Podcasts

On this week’s episode of the National Security Podcast, Nicole Zedeck and Dr. Chuck Freilich from the Institute for National Security Studies analyze the key pillars of Trump’s Middle East policy, from the Abraham Accords to the “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran. They explore his approach to Gaza, the Palestinian Authority, and how these strategies align with Israel’s interests.

On Saturday, July 27th, Hezbollah fired a missile that killed 12 innocent Israeli children of the Druze community and injured more than 30 others while they were playing during the afternoon hours in a local soccer field in the town of Majdal Shams. While Israel mourns the massacre, the defense system is now working on a response. Is there a scenario for a severe Israeli response that will still keep Israel below the threshold of a total war? What are the current scenarios vis-a-vis Hezbollah and the state of Lebanon? What is the US position regarding the scale and dimensions of the planned Israeli response, and what should Israel do in the event of further escalation after Hezbollah responds back? In this program, researcher Adi Kantor sits down with INSS senior researchers Orna Mizrahi, former Deputy National Security Adviser for Foreign Policy, and Professor Chuck Freilich, who served for over 20 years in Israel’s national security establishment as a senior analyst and deputy national security adviser. Together, they discuss recent developments on the Israeli northern border and their implications on both internal and external fronts.

Since October 7 and during the eight months of the war in Gaza, Israel–US relations have known moments of true partnership, as well as moments of crisis. President Joe Biden is reportedly one of only two US presidents to have seriously considered a defense treaty with Israel. In a new memorandum titled “A US–Israeli Defense Treaty: The Time Has Come,” INSS senior researchers Prof. Chuck Freilich and Col. (res.) Eldad Shavit analyze the pros and cons of a bilateral defense treaty from both the Israeli and American perspectives and propose ways of addressing the concerns of both sides. In this program, INSS researcher Adi Kantor sits down with Prof. Chuck Freilich, co-author of the publication and a former deputy national security advisor in Israel. Together they discuss the feasibility of such an alliance between Israel and the United States under the current conditions. They ask: Why is it important and even crucial to consider a defense treaty with Israel precisely now, and what are the main advantages as well as disadvantages for both the United States and Israel when considering such a treaty?

After Iran’s leadership repeatedly threatened to retaliate for the assassination of its senior officer in Damascus, their reaction indeed finally came. On the night of April 13, a total of 320 missiles and UAVs carrying 60 tons of explosives were fired for the first time from Iran toward Israel. Their objective was clear: to destroy numerous targets in Israel, including military facilities. Israel successfully managed to intercept and destroy 99% of the weapons fired, thanks in large part to its strong alliance and cooperation with the United States, France, Great Britain, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. In today’s show, INSS researcher Adi Kantor sits down with Professor Chuck Freilich, a senior researcher at INSS, and Danny Citrinowicz, a research fellow in the Iran Program at INSS. Together they discuss the implications of this historic event on all fronts and actors. Will there be an Israeli response to Iran’s unprecedented attack? If so, what are the possible scenarios for such a response? What is the current position of the United States toward an Israeli response, and how will it affect US–Israeli relations? How are Iran’s proxies in the region expected to react? And what are the complications arising from the Israel–Hamas war?

Six months ago, on the morning of October 7th, Israel and the Jewish world faced the most tragic and monstrous attack against Israelis and Jews since the Holocaust. In a special program, INSS researcher Adi Kantor sits down with Senior Researchers Prof. Chuck Freilich from the Israel–US Relations program, Prof. Kobi Michael from the Israeli–Palestinian Relations program, Dr. Yoel Guzansky from the Regional System—Peace Accords program, and Research Fellow Danny Citrinowicz from the Iran program to discuss their assessments in their fields of research regarding the current situation and its future implications. Is Israel about to face a total war? What plans are in place for “the day after” in Gaza, and can the war’s objectives still be achieved?

More than three months into the war against Hamas, IDF forces are now deepening their combat in the Gaza Strip. In the north, Hezbollah continues to launch rockets against Israeli military and civilian targets, but this activity currently remains below the threshold of war. On other fronts, the Houthis in Yemen and the Iranians have interfered with cargo ships in the Red Sea, and weapons smuggling from Syria to Jordan continues. In addition, more than 120 Israelis (men and women, babies, elderly, and soldiers) remain in Hamas captivity. Is Israel headed toward an ongoing war with no end in sight? What are its plans for the “day after,” and are they in line with the current principles and conditions of the Biden administration? How can Israel reach its war goals and maintain the support of the United States, its greatest ally? And how are the upcoming elections in the US related to this? INSS researcher Adi Kantor sits down with INSS senior researcher Prof. Chuck Freilich, who served for over 20 years in Israel’s national security establishment, as a senior analyst and then as deputy national security adviser. Together they discuss current US-Israel relations and future perspectives regarding the war in Gaza.

In today’s podcast INSS researcher Adi Kantor sits down with Prof. Chuck Freilich, a senior researcher at INSS and a former deputy national security adviser in Israel. Together they discuss Prof. Freilich’s latest book titled Israel and the Cyber Threat: How the Startup Nation Became a Global Cyber Power (co-authored with Mathew S. Cohen and Gabi Siboni). This book is the first comprehensive study on the cyber threats Israel faces and the national strategy it has developed in response. What exactly do we mean when we say “cyber”? How is it related to national security? What is so different about the cyber realm, and what explains its growing importance in the public discourse, especially in our days? How did Israel become a cyber power ten years ago? What is unique in the “Israeli way” that created this international success? What is a “cyberattack,” and what are the current threats facing Israel in this field? And finally, where is Israel headed when it comes to cyber capabilities?

In this podcast, INSS researcher Adi Kantor sits down with three INSS senior researchers: Brig. Gen. (ret.) Dr. Meir Elran, head of the INSS program on Israel’s Civilian Front and Societal Resilience; Dr. Chuck Freilich, former Deputy National Security Adviser in Israel’s National Security Council; and Col. (res.) Adv. Pnina Sharvit Baruch, head of the INSS Law and National Security Program. Together they discuss worrying developments in the Israeli social-political crisis, in light of the government’s proposed judicial overhaul and the implications for Israel’s “special relations” with the United States. What are the main concerns from the side of the protesters regarding the judicial overhaul? Is there still a chance to reach a compromise? How do the domestic events in Israel shape the public discourse in the US? Is there a similarity between the crisis in Israel and the deep political polarization in American society? How essential are the “special relations” to Israel and its national security interests? And what can Israel do in order to ensure these relations remain firm and stable in the long run?