BICOM's Podcast

Episode 221 | Iranian Regional Aggression

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks to Behnam Ben Taleblu about Iranian regional aggression. They discuss the structure of Iran’s proxy network, the extent of Iranian knowledge of Hamas’s plans for October 7^th, and the effectiveness of the Biden Administration’s Iran policy. Ben Taleblu is a senior fellow at the Foundation for the Defence of Democracies where he focuses on Iranian security and political issues. A native Farsi speaker, he has testified before the US Congress and Canadian Parliament.

 

Episode 220 | Israel’s Commitment to International Law

In this recording of a live briefing, Richard Pater speaks with Colonel (res.) Adv. Pnina Sharvit Baruch. Pnina explains the context of the war and why it’s crucial that Israel defeats Hamas for there to be peace in the future. They discuss recent actions, including around the hospitals in Gaza and some of the moral dilemmas Israel faces.  Pnina served in the International Law Department of the Military Advocate General (MAG) Unit for twenty years, five of which (2003 - 2009), she was head of the Department. Following her retirement from the IDF she joined the INSS as a senior researcher and heads the programme on law and national security.

Episode 219 | Briefing with Efraim Halevy

In this recording of a live briefing, Richard Pater speaks with former director of the Mossad Efraim Halevy. Halevy presents his assessment of Israel’s operation in the Gaza Strip, the chances of Iran entering the conflict and the response within Israeli society. Halevy joined the Mossad in 1961 and advanced through its ranks. From 1990–1995, he served as an emissary and negotiator on behalf of Prime Minister Rabin and Israel’s ambassador to the EU. From 1998, Halevy served as head of the Mossad during the terms of Prime Ministers Netanyahu, Barak, and Sharon. In 2002 he became the head of the National Security Council.

Episode 218 | Israel’s War Aims

In this episode, Calev Ben-Dor talks to Gidi Grinstein about Israel’s war aims in Gaza. They discuss Israel’s current lack of a clear exit strategy, the prospects of the Palestinian Authority taking control in a post-Hamas Gaza Strip, and the role of Iran’s regional strategy in the October 7th attacks. Grinstein was part of Israel’s negotiating team at the Camp David talks under Prime Minister Barak. He is the founder of the Reut Group, a non-partisan not-for-profit research, strategy and leadership group, and of Tikkun Olam Makers, Reut’s social impact arm.

Episode 217 | Regional Attitudes to Israel and Hamas

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks to Koby Huberman about reaction in the Arab world to Hamas’s attack of October 7th. They explore the responses of Israel’s Abraham Accords partners, Egypt’s reluctance to open its borders, and Qatar’s destabilising regional role.  A leading figure in the promotion of regional peace programmes, Huberman is co-founder of the Israeli Peace Initiative, a non-partisan Impact Group working with partners across the Arab world.

Episode 216 | A US Perspective on Israel-Saudi Normalisation

In this episode Jack Omer-Jackaman speaks to Ambassador Daniel Kurtzer about US-Israel relations and the prospects for an Israel-Saudi normalisation deal. They explore the range of possibilities for the Palestinian component of any deal, and potential opposition in the Democratic Party to the defence alliance demanded by Riyadh. Ambassador Kurtzer is the S. Daniel Abraham Professor in Middle Eastern policy studies at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton. He previously served as US. ambassador to Egypt from 1997 to 2001 and to Israel from 2001 until 2005 when he retired after a 29-year career in the US Foreign Service. He was a crafter of the 1988 peace initiative of Secretary of State George P. Shultz and was instrumental in bringing about the Madrid Peace Conference in 1991.

Episode 215 | Israel-Saudi Normalisation? A View From The Gulf

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks to Dr Najat AlSaied, a Saudi academic based in the Emirates, who gives her perspective on the normalisation deal. She explores Saudi considerations – distinct from those of the Abraham Accord countries, views on normalisation amongst the Saudi public, the role and motivations of the Biden Administration, and the likely impact of a deal on the Israeli-Saudi security dynamic. Dr AlSaied is a writer and analyst specialising in political and societal development communication geared toward a modern and tolerant Middle East. She is a Professor at American University in the Emirates in the UAE and a columnist with Al Ittihad and Arab News.

Episode 214 | Judicial Reform - What Comes Next? (Part Two)

In the second part of this two-part episode, Jack Omer-Jackaman continues his discussion with renowned Israeli legal scholar Professor Yuval Shany. They address the legal factors in the exemption of ultra-Orthodox men from military conscription; the question of prime ministerial conflict of interest; and whether Israel has reached a “constitutional moment”. 

Professor Shany is the Chair in International Law at Hebrew University and its former Dean of Law. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Israeli Democracy Institute and a former Chair of the United Nations Human Rights Committee. His PhD in International Law is from SOAS.

Episode 213 | Judicial Reform - What Comes Next? (Part One)

In the first part of this two-part episode, Jack Omer-Jackaman speaks to renowned Israeli legal scholar Professor Yuval Shany. They discuss the Supreme Court’s upcoming deliberations on the legislation annulling reasonability; the significance of basic laws; the impact of reservists' protests on Israel’s military preparedness and the role of a citizen army in a democracy.

Professor Shany is the Chair in International Law at Hebrew University and its former Dean of Law. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Israeli Democracy Institute and a former Chair of the United Nations Human Rights Committee. His PhD in International Law is from SOAS.

Episode 212 | Israel’s energy strategy and regional co-operation

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks to Dr Elai Rettig about energy issues in Israel and the wider Middle East. Rettig explains how Israel’s reliance on energy sources influenced its foreign and defence policy and how the discovery of natural gas has changed that paradigm. They also explore the energy policy dilemmas of Israel’s allies, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Rettig is Assistant Professor at Bar Ilan University and the head of the energy division at the Begin Sadat Centre for Strategic Studies.