Podcasts

Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, Turkey has intensified its military operations in northern Syria – targeting Kurdish groups and even pursuing a new defense pact with Damascus. On this week’s episode of The National Security Podcast, Nicole Zedeck and Dr. Gallia Lindenstrauss from the Institute for National Security Studies examine Turkey’s latest actions in Syria and their implications for Kurdish forces.

Join host Nicole Zedeck each week for an in-depth discussion with expert analysts on some of the most pressing national security challenges facing Israel today. On this week’s episode, Dr. Carmit Valensi discusses the volatile situation in Syria amid the surprise rebel resurgence, and how the instability could impact its neighbor Israel.

Since October 8, 2023, Israel and Hezbollah have been engaged in an intense war of attrition, which seems to have accelerated in recent weeks and is accompanied by increasing expressions of threats by both sides. These threatening declarations make clear that in a case of an “all-out war,” the Israeli home front will indeed find itself facing a new, unprecedented challenge. In this program, INSS researcher Adi Kantor sits down with Dr. Carmit Valensi, a senior researcher at INSS and the head of the Northern Arena Program. Together they discuss how close is Israel to an “all-out war” in the north. What scenarios should be taken under consideration, and what are the implications of such a war to the Israeli home front? Is there still a chance of reaching a diplomatic solution, one that will bring back the security to tens of thousands of Israelis evacuated from the north and will finally enable them to return home? And what is the role of Syria in the ongoing escalation between Israel and Lebanon?

INSS Deputy Director Itai Brun hosts a special podcast following the update of the Institute’s strategic assessment for 2020, in the wake of both the coronavirus pandemic and the establishment of Israel’s new government after more than a year of political deadlock. INSS Managing Director Udi Dekel, together with INSS researchers Sima Shine, Assaf Orion, Orna Mizrahi, Meir Elran, Sarah Feuer, and Carmit Valensi provide a comprehensive review on the international system and the Middle East, which have been rocked by the virus, and will offer their recommendations to the new government.

Iran’s geo-political strategy in the Middle East using its Shiite militias and other proxies, both for the short and for the long term: How does the Iranian recruiting system work? Is it possible to restrain and constrain it based on the situation on the ground? Would Iran do anything to postpone a war against Israel at this point, or should Israel be worried by small confrontations with Iran or its proxies at this time?

The Syrian arena after the Russian intervention: What are Russia’s main reasons for arming Assad with S-300? How good/bad are the relations between Israel and Russia, and is there a core of agreement regarding the Iranian presence in Syria? Also – what are Russia’s goals in its Arabic propaganda efforts, targeting Arabic speaking youth?

What is Iran trying to achieve in Syria, and how does it resemble its influence in Lebanon? Can Israel stop the Iranian intervention in Syria by airstrikes and diplomacy? What are Trump’s objectives in the Middle East arena? Can Trump’s policy toward Iran result in regime change?

The expected outcomes of the American withdrawal from Syria – will it continue the war and strengthen Assad? Do the Russians have the power and the political will to reach an agreement and end the battels in Syria? ISIS efforts to increase its global reach – what can the international coalition do against them?