BICOM's Podcast

Episode 26 | All politics is local

BICOM CEO James Sorene and BICOM Israel Director Richard Pater discuss the Israeli local elections and BICOM’s poll of UK attitudes to Israel and the Middle East.

 

Episode 25 | Bibi hits the campaign trail

BICOM CEO James Sorene interviews Tal Shalev from Walla News to assess Prime Minister Netanyahu’s week as he ponders early elections - Israeli media reported that the Attorney-General will decide whether or not to indict Netanyahu by March, Gaza continues to cause insecurity for the Israeli public and Jordan announced it will cancel a lease deal as part of the bilateral peace treaty. 

Episode 24 | The future of Israeli tech

James Sorene talks to David Rosenberg, Haaretz Business Editor about his new book: 'Israel's Technology Economy’. The discuss the origins of the Israeli tech boom and the factors that could slow the pace of the Israeli tech boom in the future. 

 

Why is the UK about to ban Hezbollah? | Episode 23

James Sorene talks to Dr Matthew Levitt, Fellow at the Washington Institute and head of their counter terrorism and intelligence programme. Matthew is a former US Treasury and FBI official and author of the 2013 book Hezbollah: The global footprint of Lebanon’s party of god.

The Gaza enigma – Hamas talks about a truce but intensifies border | Episode 22

James Sorene, Richard Pater and Calev Ben Dor discuss Hamas Leader Yahya Sinwar’s interview with Yediot Ahronot, the increase in attacks on the Israeli border, IDF reinforcements and the role of the Palestinian Authority limiting options in Gaza to punish Hamas.

Russia sells S-300 to Syria, is the IDF prepared for war? | Episode 21

James Sorene interviews Jerusalem Post defence correspondent Anna Ahronheim about the imminent arrival of the S-300 air defence system in Syria and how it will affect Israeli operations against Iranian forces. They also discussed the Israeli Defence Force Chief of Staff’s warning about the high chance of increased violence in the West Bank and the IDF ombudsman’s report on military preparedness. 

Syria shot down a Russian plane | Episode 20

James Sorene interviews Brig.-Gen. (Res.) Assaf Orion to ask why Syria shot down a Russian surveillance aircraft and what it means for Israeli-Russian relations and Israel’s ongoing fight against Iran in Syria. Assaf was head of Strategy in the Planning Directorate in the IDF General Staff (2010-2015) and is currently a senior research fellow at the Israeli Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv. 

The Palestinian refugee problem | Episode 19

BICOM Director of Reserach Calev Ben-Dor talks with Einat Wilf, a former Labor MK and writer. Einat discusses her new book, The War of Return (published in Hebrew) on the perpetuation of the Palestinian refugee issue, as well as why she believes the US's decision to end its funding to UNRWA, the UN agency responsbile for Palestinians refugees, is a positive step for a lasting peace. 

Election fever in Israel | Episode 18

James Sorene talks with Anshel Pfeffer, biographer of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Haaretz writer about Israeli domestic politics and the likelihood of early elections in 2019.

Episode 17 | Deal or no deal – Israel-Hamas ceasefire talks and the path to a wider agreement, a conversation with Gershon Baskin

James Sorene interviews Gershon Baskin the founder of IPCRI, the Israel Palestine Center for Research and Information, Jerusalem Post columnist and the man who negotiated the secret back channel with Hamas for the release of Gilad Shalit in 2011.