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 sin…

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 thr…

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 …

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…

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 Ass…

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 connectio…

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 …

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 …

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 cooperati…

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 Demo…

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 ser…

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 se…

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 tea…

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-fou…

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 …

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 th…

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…

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 citi…

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 …

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 wea…

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 ro…

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-Sa…

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 Bioph…

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 te…

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 re…

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 te…

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 Ara…

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 priz…

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 …

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 …

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…

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 expe…

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 doctora…

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…

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 Scien…

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 Fel…

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 prese…

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 Profes…

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 Yal…

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 cu…

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 Acco…

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 H…

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…

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 Abr…

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.…

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 en…

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…

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 t…

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 air…

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 Vienn…