The Benjamin Anthony Show from the MirYam Institute

On Sunday, January 19th, 2025, Romi Gonen (24), Emily Damari (28) and Doron Steinbrecher (31), were reunited with their loved ones inside Israel. In this episode, I'm joined by Yaakov Lappin, In-House-Analyst at The MirYam Institute, to discuss their redemption from inside the Gaza Strip.  We break down our reactions to the images of their release - including the danger in which they were pla...

This episode was recorded on Wednesday, January 15th, against the declaration by incoming President Donald Trump that a hostage-release deal between Israel and Hamas has been reached.  In this episode, Yaakov Lappin and I discuss the mooted hostage release deal, together with its implications for Israeli society, the IDF, Israel's security and the hostage families; while noting the Benjamin N...

In this episode, Yaakov Lappin and I discuss several of this week’s events, many of which emanate from Israel previously allowing its enemies to operate far too close to its borders. Those subjects include the recent recovery of the body of a hostage kidnapped on October 7th, an overview of the tragic number of hostages kidnapped alive who are now dead, the lack of enforcement of the Israel-Lebano...

In this episode of the show, I’m joined by The MirYam Institute In-House Analyst Yaakov Lappin to discuss the incredible IDF commando raid inside Syria to destroy a massive Iranian weapons making facility. The raid, led by the Israeli Air-Force and Air-Force Commandos, took place in September but information about it was only cleared for publication this week.  We are then joined by Micah Jones, E...

In this season finale, Major General (Res.) Eli Shkedi tells me about Israel's stark surprise at the knowledge that an enemy state is developing a nuclear weapons program.  As Chief Commander of the Air-Force at the time, he was convinced that Israel alone must destroy the nuclear facility.  In this conversation, he takes me behind the scenes of his discussions with the Prime Minister, the co...

In this final episode of the podcast this year, I sit down with Yaakov Lappin, in-house analyst for The MirYam Institute, to discuss the increased incoming fire Israel has faced from the Houthis of late, the ongoing hostage crisis and its potential for resolution and whether or not now is the time for Israel to take out Iran's nuclear weapons program. We round off the discussion with one or t...

In this episode, I'm invited into the home of Major-General (Res.) Eliezer Shkedi, the son of a Holocaust survivor who climbed Israel's military ranks to become the Chief Commander of The Israeli Air-Force.  He tells me about his father's personal history and how that informed his decision to serve and protect the State of Israel however he could.  In 2003, against the objections of...

In this episode, recorded on December 12th, 2024, I sit down with IDF veteran, amputee and hero, Boris Shtonda, whose leg was amputated as a result of a catastrophic injury he sustained inside the Gaza Strip following the October 7th massacre.  Boris tells me about his career in the IDF elite counter-terror unit, Duvdevan, his work as a close protection officer where he guarded over Israel’s Prime...

Filmed before the Hamas massacre of October 7th, Brigadier General "Chiko" Tamir (Res.) gives an ominous warning about Hamas's determination to build a full scale terrorist-army and the need for Israel to counter that threat.  He then outlines his views on leadership on the battlefield and in life, before I set out on my way to enjoy a bite of KNAFE, an Israeli dessert stuffed with...

In this episode, I’m joined by my colleague Yaakov Lappin to discuss the appalling comments made by former IDF Chief of Staff Moshe ‘Bogie’ Yaalon against the Israel Defense Forces, including a false accusation that Israel is engaged in ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip. We then discuss the implications of President Trump’s tweeted ultimatum to the captors of Israel’s hostages and we round out th...

Brigadier General "Chiko" Tamir invites me into his home to talk about his career as a venerated combat officer in the Israel Defense Forces.  At the border between Israel and Lebanon is where Chiko hosted me, and took me behind the scenes of his military escapades, including the firefight he led that killed the son of the recently eliminated Head of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, his deci...

In this episode, I sit down with Yaakov Lappin to discuss the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon - and we quickly arrive at points of very significant disagreement. We then discussed the ongoing war inside the Gaza Strip and the implications the ceasefire deal with Lebanon might have on that theatre before we quickly tackle the question of the fate of the IDF Chief of Staff, Hertzi Hal...

In this episode, I'm put through my paces for an early morning, beach workout with HAMASLUL ( www.hamaslul.co.il ), an organization that prepares Israeli youth to join elite units in the IDF and then take you on a walking tour of Tel-Aviv. Meet the founder of HAMASLUL as he explains how his personal story compelled him to establish this incredible organization, and hear from the students who...

Recorded on Thursday, November 21, 2024, in the wake of the announcement by the International Criminal Court that arrest warrants have been issued for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, I sought out the insights and expertise of renowned legal scholar Professor Avi Bell, in order to gain his insights into this dreadful development, and to bring his conclusi...

In this episode, Yaakov Lappin and I begin by pondering whether or not election season is underway in Israel. We then turn to Bibi's recent visit to the Gaza Strip, flanked by his new Defense Minister Israel Katz, and reflect on his declarations that Hamas will never again rule the Strip and his offer of $5 million to anyone who returns a hostage to Israel. We round out the discussion by anal...

Join me on Israel Inside-Out as I take you on a journey to experience the sites, sounds and tastes of Israel as we meet with leading personalities from the one and only Jewish State. In this episode, I tour the Druze village of Horfesh in northern Israel, sit down to interview the former Surgeon General Of The IDF, Brigadier-General (Res.), Professor Tarif Bader, and dip into a plate of Hummus fro...

Join me on Israel Inside-Out as I take you on a journey to experience the sites, sounds and tastes of Israel as we meet with leading personalities from the one and only Jewish State. In this episode of the show, I tour the Druze village of Horfesh in northern Israel, sit down to interview the former Surgeon General Of The IDF, Brigadier-General (Res.), Professor Tarif Bader, and dip into a plate o...

In this episode, MirYam Institute In-House Analyst, Yaakov Lappin, is joined by Col. (res.) David Hacham, former Arab Affairs Advisor to multiple Israeli Defense Ministers, to discuss the future of the Gaza Strip.  He asserts that only ongoing Israeli security control coupled with a temporary Israeli military administration can ensure that Hamas is uprooted. They then explored why this proposal fa...

In this episode, I visit Amir Tibon at his temporary home in Kibbutz Mishmar Ha’emek in northern Israel, a community that opened its doors to residents of Nahal Oz post the October 7th massacre.  Here he details his arrival there, outlines why he moved to the kibbutz and shares stories of comfort and inspiration as he and his young family work to rebuild their lives one day at a time. Support the...

In this episode, Amir Tibon describes the heroic battle undertaken by his father, Major General Noam Tibon (Ret.) to rescue Amir, his wife Miri and and their two daughters after Hamas terrorists stormed into Amir’s kibbutz and fired automatic gunfire into his home. With an exceptional level of detail, Amir outlines the sacrifice and courage of the soldiers and civilians who fought to defend Kibbut...

In this episode of the show recorded in March 2024, Amir Tibon, brings me into his home in Kibbutz Nahal Oz. This bullet-riddled house, recently built by him and and his wife Miri, was the place they hoped to raise their two young daughters. On October 7th, Hamas terrorists stormed into the kibbutz and fired automatic gunfire into his home, as his entire family hid inside the family safe room. In...

Standing in for me this week is The Miryam Institute’s in-house analyst Yaakov Lappin. Going solo, he responds to various critiques of Israel's war effort, and argues that those who don't prioritize the need to remove terror armies from Israel's borders are advocating for future disaster.  He then explains how non-miliary, strategic benefits only belong to powers that have demonstra...

On September 19th, 2024, The MirYam Institute hosted a robust dialogue between former Member of Knesset and former Deputy Ambassador to Egypt, Ruth Wasserman-Lande and yours truly.  The evening featured vigorous areas of agreement and disagreement centered around two specific questions: 1) Could Israel win the war against Hamas - and if so, how? 2) Does the alarming rise in anti-Semitism mean the...

In this episode, I sit down with Yaakov Lappin to discuss what has been an horrific year for Israel and the Jewish people. We did so from a deeply subdued Israel, a country still grappling with all that has befallen it over the past twelve months and which is still deeply embroiled in its response to the ongoing threats that started on October 7th. In an effort to provide you with some unique and...

In this episode, I'm joined by Yaakov Lappin to discuss the implications of the elimination of Hassan Nasrallah and how Israel ought to respond to the second ballistic missile attack from Iran. We outline why it's time to hit Iran's nuclear program and their economy and explain why Israel's enemies have been allowed to trade on an unfounded schoolyard "rep" for far to...