Podcast appearances and mentions of David Makovsky

The Israeli government voted to expand military operations in Gaza and could end with the reoccupation of the strip. Humanitarian officials warn that an Israeli plan to take over aid distribution in Gaza is unworkable, and more Palestinians will suffer. Nick Schifrin discussed the implications with David Makovsky of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy's Project on Israel-Arab Relations. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The Israeli government voted to expand military operations in Gaza and could end with the reoccupation of the strip. Humanitarian officials warn that an Israeli plan to take over aid distribution in Gaza is unworkable, and more Palestinians will suffer. Nick Schifrin discussed the implications with David Makovsky of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy's Project on Israel-Arab Relations. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

To discuss the Israel and Hamas hostage and ceasefire deal that could end the 15-month war in Gaza, Geoff Bennett spoke with David Makovsky of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy and Hussein Ibish of the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

To discuss the Israel and Hamas hostage and ceasefire deal that could end the 15-month war in Gaza, Geoff Bennett spoke with David Makovsky of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy and Hussein Ibish of the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

For the second time in six months, Iranian forces launched a massive aerial barrage at Israel. What does this latest flashpoint hold for the region after Israel's punishing campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon? Geoff Bennett has perspectives from two longtime watchers of the region, Suzanne Maloney and David Makovsky. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

For the second time in six months, Iranian forces launched a massive aerial barrage at Israel. What does this latest flashpoint hold for the region after Israel's punishing campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon? Geoff Bennett has perspectives from two longtime watchers of the region, Suzanne Maloney and David Makovsky. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his determination to send troops into Rafah, in southern Gaza, to rout remaining Hamas units. The drive has led to a rift with the Biden administration as it warns against an Israeli operation before more than 1.3 million Palestinians can move to safety. Amna Nawaz discussed the rising tensions with David Makovsky. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his determination to send troops into Rafah, in southern Gaza, to rout remaining Hamas units. The drive has led to a rift with the Biden administration as it warns against an Israeli operation before more than 1.3 million Palestinians can move to safety. Amna Nawaz discussed the rising tensions with David Makovsky. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Israeli leaders are increasingly disagreeing in public over the best path forward with its war in Gaza. Nick Schifrin discussed the direction of the conflict and the splits within the Israeli war cabinet with David Makovsky, a distinguished fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Israeli leaders are increasingly disagreeing in public over the best path forward with its war in Gaza. Nick Schifrin discussed the direction of the conflict and the splits within the Israeli war cabinet with David Makovsky, a distinguished fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President Biden's trip to Israel was meant to reassure the Israeli government and people, but how is the visit being viewed in the region? Amna Nawaz got two views on Biden's trip with Marwan Muasher, a former Jordanian diplomat and politician, and David Makovsky, a senior advisor for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations during the Obama administration. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President Biden's trip to Israel was meant to reassure the Israeli government and people, but how is the visit being viewed in the region? Amna Nawaz got two views on Biden's trip with Marwan Muasher, a former Jordanian diplomat and politician, and David Makovsky, a senior advisor for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations during the Obama administration. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The recently elected far-right government in Israel took a clear step Monday toward passing highly controversial judicial reform. Its actions have created a massive reaction among Israelis who stand against it, saying they could fundamentally alter Israel's democracy. William Brangham discussed the latest with David Makovsky of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Benjamin Netanyahu was sworn in Thursday as prime minister of Israel, but his cabinet and his government's platform are controversial. David Makovsky is a long-time Israel watcher and director of the Project on Arab-Israel Relations at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Makovsky joined John Yang to discuss the new Israeli government. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Benjamin Netanyahu was sworn in Thursday as prime minister of Israel, but his cabinet and his government's platform are controversial. David Makovsky is a long-time Israel watcher and director of the Project on Arab-Israel Relations at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Makovsky joined John Yang to discuss the new Israeli government. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Benjamin Netanyahu was sworn in Thursday as prime minister of Israel, but his cabinet and his government's platform are controversial. David Makovsky is a long-time Israel watcher and director of the Project on Arab-Israel Relations at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Makovsky joined John Yang to discuss the new Israeli government. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Last week, Haaretz reporter Ben Samuels was the only Israeli journalist to fly with the White House press delegation from Tel Aviv, Israel, to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – a first-of-its-kind historic flight between two countries that officially still don't recognize one another. Almost 30 years ago, David Makovsky, then Haaretz's diplomatic correspondent, also visited Jeddah, accompanying U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher as part of the Oslo Accords-era flurry of Middle Eastern negotiations. Two rare visits by Haaretz reporters to the most powerful country in the Arab world, and three decades of historical change in between them. On this week's episode, Samuels and Makovsky join host Allison Kaplan Sommer to talk about their unique experiences writing for an Israeli newspaper from the kingdom. Makovsky, today a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, shares why he is optimistic about Biden's Middle East trip, even though the president did not “break ground” on the Palestinian or Iran issues. Samuels, our Washington correspondent, explains why the trip “marked the conscious uncoupling of Israel and the Palestinians in the eyes of U.S. policymakers.” Listen to the full conversation to also hear what they see next for Biden's Middle East policy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. CBS Eye on the World with John Batchelor CBS Audio Network @Batchelorshow #Israel: Naftali Bennett remains PM. David Makovsky, Washington Institute. https://www.firstpost.com/world/israeli-pm-naftali-bennetts-government-limps-into-new-parliament-session-10651581.html

Two of the most prominent figures in America's efforts to advance a two-state solution, Ambassador Dennis Ross and David Makovsky, take a deep look at four Israeli leaders and their pivotal decisions. Their book, Be Strong and of Good Courage: How Israel's Most Important Leaders Shaped Its Destiny, shows how the strength of these leaders lay in their vision of knowing when to make historic compromise. This episode of the Tel Aviv Review was made possible by The Van Leer Jerusalem Institute, which promotes humanistic, democratic, and liberal values in the social discourse in Israel.

Ben Caspit hosts this week on his podcast David Makovsky, the Ziegler distinguished fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Commenting on recent signs of tensions between Washington and Jerusalem on the Palestinian issue and other topics, Makovsky says that “We have a situation where both President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett have an understanding, to try to maintain a public sense of harmony and avoid airing dirty laundry in public. An understanding on both sides to keep disagreements private.” Makovsky further notes that while rooting for the Bennett-led government and hailing its success in passing Israel's state budget, the US administration is now concerned it could take moves it could not have taken otherwise. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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.See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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”See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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”See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In May of 2021, after escalating tension around 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 in a battle of rockets? How much of a game-changer is the May 2021 Gaza crisis for Israel, the United Nations, and key regional players? What are some of the difficult options ahead?For the second episode of the season, host David Makovsky discusses this major decision point with three expert guests. 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 Minister of Foreign Affairs. Mike Herzog, a retired brigadier general in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), is an International Fellow of The Washington Institute. Over the last decade, General Herzog has held senior positions in the office of Israel's minister of defense under ministers Ehud Barak, Amir Peretz, Shaul Mofaz, and Binyamin Ben-Eliezer.Karim Haggag is a career Egyptian diplomat with over 25 years of service in Egypt's diplomatic corps and is currently serving as a professor of practice at the School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at The American University in Cairo. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

US secretary of state Antony Blinken made his first visit to Israel this week in hopes of bolstering the fragile ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. The trip epitomises the importance of the US-Israel relationship: a diplomatic alliance that has long been critical to the foreign policy of both countries. But what do the US and Israel really get out of the alliance? Why is Israel so important to American evangelical voters? And what’s the future of this “special relationship”? Andrew Mueller speaks to David Makovsky, Sarah Posner and Anshel Pfeffer. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"There are signs that the Iranians would want sanctions relief, but they also have the ability to endure and don't seem to mind imposing real austerity on their own country. Economic leverage is a lever that can work but obviously by itself is not sufficient." On today's program, a special program that delves into the torrid world of mideast politics with two of our country's greatest experts-- Ambassador Dennis Ross and Michael Singh. The two guests and Daniel explore where things really are with the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA) and how the US can perhaps get a process back on track. How desperate should we be do re-enter the agreement? What about the behavior of the new administration is helping Israel's confidence in our goals? How is the Biden administration operating differently-- or similarly-- to that of Trump? The conversation also features an extended section about diplomacy, and how one can conduct diplomacy over the internet. Prospects for optimism also play a role near the end of this wide-ranging discussion. Support Talking Beats with Daniel Lelchuk on Patreon. You will contribute to continued presentation of substantive interviews with the world's most compelling people. We believe that providing a platform for individual expression, free thought, and a diverse array of views is more important now than ever. Ambassador Dennis Ross is counselor and William Davidson Distinguished Fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Prior to returning to the Institute in 2011, he served two years as special assistant to President Obama and National Security Council senior director for the Central Region, and a year as special advisor to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Ross is the author of several influential books on the peace process, the Middle East, and international relations. His most recent book, co-written with his Washington Institute colleague David Makovsky, is Be Strong and of Good Courage: How Israel’s Most Important Leaders Shaped Its Destiny (PublicAffairs, September 2019). Previously, Ross authored Doomed to Succeed: The U.S.-Israel Relationship from Truman to Obama (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, October 2015). He also co-authored Myths, Illusions, and Peace: Finding a New Direction for America in the Middle East (Viking, June 2009) with Mr. Makovsky. An earlier study, The Missing Peace: The Inside Story of the Fight for Middle East Peace (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2004), offers comprehensive analytical and personal insight into the Middle East peace process. Michael Singh is the Lane-Swig Senior Fellow and managing director at The Washington Institute and a former senior director for Middle East affairs at the National Security Council. During his tenure at the White House from 2005 to 2008, Mr. Singh was responsible for devising and coordinating U.S. national security policy toward the region stretching from Morocco to Iran, with a particular emphasis on Iran’s nuclear and regional activities, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Syria, and security cooperation in the broader Middle East. Previously, Mr. Singh served as special assistant to secretaries of state Condoleezza Rice and Colin Powell and at the U.S. embassy in Israel.

The Challenge Landscape. The Abraham Accords. And an in-depth interview with David Makovsky, Ziegler distinguished fellow and director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy Project on the Middle East Peace Process.

On this episode of Israel in Depth, David Makovsky, the Ziegler Distinguished Fellow at the Washington Institute and formerandnbsp;senior advisor to the U.S. Special Envoy for Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations, discusses the major issues that will shape U.S.

On this episode of Israel in Depth, David Makovsky, the Ziegler Distinguished Fellow at the Washington Institute and formerandnbsp;senior advisor to the U.S. Special Envoy for Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations, discusses the major issues that will shape U.S.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re recovering from our potentially poisonous etrog-tinis. Our first Jewish guest is actor and comedian Michael Ian Black, best known for "Wet Hot American Summer" and VH1’s “I Love The …” series, whose latest book is "A Better Man," a meditation on masculinity written in the form of a letter to his college-aged son. He tells us about the book, which is far more earnest than you might expect from the comic actor, and why he wants to offer boys and young men a better path than “toxic masculinity.” He also explains the Jewish influences on his thinking and parenting, and tells us about changing his name from Schwartz to Black when he got into showbiz (there was another Michael Schwartz in the Guild already). Our second Jewish guest is Kylie Unell, a Ph.D. student in Jewish thought at New York University and the author of an essay in JTA titled, “My mom is white and my dad is black. Don’t call me a ‘Jew of Color.’” She tells us how growing up in Kansas and then Israel and attending college in New York City shaped her Jewish identity and pushed her to reject other labels—like “Modern Orthodox”—which she felt didn’t fully capture her identity. She also tells us about drawing on Jewish history (like hosting a Moses Mendelssohn-themed Shabbat dinner) to create a new spiritual community for young Jews. Join us for our upcoming virtual events! Thursday 10/22, 6:30 p.m. EDT: Mark will be part of the panel event “What Have We Learned from the Pittsburgh Synogogue Attack?” Register here. Thursday 10/22, 7 p.m. EDT: Stephanie will be interviewing (a different) Ben Cohen as part of Generally Speaking, her interview series with children of Holocaust Survivors, presented by the Museum of Jewish Heritage. Register here. Saturday, 10/24, 7:30 p.m. PT: An Evening with Unorthodox, brought to you by the Stroum JCC Virtual BookFest. Register here. Send us questions and comments at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Sponsors: American Jewish World Service is the leading Jewish organization working to fight poverty and pursue justice in the developing world. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, AJWS is currently matching all donations tenfold; find out more about the organization and to make your matched donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox. Decision Points is a podcast that examines the key moments and figures that impacted the relationship between Israel and the U.S. The show, which just launched its second season, is hosted by David Makovsky, director of the Project on Arab-Israel Relations at the Washington Institute for Near East policy and a member of the peace team during the Obama Administration. The Bronfman Center at NYU congratulates Rabbi Yehuda Sarna for his 18 years of service to the Bronfman Center and the global Jewish community. Find out more at bit.ly/sarna18. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 UsedIsraeli cabinet approves Gaza withdrawal 14-7 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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 UsedIsrael/Syria - Christopher Meets Rabin & AssadSYRIA: FOREIGN MINISTER FAROUK AL SHARAA INTERVIEW See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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 UsedSYND 7 7 82 ARAFAT INTERVIEWED ON FIGHTING ON BOTH SIDES OF WAR IN LEBANON Signing of the Israeli-Palestinian Declaration of Principles See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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 UsedWest Bank/Israel - ClashesSigning of the Israeli-Palestinian Declaration of Principles See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

"Those who have made peace with Israel have also exposed themselves to increased threats from rejectionists in the region." On this episode, Ambassador Dennis Ross talks about what makes a skilled diplomat, the new treaty between the UAE and Israel, and his hopes for future leadership in the Middle East. He also contrasts the 1994 treaty between Israel and Jordan with the 2020 treaty between Israel and the UAE. His favorite music, which is revealed as usual, might surprise you. Ambassador Dennis Ross, Former Middle East Envoy and the point man for Middle East peace for Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton is one of America's most successful and talented diplomats. The Ambassador, who brokered the landmark 1994 peace treaty between Israel and Jordan, also served in important positions under Presidents Reagan and Obama. Currently counselor and William Davidson Distinguished Fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Ambassador Ross is also the author of a number of highly-regarded books. His most recent is 'Be Strong and of Good Courage: How Israel's Most Important Leaders Shaped Its Destiny​ (2019),' co-written with his Washington Institute for Near East Policy colleague David Makovsky.

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. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What factors will shape Israel's decisionmaking, and how would unilateral annexation affect its relations with the Palestinians, Arab neighbors, Europe, and U.S. legislators? In this week's Middle East PolicyCast, we share a conversation between former U.S. peace process advisors David Makovsky and Ambassador Dennis Ross, former Palestinian peace process advisor Ghaith al-Omari, and former Senate Foreign Relations staff member Dana Stroul on the scenarios and implications of potential Israeli annexation of West Bank territory. Middle East PolicyCast: Conversations on Middle East issues from the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

One of the many things that have gotten swept out of the news during the Coronavirus economic and health crisis is the possible Israeli annexation of areas in the West Bank. That might sound like some legal jargon, but it has big implications for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the US-Israel alliance, and the stability of Jordan and Egypt. We talk about the importance of this move and its possible implications with David Makovsky and Amb. Dennis Ross. Additionally, we discuss their recent book, "Be Strong and of Good Courage" (חזק ואמץ/chezek vi'emetz in Hebrew, a biblical reference), and the role of history in Israeli leaders' thinking when they make historic decisions. David Makovsky is the Ziegler distinguished fellow at The Washington Institute, a former senior advisor to the Special Envoy for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations in the Obama administration, and in the 1990's he reported on Yitzchak Rabin and the Oslo Accords for multiple publications. Our other guest is Amb. Dennis Ross, who is currently the counselor and William Davidson Distinguished Fellow at The Washington Institute, and served as a special advisor to then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He has been involved in almost all major Israeli-Palestinian negotiations for the past quarter-century. You can find their new book, "Be Strong and Good Courage," here: https://www.amazon.com/Be-Strong-Good-Courage-Important-ebook/dp/B07MPX7LKR *The views here are solely my own. _____________________________________________ Dennis Ross-- Favorite Podcast: The Bill Simmons Podcast A book that has most shaped your thinking: “Inevitably of Tragedy: Henry Kissinger and His World” – by Barry Gewen David Makovsky-- Favorite Podcast: -Decision Points (Makovsky’s own podcast) -“NYT’s” “The Daily” A book that has most shaped your thinking: "Churchill: Walking with Destiny" - by Andrew Roberts ________________________________________________ Major takeaways from the interview can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-GTijQvIkuSKBy3ofho_e4HZjRenz3gj6TDwoKsHffw/edit?usp=sharing

In this week’s episode, BICOM’s Ronie Gazit speaks with David Makovsky, director of the Project on Arab-Israel Relations at The Washigton Institute for Near East Policy, about US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s brief visit to Israel. Ronie and David discuss why Pompeo traveled to Israel in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, whether Netanyahu will proceed with West Bank annexation, and US concerns over Chinese investment in Israel. 

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. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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 UsedThe President Announces a Historic Nuclear Deal with IranComplete Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Address to Joint Meeting of Congress (C-SPAN) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ambassador Dennis Ross and David Makovsky joined Times of Israel founding editor David Horovitz onstage on January 6 at a sold-out event at the National Library of Israel in Jerusalem to discuss their new book on four powerhouse Israeli prime ministers. The book, “Be Strong and of Good Courage: How Israel’s Most Important Leaders Shaped Its Destiny” delves into the decisions made by four prime ministers — David Ben-Gurion, Menachem Begin, Yitzhak Rabin, and Ariel Sharon — and the characteristics that shaped these men. Image: (From left to right) Authors David Makovsky and ambassador Dennis Ross, with Times of Israel editor David Horovitz. (credit: Amanda Borschel-Dan)

Two of the most prominent figures in America's efforts to advance a two-state solution, Ambassador Dennis Ross and David Makovsky, take a deep look at four Israeli leaders and their pivotal decisions. Their book, Be Strong and of Good Courage: How Israel's Most Important Leaders Shaped Its Destiny, shows how the strength of these leaders lay in their vision of knowing when to make historic compromise. This season of the Tel Aviv Review is made possible by The Van Leer Jerusalem Institute, which promotes humanistic, democratic, and liberal values in the social discourse in Israel.

Today's guest is David Makovsky, the Ziegler distinguished fellow at The Washington Institute and director of the Project on Arab-Israel Relations. He is also an adjunct professor in Middle East studies at Johns Hopkins University's Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). In 2013-2014, he worked in the Office of the U.S. Secretary of State, serving as a senior advisor to the Special Envoy for Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations. Author of numerous Washington Institute monographs and essays on issues related to the Middle East Peace Process and the Arab-Israeli conflict, he is also coauthor, with Dennis Ross, of the 2019 book Be Strong and of Good Courage: How Israel's Most Important Leaders Shaped Its Destiny (PublicAffairs) and the 2009 Washington Post bestseller Myths, Illusions, and Peace: Finding a New Direction for America in the Middle East (Viking/Penguin). His 2017 interactive mapping project, "Settlements and Solutions," is designed to help users discover for themselves whether a two-state solution is still viable. His 2011 maps on alternative territorial solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict were reprinted by the New York Times in the paper's first interactive treatment of an op-ed. His widely acclaimed September 2012 New Yorker essay, "The Silent Strike," focused on the U.S.-Israel dynamics leading up to the 2007 Israeli attack on Syrian nuclear facilities. He is also the host of the podcast Decision Points: The U.S.-Israel Relationship. Mr. Makovsky is a lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies. His commentary on the peace process and the Arab-Israeli conflict has appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, International Herald Tribune, Chicago Tribune, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, and National Interest. He appears frequently in the media to comment on Arab-Israeli affairs, including PBS NewsHour. He has testified before the full U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, the full U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, and on multiple occasions before the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs Middle East Subcommittee. In last several years, he has made over 120 visits to American college campuses to discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He has done a TEDx talk on this issue for the college audience. Before joining The Washington Institute, Mr. Makovsky was an award-winning journalist who covered the peace process from 1989 to 2000. He is the former executive editor of the Jerusalem Post, was diplomatic correspondent for Israel's leading daily, Haaretz, and is a former contributing editor to U.S. News and World Report. He served for eleven years as that magazine's special Jerusalem correspondent. He was awarded the National Press Club's 1994 Edwin M. Hood Award for Diplomatic Correspondence for a cover story on PLO finances that he cowrote for the magazine. In July 1994, as a result of personal intervention by then Secretary of State Warren Christopher, Mr. Makovsky became the first journalist writing for an Israeli publication to visit Damascus. In total, he has made five trips to Syria, the most recent in December 1999 when he accompanied then Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. In March 1995, with assistance from U.S. officials, Mr. Makovsky was given unprecedented permission to file reports from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for an Israeli publication. A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Mr. Makovsky received a bachelor's degree from Columbia University and a master's degree in Middle East studies from Harvard University. In this episode, we discuss the US-Israel relationship, especially where the bilateral relationship is going, what the future of Israel looks like in relation to the Palestinians, and the relationship between Israel and the Arab states.

The establishment of a sovereign Jewish state just three years after the Holocaust is both a miracle and the achievement of some remarkable women and men. Now that the founding generation has passed on, it falls to those living today to sustain that achievement. But how? In thinking about the careers of prominent Israeli leaders, what lessons, particularly in courage, can we, and today's leaders, learn from them? To ponder this question, Tikvah’s Jonathan Silver is joined by David Makovsky, a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, a former editor of the Jerusalem Post, and the co-author with Dennis Ross of Be Strong and of Good Courage. Through the biographies of four Israeli leaders, Makovsky and Ross invite us to think about the purposes of Zionism and the qualities of judgment and character needed to act for the sake of Israel’s strategic interests. In this conversation, Makovsky and Silver discuss—and debate—the decisions and the legacy of two of these remarkable figures: Ben-Gurion and Menachem Begin.  Musical selections in this podcast are drawn from the Quintet for Clarinet and Strings, op. 31a, composed by Paul Ben-Haim and performed by the ARC Ensemble, as well as the original Broadway cast recording of Fiddler on the Roof and "Above the Ocean" by Evan MacDonald. 

James Sorene speaks to Brig. Gen Michael Herzog and David Makovsky to analyse the US announcement that Israeli settlements in the West Bank are not illegal and to assess what impact it will have on future talks to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. James also talked to Michael Herzog about what we can learn from last week’s conflict between Israel and Islamic Jihad. David Makovsky's podcast Decision Points, in which David is joined by guests to analyse crucial moments in the US-Israel relationship, can be found here.

In Part 1 of today’s Haaretz Weekly, host Simon Spungin talks to Anshel Pfeffer about last week’s Judaism, Israel and Diaspora conference in Jerusalem. We also hear from some of the participants in the conference, including Isaac Herzog, Natan Sharansky and Rabbi Delphine Horvilleur, on the main issues on the agenda, from anti-Semitism to Aliyah. In Part 2, David Makovsky – the Ziegler Distinguished Fellow in The Washington Institute's Program on the U.S.-Israel Strategic Relationship and director of the Project on Arab-Israel Relations – tells us about “Decision Points,” a new podcast which aims to provide fresh insights into critical moments in the U.S.-Israel relationship from prominent historians and policymakers.

"Decision Points" is a new Washington Institute podcast that provides fresh insights into critical moments in the U.S.-Israel relationship from prominent historians and policymakers. The series is hosted by Ziegler Distinguished Fellow David Makovsky, a renowned expert on U.S.-Israel relations, including territorial solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Each episode highlights an important event in the 70-year history between Israel and the U.S., from President Truman's recognition of the State of Israel, to the internal U.S. government deliberations over Israel's wars, to Washington's involvement in the Israel-Palestinian peace process. David Makovsky will be joined by a distinguished figure who has been intimately involved in Middle East affairs as a policymaker, journalist, or political leader. Guests include Michael Oren, the former Israeli Ambassador to the U.S.; Natan Sharansky, a human rights activist and former Israeli government minister; and William Quandt, one of the U.S. negotiators of the Camp David Accords and a leading diplomatic historian. The podcast is both a history lesson, a biography of the key Israelis and Americans that shaped the modern bond between the two nations, and a quest to understand how these decision points continue to reverberate today.

Longtime scholar at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, David Makovsky, talks about his new book and helps us understand the reality behind the headlines.    Follow David Suissa on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

On this week’s episode, we are joined by AJC Berlin Acting Director Remko Leemhuis to discuss the horrific antisemitic attack on Yom Kippur targeting a synagogue in Halle, Germany. Then, we hear from Raphael Ahren, Diplomatic Correspondent for the Times of Israel, to break down Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz’s efforts to advance non-aggression treaties with several Arab countries in the Gulf. Finally, we sit down with David Makovsky, Ziegler Distinguished Fellow at The Washington Institute, to discuss his new book, Be Strong and of Good Courage, co-authored with Ambassador Dennis Ross, which profiles the courageous leadership of four Israeli prime ministers.

What is going on in Israeli politics? Two elections this year, both leaving no clear majority and a deadlocked parliament, a prime minister facing imminent criminal indictment, Israeli Arab leaders hinting at a willingness to join a Zionist government, and the clock ticking down to a possible third election - Israel expert and author David Makovsky explains who's who in Israeli politics, what each party and leader wants, and why repeated rounds of voting keep producing political deadlock for one of America's most vital allies. Near East PolicyCast: Conversations on Middle East issues from the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Today on the Midday News Wrap, Israel's Knesset remains deadlocked after Tuesday’s election. A Whistle Blower in the Intelligence Community raises concerns, but the Justice Department tells Congress it can’t know what those concern are. And, is a drone attack on a Saudi oil facility last Saturday the latest in a series of Iranian responses to the US campaign of sanctions and maximum pressure?David Makovsky is the Ziegler distinguished fellow at the Washington institute and director of the Project on Arab Israel Relations. His latest book is called 'Be Strong and Of Good Courage: How Israel’s Most Important Leaders Shaped It’s Destiny' which he wrote with Ambassador Dennis Ross. Julian Borger is the world affairs editor at the Guardian.

What sets Israel's greatest leaders, Labour and Likud, apart from others? And can U.S. policy encourage wiser statesmanship from our Israeli allies? In this episode, David Makovsky and Ambassador Dennis Ross, veteran observers of and participants in the peace process, discuss the lessons of their new book on Israel's greatest leaders. Near East PolicyCast: Conversations on Middle East issues from the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

On the eve of the US led ‘peace to prosperity’ conference in Manama, Bahrain, James Sorene interviewed Koby Huberman from Israel’s regional peace initiative and Ronie Gazit spoke to former US Middle East negotiator David Makovsky

Is the Two-State Solution for Israel and Palestine the best solution for a persistent conflict? David Makovsky is the Ziegler distinguished fellow at The Washington Institute and director of the Project on the Middle East Peace Process. He is also an adjunct professor in Middle East studies at Johns Hopkins University's Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). In 2013-2014, he worked in the Office of the U.S. Secretary of State, serving as a senior advisor to the Special Envoy for Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations. Author of numerous Washington Institute monographs and essays on issues related to the Middle East Peace Process and the Arab-Israeli conflict, he is also coauthor, with Dennis Ross, of the 2009 Washington Post bestseller Myths, Illusions, and Peace: Finding a New Direction for America in the Middle East (Viking/Penguin). His 2017 interactive mapping project, "Settlements and Solutions," is designed to help users discover for themselves whether a two-state solution is still viable. His commentary on the peace process and the Arab-Israeli conflict has appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, International Herald Tribune, Chicago Tribune, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, and National Interest. He appears frequently in the media to comment on Arab-Israeli affairs, including PBS NewsHour. Before joining The Washington Institute, Mr. Makovsky was an award-winning journalist who covered the peace process from 1989 to 2000.

Despite facing indictment on corruption charges and a strong challenge from a center-left coalition, Benjamin Netanyahu is heading toward an unprecedented fifth term as Israeli prime minister. David Makovsky, Director of the Project on Arab-Israel Relations at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, and Lucy Kurtzer-Ellenbogen, Director of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Program at the U.S. Institute of Peace, analyze the outcome and implications of the recent parliamentary elections in Israel.

Israelis went to the polls earlier this week to elect the members of the 21st Knesset and choose a prime minister. Days after the polls closed, the final results have been announced. On this special post-election episode of AJC Passport, we are joined by David Makovsky, former senior advisor to the Secretary of State’s Special Envoy for Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations and Ziegler Distinguished Fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, and AJC Jerusalem Director Avital Leibovich to break down the results of the election and what impact it will have on the future of Israel.

A notably divisive Israeli campaign is coming down to its final hours. Will Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu survive the election, a likely corruption indictment, and a strong challenge by a new centrist party led by three former top IDF generals? And whoever leads Israel's next government, what do the April 9 elections mean for American interests and for a potential U.S. peace plan for Israel and the Palestinians? Three leading experts, Ehud Yaari, Tal Shalev, and David Makovsky, share their assessments of the campaign, the candidates, the parties, the polls, and the implications. Near East PolicyCast: Conversations on Middle East issues from the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Israel's April 2019 parliamentary elections feature two of the most significant developments in modern Israeli political history, says Institute scholar David Makovsky: The formation of a new opposition coalition featuring three recently former IDF commanders and the criminal indictment of a sitting prime minister. In this episode, David explains the issues, parties, and personalities at play in Israel's parliamentary vote and what the outcome may mean for American policy and interests. Near East PolicyCast: Conversations on Middle East issues from the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Why is it in Netanyahu's interest that the Trump peace plan is made public close to Israel's general elections? Should the United States publicize it regardless of who wins the elections? Has the window of opportunity to reach a two-state solution already closed? What were the responses to the open letter in Yediot Ahronot that David Makovsky wrote with Dennis Ross, posing questions to candidates in Israel's general elections? How should Israel improve its relations with the Jewish diaspora?

The embassy of the United States in Israel is being moved today, but what is behind that; what is actually going on? In Gaza, Saudi Arabia, or on social media? This week, I talk to David Makovsky, who is now at the Washington Institute in DC, and worked as a journalist for the Jerusalem Post covering Yitzhak Rabin and the Oslo accords, and was also a peace negotiator for the Obama administration in 2013 through 2014. Take a listen and find out...I hope you enjoy! (Please leave your comments and ratings, even if I wouldn't like them)

On September 5, 2007, just before midnight, four F-15s and four F-16s took off from Israeli Air Force (IAF) bases and flew toward Syria. An hour later, in the early hours of September 6, the IAF dropped 17 tons of explosives on a nuclear reactor in the desert of Al Kibar, neutralizing a threat that endangered the Jewish state and the stability of the entire region. The series of events that resulted in the discovery and bombing of Syria's secret nuclear reactor make up a remarkable story—one told in riveting detail in two articles by two of America's leading Middle East experts. “The Silent Strike” by David Makovsky and “Bombing the Syrian Reactor: The Untold Story” by Elliott Abrams take us behind the scenes of the Israeli and American governments, describing the deliberations, disagreements, and decisions that led to Israel's airstrike. In this podcast, Gabriel Scheinmann of the Alexander Hamilton Society joins Tikvah's Jonathan Silver for a discussion of these pieces and of “Operation Orchard,” the mission in which, in one of the signal achievements of Zionist history, the State of Israel bucked the United States in order to take responsibility for the security of its citizens and the welfare of the Middle East.  Musical selections in this podcast are drawn from the Quintet for Clarinet and Strings, op. 31a, composed by Paul Ben-Haim and performed by the ARC Ensemble, as well as Ich Grolle Nicht, by Ron Meixsell and Wahneta Meixsell.

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas is in Washington, DC, for only the second time since 2010, and meets with President Trump at the White House on May 3. How should the U.S. administration approach Abbas as they begin to lay the groundwork for a new push to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Near East PolicyCast: Conversations on Middle East issues from the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Less than a month into the new U.S. administration, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will be the fourth foreign leader to confer with President Trump in Washington. How will the bilateral relationship change in the Trump administration? What is on the Israeli premier’s agenda on this first visit to the Trump White House? And how does the alliance with Israel serve America’s broader interests in the Middle East? Near East PolicyCast: Conversations on Middle East issues from the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Join us as two veteran observers preview the Trump-Netanyahu visit and the near-term agenda for bilateral relations.

If the Trump administration follows through on campaign commitments to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, how should it proceed? How will America's Arab partners respond? And could an embassy relocation play a positive role in reinvigorated American engagement on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? Join us for a conversation with the scholars David Makovsky and Ghaith al-Omari about a potential American embassy in Jerusalem. Near East PolicyCast: Conversations on Middle East issues from the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

As the Mideast chaos has focused elsewhere, the Israeli and Palestinian issue has been largely sidelined. Negotiated peace, the classic paradigm for the last few decades, has been put aside. What will take its place? What new paradigm can offer peace to both sides and put aside this tragic conflict? What can the US do? With David Makovsky and Ghaith Al-Omar both of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy Series: "Taubman Symposia in Jewish Studies" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 30679]

As the Mideast chaos has focused elsewhere, the Israeli and Palestinian issue has been largely sidelined. Negotiated peace, the classic paradigm for the last few decades, has been put aside. What will take its place? What new paradigm can offer peace to both sides and put aside this tragic conflict? What can the US do? With David Makovsky and Ghaith Al-Omar both of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy Series: "Taubman Symposia in Jewish Studies" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 30679]

As the Mideast chaos has focused elsewhere, the Israeli and Palestinian issue has been largely sidelined. Negotiated peace, the classic paradigm for the last few decades, has been put aside. What will take its place? What new paradigm can offer peace to both sides and put aside this tragic conflict? What can the US do? With David Makovsky and Ghaith Al-Omar both of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy Series: "Taubman Symposia in Jewish Studies" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 30679]

As the Mideast chaos has focused elsewhere, the Israeli and Palestinian issue has been largely sidelined. Negotiated peace, the classic paradigm for the last few decades, has been put aside. What will take its place? What new paradigm can offer peace to both sides and put aside this tragic conflict? What can the US do? With David Makovsky and Ghaith Al-Omar both of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy Series: "Taubman Symposia in Jewish Studies" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 30679]

David Makovsky, Senior Fellow and Director of the Washington Institute’s Project on Middle East Peace and Ghaith al-Omari, previously Senior Advisor to former Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas and currently Advocacy Director for the American Task Force on Palestine discuss path to Middle East peace. Series: "Taubman Symposia in Jewish Studies" [Public Affairs] [Humanities] [Show ID: 17555]

David Makovsky, Senior Fellow and Director of the Washington Institute’s Project on Middle East Peace and Ghaith al-Omari, previously Senior Advisor to former Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas and currently Advocacy Director for the American Task Force on Palestine discuss path to Middle East peace. Series: "Taubman Symposia in Jewish Studies" [Public Affairs] [Humanities] [Show ID: 17555]

David Makovsky, Senior Fellow and Director of the Washington Institute’s Project on Middle East Peace and Ghaith al-Omari, previously Senior Advisor to former Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas and currently Advocacy Director for the American Task Force on Palestine discuss path to Middle East peace. Series: "Taubman Symposia in Jewish Studies" [Public Affairs] [Humanities] [Show ID: 17555]

David Makovsky is the Ziegler Distinguished Fellow and Director of The Project on the Middle East Peace Process at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. He is the former Executive Editor of the Jerusalem Post and was diplomatic correspondent for Israel's leading daily Haaretz. Ghaith al-Omari is Advocacy Director at the American Task Force on Palestine. Prior to that, he served in various positions within the Palestinian Authority, including Director of the International Relations Department in the Office of the Palestinian President, and advisor to former Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas.