Israel Policy Pod

From tunnels under Silwan to arguments on Twitter, ancient history is in the news in Israel. Host Evan Gottesman speaks with Yonathan Mizrahi, founder and executive director of Emek Shaveh, an Israeli NGO working to stop the politicization of archaeology in Israel and the West Bank.

In this week’s episode host Eli Kowaz talks to ALLMEP Executive Director Joel Braunold about the Trump administration’s workshop in Bahrain, and discusses Israeli elections with Policy Director Michael Koplow.

What's new in Israeli politics this week? Hosts Evan Gottesman and Eli Kowaz debate changes on the left, including upcoming Meretz and Labor primaries, as well as the restoration of the Joint List; plus, a discussion of Avigdor Liberman's growing momentum.

Hosts Evan Gottesman and Eli Kowaz discuss Labor and Meretz primaries, Arab party politicking, and an apparent endorsement of partial unilateral West Bank annexation from American Ambassador to Israel David Friedman.

Host Eli Kowaz discusses about synagogue and state will play into the Knesset race with guest Uri Keidar, the executive director of Israel Hofsheet, an organization dedicated to advancing cultural and religious pluralism in Israel.

Today's episode of Israel Policy Pod features highlights from our latest Israeli elections briefing, featuring Dr. Dahlia Scheindlin, a policy analyst and public opinion expert who has advised five Knesset campaigns, as well as electoral and civil society campaigns in fifteen countries. 

Policy Director Michael Koplow speaks with host Evan Gottesman about Israel's second election of 2019. Plus, a dispatch from Communications Director Eli Kowaz in Tel Aviv.

Host Evan Gottesman speaks with Tamara Cofman Wittes of the Brookings Institution about how Israeli annexation of West Bank territory would play out with other Middle East governments.

Hosts Evan Gottesman and Eli Kowaz get to the heart of the incoming Trump administration "ultimate deal" plan; plus, an original Eurovision song mashup from Eli.

Hosts Evan Gottesman and Eli Kowaz discuss Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's troubled pursuit of immunity from prosecution and backlash from Gidon Saar and other Likudniks, plus a five minute aside on the geography of Eurovision's Eastern European and non-European contestants. Later in the episode, Samantha Pohl makes her podcast debut.

Evan Gottesman speaks to Israel Policy Forum's Israel Fellow Nimrod Novik, a former senior foreign policy adviser to Shimon Peres, about Israel's strategy in Gaza and why Palestinians and Israelis keep returning to brief (but costly) exchanges over the Strip.

The Palestinian Authority is rejecting tax transfers from Israel. Why? And what does it mean for the future of the pro-annexation movement and the viability of the Palestinian Authority itself? Israel Policy Pod host Evan Gottesman and Policy Director Michael Koplow discuss.Read: Michael Koplow on the tax transfer issues and the risks of partial annexationRead: Evan Gottesman on the Paris Protocol and Palestinian tax transfers

Israel Policy Pod host Evan Gottesman speaks with Israeli pollster Camil Fuchs (Channel 13) to get a clearer sense of where the Israeli public truly stands regarding Benjamin Netanyahu and West Bank annexation.

One week after Israelis voted for their next government, hosts Evan Gottesman and Eli Kowaz break down election results and discuss the road ahead, with special focus on issues like West Bank annexation and tensions between the ultra-Orthodox parties and Avigdor Liberman's Yisrael Beiteinu.

Eli Kowaz hosts Walla News Political Correspondant Tal Shalev to preview Israeli election day.

Is Israel becoming increasingly illiberal? On the eve of Israeli elections, host Evan Gottesman puts the question to Tamara Cofman Wittes and Yael Mizrahi-Arnaud, authors of the new Brookings Institution study "Is Israel in Democratic Decline?" (read the study here).

Host Eli Kowaz is joined by Policy Director Michael Koplow to discuss different scenarios for Israeli election outcomes as the Knesset campaign enters its final week. 

Executive Director David A. Halperin and Policy Director Michael Koplow talk conflict in Gaza and American recognition of Israeli sovereignty in the Golan — and how these issues square with Israeli voters in the lead-up to April 9's Knesset election.

After a rough political week for Benny Gantz, Walla's Tal Shalev joins host Eli Kowaz to talk about where things stand three weeks before Israelis head to the polls.