BICOM's Podcast

Episode 42 | Israeli elections special – What are the Israeli public thinking? An interview with polling expert Dahlia Scheindlin

This week, in the first of our Israeli election specials, BICOM CEO James Sorene interviews polling guru and star of the Tel Aviv Review podcast Dahlia Scheindlin to discuss what the Israeli public are thinking ahead of the elections and how we can interpret the latest opinion polls.

Episode 41 | The emerging threat of Hezbollah’s precision missiles

James Sorene talks with colleagues Calev Ben-Dor and Toby Greene on BICOM’s new paper, “Hezbollah's precision missile project”. They discuss how the project is increasing the threat to Israel’s infrastructure and population centres and the wider implications for Middle East security if the technology is shared with Houthi and Shia militias in Yemen, Iraq and Syria.

Episode 40 | Who won the Likud Primary and what did Gantz really say about Gaza withdrawal?

James Sorene talks to Gil Hoffman, the Jerusalem Post’s chief political correspondent, about who really won the Likud primaries and what kind of party is likely to emerge after April's elections. Gil also analysed the fallout from Benny Gantz’s first newspaper interview in which he said Israel should “learn the lessons from the disengagement from Gaza and implement them in other arenas.”

Episode 39 | Gantz speaks

From Tel Aviv, James Sorene talks to Richard Pater after attending Benny Gantz’s campaign launch. They discuss Gantz’s surge in the polls and what Benjamin Netanyahu will do next.

 

Episode 38 | Israel’s war with Iran enters a new phase

James Sorene is joined by Anshel Pfeffer to discuss the latest phase in the ongoing war between Israel and Iran in Syria. They also analyse the latest news in the Israeli election campaign. Anshel is the author of ‘Bibi: the turbulent life and times of Benjamin Netanyahu’ and a journalist for the Economist, Times and Haaretz. 

Episode 37 | The IDF has a new Chief of Staff

James Sorene talks to Calev Ben Dor and Richard Pater about Aviv Kochavi, the new IDF Chief of Staff and the challenges he will face in the job. They also discuss former IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz’s first words in the election campaign about the Nation State law.

Episode 36 | Does the US have a Middle East policy?

James Sorene discusses Mike Pompeo’s Cairo speech with Ilan Goldenberg, Senior Fellow and Director of the Middle East Security Program at the Center for New American Security (CNAS). President Trump wants US forces out of Syria but Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the US will work with its allies to remove every last Iranian boot from Syria. Can both actually happen and what do US allies in the region do now?

Episode 35 | Splits, mergers and indictments

BICOM CEO James Sorene talks to Anshel Pfeffer about the latest twists and turns in the Israeli election campaign and how Benjamin Netanyahu’s possible indictment on corruption charges will alter the election result and formation of a Government. Anshel is the author of ‘Bibi – the turbulent life and times of Benjamin Netanyahu’ and the Israel correspondent for the Economist and the Times and a regular contributor to Haaretz and the Jewish Chronicle.

Episode 34 | Israeli Elections

BICOM's Israel based staff Richard Pater and Calev Ben-Dor discuss the announcement of Israeli elections in April and the main issues to look out for, including Netanyahu’s popularity, the Attorney General's timetable over whether to indict the Prime Minister, and the possibility of the ‘centre left’ bloc uniting behind one candidate.

Episode 33 | The Middle East in 2019

James Sorene talks to Calev Ben Dor and Richard Pater about BICOM’s forecast for the Middle East in 2019, a look ahead at the key trends and major events for the new year including - Israeli elections, Iran’s mission to upgrade Hezbollah missiles with precision guidance systems, Mohammad Bin Salman’s tarnished reputation and whether the US will ever publish its long awaited plan for Israeli-Palestinian talks.