Decision Points

Is the Iran War Bringing Israel and the UAE Closer Together? With Amir Hayek and Nadim Koteich

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 04:01:00 GMT

As part of Iran’s retaliation for the U.S.-Israeli war, Tehran has targeted the United Arab Emirates with more than 2,000 ballistic missiles and drones. Senior Emirati officials warn that their confrontation with Iran won’t be fleeting and will strengthen their relationship with Israel, including deeper security coordination. But if Iran’s regime emerges from the war intact and vengeful, the Gulf states may have to take a warier stance.

Amir Hayek was Israel’s first ambassador to the United Arab Emirates. Nadim Koteich is a columnist at Asharq al-Awsat and the former general manager of Sky News Arabia.

"Decision Points" is produced by David McGuffin with Zack Apt and Nava Goldstein.

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The Iran War's Second Front—Israel vs. Hezbollah with Hanin Ghaddar and Assaf Orion

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 04:01:00 GMT

As the Iran war shakes the Middle East, Hezbollah has fired missiles into northern Israel, and Israel has struck Hezbollah-related targets across Lebanon, including in the capital Beirut, leaving hundreds dead and hundreds of thousands of Lebanese civilians displaced. In this episode of "Decision Points," Washington Institute Senior Fellows Hanin Ghaddar and Assaf Orion join host David Makovsky to explore how Lebanon became the second front in the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. They break down Israeli military objectives in this new round of fighting against Hezbollah and discuss ways to disarm the radical Iran-backed militia.

Hanin Ghaddar is the former managing editor of Lebanon's NOW news website, a former reporter for several Lebanese newspapers, and an expert on Shia politics in the Levant. Assaf Orion is a former Israeli brigadier general and a fellow at the Institute for National Strategic Studies, a Tel Aviv-based think tank.

"Decision Points" is produced by David McGuffin with Nava Goldstein and Zack Apt.

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What Are America's Objectives in the Iran War? With Dennis Ross, Dana Stroul, Holly Dagres, and Robert Satloff

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 05:02:45 GMT

In this special episode of Decision Points, Washington Institute experts Dennis Ross, Dana Stroul, Robert Satloff, and Holly Dagres sit down with the Institute's managing director, Michael Singh, to assess the joint U.S.-Israeli air campaign against Iran and Tehran's intensifying retaliation. They explore President Trump's goals in the conflict, assess the responses from Gulf states targeted by Iran, and discuss the key factors they're watching as the war continues.

Dennis Ross is the former lead U.S. negotiator on Middle East peace and a former top Middle East advisor for both Democratic and Republican administrations.

Dana Stroul is the Washington Institute's research director and served as the Pentagon's top Middle East expert in the Biden administration.

Robert Satloff is the Washington Institute's executive director.

Holly Dagres is a senior fellow at the Washington Institute specializing in Iranian society and the curator of "The Iranist," a newsletter on Iran.

Moderator: Michael Singh is the Washington Institute's managing director and a former senior director for the Middle East at the National Security Council under President George W. Bush.

This episode is an edited version of the original March 2nd event.

Decision Points is produced by David McGuffin with Nava Goldstein and Zack Apt.

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Will Trump Go to War with Iran? with Jake Sullivan and Eyal Hulata

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 05:03:12 GMT

The United States and Iran stand on the brink of war. The Pentagon has deployed a huge amount of air power in the Middle East, and President Trump has set a 10-15 day deadline to decide whether to strike.

In the first episode of Season Six, Decision Points host David Makovsky is joined by former U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan and former Israeli national security advisor Eyal Hulata. They assess whether the United States and Iran are plunging toward conflict or whether a negotiated outcome is still possible—and explore the risks of both war and diplomacy. Drawing on their experience at the highest levels of government, Sullivan and Hulata examine the lessons that should guide policy makers through this crisis.

Decision Points is produced by David McGuffin with Nava Goldstein and Zack Apt.

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Season 6 Trailer

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Decision Points is the podcast that gets beyond the noise on tough choices in the Middle East. Hosted by David Makovsky of The Washington Institute, the show brings together top policymakers and experts from Washington and the region for candid conversations about the forces and factors driving Middle East policymaking.

Season Six tackles the toughest U.S. foreign-policy debates, from the brink of war in Iran to the painful aftermath in Gaza and the new government in Syria. In each episode, Makovsky sits down with top American, Israeli, and Arab policy experts and former officials to clarify the options and understand the stakes. This season asks: Is the Middle East headed for more war and uncertainty? Or could America help the region move toward greater security and progress?

David Makovsky directs the Washington Institute’s Koret Project on Arab-Israel Relations and is a leading expert on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and U.S.-Israel relations. He served as a senior advisor to the special envoy for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations at the U.S. Department of State in 2013-14 and is the author of four books on Arab-Israeli relations.

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Israel into 2025: Building on Regional Successes, Avoiding Domestic Fractures

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 05:00:01 GMT

Israeli society has been through the gambit of emotions in 2024: from the national trauma of the aftermath of October 7th and repeated failed hostage negotiations, to major military achievements that have shifted the regional security landscape. As the nation looks ahead to 2025, healing internal divisions within Israel remains elusive despite the major moves to restore regional deterrence during the second half of 2024.

Profound internal divisions abound. Much of the Israeli public sees the government as maneuvering to avoid a national Commission of Inquiry to investigate the failures of October 7th. At the same time, the looming prospect of permanent exemption of the ultra-orthodox from the military draft is widely unpopular, and the government’s approach to hostage negotiations has sparked widespread dissent and mass protests. Taken together, it seems that if this government fails, it will not be due to external threats, but rather because of internal divisions on these key domestic issues.

How will tensions between the Trump administration’s desire to end the war and the Israeli right’s push to remain in Gaza indefinitely play out? How much the public react to a partial hostage deal that may be close at hand? How are domestic political controversies influencing Israel’s geopolitical strategy and do they impact the durability of the current coalition? And what role – if any – does Netanyahu’s ongoing trial play in this critical moment?

In this episode of Decision Points, David Makovsky is joined by Yossi Klein Halevi. Yossi is a veteran keen observer of Israeli society and is a Senior Fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem. He is the author of several acclaimed books on the conflict, including the New York Times bestseller Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor, and co-host of the Institute’s podcast, For Heaven’s Sake. Together, they discuss the challenges of restoring regional deterrence while striving for internal cohesion as Israel enters 2025.

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After Assad: Navigating Syria's Power Vacuum and Regional Fallout

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 05:00:22 GMT

After just a few days of fighting, Bashar al-Assad's regime has fallen, and Assad has fled to Russia. However, the collapse of the Assad regime is far from a fairytale ending. The rebels responsible for toppling Assad, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), are designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, and history shows that power vacuums in the Middle East often lead to prolonged instability and conflict.

HTS currently holds a dominant position, but Syria’s balance of power remains precarious. Competing factions are poised to challenge HTS, creating a volatile security landscape. Meanwhile, the fall of the Assad regime has significant implications for Israel. Syria has been a critical component of Iran’s axis, serving as a conduit for weapons and illicit materials to reach the West Bank and Jordan.

At this critical juncture, the future of Syria hangs in the balance. How much influence will Russia, Turkey, and Iran exert in shaping Syria’s trajectory? Who will ultimately fill the power vacuum? And what role will the U.S. and Israel play in this tense and rapidly evolving environment?

In this episode of Decision Points, David Makovsky is joined by Andrew Tabler and Tamir Hayman. Andrew Tabler, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute, previously served as Senior Advisor to the Special Envoy for Syria Engagement at the State Department and as Director for Syria Affairs at the White House National Security Council. Tamir Hayman, the current Director of INSS—Israel’s leading national security think tank—served as Head of IDF Intelligence, focusing on Iranian entrenchment in Syria, and previously led efforts to provide humanitarian assistance in southern Syria.

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Inside the Middle East: How War, Ceasefires, and Trump’s Arrival Are Reshaping the Middle East

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 05:00:31 GMT

The past few weeks in the region have been some of the most eventful in recent history. Hizbullah, the crown jewel of Iran’s proxy network, has suffered a devastating blow, Iran’s air defense systems have been dismantled, and a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has been established. At the same time, the election of President Trump has introduced an entirely new level of unpredictability, sending shockwaves throughout the region.

How is the war reshaping perceptions within the Middle East, particularly regarding the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire? How does the concept of Iran’s “ring of fire” hold up in this new reality? What does Saudi Arabia’s approach to normalization with Israel mean for its leadership and the future of Gaza? And how are these shifting dynamics influenced by the Trump administration?

On this episode of Decision Points, David Makovsky is joined by Bernard Haykel, a leading authority on Middle Eastern politics, religion, and society, and someone who has spent more time with Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman (MBS) than perhaps any American over the last decade. Bernard will soon be releasing his book on MBS, and as a scholar with a personal connection to the region—having grown up during Lebanon’s civil war—he brings a unique insider perspective on the Middle East’s complexities.

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Will the Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire Hold?

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 05:00:49 GMT

After more than a year of intense fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, President Biden recently announced a ceasefire, raising hopes that this agreement could save lives, restore stability, and bring an end to the unprecedented escalation that began with the October 7 attacks. But how did this ceasefire come about, and how does it compare to the conclusion of the 2006 war in Lebanon?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed that Hezbollah has been set back by decades due to the Israeli military’s strikes. Is this an accurate assessment? What role have external players—like the U.S. and Iran—played in shaping this outcome, and could this moment signal a shift in Iran’s regional calculus?

Perhaps most importantly, does this ceasefire mark a new phase in Israel’s broader security strategy in the region? To help unpack these critical questions, David Makovsky is joined by Amos Harel, one of Israel’s leading military analysts and a senior correspondent for Haaretz. Amos has extensively covered Israel’s northern front and is a keen observer of the country’s military strategies and security leadership.

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Israel and Iran Tensions: Calculating Risk Amid Conflict

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 05:00:06 GMT

Since October 1st, tensions between Israel and Iran have reached new heights. In recent weeks, we’ve seen significant Israeli strikes on Iranian targets and a weakening of Iran’s proxy network. At the same time, Israel is stretched across multiple active fronts, challenging its traditional military doctrine of short, decisive wars and increasing its reliance on U.S. resupply. With Iran reeling from the damage and Israel adopting a bold defensive posture, the coming weeks are set to be critical.

As the balance of power shifts, the risk of a broader conflict grows. How might Israel respond to direct Iranian retaliation, and what could this mean for its approach to Iran’s nuclear infrastructure? Could the conflict evolve into a war of attrition, or will Israel use its momentum to push for decisive action? To explore these questions, David Makovsky is joined by two experts: Karim Sadjadpour, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace specializing in Iran and U.S. policy in the Middle East, and Assaf Orion, the Liz and Mony Rueven International Fellow at The Washington Institute and a retired Israeli brigadier general and defense strategist.

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Post-Sinwar: Hostages, Succession & Thwarting Hamas Revival

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 05:00:09 GMT

On October 16th, the world was shocked to learn that the architect of the October 7th attacks, Yahya Sinwar, was killed by an IDF infantry unit. Yahya Sinwar’s death was a central goal of the Israeli war effort, and it marks a significant turning point for Hamas leadership, hostage negotiations, and Palestinian society.

In this episode, David Makovsky is joined by two experts, Ghaith Al-Omari and Dr. Michael Milshtein. Ghaith Al-Omari is a senior fellow at The Washington Institute, former executive director of the American Task Force on Palestine, and former advisor to the Palestinian negotiating team. Dr. Michael Milshtein is the Head of the Palestinian Studies Forum at Tel Aviv University, and he formerly was the Advisor on Palestinian Affairs in COGAT and the Head of the Department for Palestinians Affairs in IDF Military Intelligence. Together, they will explore the implications of this high-profile death on Hamas's internal politics, potential shifts in regional power dynamics, and what it could mean for Israel’s next steps in the conflict.

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Trump & Harris Senior Advisors Contrast Visions for US Middle East Policy

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 04:00:25 GMT

On November 5th, Americans will head to the polls to make a decision that will shape U.S. foreign policy towards the Middle East for years to come. Now more than ever, it is important to understand the critical foreign policy decisions that lie ahead for the United States. With the Middle East at a pivotal juncture, the outcome of this election will have lasting implications for U.S.-Israel relations, regional diplomacy, and the day after in Gaza.

In this episode, David Makovsky is joined by two distinguished experts: Tom Nides and Victoria Coates. Tom Nides served as U.S. Ambassador to Israel during the Biden administration. Victoria Coates is the former Deputy National Security Advisor for the Middle East and North Africa under President Trump. Together, they provide a comprehensive look at each candidate's position on these important issues. Join us for an extremely timely discussion on how the next U.S. administration could shape the region's future.

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Hezbollah Decapitated?: The War with Israel and Lebanon's Future

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 04:00:08 GMT

The past few weeks have been some of the most pivotal in Israel’s modern history with Lebanon. Recently, Israeli intelligence and operational successes have delivered devastating blows to Hezbollah’s leadership, decapitating its senior command, including the infamous Hassan Nasrallah. With thousands displaced across Northern Israel and Lebanon due to the conflict, tensions have never been higher.

In this episode, David Makovsky is joined by two leading experts: Hanin Ghaddar and Matt Levitt. Hanin, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute, has written extensively on Hezbollah's role in Lebanon's political system and Iran's growing influence in the region. Matt Levitt is the director of the counterterrorism and intelligence program at the Washington Institute. He has held key roles in the U.S. government, including deputy assistant secretary for intelligence and analysis at the U.S. Department of the Treasury. He recently published a new version of his book Hezbollah: The Global Footprint of Lebanon's Party of God. Together, they will explore the internal dynamics within Lebanon amidst this crisis, what this moment means for the future of Hezbollah, and the strategic and operational factors that underpin these developments.

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Iran, Israel & Missiles: Roots of Iran's Enmity & Military Escalation

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 04:00:18 GMT

Iran's recent ballistic missile attack on Israel marks a significant escalation in their long-standing enmity. This attack, one of the largest in history, raises critical questions about the future of the relationship and the region at large. As tensions peak, the strategic, political, and ideological dimensions of this rivalry take on even greater importance, with both Israel’s defensive responses and Iran's aggressive stance setting the stage for potential further clashes.

In this episode of Decision Points, David Makovsky is joined by two leading experts: Ray Takeyh and Meir Litvak. Ray Takeyh is a senior fellow for Middle East studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, specializing in Iran, U.S. foreign policy, and the modern Middle East. Meir Litvak, professor at Tel Aviv University and director of the Alliance Center for Iranian Studies, brings decades of expertise in the intersection of religion, society, and politics in Iran, with a focus on Shi’a Islam and Iranian nationalism. Together, they delve into the roots of Iran's ideological hostility towards Israel, the internal dynamics of the Iranian regime, and how the regime’s anti-Zionism has shaped its foreign policy.

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30 Years of Peace Under Pressure: Israel and Jordan in Regional Turmoil

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 04:00:00 GMT

October marks the 30th anniversary of the Israel-Jordan Peace Treaty, a key moment in Middle East diplomacy. Since October 7th, the relationship between the two countries has been challenged like never before, with cracks appearing in the Israel-Jordan relationship. While Jordan and Israel have collaborated on strategic issues like water, energy, and security, there is a split-screen reality between the Jordanian monarchy’s ongoing cooperation with Israel and the Jordanian public’s growing discontent. Although these challenges have been difficult to bear, they have also brought the resilience of the peace treaty to the fore.

In this episode of Decision Points, David Makovsky is joined by three experts: Merissa Khurma, the head of the Middle East program at the Wilson Center, David Schenker, Taube Senior Fellow and Director of the Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics at The Washington Institute and former Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, and former Mossad director Efraim Halevy, a key figure in forging the peace treaty. They will dive into this complex dynamic, considering whether the relationship can be salvaged under the current Israeli government, and what steps can be taken to rebuild trust between these two neighbors.

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Ring of Fire: Iran’s Proxy Network Against Israel and How to Disrupt It

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 04:00:31 GMT

Since Israel’s founding in 1948, it has never faced a reality quite like this: seven active combat fronts, including Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran, the West Bank, Gaza, and Yemen. This multi-front war was once the vision of Qassem Soleimani, the late commander of the Iranian IRGC’s Quds Force, who referred to it as the “ring of fire” — a strategy designed to suffocate Israel through proxy forces on all sides. Today, this vision has become reality, with Iranian-backed militias entrenched across the region, waging a war of attrition and destabilizing local governments. How does Iran view its proxy network as part of its broader regional strategy, and how do the local interests of these proxies align with Tehran’s overarching goals? Why are these proxies so resilient, and, most importantly, what strategies can the U.S. and Israel employ to curb their power?

In this episode of Decision Points, David Makovsky is joined by three experts to unpack Iran’s proxy network and its broader geopolitical implications: Dr. Michael Knights, Zohar Palti, and Dr. Patrick Clawson. Dr. Knights is a senior fellow at The Washington Institute, specializing in the military and security affairs of Iraq, Iran, and the Gulf states. Palti is the former head of the Policy & Political-Military Bureau at Israel's Ministry of Defense and a former leader of the Mossad Intelligence Directorate. Dr. Clawson is a senior fellow at The Washington Institute and a leading expert on Iran and U.S. policy, with extensive experience at the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and National Defense University. Together, they discuss the complexities of Iran’s regional ambitions and the strategies to counter them.

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Israel's Wartime Economy: Navigating Crisis and Beyond

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 04:00:00 GMT

Since October 7th, Israel has been grappling with the immense economic toll of a prolonged, multi-front war. While the country’s economy has weathered crises before, the past 11 months have pushed its resilience to the limit. Soaring military expenditures, plummeting tourism, and the costs of compensating reserve soldiers and displaced citizens have all taken a toll on economic growth. How much of this turbulence stems from the war itself, and to what extent have policy missteps worsened the situation? More importantly, what does the path to economic recovery look like?

In this episode of Decision Points, David Makovsky is joined by Karnit Flug, Vice President of Research at the Israel Democracy Institute and former Governor of the Bank of Israel. Karnit led the central bank from 2013 to 2018, earning recognition as one of the world’s top central bankers. Together, they discuss Israel’s wartime economy, the challenges ahead, and the resilience of the Israeli people.

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Back to School: Lessons from New Study on Israel and Campus Narratives

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 04:00:00 GMT

In the wake of rising campus tensions over the Israel-Hamas war, Jewish students have faced increasing hostility, with a reported 700% spike in antisemitic incidents since October 7. As colleges reopen for the fall, we dive into the complexities of these protests. A recent Brandeis University survey found that almost one-third of college students feel hostility towards Israel. How can we put the Brandeis survey in context? What drives the unique animosity toward Israel? And how do some controversial academic theories play a role in shaping and informing these movements?

On this episode of Decision Points, Leonard Saxe and Uriel Abulof join David Makovsky to bring a layer of data driven insights and research analysis to the conversation. Leonard Saxe is the Director of the Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies and the Steinhardt Social Research Institute at Brandeis University and one of the authors of the recent Cohen Center report on campus antisemitism that we will explore today. Uriel Abulof is an Associate Professor at Tel-Aviv University and a visiting professor at Cornell University. His recent books include The Mortality and Morality of Nations and Living on the Edge: The Existential Uncertainty of Zionism, which received the prestigious Israeli Bahat Prize.

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Evolution of Hamas: Terror, Policy and Politics

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 04:00:11 GMT

On October 7th, 2023, Hamas launched the most significant and deadliest terror attack against Israel in the history of the state. Formed in the late 1980s, Hamas is a Palestinian Sunni Islamist military and socio-political movement. Hamas is dedicated to the destruction of Israel, and the organization has ruled the Gaza Strip since 2006. How has Hamas evolved over the last few decades, and how can we understand the organization and its leadership?

On this episode of Decision Points, Ghaith al-Omari and Ehud Yaari join David Makovsky to discuss the evolution of Hamas, the rise of its top leader, Yahya Sinwar, and the future of the terror organization. Al-Omari is the Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation Senior Fellow at the Washington Institute. He previously served as the executive director of the American Task Force on Palestine, and he has held numerous high-level positions within the Palestinian Authority. Yaari is the Lafer International Fellow at the Washington Institute and a leading Israeli commentator, most recently with Israel's Channel 12 television network.

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Middle East Crisis Moment: Stakes for the US-Israel Security Relationship

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 04:00:39 GMT

The Middle East is at a crucial moment. Dual retaliatory attacks by Iran and Hezbollah against Israel threaten to tip the region into total war. However, a breakthrough in the hostage-for-ceasefire negotiations in Doha, initiated by the U.S., Qatar and Egypt, may delay or eliminate the attacks and could be a pivotal turning point in the Israel-Hamas war. In any scenario, this crisis moment will test the resolve of the US-Israel security relationship.

Will crisis create opportunity? On this episode of Decision Points, Dana Stroul and Amos Gilead join David Makovsky to discuss the implications of this key moment for the US-Israel security partnership and the wider region. Stroul is the Director of Research at the Washington Institute and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East, the Pentagon’s top civilian official with responsibility for the region. Gilead is the Executive Director of the Institute for Policy and Strategy at Reichman University and the former Head of Research for IDF Military Intelligence and Director of Policy and Political-Military Affairs at Israel’s Ministry of Defense.

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Can the Gaza War Bridge the Secular-Haredi Military Draft Divide?

Mon, 12 Aug 2024 04:00:07 GMT

The Gaza War is Israel’s longest battle since its War of Independence in 1948. Wartime demands have put an outsized strain on Israel’s army, reopening the debate over the ultra-orthodox (Haredi) draft and the broader secular-religious fault line in Israeli society. While the Haredim have historically enjoyed a blanket exemption from military service, a June 25th decision by the High Court of Israel overturned that status quo. In the weeks since, nearly 3,000 draft orders have been sent out to members of the Haredi community.

Will crisis create opportunity? On this episode of Decision Points, two unique voices from the secular and Haredi communities—Yohanan Plesner and Rabbi Yehoshua Pfeffer—join David Makovsky to discuss how the Gaza war could narrow the secular-Haredi divide in Israeli society, finding points of divergence and common ground. Plesner is the President of the Israel Democracy Institute and former member of the Knesset with the Kadima Party. Rabbi Pfeffer is the Editor in Chief of Tzarich Iyun, a Haredi thought magazine, and former head of the Haredi division at the Tikvah Fund.

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How Has Israeli Society Changed After 300+ Days of War?

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 03:00:25 GMT

Israeli society underwent a massive shock on October 7 that upended deeply held convictions about the army and the state. The horrors of 10/7 and the immediate demands of war unified Israelis at a time of deep division, but the 300+ days since Hamas’ assault have tested societal cohesion. How have 10/7 and the ensuing months of war changed Israeli society? What is needed to carry Israel through the challenging period ahead and rebuild a stronger, more integrated society?

On this episode of Decision Points, David Makovsky is joined by Yossi Klein Halevi, a renowned author and journalist, to discuss the state of Israeli society and chart the path forward. Halevi is a senior fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem and the author of several books, including Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor, a New York Times bestseller. He co-hosts For Heaven’s Sake, a podcast on political and social trends in Israel, diaspora relations, and the collective consciousness of being Jewish.

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A New Calculus for War? Understanding Israel-Hezbollah Dynamics

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 04:00:51 GMT

In recent weeks, the mid-intensity conflict on Israel’s northern border with Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Lebanese Shiite terror group, has threatened to explode into all-out war. With Israel ramping up its targeted killings of top Hezbollah military commanders and Hezbollah launching rockets and drones ever further into Israel, is total war inevitable? What will it take to deliver peace and/or stability in the long-term and restore a sense of security to border residents? In this episode, Amos Harel and Hanin Ghaddar join David Makovsky to discuss the state of play on Israel's northern border, the probability of all-out war with Hezbollah, and options for diplomacy and de-escalation. Harel is a seasoned military analyst for Haaretz and a leading expert on Israel’s defense and security issues. Ghaddar, a native of Al-Ghazieh in Lebanon, is the Institute’s Friedmann Senior Fellow and an expert on Hezbollah and Lebanese politics.

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Allies Under Pressure: The Gaza War and U.S.-Israel Relations

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 04:00:34 GMT

The ten months since October 7th have revealed both the profound strengths and strains of the U.S.-Israel partnership. Are current tensions a temporary consequence of the Israel-Hamas war, or do they represent a new and enduring divide between the two allies? In this episode, Dennis Ross joins David Makovsky on the eve of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s record fourth address to Congress to discuss the history of the U.S.-Israel relationship and possible future trajectories for the alliance. Ross is the Counselor and William Distinguished Fellow at the Washington Institute, worked for every president between Reagan and Obama, and was the point man for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process in the Clinton and H.W. Bush administrations. David and Dennis have co-authored two books on Israel: Myths, Illusions, and Peace and Be Strong and of Good Courage.

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The Judiciary Debate and the Future of Israeli Democracy

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 10:00:27 GMT

Host David Makovsky is joined by Prof. Yedidia Stern, president of the Jewish People Policy Institute and former dean of the law faculty at Bar-Ilan University, and Justice Elyakim Rubinstein, Israel’s former attorney-general and the recently retired deputy president of its Supreme Court. After breaking down the history and structure of Israel’s judiciary, they discuss the serious implications that Justice Minister Yariv Levin’s radical reform package could have for the future of Israeli democracy.

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Grappling with the Direction of the New Netanyahu Government

Mon, 23 Jan 2023 10:00:05 GMT

In the season finale, David is joined by Ben Caspit, columnist and author of The Netanyahu Years, and David Horovitz, the founding editor of The Times of Israel, to discuss Israel's returning prime minister and his controversial right-wing government. David and the guests break down the keys to Binyamin Netanyahu's long-lasting political career, the evolution of his public persona, and try to understand the trajectory of the new government.

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Combating Anti-Semitism in the Middle East and Beyond

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 10:00:06 GMT

David is joined by acclaimed historian Deborah Lipstadt, appointed by President Biden as the State Department's Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Anti-Semitism. The two discuss the state of contemporary anti-Semitism, reflect upon the role of the Holocaust in Israel, and draw takeaways from Lipstadt's travels to the Gulf and Morocco.

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Rabbi Kook: Founding Religious Zionism and Those Who Seek to Subvert His Legacy Today

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 10:00:02 GMT

In this episode, host David Makovsky welcomes Yehudah Mirsky, professor of Near Eastern and Judaic studies at Brandeis University, faculty member of the Schusterman Center for Israel Studies, and author of Rav Kook: Mystic in a Time of Revolution. The two discuss the ideology of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, founder of Religious Zionism, and how his teachings are being subverted by certain members of the modern movement.

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Too Much History and Too Little Geography: A Conversation Across the Israeli-Palestinian Societal Divide

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 10:00:43 GMT

Yossi Klein Halevi, Shalom Hartman Institute fellow and author of Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor, joins the podcast to discuss Israeli-Palestinian coexistence with Yousef Bashir, Director of Research & Operations for the S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace and author of The Words of My Father. Halevi and Bashir share personal experiences, common public perceptions among Israelis and Palestinians, and potential steps to narrow the societal divide amid difficult times.

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An Insider's View of the Carter White House: Negotiations with Sadat, Begin, and Assad

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 10:00:02 GMT

David Makovsky hosts veteran diplomat Stuart Eizenstat, who served as Jimmy Carter’s chief domestic policy advisor and whose book President Carter: The White House Years provides an unparalleled view of the administration’s Middle East decisionmaking. In this episode, David and Stuart discuss the Camp David Accords, U.S.-led negotiations with Syria’s Hafiz al-Assad, an Egyptian-Israeli field trip to Gettysburg, and more.

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Kissinger’s Middle East: Limiting Moscow and Starting a Road to Peace

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 10:00:07 GMT

David Makovsky hosts Martin Indyk, Washington’s former peace envoy and ambassador to Israel, to discuss his recent book Master of the Game: Henry Kissinger and the Art of Middle East Diplomacy. The conversation will focus on Kissinger’s Middle East strategy from the 1973 war to the beginnings of the peace process.

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Jabotinsky and the Birth of the Israeli Right

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 10:00:45 GMT

Hillel Halkin, author of Jabotinsky: A Life, joins host David Makovsky to discuss Russian Zionist thinker Zeev Jabotinsky and the origins of the Revisionist movement, which has shaped a great deal of Israel’s political thought over the decades.

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David Ben-Gurion: Leader of the Young State Confronts Momentous Decisions

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 10:00:05 GMT

David Ben-Gurion's term as Israel's prime minister marked not only a new era for the Jewish people, but a starkly different chapter in his own life. Anita Shapira, the author of Ben-Gurion: Father of Modern Israel, joins the podcast to discuss the challenges and accomplishments of this time, from immigration and Labor party politics to German reparations and nuclearization.

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Herzl’s Chutzpah: Unpacking a Founder’s Vision

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 10:00:20 GMT

Shlomo Avineri, the author of Herzl's Vision: Theodor Herzl and the Foundation of the Jewish State, discusses the father of modern Zionism and his legacy. Avineri is director of the Institute for European Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

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Genesis of American Support for Israel: The Gentile Push for a Jewish State

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 09:00:26 GMT

Walter Russell Mead, the author of The Arc of a Covenant: The United States, Israel, and the Fate of the Jewish People, discusses the centuries-long history of Zionism in America, the hurdles Truman overcame to recognize the state of Israel, and the evolution of Israel’s role in U.S. domestic politics. Mead is a columnist for the Wall Street Journal and a scholar at Hudson Institute.

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Season 4 Trailer

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 17:13:15 GMT

This season of Decision Points will mark the upcoming 75th anniversary of Israel’s founding by highlighting some of the finest and most cutting-edge books on Zionism, the U.S.-Israel relationship, and Arab-Israeli relations. Each episode will feature in-depth interviews with a group of authors that includes key diplomats and distinguished historians. The first episode premieres on October 31st with Walter Russell Mead discussing his new book The Arc of a Covenant: The United States, Israel, and the Fate of the Jewish People.

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Can the Bennett-Lapid Government Last, and Who Comes After Abbas?

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 14:31:41 GMT

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s visit to the White House this week is a timely reminder of potentially new political dynamics in Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Israeli has just exited the whirlwind of four elections in two years, replacing long-serving Likud leader Binyamin Netanyahu with an extraordinarily diverse coalition. Meanwhile, the PA has postponed its first planned election since 2006 and is still led by President Mahmoud Abbas, who is reportedly eighty-six years old.

For Israel, the question is whether the new government can survive the formidable challenges looming at home and abroad. For the Palestinians, many are wondering who will succeed Abbas and what will happen the day after he leaves the scene. To answer these questions, David Makovsky closes season 3 of Decision Points with political experts Ben Caspit, Tal Schneider, Ghaith al-Omari, and Ibrahim Dalalsha.

Ben Caspit is a senior columnist for the Israeli daily Maariv. He has worked as both a print commentator and radio/television anchor during his distinguished three-decade career, focusing on politics, diplomacy, military affairs, and the peace process.

Tal Schneider is a political correspondent for The Times of Israel and a former Washington correspondent for Maariv. In 2012, she won the Tel Aviv Journalists Association Award for Excellence in Digital Journalism.

Ghaith al-Omari is a senior fellow at The Washington Institute and former executive director of the American Task Force on Palestine. He also served as an advisor to the negotiating team during the 1999-2001 permanent-status talks and held various positions within the Palestinian Authority.

Ibrahim Dalalsha directs the Horizon Center for Political Studies and Media Outreach, a think tank based in Ramallah. Previously, he served as senior political advisor at the U.S. consulate-general in Jerusalem for two decades.

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The Abraham Accords One Year Later: Can They Change the Middle East?

Tue, 17 Aug 2021 14:10:40 GMT

August 13 marked the first anniversary of the breakthrough normalization agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates—a deal followed shortly by accords with Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco. In addition to strong U.S. mediation, several broader forces brought these countries together, including mutual concerns about Iran, Arab recognition of how Israeli technology could help their societies, and a desire to bolster the stability of pro-Western governments amid questions about America’s long-term commitment to the Middle East.

Now that some Arab leaders see Israel as part of a solution to their challenges and are unencumbered by the enmity of the past, what will it take to deepen these relationships and extend them to other states? How does the Palestinian issue play into this effort? And what can Washington do to strengthen the Abraham Accords?

To discuss these questions, David Makovsky hosts renowned experts Ebtesam al-Ketbi, Amos Yadlin, and Thomas Friedman.

Ebtesam al-Ketbi is founder and president of the Emirates Policy Center and the first Arab woman to lead a think tank. Additionally, she is a professor of political science at United Arab Emirates University and a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council’s Consultative Commission.

Amos Yadlin was executive director of the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University from November 2011 to May 2021. He also served in the Israel Defense Forces for forty years, including posts with the General Staff and as chief of military intelligence.

Thomas Friedman is an internationally renowned author, reporter, and columnist. He has written seven New York Timesbestsellers and received three Pulitzer Prizes—two for reporting from the Middle East and a third for his columns about 9/11.

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One State or Two States? Trends in Israeli and Palestinian Public Opinion

Tue, 10 Aug 2021 14:50:19 GMT

In recent years, public support for the two-state solution has continued to erode on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian divide. Each party suspects that the other has completely given up on the idea, further weakening the political will and public trust needed to preserve it. Can leaders lead the public on this issue, or does the public lead them? Will Israel’s new government attempt to narrow these points of difference, and are the Palestinians still open to such gradualism?

In this episode, David Makovsky hosts Khalil Shikaki, David Pollock, and Tamar Hermann for a discussion on what polling can tell us about these issues. Where does current Israeli and Palestinian public opinion fall on the two-state question, and what deeper insights does the data hold?

Khalil Shikaki is the director of the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research in Ramallah and a senior fellow with the Crown Center for Middle East Studies at Brandeis University.

David Pollock is the Bernstein Fellow at The Washington Institute and director of Project Fikra. Previously, he served as senior advisor for the broader Middle East at the U.S. State Department.

Tamar Hermann is a senior research fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute and academic director of the Viterbi Family Center for Public Opinion and Policy Research.

Audio clips from AP “Peace Agreement Signing In Washington (A)” i24News “20 Years Since the Outbreak of the Second Intifada”

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China's Middle East Gambit

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 14:26:59 GMT

Over the past two decades, China has increasingly challenged America’s economic and political influence in the Middle East, including in Israel. At the same time, Washington remains Jerusalem’s strongest ally and patron, which raises questions about how the U.S. relationship affects Israel’s policies toward Beijing. On one hand, Chinese investment is enticing—large-scale infrastructure projects at low cost. On the other hand, Israel needs to be mindful of Chinese influence given Beijing’s competition with the United States and growing ties with Iran.

In this episode, Assaf Orion and Michael Singh join host David Makovsky to discuss where Israel draws the line with China, and what implications this line holds for relations with Washington.

Brig. Gen. Assaf Orion, IDF (Ret.), is a defense strategist whose broad research ranges from China’s foreign relations to Israel’s regional political-military strategy. He is currently the Rueven International Fellow with The Washington Institute.

Michael Singh is the Institute’s Lane-Swig Senior Fellow and managing director. Previously, he served as senior director for Middle East affairs at the National Security Council.

Audio clips from i24News “The Growing Israel-China Economic Partnership”

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Israel’s Dramatic Energy Turnaround

Tue, 20 Jul 2021 14:45:15 GMT

After decades of energy dependence, Israel discovered offshore natural gas reserves that have fundamentally changed its energy dynamics and led it to deepen ties across the Mediterranean and the Middle East. The country is suddenly a net energy exporter to Jordan, Egypt, and the Palestinians, while Gulf states have shown preliminary indications that they would like to develop such ties as well. Yet these reserves are also a source of tension with regional neighbors Turkey and Lebanon. What are the possibilities and limits of Israeli natural gas, and what is the country’s energy trajectory in the Middle East?

Host David Makovsky discusses this major decision point with Amit Mor and Ephraim Sneh.

Amit Mor is the CEO of Eco Energy Ltd. Over the past eighteen years, he has served as a consultant to governments, financial organizations, and companies in Israel and abroad in the fields of petroleum, natural gas, power, infrastructure, and the environment.

Ephraim Sneh, a retired Israeli general, served in several cabinets as deputy defense minister and other roles. He currently chairs the S. Daniel Abraham Center for Strategic Dialogue at Netanya Academic College.

Audio clip from "PM Netanyahu's Statement at the Trilateral Meeting between Israel, Greece and Cyprus"

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Hezbollah and Israel: Between Deterrence and Deterioration

Tue, 13 Jul 2021 13:54:46 GMT

Since the 2006 Lebanon war, Israel and Hezbollah have not engaged in major hostilities. Yet while mutual deterrence has averted all-out war, this uneasy truce is weakening. At home in Lebanon, Hezbollah is facing a dire economic and political crisis. Moreover, the group still seeks to convert some of its estimated 140,000 rockets into precision-guided missiles, a serious threat to Israel. It has also fired antiaircraft weapons at Israel from Syria in support of Iran’s presence there.

Is deterrence unraveling, and is a full-blown conflagration inevitable? To discuss this major decision point, David Makovsky hosts a new episode with Hanin Ghaddar, David Schenker, and Amos Gilead.

Hanin Ghaddar is the Friedmann Fellow in The Washington Institute’s Geduld Program on Arab Politics, where she focuses on Shia politics throughout the Levant. Previously, she worked as the longtime managing editor of the NOW Lebanon news site, where she shed light on Hezbollah’s political evolution and Iran’s growing regional influence.

David Schenker is the Institute’s Taube Senior Fellow. Previously, he served as assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs through January 2021.

Gen. Amos Gilead dedicated most of his career in the Israel Defense Forces to the Military Intelligence Corps. As chief of the Intelligence Research and Analysis Division, he was responsible for producing the national intelligence assessment and other strategic analysis. Currently, he teaches security and intelligence studies at IDC Herzliya’s Lauder School of Government, Diplomacy, and Strategy.

Audio clips from C-SPAN “Israeli Prime Minister Remarks at U.N. General Assembly”

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Putin, Israel, and the Calculated Limits of a Bilateral Relationship

Tue, 06 Jul 2021 14:02:23 GMT

For decades, Israel and Russia stood on opposite ends of an ideological divide. During the Soviet era, Moscow not only supported Israel’s enemies economically and militarily, but also sought to stamp out any connection between Russian citizens and Israel, refusing millions the right to emigrate. Since the Soviet collapse in 1991, however, relations have turned a corner.

Where are Russian-Israeli ties headed today? What are Vladimir Putin’s motivations for involvement in the Middle East, and what implications does this activity hold for Israel? Host David Makovsky discusses these and other issues with Anna Borshchevskaya and Daniel Rakov.

Anna Borshchevskaya is a senior fellow at The Washington Institute, focusing on Russia’s policy toward the Middle East. In addition, she is a contributor to Oxford Analytica and a fellow at the European Foundation for Democracy.

Lt. Col. Daniel Rakov, Israel Defense Forces (Ret.), is a research fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, focusing on Russian policy and great power competition in the Middle East.

Audio clips from Euronews “Netanyahu meets Putin in Moscow”

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Israel's Gray Zone: Iran in Syria

Tue, 29 Jun 2021 14:31:39 GMT

Since 2015, Iranian forces have increasingly entrenched themselves in Syria as part of a broader effort to bolster the rule of Bashar al-Assad. As this effort began to unfold, Israel feared reenacting the cautionary tale of Hezbollah in Lebanon, where indecision over rooting out the Tehran-backed terrorist group proved to be a decision in itself. To avoid a situation in which Iranian or proxy forces are positioned along the entirety of Israel’s northern border, the IDF has been walking a tightrope in Syria, taking direct action against major security threats while trying to avoid a full-scale war. Can this gray zone strategy succeed in pushing Iran out of Syria or not?

To discuss this regional decision point, David Makovsky hosts distinguished guests James Jeffrey, Assaf Orion, and Oula Alrifai.

Ambassador Jeffrey served as the U.S. special representative for Syria engagement and special envoy to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS until November 2020. He currently chairs the Wilson Center’s Middle East Program.

General Orion is a senior fellow at Tel Aviv’s Institute for National Security Studies and the Rueven International Fellow with The Washington Institute. Previously, he served as head of the Strategic Division in the IDF General Staff’s Planning Directorate.

Alrifai, a native of Syria, is a fellow in The Washington Institute’s Program on Arab Politics, author of its recent study “In the Service of Ideology: Iran’s Religious and Socioeconomic Activities in Syria,” and executive producer of the award-winning documentary Tomorrow’s Children.

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Israel's Powder Keg: Hamas in Gaza

Tue, 22 Jun 2021 12:57:43 GMT

In May, after tensions escalated in Jerusalem, Hamas and Israel broke a two-year ceasefire and were drawn into war. The crisis reminded the world that the ideological differences between the sides are vast. Are Israel and Hamas doomed to face each other every few years? How much of a game-changer was this round of fighting for them, the UN, and key regional players? What are some of the difficult options ahead?

In this episode, David Makovsky hosts three expert guests on Israeli-Palestinian affairs.

Nickolay Mladenov served as the UN secretary-general’s special coordinator for the Middle East peace process between 2015 and 2020 as well as Bulgaria’s minister of defense and foreign affairs.

Michael Herzog, a retired brigadier general in the Israel Defense Forces, is the Milton Fine International Fellow with The Washington Institute. Over the past decade, he has held senior positions in the office of the minister of defense under Ehud Barak, Amir Peretz, Shaul Mofaz, and Binyamin Ben-Eliezer.

Karim Haggag, a career Egyptian diplomat with over twenty-five years of service, currently works as a professor of practice in the School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the American University in Cairo.

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The United States, Israel, and the Iranian Nuclear Program

Tue, 15 Jun 2021 13:45:00 GMT

World attention has focused on the prospects of the United States and Iran finding terms that enable them to return to their 2015 nuclear deal. Yet what does this mean for all the unanswered challenges that President Biden and Secretary of State Blinken say are essential to address in a “longer and stronger” follow-on agreement? How will the United States preserve its leverage for such a second round? What incentives will Iran have to engage in negotiations after a Vienna deal is reached? And what does this mean for Israel and the rest of the Middle East?

For the first episode of the season, host David Makovsky discusses this major decision point with three guests who have deep expertise on Iran, the nuclear program, and Israel’s approach to deterring it. Ambassador Dennis Ross, the William Davidson Distinguished Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, formerly served as special assistant to President Obama and senior director for the Central Region at the National Security Council, among other prominent positions. Ray Takeyh is the Hasib J. Sabbagh senior fellow for Middle East studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of the recent book The Last Shah: America, Iran, and the Fall of the Pahlavi Dynasty. Ariel (Eli) Levite is a nonresident senior fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program and Cyber Policy Initiative at the Carnegie Endowment; previously, he served as principal deputy director-general for policy at the Israeli Atomic Energy Commission from 2002 to 2007.

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Season 3 Trailer

Tue, 08 Jun 2021 19:24:00 GMT

This season of Decision Points features episodes on Israel's toughest contemporary policy dilemmas requiring courageous leadership and creative thinking. Topics range from the aftermath of the Gaza conflict to the Israeli-Russian relationship. Each episode will explore a thorny policy issue as well as its context, trajectory, and Israel's options. The first episode premieres on June 15th and focuses on the the Iranian nuclear program.

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Inside the Normalization Agreements Between Israel, the UAE, and Bahrain

Tue, 10 Nov 2020 12:11:24 GMT

For the final episode of the season, the podcast focuses on a very significant step for Israel: the recent normalization agreements with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Unlike with past peace partners Egypt and Jordan, Israel never fought either Gulf country on the battlefield. However, converging regional thinking, economic incentives, and shifting discourse about the indigenous roots of the Jewish people mean that these agreements have the potential to reshape the Middle East.

The episode features two guests who know the motivations and behind-the-scenes negotiations that shaped the agreements better than almost anyone else: the Emirati and Bahraini ambassadors to the United States. Yousef al-Otaiba has represented the UAE in that role since 2008 and was promoted to the rank of minister in 2017. Otaiba is credited with being the leading architect of the breakthrough with Israel. H. E. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Rashed Al Khalifa has served as Bahrain’s ambassador since 2017 and was previously in charge of the kingdom’s Southern Governorate. This is one of the only joint interviews that they have done together since the breakthrough was announced.

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Ariel Sharon’s Road from Settlement Building to Gaza Withdrawal

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 13:39:32 GMT

Israel’s Ariel Sharon gained early renown for his battlefield courage and notoriety for his strident opposition to Palestinian statehood. But Sharon, who served as prime minister from 2001 to 2006, was not an ideologue. When he saw pragmatic opportunities to advance Israel’s long-term interests, he pursued them, explaining his leading role in the 2005 Gaza disengagement plan. The program entailed the evacuation of some eight thousand Jewish residents in twenty-one settlements in Gaza, in addition to four settlements in the West Bank, causing much dismay among the prime minister’s former acolytes. Yet Sharon made what he considered the right choice, thereby improbably advancing Palestinian claims to statehood. Gaza disengagement would mark an endpoint in Ariel Sharon’s political evolution and endure as one of his most significant legacies.

In this episode of Decision Points, David Makovsky discusses Sharon with two figures intimately engaged in the Gaza disengagement: Stephen Hadley, who served as President George W. Bush’s national security advisor, and Dubi Weissglas, Sharon’s closest policy advisor when he was prime minister and an architect of disengagement.

Clips Used

Israeli cabinet approves Gaza withdrawal 14-7

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Hafiz al-Assad and the Elusive Quest for Syrian-Israeli Peace

Wed, 14 Oct 2020 13:25:37 GMT

For the past decade, Syria has been a killing field on which the regime of President Bashar al-Assad has been a ruthless perpetrator. As a result, international players now view the Syrian leader as a pariah. Under the rule of Bashar’s father, Hafiz al-Assad, Syria employed harsh tactics and embodied rejection of Israel, but the former president also responded to regional changes amid the loss of his Soviet patron and the end of the Cold War. Reluctantly, he flirted with an Israeli peace as a means to retrieve the Golan Heights. Now, as other Arab capitals pursue rapprochement with Jerusalem, the question reemerges of how close Assad and his interlocutors came to a deal in the 1990s.

In this episode of Decision Points, David Makovsky talks with three individuals closely involved in the Syrian-Israeli peace process: former U.S. ambassador to Syria and Israel Edward Djerejian; former member of the U.S. peace team and translator for presidents and secretaries of state Gamal Helal; and Institute International Fellow and former member of the Israeli negotiating team on Syria Michael Herzog.

Clips Used

Israel/Syria - Christopher Meets Rabin & Assad

SYRIA: FOREIGN MINISTER FAROUK AL SHARAA INTERVIEW

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A Behind the Scenes Account of King Hussein and Jordanian-Israeli Peace Ties

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 15:33:41 GMT

When King Hussein ascended to the throne at the age of sixteen, he dedicated his life to building a peaceful and prosperous Jordan. His reign was far from simple, however—he faced multiple wars abroad, a civil war at home, assassination attempts, and diplomatic crises. Throughout this tumultuous period, he maintained one secret connection that would only be made official years later: his relationship with Israel. The peace treaty signed by the two countries has endured for over twenty-five years and has been an important force for stability in the region.

Join David Makovsky for conversations with two guests who knew the king personally: his brother Prince Hassan bin Talal, and Israel’s former Mossad director Efraim Halevy, who was integral to negotiating the bilateral peace. The episode features some never-before-heard revelations about Jordanian-Israeli relations. Washington Institute Director Rob Satloff frames the discussion and provides historical perspective.

Audio Clips Used

King Abdullah Assassinated (1951)

King Hussein of Jordan making a Speech about the Israel/Jordan peace agreement

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The Enduring Debate over Yasser Arafat’s Strategy and Journey

Wed, 30 Sep 2020 13:09:04 GMT

More than anyone else, Yasser Arafat relished the role of embodying the Palestinian national struggle—even his keffiyeh was shaped to resemble historical Palestine. Some depicted him as a defiant freedom fighter, but he would become reviled by many, especially in the United States and Israel, as an arch-terrorist. His sudden appearance on the international stage came as a peacemaker during the Oslo Accords. What led to that moment, and why couldn’t he clinch the deal to create a sovereign Palestinian state, instead returning to violence?

In this episode, David Makovsky hosts Hussein Agha, one of the Palestinian negotiators for the Oslo II agreement and a close advisor to Arafat, and Amos Gilead, former chief of the IDF’s Intelligence Research and Analysis Division. Hussein and Amos have very different opinions regarding the peace process, and this is the first time they have appeared together to discuss Arafat.

Audio Clips Used

SYND 7 7 82 ARAFAT INTERVIEWED ON FIGHTING ON BOTH SIDES OF WAR IN LEBANON

Signing of the Israeli-Palestinian Declaration of Principles

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Yitzhak Rabin’s Journey from War Hero to Peacemaker

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 12:52:58 GMT

Yitzhak Rabin was Israel’s first native-born prime minister, and he personified the national ethos throughout his life. At once pragmatic and patriotic, he fought for Israel’s security, survival, and prosperity in both the military and politics. All of his efforts culminated with the Oslo Accords. In this episode, David Makovsky hosts three people who knew Rabin personally: his ambassador to the United States Itamar Rabinovich, his son Yuval Rabin, and Dennis Ross of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Audio Clips Used

West Bank/Israel - Clashes

Signing of the Israeli-Palestinian Declaration of Principles

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Anwar Sadat’s Trip to Jerusalem

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 12:59:49 GMT

On November 19th, 1977, Anwar Sadat, the President of Egypt and arguably the leader of the Arab world, stepped off a plane at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. This was the first time an Arab leader set foot in the Jewish state. He was going to go his own way for the restoration of Egyptian land and the cause of peace. Join Abdel Monem Said Aly, CEO of the Regional Center for Strategic Studies in Cairo, to discuss Sadat’s road to Jerusalem.

Audio Clips Used

Dr. Henry Kissinger (Part 3)

Middle East: Sadat's Visit to Israel (B)

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Menachem Begin and the Bombing of the Osiraq Nuclear Reactor

Wed, 09 Sep 2020 13:39:21 GMT

Throughout his life, Menachem Begin held many titles: leader of the Irgun, an underground revisionist-Zionist militia; leader of the opposition; and prime minister. One value motivated everything he did: the protection of the Jewish people and prevention of a second Holocaust. One of the clearest examples of this principle was Operation Opera, the Israeli raid on the Iraqi nuclear reactor in 1981. Join Amos Yadlin, one of the fighter pilots involved in the operation, and Dan Meridor, a cabinet secretary under Begin, to discuss the raid, the development of the “Begin Doctrine,” and the lessons from Osiraq that can be applied to more recent nuclear challenges from Syria and Iran.

Audio Clips Used

מבצע אופרה - תקיפת הכור העיראקי | חיל האוויר

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Golda Meir and the 1972 Munich Olympics Massacre

Wed, 02 Sep 2020 13:09:20 GMT

Raised in America before emigrating to Israel, Golda Meir was the country’s first and only female prime minister, and one of only two women to sign its declaration of independence. A study in contrasts, she was tough on terrorism but also a key player in securing the release of 200,000 Jews from the Soviet Union in the 1970s, sparking a wave of Russian emigration to Israel. Her legacy is viewed differently at home and abroad. Her tenure coincided with several major threats to Israelis—most infamously the “Black September” attack on the Olympic team in Munich. Join David Makovsky for this episode, which features interviews with Meir biographer Francine Klagsbrun and journalist who focuses on Israeli counterterrorism history and author of the bestselling Rise and Kill First, Ronen Bergman, to discuss Israel’s reaction and response to the attack.

Audio Clips Used

UPITN 26 11 74 MEIR SPEECH AT MEETING

9/5/72: Munich Olympics Massacre

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Shimon Peres and the Development of Israel’s Nuclear Program

Wed, 26 Aug 2020 13:22:10 GMT

Shimon Peres’s contributions spanned the first seven decades of Israeli history, making his life inseparable from that of the country itself. Often remembered as a leading statesman, not a soldier, he is nevertheless credited with establishing the Israeli defense industry and making the controversial decision to pursue a nuclear program—a move predicated on close relations with France, the looming memory of the Holocaust, and numerous geostrategic considerations.

In this episode, host David Makovsky is joined by Shai Feldman, a leading expert on nuclear history, and Nimrod Novik, a close advisor of Peres, for a discussion on the late leader’s pivotal role in Israel's nuclear development.

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David Ben-Gurion and the Decision to Declare the State of Israel

Wed, 19 Aug 2020 13:41:58 GMT

On May 14, 1948, the British were scheduled to bring an end to the British Mandate in Palestine. The question on the table for the Jewish community in Palestine was existential: to immediately declare a state and risk invasion by better-armed Arab states or accept an international ceasefire? Join leading Israeli historian Anita Shapira to discuss the dramatic cabinet debate and David Ben Gurion’s decision to declare the state.

Audio Clips Used

Palestine Partitioned - 1947 | Today In History | 29 Nov 18

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Season 2 Trailer

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 16:48:27 GMT

This season of Decision Points features episodes on key leaders on the Israeli and Arab sides, focusing on an intersection between their biographies and a key moment that exemplifies their decision-making, from the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre to Anwar Sadat’s historic trip to Jerusalem. Each episode will tell the story of an important leader, highlighting their contributions to Israeli-Arab-American relations over the last 70 years. The first episode is coming out August 19th on David Ben-Gurion.

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Can Hi-Tech Transform the U.S.-Israel Relationship?

Wed, 22 Jan 2020 15:31:53 GMT

This episode discusses the growth of Israel’s hi-tech sector and its impact on relations with the United States. Much of the state’s technological innovation has stemmed from its unique history, geography, and culture, proving that necessity truly is the mother of invention. Today, technology plays a key role in the bilateral relationship, including strong ties between military research institutes in both countries, multiple congressional allocations of hi-tech military hardware in times of war, joint technology projects outside the defense sector, and the growing presence of American technology companies such as Intel, Google, Microsoft, IBM, and HP.

Dan Shapiro and Dan Senor join host David Makovsky to discuss the role that hi-tech has played in the relationship. Shapiro served as the U.S. ambassador to Israel from July 2011 to January 2017 and is currently a visiting fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv. Senor is the coauthor of the bestseller Start-Up Nation: The Story of Israel’s Economic Miracle (with Saul Singer) and a leading expert on the country’s hi-tech and business sectors.

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The United States, Israel, and the Iranian Challenge

Wed, 15 Jan 2020 14:31:57 GMT

This episode focuses on the growing threat of a nuclear Iran and U.S.-Israeli efforts to contain it over the years. The two allies have long considered various diplomatic and military options for addressing their shared concerns, though there have been points of disagreement, particularly over the “sunset” limitations put forth in the 2015 nuclear deal. Given the recent assassination of Qods Force commander Qasem Soleimani, recalling the intersections and divergences between their Iran policies has become more valuable than ever.

Howard Berman and David Petraeus join host David Makovsky to discuss these issues and Tehran’s broader role in the U.S.-Israel relationship. Rep. Berman (D-CA) served in the House of Representatives from 1983 to 2013, chairing the Foreign Affairs Committee and becoming a top foreign policy figure, particularly on Iranian matters. Gen. David Petraeus has a long, distinguished career of public service as well, culminating in his appointment as CIA director in 2011. Previously, he served thirty-seven years in the U.S. Army, including as head of CENTCOM.

Audio Clips Used

The President Announces a Historic Nuclear Deal with Iran

Complete Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Address to Joint Meeting of Congress (C-SPAN)

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U.S., Israel and the Palestinians: Oslo, Gaza and Beyond

Wed, 08 Jan 2020 14:16:50 GMT

This episode focuses on one of the toughest issues in the world, namely efforts by the US to reconcile the Zionist national movement, or Israel, and the Palestinian national movement. The interviews focus on two key moments in recent decades that aimed to bring Israel and the Palestinians closer to peace: the 1993 Oslo Accords and the 2005 disengagement from the Gaza Strip. The Oslo Accords were significant because these talks marked Israel’s recognition of a Palestinian nationalist movement. Rabin sacrificed more than just political capital for these efforts: he lost his life for them, to an assassin’s bullet at a peace rally in Tel Aviv in November 1995. A decade later, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon chose to pull out 8,000 settlers from Gaza. Sharon was the architect of the settlement movement and, therefore, had a unique political credibility to make this decision.

Host David Makovsky discusses this these moments with two individuals who were both personally involved. Tzipi Livni has served as Israeli foreign minister, justice minister, opposition leader, and head of the Israeli negotiating team during the 2013-2014 Kerry peace talks. Dennis Ross is David's colleague at the Washington Institute and co-author of Be Strong and of Good Courage: How Israel’s Most Important Leaders Shaped its Destiny (which features chapters on both the Oslo Accords and Gaza disengagement). He has served in multiple US administrations, including as Middle East envoy and chief negotiator in the H.W. Bush and Clinton administrations.

Audio Clips Used

Signing of the Israeli-Palestinian Declaration of Principles

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Cold War Geopolitics and Freedom for Soviet, Ethiopian, and Syrian Jews

Wed, 18 Dec 2019 15:02:29 GMT

This episode focuses on the immigration of Soviet, Ethiopian, and Syrian Jewry to Israel, the impact of which has been massive. Over a million Jews moved to Israel at the end of the Cold War alone, greatly increasing its small population and bringing professional backgrounds that helped trigger a high-tech boom. The United States played a key role in all three of these immigration waves, using economic, diplomatic, and military means to support them.

Host David Makovsky discusses this transformative cooperation with Natan Sharansky and Malcolm Hoenlein. Sharansky embodied the Soviet Jewry movement in the 1970s and 1980s, uttering the iconic words “Next year in Jerusalem” that captured hearts around the world and landed him on the cover of Time magazine. He recently completed a nine-year term as chair of the Jewish Agency, the Israeli organization that links Jewish communities around the world. Hoenlein has been a dominant figure in American Jewish groups for decades, most recently completing thirty-two years as executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. He has also been a key figure in winning U.S. government support for persecuted Jewish communities.

Audio Clips Used

Freedom Sunday

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Begin, Sadat and Carter: Camp David Breakthrough

Wed, 11 Dec 2019 16:20:19 GMT

This episode focuses on the first Arab-Israeli peace breakthrough, the Camp David Accords of 1978. Camp David resulted from Egyptian president Anwar Sadat’s electrifying visit to Jerusalem. It also required political courage from the other two leaders involved—President Jimmy Carter and Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin, who each took risks that put them at odds with domestic allies. The resultant Egypt-Israel peace treaty has had a remarkable impact on both countries, including an end to decades of interstate wars. And it endures today despite facing many obstacles, including Sadat’s assassination.

Host David Makovsky discusses this major decision point with Dr. Ken Stein, who has been a professor of contemporary Middle Eastern history, political science, and Israel studies at Emory University for forty-three years. Ken has written several books on regional peace negotiations, including Heroic Diplomacy: Sadat, Kissinger, Carter, Begin, and the Quest for Arab-Israeli Peace.

Audio clips used:

RR7748A MIDDLE EAST SADAT'S VISIT TO ISRAEL

Middle East: Sadat's Visit to Israel (B)

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The 1973 War and the Airlift Delay

Wed, 04 Dec 2019 15:22:58 GMT

This episode focuses on the 1973 war between Israel and a coalition of Arab states, a surprise conflict that broke out in an era of detente between the United States and the Soviet Union. One key moment came two weeks into the war, when Washington decided to provide $2.2 billion in strategic air resupply to Israel. This military aid helped turn the tide, with Israel soon positioning forces on the western bank of the Suez Canal, advancing within ten miles of Damascus, and encircling Egypt’s massive Third Army in the Sinai.

Host David Makovsky discusses this major decision point with Martin Indyk, a distinguished fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations who is currently working on the book Henry Kissinger and the Art of the Middle East Deal. A longtime diplomat, Indyk served as U.S. special envoy on peace negotiations from 2013 to 2014.

Audio clips used:

10/10/73: Yom Kippur War - ABC News

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The Countdown to the 1967 War: From Embattled Siege to Military Breakthrough

Wed, 20 Nov 2019 15:09:43 GMT

This episode discusses the Johnson administration’s policy in the weeks leading up to the 1967 Six Day War. As that conflict drew near, two Israeli missions to the United States, led by Abba Eban and Meir Amit, encountered the same official focus on Vietnam, yet produced different results by asking different questions. In that sense, 1967 was a major turning point not only in Israel’s history, but also in the history of the U.S.-Israel relationship.

Host David Makovsky discusses this major decision point with William Quandt, who served with the National Security Council during the Nixon and Carter administrations and took part in the U.S. negotiating team for the Camp David Accords and Egypt-Israel peace treaty in the late 1970s. A longtime professor at the University of Virginia, he has authored several books on U.S. Middle East policy, including Decade of Decision: American Policy Toward the Arab-Israeli Conflict, 1967-76.

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The Nadir of U.S.-Israel Relations: Between Eisenhower and Nasser

Wed, 13 Nov 2019 16:17:09 GMT

This episode focuses on one of the lowest points in the U.S.-Israel relationship: the 1956 Suez Crisis. At the time, President Eisenhower felt betrayed by Israel, France, and Britain for initiating war after Egypt nationalized the Suez Canal. The episode highlights ties with allies alongside his desire to win support for Arab nationalist champion Gamal Abdul Nasser, the Egyptian leader whom the White House hoped in vain would be a bulwark against the Soviets in the Cold War. How did Eisenhower balance these conflicting impulses? What impact did his decisions have on the future of Nasserism, U.S.-Israel relations, and the American role in the Middle East? What was Eisenhower’s dramatic gamble?

Host David Makovsky discusses these and other questions with Michael Doran, a former Princeton University professor, Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute, and author of Ike’s Gamble: America’s Rise to Dominance in the Middle East.

Audio Clips Used:

"1956 - Suez Crisis"

"U.N. Meeting on Suez Canal and Israel - Egyptian War Reel 1 (1956)" - British Pathé

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From UN Partition to Statehood: The Battle in the Truman Administration

Wed, 06 Nov 2019 14:47:03 GMT

This episode will focus on the moment when Britain was about to depart Mandatory Palestine and there was heightened uncertainty about whether the State of Israel would be formed. The episode highlights the battle between the personalities and policy differences of President Harry Truman and his advisors, and chronicles America’s dramatic path to recognizing the Jewish State.

Host David Makovsky will be in conversation with Ronald Radosh, co-author of one of the preeminent books on Truman and 1948, A Safe Haven: Harry S. Truman and the Founding of Israel.

Audio Clips Used

"FDR Dies 450412 News Clip 01, Old Time Radio"

"President Roosevelt Meets Middle East Leaders [Etc.]

"Last British Troops Leave Palestine - 1948"

70th Anniversary of UN Partition Plan Vote

At War with the Experts [CSPAN]

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The Hidden U.S. Role in the Balfour Declaration

Tue, 29 Oct 2019 20:54:14 GMT

In this episode, we will discuss the United States’ little-known role in the Balfour Declaration, and the influence and prominence starting as early as America's founding fathers of the idea of a Jewish homeland in Palestine.

Host David Makovsky will be in conversation with Michael Oren, the former Israeli ambassador to the United States and a former member of Knesset. Oren received his doctorate in Near East Studies at Princeton University. His book, Power, Faith, and Fantasy: America in the Middle East from 1776 to the Present, provides a comprehensive overview of the United States’ involvement in the region from its very first days.

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Decision Points Trailer

Wed, 23 Oct 2019 19:52:09 GMT

We cannot fully appreciate the special bond between the U.S. and Israel without first understanding the highs and lows of this relationship over the past 70 years—how Israel’s first Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion believed it was possible that there would be a U.S. military strike against Israel; how the U.S. came to occupy such a central role in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process; or what the internal debate in the U.S. government looked like at the time of the Suez Crisis, the Six-Day War, or the Yom Kippur War.

Regardless of your familiarity with Israeli history, each episode of "Decision Points: The U.S.-Israel Relationship" will give you the background you need before moving into an interview that will illuminate the key debates at the time.

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