Podcasts

Ben Caspit speaks this week with Maj. Keren Hajioff, the international spokesperson of Prime Minister Yair Lapid. Haijaoff has been managing relations with foreign media during the recent IDF operation in Gaza. Alongside the exchange of fire on the ground, Israel and Islamic Jihad also fought each other in the media arena. Hajioff explains that winning media battles requires more than the truth. "The difficult part is to make people listen, to make sure that the story goes viral.

Turkish leaders continue to threaten another military offensive against the Syrian Kurds. But they need either the Kremlin's or Washington's approval to mount any such offensive in the zones that are under Russian and US control. Salih Muslim, the leader of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party that holds power in northeast Syria, says Erdogan is unpredictable and might carry out a military operation.

Hanene Tajouri Bessassi, Tunisia’s ambassador to the United States, says that while US criticism of the July 25 vote was considered interference in the country’s domestic politics, Tunis welcomes continued US partnership and international support for democracy, which she described as the "unique destiny of the Tunisian people."

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Amberin Zaman speaks to Yevgeniya Gaber, a former Ukrainian diplomat who is currently a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and Carleton University, about Turkey's role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict ahead of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's meeting with Vladimir Putin in Sochi. 

Ben Caspit speaks this week to Arkady Mil-Man, the head of the Russia program at the Israel National Institute for Security Studies and previously Israel's ambassador to Russia and Azerbaijan. Over the past three weeks, tensions have increased between Moscow and Jerusalem. The reason for the diplomatic crisis is the decision by Russian authorities to stop the activities of the Jewish Agency, tasked with assisting Jews who want to emigrate to Israel. "The crisis over the Jewish Agency today is mostly the result of internal processes in Russia.

Zineb Mekouar was born in Casablanca. She studied at the French international school Lycée Lyautey and later graduated from Science Po and HEC Paris before launching her career in strategic consulting, serving in the campaign of French President Emmanuel Macron. Her debut novel “La Poule et son Cumin” (The Hen and its Cumin) tells the story of two radically opposed young Moroccan women and highlights the social and political divisions of contemporary Morocco. Mekouar was nominated in 2022 for the “First Novel” award by the renowned French literary organization Goncourt Academy.

Ben Caspit hosts this week Maj. Gen. (res.) Tamir Hayman, the managing director of the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS). Hayman previously held a number of senior positions within the IDF, including chief of Military Intelligence. Referring to President Joe Biden’s recent visit to Israel, Hayman notes that the American leader clearly demonstrated his warm feelings and deep commitment to Israel, based on common values. "In our neighborhood, in the Middle East, it is very important to have powerful friends that are emotionally connected to you," he noted.

Ben Caspit hosts this week Nadav Tamir, the executive director of J Street Israel. Commenting on US President Joe Biden's visit to the region last week, Tamir welcomed Washington's renewed interest in the Middle East. "I believe the current engagement of Biden with the Saudis is good for Israel.

Martin Indyk, Distinguished Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, discusses US President Joe Biden’s trip this week to Israel, the West Bank and Saudi Arabia, and his recent CFR Special Report, with Steven Cook, The Case for a New US-Saudi Strategic Compact. Indyk has served as US ambassador to Israel, Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs, Special Assistant to President Clinton and special envoy under President Obama for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, and is the author of Master of The Game: Henry Kissinger and the Art of Middle East Diplomacy