BICOM's Podcast

Episode 169 | Recapping the Christmas break

Samuel Nurding speaks to BICOM Director Richard Pater about events that transpired over the Christmas period.  Most significantly, Defence Minister Benny Gantz hosting PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas in his home and the Palestinian view of right wing politician Ayelet Shaked. They also discuss Hamas’s latest provocation towards Israel, and an update from the Knesset. To catch up on events in Israel, be sure to listen to this episode.

Episode 168 | From Vienna to Tehran

In this episode, Samuel Nurding speaks with Dr Sanam Vakil. Sanam is the Deputy Director and Senior Research Fellow of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House, where she leads project work on Iran and the Gulf. They discuss the British and Iranian negotiation positions during the 7th round of talks in Vienna, what is driving deescalation in the region and what the regional response has been to the Abraham Accords. 

Episode 167 | Understanding Iran with a former IDF intelligence officer

In this episode, Samuel Nurding speaks to Major (res.) Danny Citrinowicz, who has over 20 years of experience in intelligence and analysis and was in charge of the Iran file in the IDF’s Military Intelligence unit as well as the IDF’s representative at the Israeli embassy in Washington. They discuss what the main stumbling blocks are between the US and Iran in returning to the JCPOA nuclear deal, whether Russia has the influence and ability to separate Syria from Iran, and assess the importance of Israel's recently military exercises with its Gulf allies in the region.

Episode 166 | Will Iran and the US return to the JCPOA nuclear deal?

Richard Pater speaks with Richard Goldberg, a senior advisor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Before joining FDD he served as the Director for Countering Iranian Weapons of Mass Destruction for the White House National Security Council under President Trump. He reflects on his time working for the Trump administration and its maximum pressure campaign against Iran and Trump’s decision to withdraw from the JCPOA nuclear deal. They review Iranian demands and discussed whether the international community has done enough to restrain Iran’s nuclear activity.

Episode 165 | What next for the government after passing the budget?

In this episode, Richard Pater talks with Walla's political correspondent Tal Shalev to discuss what next for the government since passing the 2021 and 2022 state budgets. They analyse the most important elements of the budget, the impact it will have for the government's long-term stability and the cost of living crisis in Israel. They also discuss the future for Netanyahu as his corruption trial enters the next phase and the government looks to pass new legislation preventing a member of the Knesset under indictment from forming a new government.

Episode 164 | Harnessing Israeli technology to tackle climate change

In the episode, Richard Pater talks to Blue and White MK Professor Alon Tal about how Israel and Israeli technology can play a significant role in helping the world address climate change. They discuss the history of environmental activism in Israel, Tal's journey into politics, cooperation with Palestinian and Jordanian organisations on a regional green agenda, and what role Israel can and should play in the global arena. 

Professor Tal is a leading Israeli environmental activist and academic. He is the founder of the Israel Union for Environmental Defense and the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies, and co-founder of Ecopeace: Friends of the Earth–Middle East, the Israel Forum for Demography, Environment and Society, and the Green Movement. In 2017 Prof. Tal was appointed chair of the department of Public Policy at Tel Aviv University.

Episode 163 | Combating gang crime and violence in the Arab sector

BICOM's Research Associate Samuel Nurding speaks to Dr Michael Milshtein, head of the Palestinian Studies Forum at the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies at Tel-Aviv University, about how the government intends to tackle the high rate of gang crime and violence in the Arab sector. Michael also talks about the emerging split within the Arab political movement on how best to tackle the issue, as well as the political impact of Mansour Abbas' decision to join the coalition. 

Episode 162 | The Conservative Party and Israel

In this episode, BICOM's Research Associate Samuel Nurding speaks with Lord Eric Pickles, the Parliamentary Chairman (Lords) of the Conservative Friends of Israel, about everything Israeli-related at the Tory party conference, as well as Sally Rooney's decision to join the cultural boycott of Israel, and the UK's position on designating Hamas' political wing, Iran and the JCPOA, and strengthening the Abraham Accords. 

Episode 161 | BICOM in Dubai

Richard Pater was in Dubai and sat down with Dr. Mohammed Baharoon, the Director General of the Dubai Public Policy Research Center. They discuss the progress of the Abraham Accords and the development of bilateral relations between Israel and the UAE. They also discuss the wider regional implications of the accords, whether other countries will join and how they can help foster a two state solution. Dr. Baharoon also shares his perspective on the Iranian role in the region.      

Episode 160 | The Labour Party and Israel

Ronie Gazit speaks to Luke Akehurst, the Director of We Believe in Israel, and an elected member of Labour’s National Executive Committee, about the 2021 Labour Party Conference. Luke discusses Keir Starmer’s leadership, foreign policy and his agenda for ridding the party of antisemitism. Luke also discusses the importance of other key members in the party’s leadership, such as Shadow Foreign Secretary Lisa Nandy and her position towards Israel and the two state solution.