Our Middle East: An Insider's View

Has the US sent the wrong signals to its allies and enemies alike? Why is the US pushing to make a deal with Iran as the regime terrorizes Israel from Jenin? Is the US missing an opportunity to form a bond between the Iranian people and Israel? In this episode of the “Our Middle East” podcast, Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs president and host Dan Diker has on Malcolm Hoenlein, former Executive Vice Chairman, and current Vice Chair of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations to discuss.

Why has Israel started an operation in Jenin? Is Iran spreading its tentacles deep into Israel?On this week's Our Middle East, host Dan Diker speaks with Arab Affairs expert Yoni Ben Menachem to give an inside perspective on the current operation being conducted by the IDF in Jenin.They talk about the buildup of terrorist forces connected to Iran in the West Bank and how previous governments should have already acted against it. Iran's goal in supporting various factions within and on the border of Israel What the IDF needs to do in order to be a successful operation. You want to miss this one!

What do the Palestinians need to do in order to join the normalization happening throughout the region?In this episode of “Our Middle East,” Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs President Dan Diker has on Bahraini journalist Abdullah Junaid, Deputy Director of MENA 2050. MENA2050 is an organization led by a big cross-generational group from across the Middle East & North Africa Region working together on an agreed vision for the region in 2050.

Is the Israeli government getting in its own way by talking about normalization too much? Can more be done to welcome Arab tourists?In this week's "Our Middle East", host Dan Diker has Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Fleur Hassan-Nahoum on to discuss the art of quiet diplomacy and the steps needed to bring peace to the regionThey discuss the key role business plays in making peace possible the need to make Israel more welcoming to Arab tourism. the harm that is done in speaking too publicly about Saudi/Israeli normalization

In this week’s episode of "Our Middle East," Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs President Dan Diker hosts Suzan Quitaz, a Kurdish-Swedish journalist based in London. Because they were Kurds, Quitaz’s family was deported from Iraqi Kurdistan when it was under the control of Saddam Hussein and she grew up in Sweden.They discuss the commonality of the Kurdish and Jewish story the want of the people of the Middle East to make peace with Israel the grave misunderstandings by the US about the region

Watch for an inside look into what is happening in the Gulf!On this episode of "Our Middle East," Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs president Dan Diker hosts JCPA’s General Director Yechiel Leiter, who recently visited the Gulf to meet with and consult political and thought leaders about Israeli-Gulf relations, especially in light of the recent yet conditional China-brokered Iranian-Saudi rapprochement.Hear about what is really going on in the Middle East!

Why has Syria been invited back into the Arab League by Saudi Arabia? Why has Saudi Arabia closened relations with Iran and China? Is this a real reestablishment of ties or does Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed Ben Salman have a different end-game in mind? In this episode of Our Middle East, Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs president and host Dan Diker welcomes former Bahraini Journalists Association president Ahdeya Ahmed and former chief of the Israeli Broadcasting Authority and JCPA analyst Yoni Ben Menahem for an analysis of the Saudi-initiated invitation to Syria to rejoin the Arab League.

With new channels opened between Saudi Arabia and Iran and Hamas gaining strength in the region will Israel be left alone? Is the decades-old hope for peace with Israel’s neighbors dead in the water? Host Dan Diker discusses with Middle East expert Aviram Bellaishe and the former president of the Bahraini Journalists’ Association, Ahdeya Ahmed Al-Sayed.They discussHamas’ Visit to Saudi Arabia The West’s misunderstanding that the Middle East is a region of contradictory and intertwined interests. The Crown Prince of Iran’s visit to Israel The continuing engagement of Arab nations with Israel including Saudi Arabia

Why is the international community obsessed with hating Israel? What are the roots of the "new" anti-Zionism? Cohosts Daniel Diker and Khaled Abu Toameh discuss with Former MK Michal Cotler-Wunsch and Wilson Center researcher and Soviet expert Izabella Tabarovsky discuss The antisemitic Soviet roots of anti-Zionism The hijacking of human rights language to paint Israel as a pariah state. The appearance of “anti-Zionism” in online anti-Semitism during the COVID-19 pandemic. The hatred of Israel in the international community and in Palestinian society and its effect on everyday Palestinians. The end result of both anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism is the same - violence against Jews.

Where does Israel fit in in the new Middle East/Africa order?In this episode of “Our Middle East” host and Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs president Dan Diker hosts JCPA General Manager Dr. Yechiel Leiter and Shemsu Edris Mohammed, president and secretary of the Ethiopian Diaspora Association. They recently attended the JCPA’s international conference in Jerusalem on March 27 through 29, along with delegates from 30 African and Arab statesThey discuss A changing region in both Africa and the Middle East and how that is shifting alliances. The shared experiences and threats that bring Israel and the African and Arab states together. Israel's innovation and technology that can help both regions

Is Israel an apartheid state?In this episode of “Our Middle East,” the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs brings together an all-star panel to discuss the apartheid libel against Israel. Hear what South African activist and former BDS leader Klaas Mokgomole, South African journalist Rolene Marks, American Black pastor Dumisani Washington and Arab-Israeli journalist Khaled Abu Toameh have to say on the matter. They discuss The gross comparison between the South African apartheid regime and the Israel/Palestinian condition. How the label distracts from the real problems facing Arab-Israelis How the label shuts down any kind of community-building and dialogue

A leading Arab and Islamic affairs analyst, former head of the Israel Broadcasting Authority and a Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs (JCPA) fellow, Yoni Ben Menahem joins Dan Diker to discuss Iran’s long reach in the Middle East and the recent terror attacks in Israel.They discuss Iran's reach through proxies into the heart of Israel The plan to increase terror attacks as Ramadan approaches Hezbollah's read that Israel is weak due to protests and oil deals with Lebanon. Iran-Saudi Rapprochement - Palestinian's society attitude toward Israel

Does the China-brokered Saudi-Iranian Pact signify a new Middle East or merely a respite between regional rivals? In Episode 4 of “Our Middle East”, co-hosts Dan Diker and Khaled Abu Toameh break down the new Iranian-Saudi rapprochement with Dr. Harold Rhode, a 28-year veteran American diplomat as an advisor on the Islamic world in the Office of the U.S. Secretary of Defense. They discuss America's blunders and fundamental misunderstandings of the region What does this mean for Israel and the Abraham Accords? Is this a realignment or just a negotiating strategy? What should happen now Listen now to the full episode!

Are the Western media and some governments making peace in the region more difficult to attain?Many in the Western media, governments and even some Jewish organizations have adopted the idea of the centricity of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and have criticized Israel as being the bad actor in the region. What effect is this having on the conflict? Is this bringing the region closer to peace? and is this even helping the Palestinians?In this episode of “Our Middle East,” cohosts Dan Diker and Khaled Abu Toameh have on Malcolm Hoenlein, the vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, to discuss.

Recently, the relationship between the black and Jewish communities has become strained due to rising anti-Semitism and intersectional ideologies that see Jews as white oppressors. In today’s episode of “Our Middle East”, Dan Diker and Khaled Abu Toameh talk with Pastor Dumisani Washington, founder of the Institute for Black Solidarity with Israel, one of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs’ partner organizations. Together they discuss the long and complicated relationship between Israel, the American black community and Jews. what can be done to bring the Black American community closer to Israel? the diverse approach to politics that the Arab-Israeli minority takes toward Israel the common inspiration that African and Arab communities see in Israel. Last, but not least, Dan Diker reveals information about a history-making delegation coming to Israel.

In this launch episode, co-Hosts Dan Diker and Khaled Abu Toameh preview their general view of the Middle East and Israel’s place in it as well as why they are they are starting the show.