BICOM's Podcast

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...

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 resp...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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 t...

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...

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 soluti...

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 Secr...

In this episode, Director Richard Pater interviews Dr Moran Zaga on the eve of the one year anniversary of the signing of the Araham Accords. Dr Zaga speaks about the impact the accords has had on the region during its first year, analyses how Israel and its new Gulf partners will look to expand ties in the year ahead, and examine how other regional countries can take advantage of the shifting str...

Professor Jonathan Rynhold, the Deputy Head of the department of Political Studies at Bar-Ilan University, speaks about the future of American leadership following its withdrawal from Afghanistan, specifically whether the "American Era" is over in global politics, and the Middle East in particular, or whether the basic coordinates of US leadership will remain in place. His opening remarks were par...

Research Associate Samuel Nurding speaks with Robert Wexler, President of the Washington-based S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace and former Democratic member of Congress from 1997 to 2010. Robert discusses the impact of the first meeting between Prime Minister Bennett and President Biden, as well as the shifting sands of support for Israel within the US Democratic Party and why Michae...

Ronie Gazit speaks to retired Brigadier General Assaf Orion about the latest escalation with Lebanon, and the threats from Syria and Iran. Brig Gen Orion explains the background to Palestinian groups responsible for the recent rocket attack from Lebanon.  They discuss whether Hezbollah will further escalate the situation and growing frustration from the Druze community in southern Lebanon against...

Director Richard Pater talks with distinguished historian Professor Gil Troy about the latest developments in Israeli politics. They discuss the true meaning of Ben & Jerry's recent decision to boycott Israeli settlements, assess Foreign Minister Yair Lapid's new agenda to talk about antisemitism and look toward Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's upcoming trip to the US. 

In this episode, Research Associate Samuel Nurding and Director Richard Pater discuss the how the new Israeli government is holding up after five weeks in power. Richard also explains how the opposition is acting in new and unprecedented ways, the rivalry emerging between the United Arab List and the opposition-based Joint Arab List, and the potential government-ending obstacles that lay in wait....

Research Associate Samuel Nurding speaks to Henry Rome, the deputy head of research at the geopolitical risk consultancy firm, the Eurasia Group. Samuel and Henry discuss the state of play at the nuclear talks in Vienna, what Iran's foreign policy may be under President Raisi, and how a return to the JCPOA agreement could impact the balance in the region.

Richard Pater speaks to Elad Simchayoff,  the European correspondent for Israel’s Channel 12 News. Richard and Elad discuss how the Bennett-Lapid government has fared in its first couple weeks in power and what we may expect to see from opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu. Elad also discusses his experience being an Israeli journalist in London, the growing anti-Israel rhetoric he has seen over t...

In this episode, BICOM's Samuel Nurding speaks with Ambassador Daniel Kurtzer about the Biden administration's approach to the Middle East. Ambassador Kurtzer draws on his unique experience as the US Ambassador to Israel and Egypt to discuss the US role in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, the challenges of confronting Iran and reconstruction in Gaza, and Israel's relations with its neighbour...

Brig Gen (ret) Michael Herzog talks to Ronie Gazit about the Vienna talks and the implications for Israel, should the US return to the nuclear deal.  They discuss the most important elements Israel would like to see in a new deal and the significance of the Iranian threat when it comes to Israel’s relations with Arab countries. Gen Herzog also reflects on the latest escalation between Israel and H...

In this episode, BICOM's Director Richard Pater explains the makeup of the new government and its priorities, what we may expect to see in the coming weeks and months, as well as what options Benjamin Netanyahu now has as leader of the Opposition. He takes questions from an audience on a range of other issues regarding the political significance of the new government in Israel. 

In this episode, BICOM's research associate Samuel Nurding speaks to Director Richard Pater about the dramatic events on Wednesday night when Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid informed President Rivlin that he had succeeded in forming a coalition. Richard spoke about why negotiations went down to the wire, explains the structure of the Change Government and some of the key principles that the government...

Sam Nurding speaks with Ehud Yaari, the leading Middle East commentator for Israel's Channel 12 News. Yaari has appeared on Israeli TV since 1975, and is multi award winning expert analyst on regional affairs. They discuss where the latest escalation leaves Israel, Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, what the conflict means for Israel's relations with Arab countries and wider implications for the...

In this episode, BICOM's Research Associate Samuel Nurding speaks with MP Tom Tugendhat, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, about the UK's foreign policy concerning the current escalation on the Gaza border, where UK policy over Iran has gone wrong, and how important the UK-Israel relations is for securing British interests in the region.  

On 12 May, BICOM Director Richard Pater discussed the latest escalation on the Gaza border between Israel and Hamas. He explained how the fighting started, and provided insights into how the renewal rocket fire is impacting Israel's political and social domains.