East to West | Voices of the Middle East

In this powerful episode of East to West, host Sarah Martinez Amir speaks with Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, President of the Conference of European Rabbis, about the alarming surge in antisemitism following the October 7th Hamas attacks on Israel. Representing over 800 Jewish communities across Europe, Rabbi Goldschmidt reveals how antisemitism has become "politically correct again" and a...

In this powerful episode of East to West, host Sarah Martinez Amir speaks with historian Lord Andrew Roberts about The Roberts Report—the most comprehensive investigation to date into Hamas’ October 7 terror attack on Israel. Commissioned by the UK-Israel All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), the 318-page report meticulously documents the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, exposing the pr...

In this gripping episode of East to West, host Sarah Martinez Amir is joined by Oded Ailam, former head of the Counterterrorism Division in the Mossad and current researcher at the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs. Together, they dive into Israel's decision to resume military operations in Gaza despite the ongoing ceasefire with Hamas. The conversation explores the complex dyn...

In this fascinating episode of East to West , hosted by Sarah Martinez Amir, we’re joined by Moroccan artist, activist, and policy advisor Chama Mechtaly, who brings a powerful and deeply personal perspective on Middle Eastern identity, peace-building, and Muslim-Jewish reconciliation. Chama, who is half Muslim and half Jewish, grew up in Casablanca but now advocates for Jewish visibility, regiona...

In this fascinating episode of East to West, hosted by Sarah Martinez Amir, we’re joined by Mansur Ashkar, a native Israeli Druze. The Druze, an Arabic-speaking minority, are spread throughout the Levant across the borders of Israel, Lebanon and Syria. As an ethno-religion that split from Islam, their identity is often misunderstood. Mansur breaks down who the Druze are, their historical relations...

In this powerful and emotional episode of East to West, host Sarah Martinez Amir speaks with Moshe Lavi, the brother-in-law of Israeli hostage Omri Miran. Omri was taken captive by Hamas on October 7 from his home in Southern Israel, leaving behind his wife and two young daughters, who are struggling with the heartbreaking reality of his absence. Moshe shares the family's relentless fight to b...

In this episode of East to West, Dalia Ziada, award-winning Egyptian writer and Senior Fellow for Research and Diplomacy at the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, offers her sharp insights into Donald Trump's fiery statements on Gaza and their role in shaping international negotiations. Ziada explains how Trump's rhetoric is pushing Arab states to finally take action toward draftin...

In this emotional episode of East to West, we sit down with Daniel Lifshitz, the grandson of Oded Lifshitz, who is currently being held hostage in Gaza. Daniel opens up about the heart-wrenching ordeal his family is facing as they fight to bring Oded, an elderly man, back home. Oded was a well-known peace activist who encouraged education for Gazans and warned against the influence of Hamas. He wa...

In this episode of East to West, host Sarah Martinez Amir is joined in the studio in Jerusalem by Hazem Alghabra, a Syrian-born former senior advisor to the US State Department, on his first visit to Israel. Hazem opens up about his impressions of the country and how they challenge the misinformation he was exposed to during his time in Washington. Together, they discuss the transformative changes...

In this powerful episode of East to West, host Sarah Martinez Amir sits down with Dr. Irwin J. Mansdorf, a psychological warfare expert and senior fellow at the JCFA, to examine the disturbing psychological tactics used by Hamas during the war in Gaza. Dr. Mansdorf, who specializes in psychological operations and propaganda, delves into the group's manipulative strategies, including their use of p...

In this deeply emotional and powerful special episode of East to West, Peer Syed Mudassir Shah and Leah Goldin sit down for a powerful and deeply personal conversation about faith, morality, and the ongoing fight to bring home the remains of Lt. Hadar Goldin. Peer Syed Mudassir Shah, a respected Pakistani religious leader, explains the Islamic prohibition against holding the bodies of hostages and...

Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire hostage release deal ending the 15-month war in Gaza. In this episode of East to West, host Sarah Martinez Amir is joined by JCFA researcher Maurice Hirsch to discuss the heavy price Israel has agreed to pay to rescue the Israeli hostages held captive by Hamas. The high-stakes decision to release over 700 Palestinian prisoners, including notorious terror...

In this episode of East to West, Host Sarah Martinez Amir speaks with Dr. Habtom Mehari about the Houthi attacks on international commercial ships in the Bab El-Mandeb Strait. They discuss how the Iranian proxy attacks disrupt international trade, strain economies, and escalate security tensions for Red Sea and Horn of Africa nations. The conversation also examines how Israel can counter Iranian i...

In this thought-provoking episode of East to West, host Sarah Martinez Amir is joined by International Law Expert Ambassador Alan Baker to discuss the alarming escalation of Houthi attacks against Israeli civilians. With nearly 300 attacks launched this year alone, these daily missile and drone strikes have escalated in recent weeks sending Israeli civilians to run for shelter almost every night....

In this pivotal episode of East to West, host Sarah Martinez Amir welcomes Issam Zeitoun, a Syrian activist and founder of the Syrian Peace Initiative, to discuss the historic toppling of the Assad regime and the future of a war-torn nation. Issam shares his vision for Syria’s recovery, emphasizing the importance of establishing peaceful relations with Israel as part of a broader strategy for regi...

In this episode of East to West, host Sarah Martinez Amir is joined by U.S. foreign policy veteran David Wurmser to analyze the seismic impact of the Assad regime's fall on a global scale. Together, they explore how this turning point reshapes global paradigms, shifts alliances, and redefines power dynamics in the Middle East and beyond. The discussion delves into the critical implications for Ira...

In this special Christmas episode of East to West, hosted by Sarah Martinez Amir, we explore the alarming situation facing Christians living in Palestinian Authority and Hamas-controlled areas. Elias Zarina, Co-Founder & Community Manager of the Jerusalemite Initiative, joins the discussion to unpack the findings of a new report by the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs. The stu...

With a complex dual identity, Jonathan Elkhoury is uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between Israel and Lebanon. In an eye-opening interview, he reveals the lesser-known story of the thousands of Lebanese Christians, including South Lebanon Army (SLA) members and their families, who fled to Israel in 2000 following Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon. This special episode of East to West...

This special episode of East to West is part of a Christmas series focusing on the Christians of the Middle East, offering powerful insight into the persecution they face. Hosted by Sarah Martinez Amir, we hear the incredible story of Marzieh Amirizadeh, a courageous woman sentenced to death by the Islamic Republic of Iran for converting to Christianity. Marzieh shares her harrowing journey of esc...

In this episode of East to West , host Sarah Martinez Amir sits down with Brig. Gen. (res.) Yossi Kuperwasser, Director of the Project on Regional Middle East Developments at the Jerusalem Center for Security and Affairs, to break down the strategic implications of recent changes in Syria, Israel's military operations and their rationale, the critical importance of Mount Hermon, and regional power...

In this compelling episode of East to West , host Sarah Martinez Amir sits down with Peer Syed Mudassir Nazar Shah, a distinguished Sufi leader, scholar, and advocate for peace. Peer Shah addresses the importance of religious leaders speaking out against violence, such as the attacks of October 7th, and highlights the shared responsibility of global citizenship. This episode explores the vital rol...

In this gripping episode of East to West, host Sarah Martinez Amir interviews Catherine Perez-Shakdam, a courageous journalist and Middle East expert, who recounts her extraordinary journey infiltrating the Islamic Republic of Iran. Catherine shares firsthand details of her meetings with key figures, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and President Ebrahim Raisi.

In this episode of East to West, host Sarah Martinez Amir is joined by Hazem Alghebra, former Senior Advisor at the U.S. State Department, to analyze the dramatic fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria. The capture of Damascus by Syrian rebels marks a historic turning point for the region, signaling the end of Assad’s rule. A key factor in this momentous shift has been Israel's year-long campai...

Iran is waging a brutal campaign against dissent, executing critics both within and beyond its borders. In a special episode by the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, Journalist Sarah Martinez Amir examines the alarming record surge of executions in the IR including the shocking case of Jamshid Sharmahd. Through exclusive interviews with his daughter, Gazelle, and experts on Irania...

In this powerful episode of East to West, host Sarah Martinez Amir interviews Dalia Ziada, the renowned Egyptian peace activist who was forced to flee her country after condemning Hamas and the October 7 massacre. As a prominent voice for peace in the Middle East, Dalia shares her personal journey—from her brave decision to stand in support of Israel to the incitement campaign waged against her an...