In this episode of The Middle East Breakdown, hosts Dan Feferman and Hayvi Bouzo examine the profound political, security, and social transformation Israel has undergone since October 7th exploring how the country's pre-existing fractures shaped its response to the Hamas attack, what the ongoing war has revealed about Israeli strategic doctrine, and where the country is headed as it approaches a pivotal election cycle.Joining the discussion is Yakov Katz, former longtime Editor-in-Chief of The Jerusalem Post, current fellow at the Jewish People Policy Institute, host of the JPPI podcast, and co-author of the national bestselling book "While Israel Slept: How Hamas Surprised the Most Powerful Military in the Middle East." Katz brings decades of experience covering Israeli security, politics, and regional affairs, as well as firsthand insight into Israeli decision-making at the highest levels.The panel examines Israel's failed containment policy toward Hamas and the deeper doctrinal failures that enabled October 7th, drawing parallels to the conceptzia of the 1973 Yom Kippur War. The conversation explores Israel's pre-war political trauma —five elections in three and a half years, the judicial reform crisis, and deep societal polarization and how that instability compounded the national shock of the attack. The discussion addresses the ongoing psychological and physical toll of the war, the rehabilitation of communities in the north and south, and the challenge of national healing following the return of the remaining living hostages. On the political front, the panel analyzes the upcoming Israeli elections, the absence of new political figures, tribal voting patterns, the ultra-Orthodox draft controversy, and the strategic calculations of key figures including Netanyahu, Bennett, Lapid, and potential new entrants. The episode also addresses the Iran nuclear negotiations under the Trump administration, the risk of a repeat of JCPOA-style compromises, and what a military strike or diplomatic deal would mean for Israeli domestic politics and regional security. Finally, the panel reflects on the broader transformation of the Middle East the weakening of Iran's axis, the fall of Assad, Arab world engagement in Gaza's future and what Israel's 80th anniversary in 2028 could look like depending on the choices made in the coming months.Watch, listen, and subscribe for full episodes and regional analysis.Website: https://middleeast24.orgYouTube: / @middleeast_24 Instagram: / middleast24 X: https://x.com/middleeast24Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3ZJcMz0

ME24 Breakdown digs into the day after in Gaza. We cover what it would take to disarm Hamas, how a multinational authority could work, what role the Palestinian Authority and Arab states can realistically play, and what lessons Iraq, ISIS, Bosnia, and Lebanon offer. Clear analysis, no spin.

Guests, Raith Al Omari, senior fellow at The Washington Institute and former adviser to the Palestinian negotiating team. Robert Silverman, editor in chief of the Jerusalem Strategic Tribune, former senior U.S. diplomat and lecturer at Shalem College.

Chapters,
00:00 Intro and ME24 mission
02:25 Where the war stands now
09:10 Hamas disarmament, military versus political tracks
18:40 Post war models, multinational authority, local governance
32:15 The PA, Arab states, and U.S. leadership
44:20 Risks of insurgency, lessons from ISIS and Bosnia
55:10 Takeaways and next steps

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Abraham Accords at 5 Years | Middle East 24 Podcast

Five years since the signing of the Abraham Accords, our ME24 team sat down to reflect on what has changed, what has endured, and what still lies ahead. In this episode, Hayvi and Dan welcome Dr. Waleed Phares, Mozah, and Aaesha to share their stories, experiences, and insights.

We talk about:

The UAE’s vision of peace and modernization

How the Accords have shaped daily life in Israel and the Gulf

Dr. Waleed Phares’s firsthand perspective on how the Accords were born

What October 7th means for the future of normalization

The challenges and opportunities facing the next chapter of Arab-Israeli cooperation

How younger generations are starting to see each other in new ways

It’s a conversation about resilience, hope, and the hard work of building peace. Join us as we look back on the past five years and ahead to what comes next.

Subscribe to Middle East 24 for more thoughtful conversations about the region, its people, and its future.

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