israeli newspapers.

Episode 234 | Israel-Egypt Relations

Fri, 28 Jun 2024 11:41:44 +0200

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks to Egyptian analyst Haisan Hassanein. They discuss Israeli-Egyptian ties in the context of the operation in Rafah. Haisan shares his assessment of Egypt’s current relations with Palestinian factions and rivalries with other regional powers.

Haisan was born and grew up in Egypt, before moving to the US. He is currently adjunct fellow at the Foundation for the Defence of Democracies, where he analyses Israel’s relations with Arab states and Muslim countries. Previously, he was a research fellow at the Washington Institute, where he focused on Israel-Egypt relations.

Episode 233 | Escalation from Lebanon

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 10:10:27 +0200

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks to Lt. Col. (res.) Sarit Zehavi about the situation on Israel’s northern border and ongoing attacks by Hezbollah. Sarit describes what escalation along the border looks like for communities affected by Hezbollah's rocket fire. They also discuss Hezbollah’s presence not just in the south, but across Lebanon and what Israel can do to counter the threat. Sarit is a former IDF intelligence officer and the founder of Alma, an independent research and education centre focussing on Israel’s security challenges on its northern border.

Episode 232 | What's next in Rafah?

Fri, 24 May 2024 12:25:05 +0200

In this episode, Jack Omer-Jackaman speaks to Lt. Col. (res) Jonathan Conricus. They discuss the progress of Israel’s operation in Rafah, South Africa’s case accusing Israel of genocide at the ICJ, and the prospects for a diplomatic resolution in the north. Conricus is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for the Defence of Democracies. He served in the IDF for 24 years, in a variety of roles including as an infantry commander, as liaison to the UN, and finally as the IDF’s international spokesperson.

Episode 231 | Understanding Hamas

Fri, 10 May 2024 10:37:22 +0200

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks to Jacky Hugi, an expert on regional affairs. They discuss the state of Hamas and its leadership, the ongoing hostage negotiations, what could come next for Gaza and who could be in charge. Hugi is an Israeli journalist, serving as the Arab affairs editor and host at Army Radio and as a columnist at the daily newspaper Maariv.

Episode 230 | Aid in the Gaza Strip

Fri, 12 Apr 2024 14:16:35 +0200

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks to Professor Rosa Freedman, an expert in international human rights law. They discuss Israel’s obligations in facilitating aid into Gaza and the current role of NGO’s operating in the Strip. Prof Freedman also explores the politicisation of aid, and the failure of the Red Cross to visit the Israeli hostages since October 7th. Freedman is Professor of Law, Conflict and Global Development at the University of Reading. She is a member of the UN Secretary-General's Civil Society Advisory Board on preventing sexual exploitation and abuse, a member of the FCDO Steering Committee on the Global Framework, and the Civil Society Workstream Lead on the Prevention Project.

Episode 229 | Insight into Palestinian Affairs

Fri, 15 Mar 2024 09:04:18 +0100

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks to Prof. Kobi Michael, an Israeli expert on security affairs and the Palestinian arena. They discuss the performance of the IDF so far, the Israeli security calculus during Ramadan, the internal dynamics within both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, and the need for Israel-Palestinian peace to be pursued through a multilateral regional framework. Prof. Michael is a senior researcher at INSS and the Misgav Institute, as well as a visiting professor at the International Centre for Policing and Security University of South Wales. The author of 20 books, he previously served as the deputy director general and head of the Palestinian desk at the Ministry for Strategic Affairs.

Episode 228 | Understanding Qatar

Fri, 01 Mar 2024 09:56:23 +0100

In this episode, Jack Omer-Jackaman speaks to Barak Seener about Qatar, its regional policies, and its role post-October 7th. They discuss Qatar’s status as, simultaneously, a major sponsor of extremism and a western security ally. They also consider its role in the hostage negotiations and in the future reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. Seener is a Senior Research Fellow at the Henry Jackson Society and the founder of Strategic Intelligentia and the Gulf Futures Forum. He also co-hosts The Geo-Godfather Wars podcast. Previously, Barak was a Global Intelligence Manager at HSBC and the Middle East Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute.

Episode 227 | US Middle East Policy

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 09:39:17 +0100

In this episode, Jack Omer-Jackaman speaks to Jonathan Paris about the latest US thinking on Israel’s war in Gaza and its regional implications. They discuss the US position on a potential operation in Rafah, President Biden’s push for a two-state solution, and the likely impact of Middle East policy on the next US election. Paris is a London-based analyst, a former Middle East Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, and an advisor to the Chertoff Group in Washington.

Episode 226 | Gaza’s water and energy

Fri, 02 Feb 2024 12:10:31 +0100

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks to Dr Elai Rettig about the Gaza Strip’s water and energy supply. Rettig explains how much of Strip’s energy supply Israel was responsible for providing prior to October 7th, the importance of fuel to the water supply, and Hamas’s neglect of the Strip’s infrastructure and its own people’s welfare. Rettig is Assistant Professor at Bar Ilan University and the head of the energy division at the Begin Sadat Centre for Strategic Studies.

Episode 225 | Who are the Houthis?

Fri, 19 Jan 2024 10:33:46 +0100

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks to Inbal Nissim-Louvton, an expert on Yemen. They discuss the Houthis’ foundation and their emergence as a social and political power. Inbal presents their ideological roots and gives her assessment on the current political environment in Yemen. She also relates to the Houthis’ regional role and their connections to Iran and the Palestinians. Inbal Nissim-Louvton teaches at the Department of History, Philosophy and Judaic Studies at the Open University in Israel and is a Research Associate at the Forum for Regional Thinking.

Episode 224 | Hezbollah and Israel’s northern border

Fri, 22 Dec 2023 05:00:00 +0100

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks to Lt. Col. (res.) Sarit Zehavi about the situation on Israel’s northern border. They talk about how it feels for families to live under Hezbollah missile fire, the prospects of a diplomatic solution, and Hezbollah and Iran’s strategic calculations. Sarit is a former IDF intelligence officer and the founder of Alma, an independent research and education centre focussing on Israel’s security challenges on its northern border.

Episode 223| The Military and DiplomaticTimetables

Fri, 08 Dec 2023 14:39:47 +0100

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks to Shalom Lipner. Two months into the war, they discuss the military campaigns in the south and the north as well as the diplomatic front and Israel - US relations. They also speculate on the day after for the Palestinians and inside Israel. Shalom Lipner is a nonresident senior fellow for Middle East Programs at the Atlantic Council, and a former veteran of the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, serving seven consecutive Israeli prime ministers over 25 years.

Episode 222 | The Arab-Israeli experience since October 7th

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 16:10:39 +0100

In this episode, Jack Omer-Jackaman speaks to Mohammad Darawshe, a leading expert on Jewish-Arab relations. They discuss the heroic sacrifice made by Darawshe’s cousin Awad on October 7th. They discuss the high levels of national Israeli identification amongst Arab-Israelis since the Hamas massacre, and the future prospects of Arab-Jewish cooperation in Israel. Darawshe is Director of Planning, Equality and Shared Society at Givat Haviva Educational Centre, and a fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute. Mohammad Darawshe previously served as a city council member in his hometown Iksal. In 2009 he served as a member of The National Committee which drafted Israel’s Coexistence Education policy and was previously Co-Director of The Abraham Fund Initiatives (2005-13).

Episode 221 | Iranian Regional Aggression

Fri, 24 Nov 2023 11:59:22 +0100

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks to Behnam Ben Taleblu about Iranian regional aggression. They discuss the structure of Iran’s proxy network, the extent of Iranian knowledge of Hamas’s plans for October 7th, and the effectiveness of the Biden Administration’s Iran policy. Ben Taleblu is a senior fellow at the Foundation for the Defence of Democracies where he focuses on Iranian security and political issues. A native Farsi speaker, he has testified before the US Congress and Canadian Parliament.

Episode 220 | Israel’s Commitment to International Law

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 14:47:01 +0100

In this recording of a live briefing, Richard Pater speaks with Colonel (res.) Adv. Pnina Sharvit Baruch. Pnina explains the context of the war and why it’s crucial that Israel defeats Hamas for there to be peace in the future. They discuss recent actions, including around the hospitals in Gaza and some of the moral dilemmas Israel faces. Pnina served in the International Law Department of the Military Advocate General (MAG) Unit for twenty years, five of which (2003 - 2009), she was head of the Department. Following her retirement from the IDF she joined the INSS as a senior researcher and heads the programme on law and national security.

Episode 219 | Briefing with Efraim Halevy

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 16:59:45 +0100

In this recording of a live briefing, Richard Pater speaks with former director of the Mossad Efraim Halevy. Halevy presents his assessment of Israel’s operation in the Gaza Strip, the chances of Iran entering the conflict and the response within Israeli society. Halevy joined the Mossad in 1961 and advanced through its ranks. From 1990–1995, he served as an emissary and negotiator on behalf of Prime Minister Rabin and Israel’s ambassador to the EU. From 1998, Halevy served as head of the Mossad during the terms of Prime Ministers Netanyahu, Barak, and Sharon. In 2002 he became the head of the National Security Council.

Episode 218 | Israel’s War Aims

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 13:50:57 +0100

In this episode, Calev Ben-Dor talks to Gidi Grinstein about Israel’s war aims in Gaza. They discuss Israel’s current lack of a clear exit strategy, the prospects of the Palestinian Authority taking control in a post-Hamas Gaza Strip, and the role of Iran’s regional strategy in the October 7th attacks. Grinstein was part of Israel’s negotiating team at the Camp David talks under Prime Minister Barak. He is the founder of the Reut Group, a non-partisan not-for-profit research, strategy and leadership group, and of Tikkun Olam Makers, Reut’s social impact arm.

Episode 217 | Regional Attitudes to Israel and Hamas

Fri, 27 Oct 2023 08:23:54 +0200

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks to Koby Huberman about reaction in the Arab world to Hamas’s attack of October 7th. They explore the responses of Israel’s Abraham Accords partners, Egypt’s reluctance to open its borders, and Qatar’s destabilising regional role. A leading figure in the promotion of regional peace programmes, Huberman is co-founder of the Israeli Peace Initiative, a non-partisan Impact Group working with partners across the Arab world.

Episode 216 | A US Perspective on Israel-Saudi Normalisation

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 11:19:07 +0200

In this episode Jack Omer-Jackaman speaks to Ambassador Daniel Kurtzer about US-Israel relations and the prospects for an Israel-Saudi normalisation deal. They explore the range of possibilities for the Palestinian component of any deal, and potential opposition in the Democratic Party to the defence alliance demanded by Riyadh. Ambassador Kurtzer is the S. Daniel Abraham Professor in Middle Eastern policy studies at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton. He previously served as US. ambassador to Egypt from 1997 to 2001 and to Israel from 2001 until 2005 when he retired after a 29-year career in the US Foreign Service. He was a crafter of the 1988 peace initiative of Secretary of State George P. Shultz and was instrumental in bringing about the Madrid Peace Conference in 1991.

Episode 215 | Israel-Saudi Normalisation? A View From The Gulf

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 17:19:25 +0200

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks to Dr Najat AlSaied, a Saudi academic based in the Emirates, who gives her perspective on the normalisation deal. She explores Saudi considerations – distinct from those of the Abraham Accord countries, views on normalisation amongst the Saudi public, the role and motivations of the Biden Administration, and the likely impact of a deal on the Israeli-Saudi security dynamic. Dr AlSaied is a writer and analyst specialising in political and societal development communication geared toward a modern and tolerant Middle East. She is a Professor at American University in the Emirates in the UAE and a columnist with Al Ittihad and Arab News.

Episode 214 | Judicial Reform - What Comes Next? (Part Two)

Fri, 25 Aug 2023 08:00:00 +0200

In the second part of this two-part episode, Jack Omer-Jackaman continues his discussion with renowned Israeli legal scholar Professor Yuval Shany. They address the legal factors in the exemption of ultra-Orthodox men from military conscription; the question of prime ministerial conflict of interest; and whether Israel has reached a “constitutional moment”.

Professor Shany is the Chair in International Law at Hebrew University and its former Dean of Law. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Israeli Democracy Institute and a former Chair of the United Nations Human Rights Committee. His PhD in International Law is from SOAS.

Episode 213 | Judicial Reform - What Comes Next? (Part One)

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 09:14:38 +0200

In the first part of this two-part episode, Jack Omer-Jackaman speaks to renowned Israeli legal scholar Professor Yuval Shany. They discuss the Supreme Court’s upcoming deliberations on the legislation annulling reasonability; the significance of basic laws; the impact of reservists' protests on Israel’s military preparedness and the role of a citizen army in a democracy.

Professor Shany is the Chair in International Law at Hebrew University and its former Dean of Law. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Israeli Democracy Institute and a former Chair of the United Nations Human Rights Committee. His PhD in International Law is from SOAS.

Episode 212 | Israel’s energy strategy and regional co-operation

Fri, 28 Jul 2023 08:50:30 +0200

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks to Dr Elai Rettig about energy issues in Israel and the wider Middle East. Rettig explains how Israel’s reliance on energy sources influenced its foreign and defence policy and how the discovery of natural gas has changed that paradigm. They also explore the energy policy dilemmas of Israel’s allies, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Rettig is Assistant Professor at Bar Ilan University and the head of the energy division at the Begin Sadat Centre for Strategic Studies.

Episode 211 | London protest against Iran

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 09:58:14 +0200

In this episode, Jack Omer-Jackaman speak to Iranian democracy campaigner Vahid Beheshti. They discuss Beheshti’s campaign to have the UK government proscribe the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). They also cover the IRGC’s record of global terror – including its multiple assassination attempts of British nationals – and the fundamental weakness of the Iranian regime in the face of huge unpopularity and domestic dissent. A journalist, human rights campaigner, and long-time UK resident, Beheshti is currently engaged in a sit-in protest outside the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development office in London, following a previous 72-day hunger strike.

Episode 210 | Assessing Operation House and Garden

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 08:16:33 +0200

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks to Lt. Col. (res) Jonathan Conricus about Israel’s recently concluded operation in Jenin. They assess the operation’s achievements and consider its likely impact on wider West Bank security. They also discuss the current threats from Lebanon and Syria. Conricus served in the IDF for 24 years, in a variety of roles including as an infantry commander, as liaison to the UN, and finally as the IDF’s international spokesperson.

Episode 209 | Russia-Ukraine, and Israel’s regional ties

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 17:26:32 +0200

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks to Ksenia Svetlova about developments in Russia and a variety of regional security issues. They discuss Yevgeny Prigozhin’s recent aborted coup attempt against President Putin and US calls for Israel to share its missile defence technology with Ukraine. On the Middle East they address prospects of an Israeli-Saudi normalisation deal and the current state of Israel’s diplomatic-security relations with Jordan and Egypt. Svetlova is Chief Executive of ROPES (The Regional Organisation for Peace, Economics & Security), senior research fellow at the Institute for Policy and Strategy at Reichman University, and a senior non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council. She previously served as an MK for the Zionist Union.

Episode 208 | Inside the Protest Movement

Fri, 23 Jun 2023 08:34:18 +0200

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks to Yiftach Golov, one of the leaders of the protest movement against the Israeli government's proposed judicial reforms. They discuss the basis of the movement's objection to the reforms and its tactics and future direction. Golov served in an IDF Special Forces unit and is currently completing his PhD in Biophysics at Tel-Aviv University.

Episode 207 | The Great Arab Revolt and its Modern Legacy

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0200

In this episode, Jack Omer-Jackaman speaks to Oren Kessler, author, journalist, and political analyst. They discuss Kessler's new book, Palestine 1936: The Great Revolt and the Roots of the Middle East Conflict, and the ways in which the Revolt continues to inform both the Israeli-Palestinian dynamic and the direction of Palestinian politics and terrorism today. Kessler previously served as deputy director for research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies in Washington, research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society in London, Arab affairs correspondent for The Jerusalem Post, and as an editor and translator at Haaretz English edition.

Episode 206 | Budget, Draft Bill, and Judicial Reform: A Political Update

Wed, 31 May 2023 08:06:15 +0200

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks to Tal Shalev, political correspondent at Walla News, about the latest political developments in Israel. They discuss the internal dynamics within the coalition and their achievements in securing concessions in the recently passed budget. They also explore the government’s chances of passing a new Draft Bill reaffirming ultra-Orthodox exclusion from the military draft; and the prospects of the ongoing negotiations over judicial reform achieving a successful compromise.

Episode 205 | Operation Shield and Arrow

Mon, 15 May 2023 10:35:54 +0200

In this podcast, Richard Pater, Director of BICOM speaks to Brigadier general (Res.) Assaf Orion, Senior Researcher at the INSS and Director of The Diane & Guilford Glazer Israel-China Policy Center. They discuss the recent conflict between Israel and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), assess Operation Shield and Arrow’s success in degrading PIJ’s terror capabilities, explore Hamas’s role, and look at the performance of Iron Dome in intercepting PIJ rockets. After two decades in command positions in military intelligence, in his final posting as a Brigadier General, Orion served as the head of the Strategic Division of the IDF General Staff’s Planning Directorate, responsible for strategy and policy planning.

Episode 204 | Post Ramadan Regional Update

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 10:09:19 +0200

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks to Professor Efraim Inbar, President of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security. They discuss what the Ramadan period showed us about Israel’s current security challenges, the state of its deterrence, and the level of Iranian influence in the region. They also consider Israeli relations with Saudi Arabia, the US, and, in the light of Foreign Minister Eli Cohen’s recent visits, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. Professor Inbar is an expert on Israeli strategic doctrine, US Middle East policy, and Israeli-Palestinian diplomacy. He was the founding director of the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies and professor of political studies at Bar-Ilan University.

Episode 203 | Ehud Yaari

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 09:44:08 +0200

In this live podcast, Richard Pater, Director of BICOM speaks to Ehud Yaari, the Middle East commentator for Israel's Channel 12 television and former associate editor of the Jerusalem Report. He has been a Middle East commentator for Israeli television since 1975. Among his numerous awards for journalism are the Israeli Press Editors-in-Chief prize for coverage of the peace process with Egypt, the Sokolov Prize for coverage of the Lebanon War, and the Israel Broadcasting Award for coverage of the Gulf War.

They discussed the current state of the West Bank, Israeli perspectives on regional developments, and domestic politics.

Episode 202 | The Iran-Saudi deal and the Middle East

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 14:17:39 +0100

In this episode, Jack Omer-Jackaman speak to Sir John Jenkins. Sir John was British Ambassador to Saudi Arabia from June 2012 to January 2015. He previously served as the ambassador to Libya, Iraq, and Syria, and as the British Consul General in Jerusalem. They discuss the recent China-brokered normalisation deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia, its implications for Israel and for Chinese and US regional influence respectively, as well as what we might expect to see next from Iran’s nuclear programme and its support for its regional proxies.

Episode 201 | Understanding Hezbollah

Fri, 17 Mar 2023 09:55:40 +0100

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks to Sarit Zehavi, a major in the IDF reserves who specialises in intelligence and holds an MA in Middle East Studies from Ben-Gurion University. She is the founder and CEO of ALMA, an organisation specialising in research and analysis of Israel’s security challenges on the northern border. In this episode, they discuss the state of Hezbollah and the recent attack it may be linked to inside Israel, politics in Lebanon and the current threat the organisation poses.

Episode 200 | Violence in the West Bank

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 17:41:22 +0100

In this episode, BICOM Director Richard Pater talks to Dr Michael Milshtein, an expert on the Palestinian Arena and the Head of the Palestinian Studies Forum at the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies at Tel-Aviv University.

In this 200th episode of the BICOM podcast, they discuss the growing terror attacks on Israel, what the run-up to Ramadan may look like, the future of the West Bank and how to prevent future friction between Settlers and Palestinians, as seen in Hawara this week.

Episode 199 | The State of Iran

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 09:36:55 +0100

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks to Benham Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) where he focuses on Iranian security and political issues. They discuss the current state of Iran's nuclear programme, Iran's links with Russia, and where the US and the EU stand on Iran.

Leveraging his subject-matter expertise and native Farsi skills, Behnam has closely tracked a wide range of Iran-related topics including nuclear non-proliferation, ballistic missiles, sanctions, the IRGC and internal Iranian politics. Benham recently produced a monograph on Iran’s ballistic missile programme.

Episode 198 | Unpacking Proposed Reforms to Israel’s Judicial System

Fri, 10 Feb 2023 08:58:05 +0100

In this episode, Jack Omer-Jackman, Research Associate at BICOM speaks to Professor Amichai Cohen. Professor Cohen is a senior fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute and a faculty member of the Faculty of Law, Ono Academic College. He graduated from the Faculty of Law of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and holds a master's degree and a doctorate from the Yale Law School. His research deals with constitutional and international law, and he's the author of the book The Wars of the High Court. Professor Cohen joins Jack for a discussion of the dominant domestic Israeli political issue of the day: judicial reform - what does it look like, how does it compare internationally and what is next for Israel's judicial system?

Episode 197 | What does Israel’s political future look like?

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 10:09:16 +0100

In this episode, Jack Omer-Jackaman, BICOM Research Associate is speaks to Professor Jonathan Rynhold, head of the department of Political Studies at Bar Ilan University. Rynhold's research focuses on US-Israeli relations, Israeli foreign policy and the role of political culture in foreign policy. They discuss the internal dynamics of the coalition government, the state of proposed judicial reforms, and look at the current strength of the relationship between Israel and the US.

Episode 196 | Now the new government’s here, what’s next for Israel?

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 13:34:30 +0100

In this live episode, Richard Pater speaks to Tal Shalev, political correspondent at Walla News about the new coalition government and what may be the future challenges facing Israel. At Walla News, Tal covers Israel’s prime minister, the government, and parliament as well as the country’s foreign and diplomatic affairs. She studied Political Science and Philosophy at Tel Aviv University. This briefing was recorded live with questions by the audience, facilitated by Kira Lewis.

Episode 195 | Between Russia and Iran

Tue, 20 Dec 2022 15:31:16 +0100

In this episode BICOM Director Richard Pater speaks to Jonathan Paris about the current state of US and Israeli policy concerning Iran and Russia. In a wide-ranging conversation they discuss the geopolitical implications of both Tehran’s nuclear programme and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Jonathan is a London-based analyst, a former Middle East Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, and a senior adviser to the Chertoff Group.

Episode 194 | The National Religious Vote

Wed, 07 Dec 2022 09:31:20 +0100

In this episode, BICOM Research Associate Jack Omer-Jackaman speaks to Calev Ben Dor about his recent Fathom essay ‘Politically homeless’: Yamina voters tell their story. Calev assesses the impact on November’s election results of former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s stepping back from politics, the inter-communal violence of May 2021, the presence of Mansour Abbas in the previous government, and the rise of Religious Zionism. Calev Ben Dor is Senior Research Associate at BICOM and Deputy Editor of Fathom.

Episode 193 | Judicial Reform

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 13:23:27 +0100

In this episode, Richard Pater discusses judicial reform with Professor Suzie Navot. Prof. Navot explains the background of Israel’s legal system, its uniqueness among other parliamentary democracies and the significance of potentially implementing an override clause.

Suzie Navot is Vice President at the Israeli Democracy Institute. She is a Professor of Constitutional Law, her areas of expertise include constitutional law, law of institutions, parliamentary law and comparative constitutional law.

Episode 192 | Chewing over the election results

Fri, 04 Nov 2022 00:40:33 +0100

In this episode, BICOM Director Richard Pater speaks with Carrie Keller-Lynn, a political and legal correspondent at the Times of Israel. They discuss the election results, breaking down what happened by party, and what could be next for the new government. Originally from the US, Carrie attended Stanford Law School and also holds a degree from Yale. She was called to the bar in New York and DC in 2017. Carrie also hosts her own podcast, and is based in Tel Aviv.

Episode 191| Agreement in the Med, friction in the West Bank

Fri, 21 Oct 2022 17:13:48 +0200

In this episode, Richard Pater speak to Jacky Hugi, the Arab affairs analyst of Israeli Army Radio and a columnist for the Maariv newspaper. Jacky gives his assessment of the Israel – Lebanon maritime agreement and the role Hezbollah plays in domestic Lebanese politics. They also discuss the ongoing violence in the West Bank. Jacky describes the current level of popularity of the Palestinian Authority and the new phenomenon of the Lion's Den group.

Episode 190 | King Charles & Israel

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 22:12:10 +0200

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks with Israel’s former Ambassador to the UK Mark Regev about his experience meeting the Queen. Ambassador Regev also shares his views on King Charles’s relationship with Israel and the strength of the bilateral relationship under Prime Minister Truss. He also offers his latest assessment on Iran, the Abraham Accords and the maritime talks with Lebanon. As well as having served as Ambassador in London, in the past he was the international spokesperson and media adviser to Prime Ministers Olmert and Netanyahu. Today he is the head of the Abba Eban Institute for International Diplomacy, which is part of Reichman University’s Lauder School of Government.

Episode 189 | The Israel – Lebanon maritime border

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 20:07:31 +0200

In this episode Richard Pater speaks to Orna Mizrahi, a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies. With the US negotiator’s imminent return to the region, they discuss the prospects of Israel and Lebanon reaching an understanding over their maritime border. Orna also shares her assessment of the current threat posed by Hezbollah and the state of Lebanese politics ahead of their Presidential election. Before joining the INSS Orna had a distinguished military career with the IDF and the National Security Council. In her last role she served as Deputy National Security Adviser for Foreign Policy. She is one of Israel’s leading experts on Hezbollah and Lebanon.

Episode 188 | How parties elect their leaders in Israel

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 09:03:09 +0200

In this episode Richard Pater and Dr Assaf Shapira, director of the Political Reform Programme at the Israel Democracy Institute, discuss the primary system in Israel. They talk about why parties chose to elect their candidates through different systems and what benefits parties such as the Likud and Labour gain from using the closed primary system. Richard and Assaf also talk about issues are most likely to dominate the election campaign in the Autumn.

Episode 187 | Biden’s visit to the Middle East: A View from the Gulf

Thu, 21 Jul 2022 10:30:13 +0200

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks to Najat Al-Saied, a Professor at American University in the Emirates, Dubai, to gain a Gulf perspective of US President Biden's recent trip to the Middle East. Richard and Najat discuss the UAE's strategy vis-a-vis Iran, how the gulf views more open security and military cooperation with Israel and why the Abraham Accords are still not viewed favourably among the Arab publics. Najat is a columnist with Al Ittihad (an Arabic-language newspaper published daily in the UAE) as well as Al Hurra (an American satellite television news channel in Arabic). Beginning in January 2021, she joined Israel Hayom as contributor and columnist to the newspaper, and appears on i24 News.

Episode 186 | Necessity or strategic shift? Biden prepares for trip to Middle East

Fri, 08 Jul 2022 15:05:03 +0200

In this episode, Samuel Nurding speaks to Ambassador (Ret.) Daniel C. Kurtzer on what the Biden administration hopes to achieve from its upcoming trip to the Middle East. Ambassador Kurtzer also lays out a possible Israel-Saudi roadmap for normalisation and examines whether a Middle East NATO is plausible.

Episode 185 | What happens after the Knesset dissolves itself?

Thu, 23 Jun 2022 12:22:28 +0200

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks to Dr Assaf Shapira, director of Political Reform Programme at the Israel Democracy Institute. They discuss the latest developments in Israel to dissolve the Knesset and what that means for the many reform bills currently in the legislative process. Dr. Shapira also provides some reforms that lawmakers could enact to make the political system in Israel more resilient. Dr Shapira specialise on political representation, political parties, the role of money in politics, and reforms in Israel's public service.

Episode 184 | Pipelines vs. Interconnectors: Israel and the EU energy relationship

Thu, 16 Jun 2022 23:04:46 +0200

In this episode, Samuel Nurding speaks with Gabriel Mitchell, an expert on Israel’s energy policy, about the new Israel-EU gas deal. They discuss the potential benefits of the deal for the Israeli-EU and Israeli-Egyptian relationship, as well as any potential blowback from Russia. Gabriel also speaks about the latest developments between Israel and Lebanon over their maritime dispute and the likelihood of an agreement being reached soon. Gabriel the currently the Director of Undergraduate Studies for the University of Notre Dame in Jerusalem. He is also a Policy Fellow at the Mitvim foreign policy institute where he specialises on the relationship between energy security and the formation of Israeli foreign policy, international maritime law, and regional politics in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Episode 183 | Understanding decision-making in the Palestinian arenas

Wed, 08 Jun 2022 08:58:32 +0200

In this episode, BICOM Director Richard Pater speaks to Dr Michael Milshtein, a colonel (res.) in the Israel Defense Forces and former head of the Department for Palestinians Affairs in the IDF Intelligence Unit. They discuss the latest threats posed by Hamas. Michael talks about the recent appointment of Hussein al-Sheikh as secretary-General of the PLO and whether recent threats by the Palestinian Authority to end recognition of Israel are genuine or not. They also reflect upon internal Israeli-Arab affairs and the successes and failures of Ra'am as the coalition approaches one year in power. Michael is a senior analyst at the Institute for Policy and Strategy (IPS) at Reichman University and Head of the Palestinian Studies Forum at the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies at Tel-Aviv University.

Episode 182 | Understanding the security context around Shireen Abu Aqla’s death

Thu, 19 May 2022 10:22:27 +0200

In this episode, Sam Nurding speaks to military and security analyst Yaakov Lappin. They discuss the causes and fallout to the Jerusalem Police's intervention at last week's funeral procession for Shireen Abu Aqla. Lappin explains why, unlike last year, tensions on the Gaza border have not flared up (yet), as well as the latest reported Israeli airstrike in Syria and whether the invasion into Ukraine is impacting on Russia's policy there.

Episode 181 | Iran’s regional and nuclear activity

Mon, 09 May 2022 10:01:39 +0200

Richard Pater speaks to Dr Raz Zimmt, an expert on Iran at the Institute for Nation Security Studies in Tel Aviv. They discuss the extent of Iran’s influence on the recent wave of terror attacks in Israel. They also examine Iran’s involvement in destabilising activity across the region. Dr Zimmt outlines the latest development surrounding the Vienna nuclear talks, whether the US will remove the IRCG from its terror watch list, Israel’s concerns regarding the JCPOA and how close the parties are to signing a new deal.

Episode 180 | An assessment of US-Israel relations

Fri, 29 Apr 2022 09:51:57 +0200

Richard Pater speaks to Natan Sachs, the director of the Center for Middle East Policy at The Brookings Institution. They discuss the latest developments in the JCPOA nuclear negotiations, whether a deal will actually be signed and the differences between the Netanyahu and Bennett-Lapid governments approach to relations with the United States, especially over the Iranian nuclear issue. They also discuss the broader status of US foreign policy towards the region and how domestic dynamics within the United States influence the country’s policy abroad. They also touch on relations between the US and the Palestinians, the stability of the Gaza Strip and more.

Easter/Pesach 2022 Special | Political and security tension ahead of Easter

Thu, 14 Apr 2022 13:04:02 +0200

In this Easter/Pesach special, BICOM's Richard Pater and Samuel Nurding discuss the current political and security situation in Israel. We talk about whether the government will survive Idit Silman’s resignation, why MKs Aymen Odeh and Bezalel Smotrich are coming under heavy criticism, and explain the government’s Ramadan policy regarding the West Bank and Gaza.

Episode 179 | Israel’s security horizon with Yossi Melman

Thu, 14 Apr 2022 12:59:48 +0200

BICOM's Research Associate Sam Nurding sits downs with Haaretz's intelligence and security correspondent Yossi Melman to discuss Israeli security issues. This episode clips their conversation about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the threat of Iran. A full transcript of their discussion will be published in our journal, Fathom, in a few weeks.

Episode 178 | Terror in Israel

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 12:14:46 +0200

Samuel Nurding speaks to Dr. Ely Karmon, senior research scholar at the Institute for Counter-Terrorism at Reichman University. They discuss the causes and perpetrators behind the three recent terror attacks in Israel, the current security situation in the West Bank and why Jenin is the terror capital, and how this new spike in violence compares to previous waves of terror.

Matti Friedman in discussion with Calev Ben-Dor

Mon, 28 Mar 2022 12:12:21 +0200

Israeli author Matti Friedman sits down with Fathom Deputy editor Calev Ben-Dor to discuss Matti's new book, Who By Fire: Leonard Cohen in the Sinai (Spiegel & Grau, 2022). The book is released on Amazon UK on 29 May 2022.

Episode 177 | A US perspective on the Middle East

Fri, 25 Mar 2022 09:01:42 +0100

Sam Nurding speaks to Grant Rumley, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute, where he specialises in military and security affairs in the Middle East. Grant has recently served in both the Trump and Biden administrations as an advisor for Middle East Policy in the Pentagon. They discuss the US view of the Ukraine-Russia war, implications of the war on the Middle East, the possible removal of the IRGC as a terrorist organisation, the status of JCPOA negotiations and the future of US presence in the region.

Episode 176 | JCPOA Endgame?

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 08:52:06 +0100

Sam Nurding speaks to Professor Eyal Zisser, the Vice Rector of Tel Aviv University and the holder of The Yona and Dina Ettinger Chair in Contemporary History of the Middle East. They discuss the latests developments in the JCPOA talks, whether an agreement is imminent and the Israeli political and defense view of a possible agreement. They also discuss whether Iran's attack on an alleged Israeli 'strategic centre' and possible cyber attack on Israeli government websites yesterday mark an escalation in hostilities between the countries. They examine the latest developments in Israel's efforts to mediate between Russia and Ukraine, and more.

Episode 175 | Analysis of the Russian-Ukrainian War

Mon, 07 Mar 2022 17:40:54 +0100

Richard Pater speaks with Middle East analyst and former MK Ksenia Svetlova. They discuss the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and how the war is perceived inside Russia. Ksenia gives her assessment Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s surprise visit to Moscow and how Israel is in a unique position to mediate the conflict. They also discuss the impact of the war on the Iran nuclear talks and on the region.

Episode 174 | From Ukraine to Vienna to Bahrain

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 09:49:23 +0100

Richard Pater speaks to Amichai Stein, diplomatic correspondent at Kan News, the Israeli public broadcasting corporation. They discuss the situation in Ukraine and the Israel's diplomatic dilemma in relation to Russia. They talk about the latest developments in nuclear talks in Vienna and the reasons why Israel sent a delegation there last week. They also reflect on a busy week of Israeli regional diplomacy.

Episode 173 | Exploring the UK-Israel trade talks

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 09:22:40 +0100

Richard Pater speaks to Lord Ian Austin, UK Trade envoy to Israel, about his latest trip with the Secretary to State for International Trade, Anne-Marie Trevelyan to open negotiations with Israel for a free trade agreement. Lord Austin and Richard also discuss how the UK can both benefit from and advance the Abraham Accords as well as the Iranian threat.

Episode 172 | The Arab citizens of Israel

Wed, 02 Feb 2022 14:42:42 +0100

Richard Pater speaks to Dr Arik Rudnitzky, a researcher in the 'Arab Society in Israel Programme' at the Israel Democracy Institute. In the same week that Amnesty International UK released a damning new report accusing Israel of maintaining an “apartheid regime” not only in the West Bank, but inside Israel too, Richard and Arik discuss the social, political and economic situation of the Arab citizenry in Israel. Arik explains some of the important social and economic programmes in the new budget for the Arab sector, the current situation over the military draft for young Arabs, government actions to tackle the level of crime in Arab towns, as well as the political dynamics between the United Arab List (in government) and the Joint Arab List (in opposition).

Episode 171 | The rift in the US negotiating team in Vienna and Bibi’s plea bargain

Wed, 26 Jan 2022 09:43:28 +0100

Richard Pater speaks to Senior Contributing Editor and Diplomatic Correspondent of The Jerusalem Post Lahav Harkov about a wide range of current diplomatic and political issues. They discuss the meeting between Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and Palestinian minister Hussein al-Sheikh, the rift in the US negotiating team in Vienna talks, whether Benjamin Netanyahu's plea bargain option will continue with the next attorney general, and the future of the Abraham Accords.

Episode 170 | What’s happening in Sheikh Jarrah and East Jerusalem

Thu, 20 Jan 2022 14:37:54 +0100

Richard Pater speaks with Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Fleur Hassan-Nahoum about the background and legal case of the latest eviction in Sheikh Jarrah. Fleur also refutes the recent claim from the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem that extreme Israeli groups are trying to expel Christians from the city. They also discuss some of the initiatives that the municipality is undertaking to improve social services and economic prosperity for East Jerusalem residents.

Episode 169 | Recapping the Christmas break

Wed, 05 Jan 2022 09:21:08 +0100

Samuel Nurding speaks to BICOM Director Richard Pater about events that transpired over the Christmas period. Most significantly, Defence Minister Benny Gantz hosting PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas in his home and the Palestinian view of right wing politician Ayelet Shaked. They also discuss Hamas’s latest provocation towards Israel, and an update from the Knesset. To catch up on events in Israel, be sure to listen to this episode.

Episode 168 | From Vienna to Tehran

Thu, 09 Dec 2021 13:30:52 +0100

In this episode, Samuel Nurding speaks with Dr Sanam Vakil. Sanam is the Deputy Director and Senior Research Fellow of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House, where she leads project work on Iran and the Gulf. They discuss the British and Iranian negotiation positions during the 7th round of talks in Vienna, what is driving deescalation in the region and what the regional response has been to the Abraham Accords.

Episode 167 | Understanding Iran with a former IDF intelligence officer

Fri, 03 Dec 2021 09:26:57 +0100

In this episode, Samuel Nurding speaks to Major (res.) Danny Citrinowicz, who has over 20 years of experience in intelligence and analysis and was in charge of the Iran file in the IDF’s Military Intelligence unit as well as the IDF’s representative at the Israeli embassy in Washington. They discuss what the main stumbling blocks are between the US and Iran in returning to the JCPOA nuclear deal, whether Russia has the influence and ability to separate Syria from Iran, and assess the importance of Israel's recently military exercises with its Gulf allies in the region.

Episode 166 | Will Iran and the US return to the JCPOA nuclear deal?

Wed, 24 Nov 2021 09:57:20 +0100

Richard Pater speaks with Richard Goldberg, a senior advisor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Before joining FDD he served as the Director for Countering Iranian Weapons of Mass Destruction for the White House National Security Council under President Trump. He reflects on his time working for the Trump administration and its maximum pressure campaign against Iran and Trump’s decision to withdraw from the JCPOA nuclear deal. They review Iranian demands and discussed whether the international community has done enough to restrain Iran’s nuclear activity.

Episode 165 | What next for the government after passing the budget?

Fri, 12 Nov 2021 12:13:35 +0100

In this episode, Richard Pater talks with Walla's political correspondent Tal Shalev to discuss what next for the government since passing the 2021 and 2022 state budgets. They analyse the most important elements of the budget, the impact it will have for the government's long-term stability and the cost of living crisis in Israel. They also discuss the future for Netanyahu as his corruption trial enters the next phase and the government looks to pass new legislation preventing a member of the Knesset under indictment from forming a new government.

Episode 164 | Harnessing Israeli technology to tackle climate change

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 09:40:16 +0100

In the episode, Richard Pater talks to Blue and White MK Professor Alon Tal about how Israel and Israeli technology can play a significant role in helping the world address climate change. They discuss the history of environmental activism in Israel, Tal's journey into politics, cooperation with Palestinian and Jordanian organisations on a regional green agenda, and what role Israel can and should play in the global arena.

Professor Tal is a leading Israeli environmental activist and academic. He is the founder of the Israel Union for Environmental Defense and the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies, and co-founder of Ecopeace: Friends of the Earth–Middle East, the Israel Forum for Demography, Environment and Society, and the Green Movement. In 2017 Prof. Tal was appointed chair of the department of Public Policy at Tel Aviv University.

Episode 163 | Combating gang crime and violence in the Arab sector

Fri, 22 Oct 2021 09:23:09 +0200

BICOM's Research Associate Samuel Nurding speaks to Dr Michael Milshtein, head of the Palestinian Studies Forum at the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies at Tel-Aviv University, about how the government intends to tackle the high rate of gang crime and violence in the Arab sector. Michael also talks about the emerging split within the Arab political movement on how best to tackle the issue, as well as the political impact of Mansour Abbas' decision to join the coalition.

Episode 162 | The Conservative Party and Israel

Thu, 14 Oct 2021 15:57:45 +0200

In this episode, BICOM's Research Associate Samuel Nurding speaks with Lord Eric Pickles, the Parliamentary Chairman (Lords) of the Conservative Friends of Israel, about everything Israeli-related at the Tory party conference, as well as Sally Rooney's decision to join the cultural boycott of Israel, and the UK's position on designating Hamas' political wing, Iran and the JCPOA, and strengthening the Abraham Accords.

Episode 161 | BICOM in Dubai

Thu, 07 Oct 2021 23:48:05 +0200

Richard Pater was in Dubai and sat down with Dr. Mohammed Baharoon, the Director General of the Dubai Public Policy Research Center. They discuss the progress of the Abraham Accords and the development of bilateral relations between Israel and the UAE. They also discuss the wider regional implications of the accords, whether other countries will join and how they can help foster a two state solution. Dr. Baharoon also shares his perspective on the Iranian role in the region.

Episode 160 | The Labour Party and Israel

Fri, 01 Oct 2021 09:17:57 +0200

Ronie Gazit speaks to Luke Akehurst, the Director of We Believe in Israel, and an elected member of Labour’s National Executive Committee, about the 2021 Labour Party Conference. Luke discusses Keir Starmer’s leadership, foreign policy and his agenda for ridding the party of antisemitism. Luke also discusses the importance of other key members in the party’s leadership, such as Shadow Foreign Secretary Lisa Nandy and her position towards Israel and the two state solution.

Episode 159 | The Abraham Accords one year on

Tue, 14 Sep 2021 21:29:48 +0200

In this episode, Director Richard Pater interviews Dr Moran Zaga on the eve of the one year anniversary of the signing of the Araham Accords. Dr Zaga speaks about the impact the accords has had on the region during its first year, analyses how Israel and its new Gulf partners will look to expand ties in the year ahead, and examine how other regional countries can take advantage of the shifting strategic map of the Middle East.

Dr Zaga is a research fellow at the University of Haifa focused on the geopolitics of the Gulf. She is also a policy fellow at Mitvim, the Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policies, where she specialises on existing and potential cooperation between Israel and the UAE.

Episode 158 | What does the withdrawal from Afghanistan mean for the US role in Middle East?

Fri, 10 Sep 2021 09:11:10 +0200

Professor Jonathan Rynhold, the Deputy Head of the department of Political Studies at Bar-Ilan University, speaks about the future of American leadership following its withdrawal from Afghanistan, specifically whether the "American Era" is over in global politics, and the Middle East in particular, or whether the basic coordinates of US leadership will remain in place. His opening remarks were part of a BICOM Webinar held on 9 September 2021.

Episode 157 | Bennett goes to Washington

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 09:52:19 +0200

Research Associate Samuel Nurding speaks with Robert Wexler, President of the Washington-based S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace and former Democratic member of Congress from 1997 to 2010. Robert discusses the impact of the first meeting between Prime Minister Bennett and President Biden, as well as the shifting sands of support for Israel within the US Democratic Party and why Michael Herzog is an excellent choice for the next Israeli ambassador to the US.

Episode 156 | Tensions on Israel’s northern border

Fri, 13 Aug 2021 08:39:03 +0200

Ronie Gazit speaks to retired Brigadier General Assaf Orion about the latest escalation with Lebanon, and the threats from Syria and Iran. Brig Gen Orion explains the background to Palestinian groups responsible for the recent rocket attack from Lebanon. They discuss whether Hezbollah will further escalate the situation and growing frustration from the Druze community in southern Lebanon against Hezbollah. They also discuss Iran’s malign regional behavior, Israeli-Russian deconfliction in Syria and what more the international community should be doing to stabilise the increasingly volatile situations in Lebanon, Syria and the region as a whole.

Episode 155 | Gil Troy reflects on Ben & Jerry's and Lapid's antisemitism agenda

Fri, 30 Jul 2021 08:58:57 +0200

Director Richard Pater talks with distinguished historian Professor Gil Troy about the latest developments in Israeli politics. They discuss the true meaning of Ben & Jerry's recent decision to boycott Israeli settlements, assess Foreign Minister Yair Lapid's new agenda to talk about antisemitism and look toward Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's upcoming trip to the US.

Episode 154 | A scorecard of the government's first five weeks in office

Wed, 21 Jul 2021 11:52:39 +0200

In this episode, Research Associate Samuel Nurding and Director Richard Pater discuss the how the new Israeli government is holding up after five weeks in power. Richard also explains how the opposition is acting in new and unprecedented ways, the rivalry emerging between the United Arab List and the opposition-based Joint Arab List, and the potential government-ending obstacles that lay in wait.

Episode 153 | The future of the JCPOA and Iran under President Raisi

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 09:29:37 +0200

Research Associate Samuel Nurding speaks to Henry Rome, the deputy head of research at the geopolitical risk consultancy firm, the Eurasia Group. Samuel and Henry discuss the state of play at the nuclear talks in Vienna, what Iran's foreign policy may be under President Raisi, and how a return to the JCPOA agreement could impact the balance in the region.

Episode 152 | An Israeli journalist in London

Fri, 09 Jul 2021 09:14:36 +0200

Richard Pater speaks to Elad Simchayoff, the European correspondent for Israel’s Channel 12 News. Richard and Elad discuss how the Bennett-Lapid government has fared in its first couple weeks in power and what we may expect to see from opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu. Elad also discusses his experience being an Israeli journalist in London, the growing anti-Israel rhetoric he has seen over the years, covering UK politics for an Israeli audience, and UK-Israel relations more broadly.

Episode 151 | Understanding Biden's approach to the Middle East with Ambassador Daniel Kurtzer

Wed, 30 Jun 2021 09:10:07 +0200

In this episode, BICOM's Samuel Nurding speaks with Ambassador Daniel Kurtzer about the Biden administration's approach to the Middle East. Ambassador Kurtzer draws on his unique experience as the US Ambassador to Israel and Egypt to discuss the US role in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, the challenges of confronting Iran and reconstruction in Gaza, and Israel's relations with its neighbours in the region.

Daniel C. Kurtzer is the S. Daniel Abraham Professor of Middle East Policy Studies at Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs. During a 29-year career in the U.S. Foreign Service, Ambassador Kurtzer served as the United States Ambassador to Israel and as the United States Ambassador to Egypt.

Episode 150 | Iran and the JCPOA, a view from Israel

Tue, 22 Jun 2021 15:38:35 +0200

Brig Gen (ret) Michael Herzog talks to Ronie Gazit about the Vienna talks and the implications for Israel, should the US return to the nuclear deal. They discuss the most important elements Israel would like to see in a new deal and the significance of the Iranian threat when it comes to Israel’s relations with Arab countries. Gen Herzog also reflects on the latest escalation between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip and what the US, Gulf countries and broader international community should do to rebuild Gaza without strengthening Hamas.

Episode 149 | Israel's new government, what now?

Tue, 15 Jun 2021 15:54:34 +0200

In this episode, BICOM's Director Richard Pater explains the makeup of the new government and its priorities, what we may expect to see in the coming weeks and months, as well as what options Benjamin Netanyahu now has as leader of the Opposition. He takes questions from an audience on a range of other issues regarding the political significance of the new government in Israel.

Episode 148 | Making sense of the new coalition government

Fri, 04 Jun 2021 10:01:02 +0200

In this episode, BICOM's research associate Samuel Nurding speaks to Director Richard Pater about the dramatic events on Wednesday night when Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid informed President Rivlin that he had succeeded in forming a coalition. Richard spoke about why negotiations went down to the wire, explains the structure of the Change Government and some of the key principles that the government will try to adopt, and assesses what next for Netanyahu.