Our Middle East: An Insider's View

Learn why the Iran conflict is exposing deep fractures inside the Arab world, how jihadist ideology shapes the battlefield far beyond missiles and diplomacy and why “total victory” means far more than another temporary ceasefire. If you want to understand what the headlines keep missing: who’s afraid, who’s bluffing, who’s shifting alliances and why this moment could redefine the region for years, this episode pulls no punches and leaves you questioning what comes next.

While the world focuses on Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, Gaza has quietly disappeared from the headlines. This episode explains how Hamas may be regrouping and reasserting control, while Iran’s broader strategy uses multiple fronts, from Gaza to Hezbollah, to wage a long war of attrition against Israel and the West. The discussion explores why ignoring Gaza now could lead to serious consequences later.

Stage Two of the Gaza peace plan is being sold as a fresh start, but Dan Diker and Khaled Abu Toameh argue it may be the most dangerous mirage yet. In this episode of Our Middle East, they walk you through what actually happens when the Rafah crossing reopens, “technocrats” arrive, and the Donald Trump-era “Board of Peace” raises global expectations...while Hamas remains the de facto power on the ground, rearming and controlling key institutions. You’ll learn why disarmament talk is mostly theater unless someone can enforce it, why the real battlefield is cultural (education, ideology, incentives), and how a glossy “New Gaza” vision can backfire, turning Israel into the scapegoat when reality refuses to match the brochure. The takeaway is blunt: buyer beware, because the plan only works if the underlying system changes, and nobody can yet prove that’s happening.

Iran isn’t just facing chaos in the streets, it’s being used as cover for a second war you’re probably underestimating: “wokeism warfare,” now metastasizing from the radical left into the MAGA right. In this episode, Karis Rhea breaks down how censorship-era paranoia supercharged conspiracy thinking online, why anti-Israel narratives have become the “acceptable” gateway to broader anti-Western ideology and how figures like Tucker Carlson can mainstream grievance politics while quietly reshaping the future of the American right. You’ll come away understanding why Israel is the common denominator for both extremes, what that means for America’s Judeo-Christian foundations and the strategic counter-moves Israel and its allies must make before the West’s internal fracture becomes irreversible.

Dan Diker and Khaled Abu Toameh discuss a big Middle East tremor: Iran’s regime wobbling, and Gaza sitting in a deceptively calm “quiet before the storm.” They dissect why talk of a “technocratic government” and Gaza reconstruction could become a strategic trap, effectively laundering Hamas’s control while letting it regroup, rearm and outsource civilian responsibility, Hezbollah-style. The episode is a practical field guide to reading Middle East power signals the way local actors do: how Hamas and the PA can “collaborate and collide” at the same time, why disarmament language matters when it suddenly vanishes and why de-radicalization is impossible without total defeat of armed jihadist infrastructure. If you want to understand the real stakes behind Phase Two headlines, and why Washington’s messaging can trigger unintended seismic aftershocks, this is the conversation.

In this episode, peace activist Rawan Osman examines the dramatic shifts reshaping the region with a focus on Iran’s weakening grip and the changing balance of power. Drawing on personal and regional insight, she explains how Israel’s actions, the collapse of long-standing regimes, and the rise of new Islamist forces could redefine the Middle East. The conversation explores what these changes mean for regional minorities, Western policy, and the future stability of the region.

Dan Dyker sits down with the one and only Mosab Hassan Yousef, the son of a Hamas founder turned fearless whistleblower, to break down what could be the most dangerous turning point in Middle East history. From a surprise President Trump-PM Netanyahu summit to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Hamas deception and the West’s ideological blind spots, nothing is off-limits. Yousef pulls back the curtain on the lies of jihadist propaganda, the manipulation of the Palestinian cause and the terrifying possibility of a regional implosion.

While the world was in holiday mode, President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu dropped a geopolitical bombshell: a surprise emergency summit between Christmas and New Year’s. But this wasn’t just about diplomacy, it was a veiled strategic realignment. From Gaza to Syria, Somalia to the Red Sea, and even Ilhan Omar’s family history, this video connects the dots of a brewing showdown against Iran, a looming Sunni threat and a quiet new alliance that could reshape the entire Middle East. It’s methodical. It’s explosive. And it’s happening now, just behind the headlines.

As the ceasefire crumbles, Gaza’s war moves underground...literally. Hamas terrorists are trapped in their own tunnel networks, abandoned by leadership and starving beneath the rubble. But surrender is not an option in the world of jihad. Dan Diker and Khaled Abu Toameh expose the stunning reversals of fortune, the regional power plays from Qatar and Turkey and how Hamas is losing its grip both in the tunnels and on the streets of Gaza. Is this the beginning of Hamas’s collapse or the ignition point of a Palestinian civil war?

Dan Diker and Khaled Abu Toameh expose Hamas’s strategic manipulation of the Trump ceasefire plan. While appearing to comply with phase one, Hamas is stalling, refusing to release hostages and exploiting negotiations to regroup, rearm and reassert control over Gaza. The conversation reveals Hamas's true intent: to maintain power, avoid disarmament and ultimately destroy Israel using diplomatic deception and international legitimacy. This is not peace, it’s what they call “Stage Two Jihad.”

Dan Diker and Khaled Abu Toameh argue that the UN-driven, internationally managed “Trump 20-point plan” is constraining Israel while Hamas exploits the ceasefire to rearm, regroup and entrench control in Gaza. They warn that vague terms like “demilitarization” and “decommissioning” (without explicit disarmament) enable loopholes, drawing lessons from Hezbollah in Lebanon. They caution against rebranding Hamas through new “security forces,” urge clan-based regime change backed by the West, oppose granting safe passage to wanted militants, and connect Western political trends, like New York’s mayoral race, to a wider jihadist information war. The episode closes with a call to replace Hamas entirely and build genuine Arab-Jewish bridges through clear-eyed policy, not wishful thinking.

In today's episode we discuss the Trump Peace plan in Gaza and why it can get more complicated than people think.

Western powers like the U.K., France, Australia and Canada are all rewarding jihad and encouraging further violence by embracing a Palestinian state that lacks borders, governance or unity. Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs President Dan Diker and Senior Fellow at the JCFA and Gatestone Institute Khaled Abu Toameh deliver an acute analysis of the international community’s recent push to recognize a Palestinian state and the dangerous fallout already unfolding. Abu Toameh, a top Arab affairs journalist and longtime observer of the Palestinian street, explains how the Palestinian Authority’s decade-long diplomatic campaign has culminated in a global public relations victory that Hamas is now capitalizing on. Dan Diker traces the origins of this diplomatic warfare to Yasser Arafat and the 1970s UN resolutions, showing how history, law and logic have been sidelined by anti-Israel sentiment and strategic confusion in the West. Together, the hosts warn that these recognitions don’t bring peace, but will embolden Iran-backed jihadist groups, fuel instability in Judea and Samaria and undermine any real hope for coexistence. Topics covered: The PA and Hamas's two-pronged anti-Israel strategy How October 7 is being retroactively justified The rise of Iranian-backed terror cells in the West Bank The failure of Arab states to oppose Hamas Israel’s urgent need for a clear post-PA strategy The "Hebron First" tribal governance alternative Why Qatar is not a mediator, but a co-conspirator

'Son of Hamas,' Mosab Hassan Yousef, joins Dan Diker, President of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, to discuss the disturbing legacy of jihad from September 11, 2001 to Oct. 7, 2023, revealing how Islamic extremism has not only survived but mutated into even more dangerous global forms.

The Middle East is entering one of the most critical turning points the region has faced in decades. Dan Diker, President of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, and Khaled Abu Toameh, Senior Fellow at the JCFA and the Gatestone Institute, sit down to discuss this historic juncture. The discussion opens with Israel’s military operation in Gaza and the unprecedented backing it has received from the United States. With Washington proposing a potential trusteeship over Gaza, the hosts ask whether this moment could mark the defeat of Hamas and Islamic Jihad and the beginning of a new regional order, or whether the area risks becoming further entrenched as a hub of jihad fueled by Iran and its proxies.

In this episode of Our Middle East, Dan Diker, President of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, and Khaled Abu Toameh, Senior Fellow at the JCFA and the Gatestone Institute, explore one of the most critical turning points in the Middle East in decades. They analyze Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, the unprecedented support it is receiving from the United States, and proposals for a trusteeship that could reshape the territory’s future. The conversation examines Hamas’s strategy of prolonging the conflict, the ongoing hostage crisis, and the mounting international pressure on Israel from the United Nations, France, Saudi Arabia, and the European Union. The hosts also discuss the reluctance of Arab powers such as Qatar and Egypt to take meaningful steps to pressure Hamas, and the consequences this has for Palestinians and the wider region. Diker and Abu Toameh consider the broader implications for Lebanon and Syria, where Hezbollah and other Iranian-backed groups are watching Israel’s moves closely. They emphasize that this conflict is not only political or territorial but also an ideological battle against radical jihadist movements seeking to undermine Israel’s very existence. Our Middle East offers timely and authoritative analysis, raising the question of whether this moment could lead to the emergence of a truly new Middle East shaped by Israel, the United States, and moderate Arab states, or whether radical forces will continue to dominate the region.

With Hamas leaders under mounting pressure from Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and the Arab League, hosts Dan Diker and Khaled Abu Toameh explore whether we’re witnessing the beginning of Hamas’s end or the setup for another major confrontation. The discussion examines reports of high-stakes negotiations in Cairo, where an “all-for-all” exchange, freeing all Israeli hostages in return for Hamas prisoners, is reportedly on the table. Could this be the “deal of the century” that reshapes Gaza’s future, or will Hamas attempt a last-minute power play to maintain control? Chapters 00:00 The Current State of Hamas and Israel 02:53 Pressure on Hamas and Regional Dynamics 05:52 Arab League's Stance and International Reactions 08:47 The Future of Gaza and Hamas's Role 12:03 Demilitarization and Reconstruction of Gaza 14:51 Israel's Narrative and Public Diplomacy 17:51 Understanding Jihad and Hamas's Ideology 20:48 The Complexity of Palestinian Politics 23:46 The Role of the West in the Middle East 27:03 Cultural Misunderstandings and the Path Forward

Is a quiet revolution brewing in the West Bank? Several Hebron Sheikhs have just made an unprecedented offer: peace with Israel without the Palestinian Authority. Could this be the next chapter of the Abraham Accords or is it nothing but bluster? Dan Diker, President of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, and Khaled Abu Toameh, renowned Arab affairs journalist and Senior Fellow at JCFA and Gatestone Institute, unpack a groundbreaking development: influential Hebron clan leaders, without the Palestinian Authority, have proposed a peace initiative directly with Israel. In a move reported by the Wall Street Journal, Sheikh Adiyah Al-Jabari and other prominent clan figures from Hebron have publicly endorsed coexistence and commerce with Israel, bypassing the corruption-plagued Palestinian Authority. Diker and Abu Toameh analyze whether this “Hebron model” could mark the beginning of a post-PA, bottom-up peace structure based on traditional clan governance and economic cooperation.

How does Israel’s lightning strike against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and its new mastery of Tehran’s skies change the Middle East chessboard? Dan Diker, President of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs (JCFA), and Khaled Abu Toameh, Senior Fellow at JCFA and the Gatestone Institute, break down why the Jewish state’s restored deterrence is being quietly cheered from Riyadh to Abu Dhabi and what that means for tomorrow’s alliances.

In this episode of “Our Middle East,” Dan Diker, President of the Jerusalem Center for Foreign Affairs, and Khaled Abu Toameh, Senior Fellow at JCFA and the Gatestone Institute, unpack why Gaza is no longer a local conflict—it’s a global flashpoint.The hosts warn that failure to decisively defeat Hamas will destabilize not only Israel’s southern front but entire Arab regimes in Jordan and Egypt, empower the Muslim Brotherhood and embolden Iran’s terror proxies across the region—from Yemen and Syria to university campuses in the United States.

Is the Palestinian Authority on the verge of collapse? In this hard-hitting episode of “Our Middle East,” Dan Diker, President of the Jerusalem Center for Foreign Affairs (JCFA), and Khaled Abu Toameh, Senior Fellow at JCFA and the Gatestone Institute, dive deep into the inner workings of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and its growing instability—an issue with direct implications for Israel, the Arab world and global security.

“Our Middle East,” hosted by Dan Diker, President of the Jerusalem Center for Foreign Affairs (JCFA), and Khaled Abu Toameh, Senior Fellow at the JCFA and the Gatestone Institute, returns with a hard-hitting episode on the region’s most pressing challenges and missed opportunities. 🔥 Topics covered: Trump’s Gaza relocation vision: humanitarian solution or strategic misstep?Why many Gazans want to leave — and what’s stopping themThe failure of international organizations and the Arab League to offer real solutionsThe dangers of Hamas remaining in power and why military defeat is criticalThe myth of the Palestinian Authority as a viable alternative in GazaEgypt’s refusal to take in refugees and the politics of Arab statesIran’s role as the central destabilizing force in the region

Dan Diker and Arab-Israeli journalist Khaled Abu Toameh talk with former African slave Simon Deng and refugee Naka Pitia about their steadfast support for Israel against Hamas. They explain how the October 7th atrocities remind them of the horrors that were done to the South Sudanese and how that has led them to stand with Israel during these troubling times.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/our-middle-east-an-insider-s-view--5792626/support.Can Hamas really not find the hostages or is Hamas stalling with fake hostage negotiations? Is an attack being planned for the month of Ramadan? Is international pressure on Israel strengthening and playing right into the hands of Hamas?JCPA President Dan Diker and Arab-Israeli journalist Khaled Abu Toameh discuss the recent hostage negotiations and the game being played by the terrorist organization.Visit jcpa.org!

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/our-middle-east-an-insider-s-view--5792626/support.Palestinian Authority PM Shtayyeh resigned citing new 'reality' in Gaza. Is this a real step in "reforming" the Palestinian Authority or is this a move to play the international community for fools?JCPA President Dan Diker and Arab-Israeli journalist Khaled Abu-Toameh unpack the move and give an inside look into an emerging situation in the West Bank and Gaza. Subscribe Now to @JNS_TV Visit JCPA's website jcpa.org

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/our-middle-east-an-insider-s-view--5792626/support.JCPA President Dan Diker and Arab-Israeli journalist Khaled Abu Toameh discuss how radical fundamentalists have been pouring money into Middle East studies programs on US campuses for decades and have been using US charities to funnel terrorism in the Middle East.

The Oct. 7th attack by Hamas in the south and the daily missile barrage from Hezbollah in the north has everyone asking how Israel can defend its borders and cities in the future? What must be done to ensure that terrorists don't pose a threat once more after the dust settles? JCPA President Dan Diker and Arab-Israeli journalist Khaled Abu Toameh discuss the future of Israel's security.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/our-middle-east-an-insider-s-view--5792626/support.

JCPA President Dan Diker and Arab-Israeli journalist Khaled Abu-Toameh speak with Efrat Mayor Oded Revivi about the Biden administration sanctioning four "settlers" for violence against Palestinians. They discuss the implications of such an act and what signals it sends throughout Palestinian society and the region. Furthermore, they talk about a major story that is not being focused on - the increase in violence and attempted attacks of Arabs against Jews in Judea and Samaria.

What is being discussed in a potential hostage deal with Hamas? Is any deal with the terrorist organization good for Israel? Has the West once again misunderstood what is going on?JCPA President Dan DIker and Arab Israeli Journalist Khaled Abu Toameh discuss what this will mean to the Arab world and the enemies of the West.

Can the IDF defeat Hamas? Is the Palestinian Authority a viable replacement? Who will be in charge of security? Are the Americans out of touch with the reality on the ground?In this episode of “Our Middle East”, JCPA President Dr. Dan Diker and Arab-Israeli journalist Khaled Abu Toameh discuss “the day after” the war in Gaza with JCPA Fellow and Arab Expert Yoni Ben Menahem.

Antony Blinken and the United States to call for a two-state solution. But is this realistic? Is this something that the Israeli or the Palestinian people want? Is Washington out of step with the people of the region and with the reality on the ground?Dr. Dan Diker and Khaled Abu Toameh discuss this on this episode of the "Our Middle East".

Vahid Beheshti, an independent journalist and Iranian human rights activist based in London, became famous after completing a 72-day hunger strike followed by a sit-in last year. In summer 2023, he joined the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs' initiative in the British House of Lords, to outlaw the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.Host Dan Diker met Beheshti and his wife Mattie in Jerusalem to discuss their opposition activism against the Iranian regime and the war in Israel from an Iranian perspective on this episode of the "Our Middle East" podcast.

More than three months after Hamas' "Al-Aqsa Flood" against Israel on October 7, we are witnessing a tidal wave of antisemitic violence in the U.S., particularly on college campuses. Meanwhile, 129 Israeli hostages are still in captivity in Gaza by the terror organization while the world remains silent.Why haven't the hostages been freed yet? Why haven't Western and Arab countries put more pressure on Hamas?Co-hosts Dan Diker and Khaled Abu Toameh discuss this and more on this episode JNS-JCPA's "Our Middle East" podcast.

Israeli Arabs have been brought closer to Jews because of the atrocities of October 7th, wanting to disassociate themselves from the cruelty and what they see as the un-Islamic behavior of Hamas. Does this present an opportunity to bring Israeli Arabs and Gazans closer to Israel?Cohosts Dan Diker and Khaled Abu Toameh discuss.

Co-hosts Dan Diker and Khaled Abu-Toameh delve into the Middle East war happening on campuses as radical groups yell "From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free" and march for Hamas.

Has Hamas lost control of Gaza? What is the Arab press saying? What is the future of the Strip and should it be given to the Palestinian Authority?Hosts JCPA President Dan Diker and JCPA Fellow, Gatestone Senior Fellow and Arab-Israeli journalist Khaled Abu Toameh discuss

How did Hamas deceive the whole world about their plans to attack Israel? What is the Arab street and press saying about the October 7th attacks?Arab-Israeli journalist Khaled Abu Toameh rejoins host Dan Diker on Our Middle East to discuss The way that Hamas duped the West, Israel, and part of the Arab world What the Arab press believes happened on Oct. 7th The Palestinian leadership's efforts to make the conflict religious and how they are aiming to ultimately attack Western countries. Our Middle East is your inside look into what is really happening in the region!

Does America really stand with Israel? Are we heading to a larger regional conflict with Iran?On this episode of “Our Middle East”, Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs president Dan Diker speaks with Dr. David Wurmser, former senior advisor to former United States Vice President Dick Cheney. David Wurmser.

How is the war and the Hamas attack on Israel being viewed in the Arab world? Who is really behind this unprecedented bloodshed? JCPA President Dan Diker discusses with Arab Affairs Expert Yoni Ben Menahem.

In this week’s episode of “Our Middle East” Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs president Dan Diker speaks with guest Mehrdad Youssefiani, a long-time senior advisor and former bureau chief to Reza Pahlavi, the Crown Prince of Iran. They discussed Iranian mullahs’ opposition in the eight-million strong Iranian diaspora in the West, and its potential impact in toppling the theocratic and dictatorial regime.

Why are so many Eritrean refugees making their way to Israel? Is there a stronger connection between the Jewish State and the Eritrean people than we realize? Does Eritrea have more strategic and political importance to Israel than we know?On today’s episode of “Our Middle East” Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs president Dan Diker talks with his guest, Eritrean refugee to Israel Habtom Mehari, a doctoral candidate at Hebrew University in Jerusalem and part of the Agaiazian movement for a democratic Eritrea.

How can the Iranian people of today create the free and democratic Iran of tomorrow? How can the revolution succeed? What does the Iranian opposition actually believe? In this week’s episode of “Our Middle East,” Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs president and host Dan Diker talks with Mohsen Sazegara, 68, a senior leader of the Iran Transition Council, to get an inside look at the state of the opposition. A former supporter of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Sazegara was one of the founders of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) afterward. He held several government posts in the 1980s and sought reform. After becoming disillusioned with the revolution and Islamist rule, Sazegara left the government and has become a prominent pro-democracy activist in and outside Iran.

Will the Iranian people ever see any of this money? Can the opposition protests continue? On this episode of Our Middle East, Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs President Dan Diker speaks with JCPA Iran Intelligence expert Lt.-Cl. (Ret.) Michael Segall about the Biden administration’s prisoner deal with the Iranian regime. Michael served at the Israel Defense Force (IDF) Intelligence Directorate as the Former Head of International and Iranian Desks.

Is normalization a fact or a fiction fantasized by a misguided White House? Would a Saudi/Israel normalization even be good for Israel? Does Saudi Arabia even want peace with Israel?In this episode of Our Middle East, Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs President Dan Diker speaks with U.S.-based Middle East analyst Irina Tsukerman of the Arabian Peninsula Institute about the “security mayhem” of the Middle East.

Are the recent efforts by the Biden administration for Saudi/Israeli normalization a pathway to peace or disaster for Israel?In this episode of Our Middle East, Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs Dan Diker and JCPA analyst, Arab affairs expert, and veteran journalist Yoni Ben Menahem discuss talk of an American-initiated Saudi-Israeli peace and normalization deal after U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan was dispatched to Jeddah to speak with Saudi leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Will AI be used for the stability of the region or its destruction? Can Israel use it to forge peace with its neighbors?Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs President Dan Diker hosts Harry Rubin, an American expert in technology transfer and artificial intelligence to discuss how it will transform the region.

In this episode of the Our Middle East podcast, Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs President Dan Diker welcomes Rabbi Ben de Toledo, Rabbi-in-Residence at the Abrahamic Family Houses’ Moses ben Maimon Synagogue, in Abu Dhabi.