Israel Undiplomatic

Israel's next government could depend on Arab parties that walked out during the national anthem and Gadi Eisenkot may be just one political deal away from replacing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.  In this episode, Mark Regev and Ruthie Blum examine the political turmoil following Israel's elections, as President Isaac Herzog tasks Eisenkot with forming a government despite his bloc falli...

The GOP has suffered a crushing defeat in the U.S. midterms, an outspoken Israel critic has won a Senate seat and Washington is preparing to end billions in annual military aid to Israel. Could this be the beginning of a dangerous new era in U.S.-Israel relations? Mark Regev and Ruthie Blum examine the political earthquake sweeping America, including Abdul El-Sayed's victory in Michigan and what h...

Arab parties have emerged as potential kingmakers in Israel's election and their unprecedented success could determine whether Benjamin Netanyahu remains prime minister. In this post-election episode of "Israel Undiplomatic", Mark Regev and Ruthie Blum examine the unexpectedly strong performance of Islamist and Arab nationalist parties and the coalition arithmetic that could decide Israel's next g...

President Trump has thrown his support behind Prime Minister Netanyahu just days before Israel's election, but a surprising political twist could determine who wins, and whether Israel and America confront Iran together. Mark Regev and Ruthie Blum examine whether Trump's dramatic endorsement will give Netanyahu the advantage he needs in an election that could come down to just a handful of Kn...

Japan faces growing threats from China, Russia and North Korea yet it remains reluctant to embrace one of the world's most battle-tested security partners: Israel. Ruthie Blum and Mark Regev explore the surprising history of Japan-Israel relations, from Tokyo’s rapid recognition of the Jewish state after World War II to decades of diplomatic distance driven by dependence on Arab oil. Broadcasting...

A terrorist pilot nearly turned a passenger jet into a weapon, but the security failures that put him in the cockpit may be the most disturbing part of the story.  In this episode of "Israel Undiplomatic", Mark Regev and Ruthie Blum unpack the extraordinary FlyDubai attack and the growing questions over how an allegedly radicalized pilot who had previously faced problems elsewhere was allowed...

Europe is turning up the pressure on Israel, but are Ireland and the Netherlands applying standards they wouldn’t use anywhere else? Mark Regev and Ruthie Blum expose the contradictions and growing tensions behind Europe’s increasingly hostile approach to the Jewish state. From Ireland’s protests against Israel in international sports to Dutch restrictions on Israeli products, the two examine how...

Prime Minister Netanyahu’s UN speech wasn’t just aimed at the diplomats sitting in the room...Mark Regev and Ruthie Blum argue some of its most important messages were meant for President Trump, Iran and Israelis watching back home. In this special episode of "Israel Undiplomatic", the hosts break down Netanyahu’s arguments about Judea and Samaria, Gaza and the history behind Israel’s territorial...

World leaders took aim at Israel from the UN stage, but Mark Regev and Ruthie Bloom say their arguments ignore the security reality Israel faces on the ground. In this episode of "Israel Undiplomatic", the hosts take on Emmanuel Macron’s claims about Judea and Samaria, including his assertion that Hamas was not operating there and examine what they see as a growing disconnect between European rhet...

An Israeli-made film accusing the IDF of war crimes just received a staggering 25-minute standing ovation in Europe, and the reaction inside Israel couldn’t be more different. Former Israeli ambassador to the UK Mark Regev and senior contributing editor at JNS Ruthie Blum take apart the controversy surrounding Naza, a film alleging that Israeli forces used AI to target Palestinians in Gaza while d...

Britain and Israel are suddenly facing what may be their worst diplomatic crisis yet, and Jerusalem has decided it’s done playing nice. After Britain accused Israel of unlawful occupation, announced an import ban and new sanctions, Israel fired back by closing the British Consulate in Jerusalem, restricting British involvement in Palestinian affairs and barring British figures from entering the co...

Is President Trump tightening the noose around Iran, or could the latest escalation ignite another major round of war? Ruthie Blum and Mark Regev unpack Trump’s renewed pressure on Tehran, from economic and military measures to his provocative call for the Iranian people to “rise up and fight.” They examine whether mounting economic distress could finally weaken the regime’s security forces, why I...

Israel and the United States may be allies, but when it comes to Syria and Turkey, a potentially dangerous divide is opening up. Mark Regev and Ruthie Blum unpack Washington’s decision to remove Syria from its state-sponsor-of-terrorism list despite its new president’s jihadist past before addressing the controversy surrounding U.S. envoy Tom Barrack’s comments on the Golan Heights. Then they turn...

Is Israel turning military victories into diplomatic defeats? In this episode of Israel Undiplomatic, Mark Regev and Ruthie Blum tackle one of the biggest strategic questions facing Israel today: Is the government snatching defeat from the jaws of victory? From the war in Gaza to the evolving situation in Lebanon, Iran's regional ambitions and the latest developments in Israeli politics, they exam...

Is President Trump’s strategy slowly breaking Iran’s regime, or giving Tehran time to recover? Ruthie Blum and Mark Regev examine the growing debate over Trump’s approach to Iran, including economic pressure, the blockade of Iranian ports, the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s nuclear ambitions, rising oil prices, and the possibility of renewed military action. Could a prolonged war of attrition weaken the...

Can Hamas really be trusted to disarm or is the latest peace plan setting Israel up for the same mistake all over again? This week on Israel Undiplomatic, Mark Regev and Ruthie Blum dissect President Trump's announcement of a landmark Hamas disarmament agreement and explain why Israeli officials remain deeply skeptical. They explore the conditions behind the proposed deal, the debate over Israel's...

Why was there no press conference after Prime Minister Netanyahu's White House meeting with President Trump, and what happened behind those closed doors? This week on Israel Undiplomatic, Mark Regev and Ruthie Blum unpack the growing speculation surrounding the Trump-Netanyahu meeting and why the real battle over Tehran's nuclear program may be entering a decisive new phase. They also examine the...

Can New York's mayor really arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or is something much bigger happening beneath the headlines? Mark Regev and Ruthie Blum unpack Zohran Mamdani's latest call for the federal government to arrest Israel's prime minister before explaining why the ICC controversy extends far beyond Israel, and then examine what this battle reveals about the future of U.S.-Israel rel...

President Trump's bold claims about Iran are colliding with a very different reality, and what happened at Ali Khamenei's funeral may reveal who's really winning the information war. Mark Regev and Ruthie Blum unpack why the regime's massive displays of mourning may be carefully orchestrated propaganda, what the absence of Iran's new supreme leader could mean, why foreign delegations at the funera...

Turkey could be Israel's next strategic headache, and the answer isn't as simple as you think. In this episode of "Israel Undiplomatic", hosts Ruthie Blum and Mark Regev—both former advisers in the Prime Minister’s Office—clash over whether Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is a dangerous pragmatist or one of Israel's greatest long-term threats. You'll learn why Israel is suddenly moving to recognize the Armen...

Mark Regev and Ruthie Blum break down the growing divide between Washington, Jerusalem and Tehran as nuclear negotiations take another dramatic turn. You'll learn why both hosts believe the stakes extend far beyond Iran's nuclear program, how President Trump's shifting messaging is fueling concern among many of his strongest supporters, and what it could all mean for Israel's security, Hezbollah,...

Has President Trump just stunned Israel with a dramatic Iran reversal? Ruthie Blum and Mark Regev—both former advisers in the Prime Minister’s Office—unpack the explosive details surrounding a secretive U.S.-Iran memorandum and what it could mean for the future of the Middle East. Viewers will learn how the debate over diplomacy versus military pressure is dividing Trump's own camp, why critics be...

Is President Trump blinking in the showdown with Iran? In this fiery debate, hosts Ruthie Blum and Mark Regev—both former advisers in the Prime Minister’s Office—clash over whether Trump’s latest moves are strategic patience or a dangerous retreat from the goal of defeating the Iranian regime. Viewers will learn the competing arguments behind military pressure, nuclear negotiations, regime change...

A phone call between President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu is making waves, but what does it reveal about the growing tension between Israel, Iran, Hezbollah and America's strategy in the Middle East? Hosts Ruthie Blum and Mark Regev—both former advisers in the Prime Minister’s Office—dissect explosive reports of the heated exchange, debate whether Israel is losing momentum against Hezbolla...

Are the mullahs buying time for something much bigger? Hosts Ruthie Blum and Mark Regev—both former advisers in the Prime Minister’s Office—break down the dangerous gamble unfolding between the U.S., Israel and Iran, exposing what viewers can learn about nuclear negotiations, military pressure, propaganda, oil politics and the hidden psychology behind “peace through strength.” You’ll hear why some...