Advertise on podcast: Middle East Forum Podcast

In this episode of Israel Insider, host Ashley Perry examines the attempted takeover of a Flydubai flight carrying mostly Israeli passengers, how the attack was stopped, and the unanswered questions surrounding the pilot’s intentions. He also looks at how the incident is reshaping Israel’s election campaign by putting national security back at the center of the debate, as Netanyahu and the opposition compete for control of the agenda. Subscribe to the Middle East Forum for new episodes and expert analysis every week.

In this episode of the Middle East Forum Podcast, host Lauri Regan speaks with evolutionary behavioral scientist and author Gad Saad about his new book, Suicidal Empathy: Dying to Be Kind, and his argument that empathy can become harmful when it overrides reason and self-preservation. Saad discusses how this idea applies to immigration, academia, Israel, Islam, and cultural relativism, as well as the influence of ideological conformity and postmodernism on Western institutions. Subscribe to the Middle East Forum for new episodes and expert analysis every week.

In this episode of Israel Insider, host Ashley Perry examines the focus on Israel at the UN General Assembly, Benjamin Netanyahu’s upcoming address, and the growing international pressure over settlements and settler violence. Perry also discusses efforts to disqualify Arab parties and candidates from Israel’s election, Avigdor Lieberman’s proposal for Jordan to administer Palestinian-controlled areas of the West Bank, and opposition efforts to coordinate campaign strategy as neither major bloc has a clear governing majority. Subscribe to the Middle East Forum for new episodes and expert analysis every week.

Lt. Col. (res.) Maurice Hirsch joins the Middle East Forum Podcast to discuss why he believes the Oslo Accords have failed, how the Palestinian Authority’s “Pay-for-Slay” system incentivizes terrorism, and why its expanding security forces pose a growing threat to Israel. He also examines the legacy of October 7, the future of Palestinian leadership, prisoner exchanges, and the security implications of developments in Judea and Samaria. Subscribe to the Middle East Forum for new episodes and expert analysis every week.

Ashley Perry examines the UK’s new sanctions targeting Israeli settlement goods, Israel’s retaliatory response, and why Washington’s silence may be more consequential for Jerusalem than the measures themselves. He also discusses a disputed report that the UAE warned Benjamin Netanyahu shortly before October 7 that Hamas was preparing a major attack, and what the allegation could mean politically as Israel heads toward elections. Perry then breaks down the finalized candidate lists, growing instability among ultra-Orthodox parties, and the enlistment debate shaping the race. Subscribe to the Middle East Forum for new episodes and expert analysis every week.

Ibn Warraq joins the Middle East Forum Podcast to discuss whether Islam is compatible with Western values, examining free speech, religious liberty, assimilation, political Islam, and competing ideas of sovereignty. He also reflects on the intellectual journey behind Why I Am Not a Muslim and explains why he believes Western civilization must be more willing to defend its own principles. Subscribe to the Middle East Forum for new episodes and expert analysis every week.

More than 30 years after Hamas murdered 17-year-old American David Boim, his family is still seeking to enforce a $156 million terrorism judgment. Lead counsel Daniel I. Schlessinger explains the case against American Muslims for Palestine, the “alter ego” theory at its center, and what the 2027 trial could mean for other terrorism victims seeking accountability in U.S. courts. Subscribe to the Middle East Forum for new episodes and expert analysis every week.

Israel’s latest strike in Syria highlights its growing concern over Turkey’s expanding military influence there. Ashley Perry examines the risk of a deeper Israel-Turkey confrontation, Washington’s response, and the security calculations driving Israel’s actions. He also breaks down Israel’s increasingly fragmented election landscape, the emergence of a potential third bloc, and Netanyahu’s continued control of Likud. Subscribe to the Middle East Forum for new episodes and expert analysis every week.

David Wurmser joins the Middle East Forum Podcast to examine the new Mecca Agreement among Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan and the broader strategic realignment it reflects. He discusses Turkey’s ambitions, China’s growing influence, Saudi Arabia’s shifting calculations, and the implications for India, the UAE, Israel, and the Abraham Accords. Wurmser also considers how Israel and the United States could respond as competing regional blocs take shape. Subscribe to the Middle East Forum for new episodes and expert analysis every week.

With Israel’s October 27 election approaching, guest host Alex Selsky examines the deadlocked polls and the coalition math that could determine the next government. He looks at Netanyahu’s reshaping of Likud, the potential role of Ra’am and a new “third bloc,” and divisions across Israel’s political camps. Selsky also discusses foreign interference, Gaza, and the political maneuvering likely to intensify before Election Day. Subscribe to the Middle East Forum for new episodes and expert analysis every week.

Russia, Iran, China, and Qatar are using different tools to weaken the political consensus behind the U.S.-Israel partnership. Alex Goldenberg joins Middle East Forum Podcast host Lauri Regan to examine how antisemitism, anti-Israel narratives, foreign funding, and social media influence campaigns are used to shape American public opinion and raise the political cost of cooperation with Israel. They also discuss how these efforts can converge without direct coordination, the role of prominent domestic voices in amplifying foreign narratives, and the growing influence of AI-enabled information operations. Goldenberg concludes by outlining how government, technology companies, analysts, and civil society can work together to identify, attribute, and counter hostile influence campaigns. Subscribe to the Middle East Forum for new episodes and expert analysis from across the region.

Ashley Perry examines the tentative Strait of Hormuz agreement and whether Iran’s leadership will uphold it. He also assesses renewed tensions with Hezbollah, the dispute over Hamas disarmament, and Israel’s response options. Finally, he explains how new center-right parties and the ultra-Orthodox enlistment debate could reshape Israel’s election.

Recent wars and maritime disruptions have exposed the vulnerability of the Strait of Hormuz, Bab el-Mandeb, and the Suez Canal—critical chokepoints for global trade and energy. Amit Mor joins Middle East Forum Podcast host Lauri Regan to examine emerging alternatives, including new oil pipelines, expanded overland trucking routes, the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, and proposed rail links through Iraq, Turkey, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. They also discuss Iran’s leverage over the Strait of Hormuz, Houthi threats to Bab el-Mandeb, and whether new regional trade routes can reduce dependence on vulnerable waterways. Subscribe to the Middle East Forum for new episodes and expert analysis from across the region.

Benjamin Netanyahu presented Donald Trump with three possible paths on Iran: diplomacy, intensified economic pressure, or renewed military operations. Ashley Perry examines what emerged from their meeting, Iran’s latest attack on a U.S. base, and the renewed activity of Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iraqi militias. He also assesses Netanyahu’s political position as Israel’s election campaign begins to take shape.

Despite renewed diplomacy between Lebanon and Israel, Hezbollah retains an independent military and political structure that prevents Beirut from controlling decisions of war and peace. Scholar and educator Ibtisam Klait traces Hezbollah’s ideological origins, its allegiance to Iran’s doctrine of Wilayat al-Faqih, and its evolution from a “state within a state” into a “state against the state.” She explains why restoring Lebanese sovereignty is essential to any lasting peace or regional normalization.