Today’s guest is Wiola Rębecka, a psychoanalyst, human rights activist, founder of “Rape: A History of Shame” project, and author of the book Rape: A History of Shame: Diary of the Survivors. A credentialed psychoanalyst, she has over 23 years’ clinical experience working with trauma, PTSD, War Rape Survivors Syndrome, and transgenerational trauma, and has conducted field work on the consequences of sexual violence during war in Rwanda, Congo, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.

In this episode, we discuss transgenerational trauma, particularly in relation to sexual violence, societal reactions to rape and rape victims, the difficulties of sharing experiences on a personal and cultural level, and her family’s personal experience with sexual violence and transgenerational trauma stemming from her grandmother’s experience during the Holocaust.

On the Issues

On The Issues Episode 87: Wiola Rębecka

My guest today is Tarek Heggy, an Egyptian liberal author, political thinker and international petroleum strategist. Heggy is one of Egypt’s more prominent authors on the subject of Egypt’s need for political reform. His extensive writings advocate the values of modernity, democracy, tolerance, and women's rights in the Middle East – advancing them as universal values essential to the region's progress. He has lectured at universities throughout the world and various international institutions and think tanks, such as the Heritage Foundation, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and the Council on Foreign Relations.

In today’s episode, we discuss the impacts of Islamic extremism within the Muslim world itself, Islamophobia and Muslim immigration in the West, and what can be done in the Arab and Muslim worlds to combat terrorism and extremist thought.

On The Issues Episode 88: Tarek Heggy

My guest today is Teuta Sahatqija, former Consul General of the Republic of Kosovo in New York and parliamentarian in Kosovo’s Assembly. An electronic engineer by training, she now works in Digital Transformation and is Smart City Advisor for the Municipality of Pristina. In this episode, we discuss the Kurti government’s performance, the status of various domestic issues in Kosovo, and the ongoing dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.

Full bio
Teuta Sahatqija is the former Consul General of the Republic of Kosovo in New York, and currently serves as Digital Transformation and Smart City Advisor for the Municipality of Pristina.

She is a well-known political activist and a former Member of Kosovo’s Parliament. She was also the President of the Cross-Party Women Parliamentary Caucus and Vice President of the Parliamentary Committee on Economic Development. She was an advisor to the former President Fatmir Sejdiu, chairwoman of the Reformist Party ORA, and a member of the Parliamentary Committees for International Affairs and Development. She was also a Founding Member of KUSA – Kosovo US Alumni.

Mrs. Sahatqija is an electrical engineer, and she has worked as a manager of a computer center in a food production company, as well as being the owner and director of a private telecommunication company in Gjakova.

On The Issues Episode 92: Teuta Sahatqija

Today’s guest is Koby Huberman, co-founder of the Israeli Peace Initiative, which works with Israeli leaders and decision makers in order to promote a new regional alliance with Israel and key Arab states. In this episode, Alon and Koby discuss Alon’s proposal for an Israeli-Palestinian-Jordanian confederation, alongside Koby’s work on a Regional Framework for all states, leveraging past discussions and agreements toward a future resolution.

This discussion was held on July 22 as part of a new discussion series on Alon’s proposal for an Israeli-Palestinian-Jordanian confederation, the full video of which is posted on YouTube. You can find future events in this series at alonben-meir.com.

Full bio
Koby Huberman is a high-tech veteran, business strategist, and a leader of civil society initiatives. In 2011, he co-founded "Yisrael Yozemet," a non-partisan Impact Group which has more than 1,800 signatories. The group works with Israeli leaders and decision makers in order to promote and validate a new strategic paradigm that includes building Israel as a regional superpower through a Regional Alliance with the key Arab states. Huberman is an experienced high-tech executive with 30 years in global technology corporations, as a strategic visionary, and business development executive.

In 2007, he founded Strategic Landscapes Ltd., a consulting firm helping leading companies develop and implement transformational growth strategies, which he owns and leads today. Huberman has a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Management, and a master’s degree in Philosophy.

On the Issues Episode 105: Koby Huberman

Today’s guest is Avi Shlaim, Professor Emeritus of International Relations at St. Antony’s College at the University of Oxford. His most recent book, Three Worlds: Memoirs of an Arab Jew, discusses his childhood in Baghdad and his family’s flight to Israel, interwoven with the history of the Jews in Iraq in the early 20th century. In this episode, we discuss this book, including Arab-Jewish harmony in Iraq until 1948 and both of their personal experiences of childhoods in Baghdad, the relationship between Ashkenazi and Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews in Israel in history until today, and current prospects, if any, for an Israeli-Palestinian peace.

Full bio
Avi Shlaim is an Emeritus Fellow of St Antony's College and a former Professor of International Relations at the University of Oxford. He was elected Fellow of the British Academy in 2006.

His main research interest is the Arab-Israeli conflict. He is author of Collusion across the Jordan: King Abdullah, the Zionist Movement, and the Partition of Palestine (1988); The Politics of Partition (1990 and 1998); War and Peace in the Middle East: A Concise History (1995); The Iron Wall: Israel and the Arab World (2000, second edition 2014); Lion of Jordan: King Hussein’s Life in War and Peace (2007); and Israel and Palestine: Reappraisals, Revisions, Refutations (2009). He is co-editor of The Cold War and the Middle East (1997); The War for Palestine: Rewriting the History of 1948 (2001, second edition 2007); and The 1967 Arab-Israeli War: Origins and Consequences (2012). 

Professor Shlaim is a frequent contributor to the newspapers and commentator on radio and television on Middle Eastern affairs.

On The Issues Episode 107: Avi Shlaim

Welcome to another episode of “On the Issues with Alon Ben-Meir.” Today’s guest is Yossi Alpher, a consultant and writer on Israel-related strategic issues. He is a former intelligence officer, and served as Special Advisor to the Prime Minister of Israel in July 2000, during the Camp David talks, concentrating on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. In this episode, we discuss Israel’s current response to Hamas’ attacks against Israel on October 7, various scenarios of how the response will proceed from here, an analysis of the various players in the broader conflict, including Hezbollah, and whether or not Israel can fully eliminate Hamas from Gaza, and the long-term prospects in Gaza. 

Full bio
Yossi Alpher is a consultant and writer on Israel-related strategic issues. He is the author of the prize-winning Periphery: Israel's search for Middle East allies and No End of Conflict: Rethinking Israel-Palestine (Rowman & Littlefield, 2015 and 2016, respectively). His latest book is Winners and Losers in the ‘Arab Spring’: Profiles in Chaos (Routledge, 2020), which won the Chaikin Prize in 2021.

Alpher served in the Israel Defense Forces as an intelligence officer, followed by service in the Mossad in operational and analytical roles.  From 1981 to 1995 he was associated with the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at Tel Aviv University, ultimately serving as director of center.  From 1995 to 2000 he served as director of the American Jewish Committee's Israel/Middle East Office in Jerusalem. In July 2000 (during the Camp David talks) he served as Special Adviser to the Prime Minister of Israel, concentrating on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. From 2001 to 2012 he was coeditor, with Ghassan Khatib (until recently vice-president of Bir Zeit University in Ramallah, Palestinian Authority) of the bitterlemons family of internet publications.

On The Issues Episode 108: Yossi Alpher

Today’s guest is Dov Waxman, a professor of political science and the director of the Y&S Nazarian Center for Israel Studies at UCLA. This special episode was recorded in two parts; the second part was recorded in late September, just a week and a half before Hamas’ attack on Israel, and the first part was recorded in October, two weeks after the outbreak of war and just before Israel’s ground invasion of Gaza began. 

In this episode, Alon and Dov begin with an analysis of Hamas’ attack on Israel, the divide among Palestinian leadership between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas, and what steps all parties, including the international community, can take from here to ultimately usher in a sustainable peace plan. In the second part of the episode, Alon and Dov discuss Alon’s proposal for an Israeli-Palestinian-Jordanian confederation, addressing issues such as Israeli settlements in the West Bank, security arrangements, Jerusalem, the right of return, and the demographics of the region, particularly the interspersed populations of Israelis and Palestinians in the West Bank and Israel proper; and what role the international community can play in bringing about a sustainable peace for the region.

Full bio
Dov Waxman is the director of the UCLA Y&S Nazarian Center for Israel Studies. He is a Professor of Political Science and The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation Chair of Israel Studies at UCLA.


An award-winning teacher, he previously was professor of political science, international affairs, and Israel studies, and the Stotsky Professor of Jewish Historical and Cultural Studies at Northeastern University. He also co-directed the university’s Middle East Center. In addition, he taught at the City University of New York and Bowdoin College. He has also been a visiting fellow at Tel Aviv University, Bar-Ilan University, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Oxford University. Professor Waxman received his Ph.D. and M.A. from the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University, and his B.A. degree from Oxford University.


Professor Waxman's research focuses on the conflict over Israel-Palestine, Israeli politics and foreign policy, U.S.-Israel relations, American Jewry’s relationship with Israel, Jewish politics, and anti-Semitism. He is the author of dozens of scholarly articles and four books: The Pursuit of Peace and The Crisis of Israeli Identity: Defending / Defining the Nation (Palgrave, 2006), Israel’s Palestinians: The Conflict Within (Cambridge University Press, 2011), Trouble in the Tribe: The American Jewish Conflict over Israel (Princeton University Press, 2016), and most recently, The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: What Everyone Needs to Know (Oxford University Press, 2019).


He has also been published in the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, the Guardian, the Atlantic Monthly, Salon, Foreign Policy, The Forward, and Ha’aretz, and he is a frequent commentator on television and radio.

On The Issues Episode 109: Dov Waxman

Today’s guest is Ray Takeyh, senior fellow for Middle East studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, and a former senior advisor on Iran at the State Department. In this episode, we discuss the mindset of the Iranian regime and what the US’ understanding of it may be, the so-called ‘axis of resistance’ and Iran’s use of proxies in various regional conflicts, and how that regional involvement is impacting the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the current war in Gaza.

Full bio
Ray Takeyh is Hasib J. Sabbagh senior fellow for Middle East studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). His area of specialization are Iran, U.S. foreign policy, and modern Middle East.

Takeyh is, most recently, the author of The Last Shah: America, Iran and the Fall of the Pahlavi Dynasty. He is the coauthor of The Pragmatic Superpower: Winning the Cold War in the Middle East and Revolution & Aftermath: Forging a New Strategy toward Iran. He is author of three previous books, Guardians of the Revolution: Iran and the World in the Age of the Ayatollahs, Hidden Iran: Paradox and Power in the Islamic Republic, and The Origins of the Eisenhower Doctrine: The US, Britain and Nasser’s Egypt, 1952-1957. He has written more than three hundred articles and opinion pieces in many news outlets including Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and Foreign Affairs. Takeyh has testified more than twenty times in various Congressional committees.

Prior to joining CFR he has served as a senior advisor on Iran at the State Department, fellow at the Yale University, Washington Institute of Near East Policy and Middle East Center at University of California, Berkeley. Takeyh has a doctorate in modern history from Oxford University.

On The Issues Episode 111: Ray Takeyh

Welcome to another episode of “On the Issues with Alon Ben-Meir.” Today’s guest is Fatou Baldeh, a survivor of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and a Gender Justice specialist with an extensive experience in gender, health and development. Over the past decade she has been a leading advocate and contributor to knowledge on women’s rights and the eradication of entrenched gender norms and practices, including eradication of FGM in The Gambia and the UK. In this episode, Alon and Fatou discuss the challenges from local communities in combatting female genital mutilation, the proposed repeal of The Gambia’s FGM ban and its consequences, and how to break the culture of silence around FGM and educate women about the effects that female genital mutilation has on their bodies. 

Full bio
Fatou Baldeh is a survivor of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and a Gender Justice specialist with an extensive experience in gender, health and development. Over the past decade she has been a leading advocate and contributor to knowledge on women’s rights and the eradication of entrenched gender norms and practices, including eradication of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in The Gambia and the UK.

To further empower and advance the agenda for gender equality, women empowerment, and rights of children, Fatou founded a Civil Society Organization (CSO) called Women In Liberation and Leadership (WILL) in 2018. Using WILL as a platform for advocacy and awareness raising, Fatou leads a group of 8 women who engage communities to raise awareness on the harm that FGM causes to women, girls, and communities at large. The organization uses initiatives such as community dialogues, women only safe spaces, and positive masculinity to raise awareness at the community level. 

In recognition of her work, Fatou was honored by The Late Queen Elizabeth as a Member of The Most Excellent Order of The British Empire (MBE) in 2019. In March 2024, Fatou was awarded the prestigious Women of Courage Award by the First Lady of the United States Dr. Jill Biden and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken in recognition of her dedication and lifetime service to women and girls in The Gambia.

On The Issues Episode 114: Fatou Baldeh

Today’s guest is Agather Atuhaire, a Ugandan lawyer, journalist, and digital activist. She is the host of Agora Discourse, a digital public square, and has been involved in social media campaigns that have sparked national conversations and policy changes on the poor state of roads, healthcare, and security. Agather is the 2023 recipient of the EU Human Rights Defenders Award and a 2024 recipient of the US State Department’s International Women of Courage Award.

In this episode, Alon and Agather discuss freedom of the press and the situation for journalists in Uganda, including intimidation of journalists, the current political situation in the country, and what steps can be taken, both within the country and by foreign powers, to improve the political and human rights situation for Ugandans.  

Full bio
Agather Atuhaire is a Ugandan lawyer, journalist and digital activist. Her investigations have exposed high-profile public corruption scandals, such as the Ugandan parliament’s overspending of public funds in the purchase of luxury cars. She is the host of Agora Discourse, a digital public square, and has been involved in social media campaigns that have sparked national conversations and policy changes on the poor state of roads, healthcare, and security. Her work has appeared in news outlets such as the BBC and National Geographic Magazine, and she has worked as a television news commentator and host. She is the 2023 laureate of the EU Human Rights Defenders Award and the 2024 laureate of the International Women of Courage Award.

On The Issues Episode 115: Agather Atuhaire

Today’s guest is Xhemajl Rexha, a Kosovar journalist and Chairperson of the Association of Journalists of Kosovo, an organization with some 700 members of all ethnic communities in Kosovo. Xhemajl is currently on a two-month fellowship with the World Press Institute, based in St. Paul/Minneapolis, Minnesota. In this episode, Alon and Xhemajl discuss the state of media freedom and journalist safety in Kosovo, government interference in the media’s workings, and Kosovo’s upcoming election in February 2025. 

Full bio
Xhemajl Rexha is a journalist from Kosovo, working with main broadcasters there since 2005. He worked as a journalist, host, and editor-in-chief for KTV, part of Koha Group, Kosovo’s biggest media company. He covered main political and social events in the country and region, including status talks with Serbia, declaration of independence, and a series of election cycles. He created and hosted “Interaktiv”, a nightly current affairs show, interviewing and holding accountable Prime Ministers, Presidents and MPs. He was re-elected this summer for a second three-year term as Chairperson of the Association of Journalists of Kosovo, a body of some 700 members of all ethnic communities in Kosovo. AJK promotes media freedoms and freedom of expression in Kosovo, and works on safety of journalists, gender sensitive reporting, and programs including combating disinformation. AJK works with international partners including the US Embassy and the National Democratic Institute in Kosovo. Mr. Rexha is in US on a two-month fellowship with the World Press Institute, with 9 other journalists from across the globe. He joins us now from the twin cities of St. Paul/Minneapolis Minnesota, to talk about the current state of media and journalists’ work in Kosovo.

On The Issues Episode 117: Xhemajl Rexha

Welcome to another episode of “On the Issues with Alon Ben-Meir.” Today’s guest is Edita Tahiri, former Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Chief Negotiator of Kosovo. She is a key founder and leader of the movement for Kosovo’s independence, and as Chief Negotiator of Kosovo, she is the signatory of the first-ever agreement reached between Kosovo and Serbia, after 20 years of peace talks.

In this episode, we discuss the recent election in Kosovo, what the possibilities are for forming a new government, the current status of talks between Kosovo and Serbia, and what effect the new US administration may have on the peace process. 

Full Bio
Edita Tahiri is former Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Dialogue, Minister of Public Administration, Peace Negotiator and Member of Parliament for five terms. She is a key founder and leader of the movement for independence of Kosovo. She is the President of reformist party Democratic Alternative of Kosovo (ADK).

She was one of the founders and key leaders of the movement for Kosovo’s independence, the Democratic League of Kosovo, in the years 1991-1999. She is known as one of key protagonists of political changes in Kosovo and the Balkans since the end of the Cold War.

She is a distinguished peace negotiator and chief negotiator in times of war and peace for Kosovo and the Balkan region with about 30 years’ experience. She is recognized as the only woman peace negotiator in the Balkans participating in the international peace processes such as the Rambouillet International Peace Conference on Kosovo (1999), Pre-Rambouillet Peace Negotiation (1998), London Conference on Disintegration of Former Yugoslavia (1992)  and the EU facilitated Dialogue on normalization of neighborly relations between Kosovo and Serbia (2011-2017). As the Chief Negotiator of Kosovo in the EU mediated peace talks with Serbia, she is the signatory of the first ever-reached agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, after 20 years of peace talks.  

Dedicated to empowerment of women and WPS agenda, she serves as the Chair of the Regional Women’s Lobby in South East Europe for over 12 years. She was participant at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995. She is a member of the Women Waging Peace Network and the Mediterranean Network of Women Mediators.

She graduated from Harvard University and holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government. She holds a doctoral degree in political sciences from Prishtina University in cooperation with Johns Hopkins University –SAIS, in 2011.

On the Issues Episode 119: Edita Tahiri

Today’s guest is Anne Speckhard, Director of the International Center for the Study of Violent Extremism. She previously served for over two decades as Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Georgetown University School of Medicine. She has interviewed over 800 terrorists, their family members and supporters in various parts of the world including in Western Europe, the Balkans, Central Asia, the Former Soviet Union and the Middle East, and has also been training key stakeholders in law enforcement, intelligence, educators, and other countering violent extremism professionals on the use of counter-narrative messaging materials both locally and internationally.

In this episode, Alon and Anne discuss the rise in violent extremism and the causes behind it, the prospects of political violence in the US, the role of social media in promoting violent extremism and terrorism, and how violent extremist movements in the Middle East may evolve in relation to current events. 

Full bio
Anne Speckhard, Ph.D., is Director of the International Center for the Study of Violent Extremism (ICSVE) and served for over two decades as Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Georgetown University School of Medicine and also served as an Affiliate in the Center for Security Studies, Georgetown University. 

She has interviewed over 800 terrorists, violent extremists, their family members and supporters around the world, including in Western Europe, the Balkans, Central Asia, the Former Soviet Union and the Middle East. Over the past five years, she has conducted in-depth psychological interviews with 275 ISIS defectors, returnees and prisoners, as well as 16 al Shabaab cadres (as well as their family members and leaders,) studying their trajectories into and out of terrorism, and their experiences inside ISIS and al Shabaab. 

Speckhard developed the ICSVE Breaking the ISIS Brand Counter Narrative Project from these interviews, which includes over 250 short counter narrative videos that mimic ISIS recruitment videos but contain actual terrorists strongly denouncing ISIS as un-Islamic, corrupt and brutal. These videos have been utilized in over 200 Facebook and Instagram campaigns globally. Beginning in 2020, she launched the ICSVE Escape Hate Counter Narrative Project, interviewing 54 white supremacists and members of hate groups, developing counternarratives from their interviews, and creating anti-recruitment videos. She has also conducted rare interviews with five Antifa activists. 

Dr. Speckhard is also an expert in rehabilitation and repatriation of terrorists and their families. In 2007, she designed the psychological and Islamic aspects of the Detainee Rehabilitation Program in Iraq to be applied to 20,000+ detainees and 800 juveniles. This work led to consulting with foreign governments on issues of terrorist prevention, interventions and repatriation; and the rehabilitation and reintegration of ISIS foreign fighters, wives and children. She has worked individually with former terrorists from Belgium, Australia, Sweden and elsewhere.  She has also worked on these issues with NATO, OSCE, UN Women, UNCTED, UNODC, the EU Commission and EU Parliament, and to the US Senate & House, Departments of State, Defense, Justice, Homeland Security, Health & Human Services, and the FBI.

Dr. Speckhard actively trains key stakeholders in law enforcement, intelligence, elite hostage negotiation teams, educators, and other professionals in countering violent extremism, locally and internationally. Her focus is on the psychology of terrorism, the effective use of counter-narrative messaging materials produced by ICSVE, as well as studying the use of children as violent actors by groups such as ISIS. Her consultations and trainings include U.S., Australian, Canadian, German, British, Dutch, Austrian, Swiss, Belgian, Danish, Iraqi, Syrian, Jordanian and Thai national police and security officials, among others.

On the Issues Episode 120: Anne Speckhard

Today’s guest is Milica Javdan, a political scientist and activist in the Iranian opposition’s women’s movement. In this episode, Alon and Milica discuss what work the Iranian opposition is undertaking, both inside and outside Iran, the impact of Israeli and US attacks on Iran and how that impacts the relationship of the Iranian people with the regime, and the prospect of regime change in Iran.

Full bio
Milica Javdan is a political scientist focusing on political theory regarding Shia Islam’s understanding of just governance. She has been active in the Iranian opposition’s women’s movement for over 22 years, and serves as the Chairwoman of the Norwegian Iranian Women’s Network, Norway’s branch of Women’s Human Rights International Association (WHRIA), a global umbrella organization. In this capacity, she has participated in the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva for more than 12 years, promoting the rights of women and ethnic and religious minorities in Iran.
She frequently appears in Norwegian media and political podcasts as an analyst commenting on issues concerning human rights in Iran.



On the Issues Episode 121: Milica Javdan

I am happy to welcome back to the podcast Moshe Ma’oz, Professor Emeritus of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and a previous Director of the university’s Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace. In this episode, we discuss Netanyahu’s latest decision to escalate Israel’s offensive and fully conquer all of Gaza, the current mood in Israel over the war and toward the Palestinians in general, and what role the international community, especially the United States, can play in resolving the conflict and working toward a two-state solution.

Bio
Moshe Ma’oz is Professor Emeritus of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and a previous Director of the university’s Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace. Professor Ma’oz is renowned for his expertise in Arab and Middle East affairs, and has published extensively on Islam and on the history and politics of the Middle East. He is a leading expert on Syria. Professor Ma’oz has been a visiting professor, scholar, and fellow at many leading universities and institutions around the world. He has served as an advisor on Arab Affairs for Israel’s Knesset, and was a member of official advisory committees that counseled the late Prime Ministers Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin.


On the Issues Episode 123: Moshe Ma'oz

Today’s guest is Mark D. Friedman, an independent scholar working in the field of political theory and ethics. His latest book, Come Now, Let us Reason Together: Uncovering the Torah’s Liberal Values, discusses what he describes as the fundamental misconception about Judaism, that because the ultra-Orthodox follow ancient traditions and strictly adhere to halakhah, that the rigid practices that characterize their communities represent authentic Judaism. In this episode, Mark and Alon dive into this discussion on understanding Judaism, and discuss how this relates to current events and policies in Israel, and perceptions of Judaism in the here and now.

Full bio
After retiring from the successful practice of corporate law, Mark D. Friedman returned to his first love, the study of philosophy. He is currently an independent scholar working in the field of political theory and ethics. He has written three books: Nozick’s Libertarian Project: An Elaboration and Defense (2011), Libertarian Philosophy in the Real World: The Politics of Natural Rights (2014), and his most recent book, Come Now, Let us Reason Together: Uncovering the Torah’s Liberal Values (2024).

Friedman received a J.D. from Georgetown Law School, USA, with honors, and holds an MBA from Columbia University, USA. He lives in a small town outside of Seattle, with his family of four, and is very active in his local synagogue. His interests include attending his children’s activities and family travel.

On the Issues Episode 125: Mark D. Friedman

The ceasefire agreement and the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners is only the first step on the long and treacherous road that could end the calamitous, decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In my recent article, “A Rare Alignment: The World Stands Ready, Are the Palestinians?” I tackled what the Palestinians must do to realize their national aspirations. In this article, I address what the Israelis must do not only to end their conflict with the Palestinians, but also to salvage Israel’s moral standing, which lies in ruin in Gaza.

Read more at: https://alonben-meir.com/writing/the-inescapable-reality-the-israelis-must-face/

The Inescapable Reality the Israelis Must Face

Welcome to another episode of “On the Issues with Alon Ben-Meir.” Today’s guest is Carlein Boers, a political scientist focusing on the national political process in Israel as well as proposals toward a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine. She also served seventeen years as a civilian officer in the field of military international cooperation and special air operations. In this episode, Alon and Carlein discuss the seemingly thorniest issue discussed in negotiations over a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine – the status of Jerusalem. They discuss previous negotiations involving Jerusalem, as well as propose novel ideas for its status and relation to future Israeli and Palestinian states. 

Full bio
Ms. Carlein Boers is a political scientist and an alumnus from the Diplomatic Studies Program at Clingendael Institute. In 2018, she participated in the U.S. State Department 'International Visitor Leadership Program', focusing on rebuilding Iraq and Syria post-Da'esh/ISIS. Her academic specializations are in the fields of the national political processes in both Jordan and Israel as well as the various proposals towards a Two-State Solution for Israel and Palestine. Carlein served seventeen years as a civilian officer in the field of military international cooperation and special (air) operations. She speaks several languages to various degrees, including Levantine Arabic and Hebrew.


On the Issues Episode 126: Carlein Boers

There is a growing consensus among many notable political scientists and historians that America is at a perilous crossroads; Trump has chosen the road that leads to disastrous authoritarianism. The question is what it would take to stop Trump from destroying our democracy and replacing it with a dictatorship

Read more at: https://alonben-meir.com/writing/from-a-beacon-of-democracy-to-authoritarian-rule/

From a Beacon of Democracy to Authoritarian Rule

The Sudanese civil war is one of the greatest tragedies we are witnessing today. The international community is disgraceful for sitting on its hands, watching with indifference this ongoing humanitarian catastrophe

Read more at: https://alonben-meir.com/writing/sudans-civil-war-ravages-the-core-of-our-humanity

Sudan's Civil War Ravages the Core of our Humanity

Today’s guest is Michael Bedenbaugh, a political analyst and author, whose latest book, Reviving Our Republic: 95 Theses for the Future of America, argues the need for political renewal in the United States and presents recommendations for such reforms in a historical context. Mike’s diverse background includes five years of service in the US Navy, as well as previously serving as president and executive director of Preservation South Carolina, working to protect and preserve the state’s historic places.

In this episode, Alon and Mike discuss the ceding of congressional power to the president over the years, and how that power shift looks under Trump, the crisis of leadership in the United States, and the possibility of going, as Mike describes, back to the country’s foundational goal of neutrality.


Full bio
American author and political thinker Mike Bedenbaugh is a respected voice in constitutional principles and American governance, historic preservation, and community development. Born with a reverence for history, he served as the former president and executive director of Preservation South Carolina, where he led numerous initiatives that demonstrated the economic and cultural value of historic preservation.

Mike’s diverse background includes five years of service in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS South Carolina, studies in international studies and history at the University of South Carolina and Columbia University, and leadership roles in both nonprofit and for-profit sectors. He was CEO of Post No Bills, Inc., a product marketing firm that collaborated with corporate powerhouses like Phillip Morris USA, RCA Records, DreamWorks, Universal Pictures, and MGM. He has also served on his hometown’s city council while his efforts in community revitalization and historic preservation earned him the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest civilian honor. As a member of Preservation Action in Washington, D.C., he continues to advocate for policies that strengthen local communities and honor America’s heritage.

A native of Prosperity, South Carolina, Michael remains deeply involved in his home state’s development while contributing to national discussions on governance and civic engagement. His work exemplifies the principle that understanding the past is crucial to shaping a better future. His book, Reviving Our Republic: 95 Theses for the Future of America, is an outcome of his lifelong passion for his community, state, and nation, and was inspired by America’s founding fathers and the principles that birthed a nation. Mike firmly believes the American South has had a profound impact on shaping the political culture of the USA, asserting that one cannot truly understand America without understanding South Carolina. His perspective as a descendant of twelve generations of white Southern landowners provides a grassroots understanding of the unique traditions that define Southern culture. He aims to share the real lived experience of the South, reflecting the complexity and richness of Southern history and its impact on the broader American story.

Driven by a mission to revitalize America’s founding ideals, Mike hosts the podcast Reviving Our Republic with Mike Bedenbaugh, where he explores the intersection of history, politics, and community development. His unique approach combines grassroots activism with a deep understanding of constitutional intent, offering fresh insights into modern political challenges within the United States.

On the Issues Episode 127: Michael Bedenbaugh

Human rights violations are a global scourge that have engulfed scores of countries on every continent. It appears as though violating human rights is a game in which governments of all national stripes take pleasure and even try to outdo each other in their horrifically gross violations. Tragically, Afghanistan stands out as the one country that egregiously violates women’s rights beyond the pale of anyone’s capacity to grasp.

Continue reading at: https://alonben-meir.com/writing/the-taliban-are-erasing-women-from-public-life

Righting the Wrong

The Taliban are Erasing Women from Public Life

The global assault on journalists is a deadly threat linked to authoritarian regimes, which commonly choke off free expression, and even some “democratic” governments that deliberately seek to hide their nefarious activities

Read more at: https://alonben-meir.com/writing/global-hunt-of-journalists-is-feeding-totalitarianism

Above the Fray

Global Hunt of Journalists is Feeding Totalitarianism

Today’s guest is Ziad AbuZayyad, co-founder and editor of Palestine-Israel Journal, a former Palestinian Authority minister, former Chair of Law and Constitution in the Palestinian Parliament, and a negotiator in the post-Oslo Accords Cairo negotiations which led to the creation of the Palestinian Authority.

In this episode, Alon and Ziad discuss the war on Gaza and its devastating impacts, the current situation in the West Bank and the interconnectedness of the two scenarios in the West Bank and Gaza, and the various prospects of moving forward toward a solution that respects Palestinian and Israeli sovereignties, and how to address those challenges. 


Full Bio
ZIAD ABUZAYYAD is the Co-Founder and Editor of Palestine Israel Journal (www.pij.org). He is a former PA minister (1998 – 2002), former legislator and Chair of Law and Constitution in the Palestinian Parliament (1996 – 2006). AbuZayyad was the Head of the Palestinian Delegation to the multilateral talks on Arms Control and Regional Security (ACRS), and a negotiator in post Oslo Accords Cairo negotiations which led to the creation of the Palestinian Authority.

AbuZayyad was the first representative of the Palestinian Parliament to the Council of Europe, participated in numerous conferences on the Middle East, and is frequently interviewed by local and international media on the political situation. He is a weekly columnist of al-Quds Arabic Daily. He is a lawyer graduate of Damascus University, and Member of the Palestinian Bar Association.



On the Issues Episode 128: Ziad AbuZayyad

Trump has chosen the path of disastrous authoritarianism. What would it take to stop him from destroying our democracy and replacing it with a dictatorship?

Read more at: https://alonben-meir.com/writing/trump-must-be-stopped-from-destroying-our-democracy

Trump Must Be Stopped From Destroying Our Democracy

Trump’s reckless and arbitrary use of his presidential power to pardon anyone he chooses, irrespective of their crime and conviction, erodes trust and weakens the rule of law in the US and undermines its credibility and commitment to international law and human rights around the world

Continue reading at: https://alonben-meir.com/writing/trumps-disgraceful-and-destructive-use-of-the-presidential-pardon

Trump's Disgraceful and Destructive Use of the Presidential Pardon

The Democrats can potentially wrest control of Congress in the upcoming midterm election only if they listen very carefully to what the American people are yearning for. The public cares less about left, right, or centrist slogans; they need a government that provides the means and the opportunities to meet their basic needs and live with dignity

Read more at: https://alonben-meir.com/writing/the-democrats-greatest-challenge-ever

The Democrats' Greatest Challenge Ever

Today’s guest is David L. Phillips, Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, and previously Director of the Program on Peace-building and Rights at Columbia University’s Institute for the Study of Human Rights.

In this episode, Alon and David have an in-depth discussion on Syria, including Trump’s removal of sanctions on the country, issues of governance in Syria, especially considering the country’s numerous ethnic and religious minorities, and what can be expected of Ahmed al-Sharaa as an interim leader of Syria.


Full bio
David L. Phillips is an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. He was previously Director of the Program on Peace-building and Rights at Columbia University’s Institute for the Study of Human Rights. Phillips has served as Foreign Affairs Expert and as Senior Adviser to the U.S. Department of State and as Senior Adviser to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Phillips has worked at academic institutions as Executive Director of Columbia University’s International Conflict Resolution Program, Director of American University’s Program on Conflict Prevention and Peace-building, Fellow at Harvard University’s Future of Diplomacy Project Fellow, Visiting Scholar at Harvard University’s Center for Middle East Studies, and Professor of Preventive Diplomacy at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna. He was Deputy Director of the Center for Preventive Action at the Council on Foreign Relations, Senior Fellow at the Preventive Diplomacy Program of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, and Project Director at the International Peace Research Institute of Oslo. Phillips has also been a foundation executive, serving as President of the Congressional Human Rights Foundation and Executive Director of the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity. Phillips has been an analyst and commentator for NBC News. He has written 10 books on public affairs and hundreds of articles in leading publications such as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, International Herald Tribune, and Foreign Affairs.


On the Issues Episode 129: David L. Phillips

I recently sat down for a discussion with Florian Qehaja, Executive Director of the Kosovar Centre for Security Studies, to discuss countering radicalism and violent extremism across the world.

On the Issues Episode 1: Florian Qehaja

My guest today is David Rabinowitz, Director of the Mental Health Clinic at Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, Israel. He has worked as a psychiatrist in charge of psychiatric outpatient services in both South Africa and Israel, and has invested in the development and teaching of professional skills and approaches in community mental health care.

My discussion with him today focuses on the psychological dimension of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

A full transcript can be found here:

On the Issues Episode 16 (Part 2): David Rabinowitz

My guest for this episode is Ambassador Teuta Sahatqija.

Ambassador Sahatqija ​is Consul General at the Consulate General of the Republic of Kosovo in New York​.​​​

She is a well-known political activist and a Member of Kosovo’s Parliament. She is also the President of the Cross Party Women Parliamentary Caucus and Vice President of the Parliamentary Committee on Economic Development.  She was an advisor to the former President Fatmir Sejdiu​​, chairwoman of the Reformist Party ORA, and a member of the Parliamentary Committees for International Affairs and Development. She was also a Founding Member of KUSA – Kosovo US Alumni. 

Mrs. Sahatqija is also an electrical engineer, and she has worked as a manager of a computer center in a food production company​, ​as well as​ being​ the owner and director of a private telecommunication company in Gjakova​.​

A full transcript of the episode can be found here: http://alonben-meir.com/audio/issues-episode-21-ambassador-teuta-sahatqija/

On the Issues Episode 21: Ambassador Teuta Sahatqija

The Deal or the Debacle of the Century?

Last week I conducted a panel discussion about Turkey under the leadership of Erdogan. The day before the event, we were alerted that several of Erdogan’s stooges will await us to disrupt the event, and we feared that violence may erupt. Earlier in the morning, NYU received a letter from one of the Turkish dictator’s hawkish activists, warning that NYU should not hold such an event. We ended up hiring security guards to ensure our safety, right here in New York, from Turkish thugs operating at the behest of a despot who is leading his blind followers like sheep.

To read more, visit: http://alonben-meir.com/writing/erdogans-hooligans-came-knocking-on-nyus-doors/

Erdogan's Hooligans Came Knocking on NYU's Doors

The election of a record number of women to Congress is significant in that Congresswomen are more likely to focus on socio-economic and gender-based issues that have largely been either ignored or resisted by a predominantly male Congress. The fact that nearly 25% of the House and Senate are now women means their voices can no longer be ignored, as they will have the power to block any legislation that will be inconsistent with their set of beliefs and priorities, within their own party. As such, women legislators can be extraordinarily effective because they were elected largely on the premise they would be focused on socio-economic issues of great concern to their constituents.

To read more, visit: http://alonben-meir.com/writing/its-time-for-congresswomen-to-take-the-lead/

It's Time for Congresswomen to Take the Lead

I am honored to have a special guest for today’s episode, Pierre Vimont. During his thirty-eight-year diplomatic career with the French foreign service, he served as the first executive secretary-general of the European External Action Service, ambassador to the United States, and ambassador to the European Union. Mr. Vimont was appointed as the chief of staff to three former French foreign ministers. He holds the title, Ambassador of France, a dignity bestowed for life to only a few French career diplomats. More recently he served as the Special Envoy for the French initiative for a Middle East Peace Conference, and is a senior fellow at Carnegie Europe.

In this extra-long episode, we discuss a variety of issues concerning the United States and the European Union, the possibility of a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the ending of the civil war in Syria, the war in Yemen, and the withdrawal of the US from the Iran deal and its implications.

On the Issues Episode 51: Pierre Vimont

The six Western Balkan countries —Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Albania, are “state captured” by corrupt politicians, linked with organized crime. These facts have been documented by various international reports, which are raising major concerns among EU officials on the enlargement process.

To read more, visit: http://alonben-meir.com/writing/corruption-in-the-balkans-is-impeding-eu-membership/

Corruption In The Balkans Is Impeding EU Membership

Today's guest is Sıtkı Özcan, a Turkish journalist based in the United States, where he writes for Kronos Haber. He is the former US Bureau Chief of Zaman Amerika, which was unable to remain open after the seizure of its sister publication Zaman in Turkey. 

In this episode, we discuss the bilateral relations between the United States and Turkey, Turkey’s relations with its regional neighbors, and Turkish President Erdogan – his politics, his standing in Turkey, and his relations with other foreign leaders.

On The Issues Episode 68: Sitki Özcan

Today’s guest is Sean Yom, Associate Professor of Political Science at Temple University and Senior Fellow in the Middle East Program at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. He is a specialist on regimes and governance in the Middle East, especially in Arab monarchies like Jordan, Kuwait, and Morocco. In this episode, they discuss the advantages and disadvantages of monarchies versus liberal democracies, American foreign policy in the Middle East, and the United States’ relationship with Israel.

Sean Yom is Associate Professor of Political Science at Temple University and Senior Fellow in the Middle East Program at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. He is a specialist on regimes and governance in the Middle East, especially in Arab monarchies like Jordan, Kuwait, and Morocco. His research engages topics of authoritarian politics, democratic reforms, institutional stability, and economic development in these countries, as well as their implications for US foreign policy. His publications include the books From Resilience to Revolution: How Foreign Interventions Destabilize the Middle East (Columbia University Press, 2016), as well as Government and Politics of the Middle East and North Africa, 9th edition (Routledge, 2020); articles in print journals like Comparative Political Studies, European Journal of International Relations, Studies in Comparative International Development, and Journal of Democracy; and contributions in online venues like Foreign Affairs, Middle East Eye, and the Washington Post’s Monkey Cage. He also advises country-level work with international NGOs, law firms, and sovereign clients. Education: A.B., Brown University (2003); PhD., Harvard University (2009).

On The Issues Episode 69: Sean Yom

This week's guest is Dr. Ahmet S. Yayla, Assistant Professor and Director of the Center for Homeland Security at DeSales University, where he teaches courses in cybercrime, homeland security, and terrorism and counterterrorism. He formerly served as a full professor and the chair of the Department of Sociology at Harran University in Turkey. He is a 20-year veteran of the counterterrorism and operations department in the Turkish National Police and served as the chief of counterterrorism in Sanliurfa, Turkey between 2010 and 2013. He has an MS in criminal justice and a Ph.D. in information science and criminal justice from the University of North Texas. Dr. Yayla's unique position in counterterrorism rests upon his demonstrated mastery of policy, field operations and academic theory. He is an experienced practitioner in law enforcement and has advised senior government officials around the world during his career in counterterrorism and academia. Dr. Yayla has published both scholarly works and written or co-written numerous articles on mainstream news platforms related to counterterrorism and homeland security.

In this episode, we discuss corruption under Erdogan, Turkey’s role in Syria and the broader region, and Turkey’s prospects for the future.

On The Issues Episode 70: Ahmet S. Yayla

Today's guest is Visar Duriqi, an investigative journalist from Kosovo. He has been working as a journalist since January of 2009.

As part of Kosovo Center for Investigative Journalism, which is a project of Çohu!, an anticorruption NGO, he investigated public procurement, corruption going on in the energy sector, relations between donors to political campaigns and the public budget as well as reporting about the radicalization of Islam at a time when other media were not reporting on this topic.

At BIRN and Pristina Insight, he published articles related to the economy and health system as well as organized crime and corruption, which involves groups and individuals related to politics. He also wrote articles related to religion, not necessary about radicalization but also covering some issues inside the Islamic community of Kosovo, such as the elections and the manipulation of this institution by a handful of people surrounding the Mufti of Kosovo, Mr. Naim Tërnava. 

From March of 2015 to February of 2016, he was a guest of the Hamburg Foundation for Politically Persecuted People in Germany. During this time he also got a degree from the University of Amsterdam (UvA) in Security Governance and Conflict Resolution.

Since 2018 he has hosted a show called InDoks. In this show, he has investigated mostly organized crime and groups who on trial, but also has uncovered cases way before the justice system began any investigation against them, such as the case of Ismet Osmani (known as Curri, the guy with a half ear). Almost a year after InDoks broadcast a documentary about him, he was arrested for usury and InDoks produced another more detailed documentary about “Curri”, named “The Albanian Mob”. 

Many of the shows broadcast by InDoks contain also information to expose corruption within the Kosovo Police and its relation to corruption and organized crime, as well as the involvement of some police officers in morbid crimes such as raping children, killing, and abuse of power. 

The almost 100 shows broadcast by InDoks include documentaries about war crimes, misuses of trust by religious people through practicing exorcism, as well as investigating cases of people who were put in prison without evidence, or in some cases where evidence shows that they are completely innocent.

InDoks has aired profiles of politicians, including a profile of Albin Kurti, the current Prime Minister of Kosovo, to show how much he has changed from an Idealist to a Machiavellist.

Lately, InDoks has focused on covering the pandemic situation in Kosovo caused by COVID19, where some of the shows have brought to the public’s attention the public budget being misused to make people rich in the name of buying medical supplies.

In this episode, we discuss religious radicalization and those Kosovars who have joined ISIS, Turkey’s ever-growing influence in Kosovo, and Kosovo-Serbia relations and the EU role in that regard.

Alon Ben-Meir

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