Six months ago, on the morning of October 7th, Israel and the Jewish world faced the most tragic and monstrous attack against Israelis and Jews since the Holocaust. In a special program, INSS researcher Adi Kantor sits down with Senior Researchers Prof. Chuck Freilich from the Israel–US Relations program, Prof. Kobi Michael from the Israeli–Palestinian Relations program, Dr. Yoel Guzansky from the Regional System—Peace Accords program, and Research Fellow Danny Citrinowicz from the Iran program to discuss their assessments in their fields of research regarding the current situation and its future implications. Is Israel about to face a total war? What plans are in place for “the day after” in Gaza, and can the war’s objectives still be achieved?

Six Months Into the War: INSS Experts in a Special Podcast

It has been 79 years since the darkest chapter in Jewish history, the Holocaust, in which 6 million Jewish men, women, and children perished in the largest and most monstrous genocide in human history. This year presents an even greater challenge in addressing Holocaust remembrance and the singularity of this tragedy, following the massacre of over 1,200 Israeli men, women, children, and elderly and the kidnapping of over 240 people on October 7, 2023, by Hamas terrorists and their accomplices. 

On the occasion of Holocaust Remembrance Day in Israel, INSS researcher Adi Kantor sits down with Israel’s Special Envoy for Combatting Antisemitism Michal Cotler-Wunsh. Together they discuss how to address the issue of Holocaust memory in the shadow of the October 7 massacre. Where do these two tragic and traumatic historical events in Jewish history meet, and where do they differ? Why is it so important to see and acknowledge the differences between the events and to be aware of dangerous comparisons? And how do Jews around the world feel at a time of such an alarming rise in antisemitism after the events of October 7?

How to Preserve Holocaust Memory in the Shadow of the October 7 Massacre?

On the occasion of Israel’s 76th Independence Day, INSS researcher Adi Kantor discusses with Maj. Gen. (res.) Tamir Hayman, executive director of INSS and former chief of the IDF Intelligence Directorate, about the significance of “Israeli independence” in the shadow of the October 7th massacre and the Israel–Gaza war. Together they analyze the current situation in Gaza, particularly in Rafah and Jabaliya, and discuss the importance of establishing an alternative civilian authority in Gaza to replace Hamas and hopefully bring about a solid hostage deal and a safe return of Israeli citizens who have been displaced from their homes in the Gaza border communities. Furthermore, they address Hezbollah’s current strategy in the north and the danger of Israel’s paralysis in response to this threat and the ways to end it. They also discuss the lack of a viable solution for the tens of thousands of displaced Israelis who are eager to return home. Finally, they focus on the crucial need for a regional alliance in order to effectively counter Iran and the threat of the Shiite axis.

Israel’s 76th Independence Day—What Is the Way Forward?

Since October 7 and during the eight months of the war in Gaza, Israel–US relations have known moments of true partnership, as well as moments of crisis. President Joe Biden is reportedly one of only two US presidents to have seriously considered a defense treaty with Israel. In a new memorandum titled “A US–Israeli Defense Treaty: The Time Has Come,” INSS senior researchers Prof. Chuck Freilich and Col. (res.) Eldad Shavit analyze the pros and cons of a bilateral defense treaty from both the Israeli and American perspectives and propose ways of addressing the concerns of both sides. In this program, INSS researcher Adi Kantor sits down with Prof. Chuck Freilich, co-author of the publication and a former deputy national security advisor in Israel. Together they discuss the feasibility of such an alliance between Israel and the United States under the current conditions. They ask: Why is it important and even crucial to consider a defense treaty with Israel precisely now, and what are the main advantages as well as disadvantages for both the United States and Israel when considering such a treaty?

For the full memorandum: https://www.inss.org.il/publication/defense-treaty/

A US–Israeli Defense Treaty—Why Is It Crucial for Israel?

Since October 8, 2023, Israel and Hezbollah have been engaged in an intense war of attrition, which seems to have accelerated in recent weeks and is accompanied by increasing expressions of threats by both sides. These threatening declarations make clear that in a case of an “all-out war,” the Israeli home front will indeed find itself facing a new, unprecedented challenge. In this program, INSS researcher Adi Kantor sits down with Dr. Carmit Valensi, a senior researcher at INSS and the head of the Northern Arena Program. Together they discuss how close is Israel to an “all-out war” in the north. What scenarios should be taken under consideration, and what are the implications of such a war to the Israeli home front? Is there still a chance of reaching a diplomatic solution, one that will bring back the security to tens of thousands of Israelis evacuated from the north and will finally enable them to return home? And what is the role of Syria in the ongoing escalation between Israel and Lebanon?

Escalation in the North: Is There Still a Way Out?

Mohammed Deif, the military chief of Hamas, was undoubtedly its most symbolic leader, even reaching the level of sainthood among his followers. On July 13, 2024, an attempt was made to assassinate him in the city of Khan Yunis, in a combined operation between the IDF and the Israel Security Agency. What are the consequences for an upcoming hostage deal between Israel and Hamas after this assassination attempt, if it was successful? How will the war in Gaza be affected? What impact does this event have on additional battle fronts with which Israel must cope? In this program, Adi Kantor an INSS researcher, sits down with Yohanan Tzoreff, a senior researcher at INSS and former head of the Palestinian-Arab Division in the Ministry of Intelligence and Strategy. Together they discuss the implications of the assassination attempt and analyze possible future scenarios for the “day after” in Gaza and the Israel–Hamas war.

After the Assassination Attempt of Mohammed Deif—Implications for Israel and Gaza

While Israel’s attention is focused on Iran’s proxies in the Middle East (the most recent example being Israel’s aerial attack on the Houthis in Yemen in response to the Tel Aviv drone attack), it seems that Tehran has been expanding its activities in Africa and increasing the threat to Israeli interests on the continent. In a new INSS insight titled “Iran in the Continent of Africa,” Danny Citrinowicz, a research fellow in the Iran Program at INSS, elaborates on the threats to Israel’s fundamental political, security, and economic interests in this region. In this program, Adi Kantor, an INSS researcher, sits down with Citrinowicz to discuss Iran’s fundamental interests in Africa. What is new in relation to Iranian activity in Africa in recent years? Why is Sudan a significant Iranian destination for the transfer of military equipment, and what does it indicate about Iranian intentions in the future? Is the election of a new president in Iran supposed to change Iranian policy? What should Israel do to prevent the growing Iranian influence in Africa?

Another Future Front for Israel? The Growing Iranian Influence in Africa

On Saturday, July 27th, Hezbollah fired a missile that killed 12 innocent Israeli children of the Druze community and injured more than 30 others while they were playing during the afternoon hours in a local soccer field in the town of Majdal Shams. While Israel mourns the massacre, the defense system is now working on a response.
Is there a scenario for a severe Israeli response that will still keep Israel below the threshold of a total war? What are the current scenarios vis-a-vis Hezbollah and the state of Lebanon? What is the US position regarding the scale and dimensions of the planned Israeli response, and what should Israel do in the event of further escalation after Hezbollah responds back?
In this program, researcher Adi Kantor sits down with INSS senior researchers Orna Mizrahi, former Deputy National Security Adviser for Foreign Policy, and Professor Chuck Freilich, who served for over 20 years in Israel’s national security establishment as a senior analyst and deputy national security adviser. Together, they discuss recent developments on the Israeli northern border and their implications on both internal and external fronts.

After the Massacre of Israeli Children by Hezbollah: Possible Scenarios for Israel

روابط تجاری چین‌ و ایران از ناترازی شدیدی رنج میبرند. اما این روابط بیشتر به نفع کدام یک از کشورهاست؟ و آیا رابطه تجاری با چین مشکلات اساسی ایران را حل م
پادکست موسسه امنیت ملی اسراییل توسط بن سبطی به تحلیل این مسئله‌ می پردازد.

روابط تجاری ایران و چین-امتیاز یا تهدید؟

Maj. Gen. (res.) Tamir Hayman, executive director of INSS, leads a special discussion with INSS experts Sima Shine, Dr. Carmit Valensi, and Orna Mizrahi on the Shiite axis.

The four discuss the implications of the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s secretary-general, which may signal a turning point in the war and a possible strategic shift in Israel’s security balance. They focus on the ramifications of this event for Hezbollah and the state of Lebanon, the identity of Nasrallah’s successor, and the broader regional impact, particularly on the two major strategic players—Iran and the United States.

Nasrallah’s Assassination: Special Discussion by INSS Experts

ברוכות וברוכים הבאים ל"משדרים ביטחון" - הפודקאסט של המכון למחקרי ביטחון לאומי . בכל שבוע תשב העיתונאית עמנואל אלבז-פלפס לשיחה אקטואלית עם חוקרי המכון על רבדים שונים של המתרחש בתחום הביטחוני ומחוצה לו, בישראל, במזרח התיכון ובכפר הגלובלי. בנוסף, מדי שבוע נשדר את "משדרים [אקסטרה] ביטחון" – רצועה נוספת למיטיבי לכת, במסגרתה ידונו חוקרות וחוקרי המכון על הנושאים החשובים בתחומי הביטחון הלאומי שאינם נמצאים במרכז השיח.

ברשימת האזנה זו תוכלו למצוא גם את כל הפרקים של "פודקאסטרטגי" – הפודקאסט הקודם של המכון למחקרי ביטחון לאומי.

New tracks tagged #INSS Podcast