BICOM's Podcast

Episode 117 | Beyond Normalisation: Regional Cooperation

Richard Pater speaks to Dr Yossi Draznin, Director General of Israel’s Ministry for Regional Cooperation, about normalisation between Israel and the UAE. Dr Draznin was a member of the Israeli delegation on the direct flight from Israel to Abu Dhabi in early September and shares his experience from the visit. Richard and Dr Draznin also discuss government projects and private sector collaboration between Israel and the UAE, implications for regional cooperation with neighbouring countries and more.

Episode 116 | The Israel-UAE Business Council

Richard Pater speaks to Fleur Hassan-Nahoum who serves as the Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem and is one of the founders of the Israel-UAE business council. They discuss the recent visit of the Israeli delegation to Abu Dhabi, the aim of the Israel-UAE business council, the relationship Jerusalem can have with the Gulf through East Jerusalem’s Arab community, various development, high-tech and education projects in East Jerusalem, the coronavirus crisis and more.

Special Edition | The significance of Israeli ties with the UAE

Following the historic announcement between Israel and the UAE, Richard Pater speaks to Koby Huberman, the co-founder of the Israeli Peace Initiative.  The initiative is aimed at connecting Israel with the key Arab states to create a new regional paradigm.  They discuss the development of Israeli-Emeriti relations in recent years, the importance of the agreement for both countries, how the full normalisation of relations may progress in the future.

Special Edition | Israel and the UAE: how did we get here?

Ronie Gazit speaks to Dr David Pollock of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy about the historic agreement between Israel and the UAE. Ronie and David discuss what factors led the two countries to agree to the full normalization of relations, whether other moderate Arab states will follow suit, what it means for the Palestinians and more.

Episode 115 | The budget crisis in Israel: where next?

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks to veteran political commentator Nahum Barnea, at Yedioth Ahronoth, on the budget crisis in Israel and why Netanyahu is demanding a one-year budget despite historically preferring two-year budgets. Barnea also shares his time as a journalist during the Sharon, Barak and Olmert era and why Bibi has a different approach to the media than his predecessors. 

Episode 114 | The Beirut Blast

Richard Pater speaks to Lt. Col. (Res.) Sarit Zehavi, CEO and founder of Alma, about the explosion that devastated Beirut, why Hezbollah has responsibility to bear, the fallout going forward, Iran’s ongoing entrenchment in Syria and more.

Episode 113 | What is Hezbollah doing?

Richard Pater speaks to Brig Gen (res.) Nitzan Nuriel, an associate at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT) at Interdisciplinary Center, Herzilya and a former director of the Counter-Terrorism Bureau in the Prime Minister’s Office. They discuss the latest escalation on Israel’s northern border, why Hezbollah attempted to infiltrate Israel, Iran’s regional agenda and more.  

Episode 112 | Labour, Europe and Israel: Where next?

In this new episode, Richard Pater and Dr Toby Greene, who is the Marie Skłodowska-Curie research fellow at Queen Mary University of London's School of Politics and International Relations and about to take up a new teaching position at Bar Ilan University in September 2020, speak about the debate surrounding the Peter Beinart essay, whether the EU has any future in Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking, and what Kier Starmer’s leadership means for the UK Labour Party's relations with Israel over the next few years.

Episode 111 | The economic cost of the coronavirus

In this podcast, Richard Pater and Prof. Avi Weiss, President of the Taub Center for Social Policy Studies in Israel, discuss how the Israeli economy is coping with the coronavirus. They also compare the 2011 social protests and the new protests emerging now in Israel, and look ahead to the key issues in the upcoming budget vote in August. 

Episode 110 | Natanz and the impending nuclear crisis

In this episode Richard Pater speaks with Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) expert Sima Shine about Iran. Sima gives her view on the significance of the recent explosion at the Natanz enrichment plant and on whether the US will be able to convince allies to extend the UN arms embargo on Iran. Sima Shine is currently the head of Iran programme at the INSS and previously served as Head of the Research & Evaluation Division of the Mossad.