Advertise on podcast: Straight Up with Danny Seaman

What if some of the biggest stories shaping public opinion about Israel and even Barack Obama's presidency aren't what the media has led us to believe? In this episode of "Straight Up", Daniel Seaman sits down with French-Israeli documentary filmmaker and author Pierre Rehov to expose what they describe as a decades-long battle to manipulate the truth and control the narrative. Rehov discusses his explosive new book, "Obama's Dark Files", challenging the former president's carefully cultivated image and arguing that his policies toward Iran helped pave the way for the October 7 massacre. Drawing on 25 years of investigations, Rehov revisits the controversial Mohammed al-Dura incident, his documentaries about October 7 and his allegations that international media outlets have helped obscure uncomfortable truths about Islamist extremism. He also warns about the growing influence of political Islam in Europe and America and explains why he believes the information war may be even more consequential than the battles being fought on the ground.

Prime Minister Netanyahu says Israel and America have an unprecedented opportunity to bring down Iran's regime, but the upcoming Israeli election could determine whether they finish the job. Daniel Seaman examines the prime minister's exclusive JNS interview, revealing how Netanyahu's partnership with President Trump fits into a sweeping new Israeli national security doctrine. Moving beyond decades of deterrence and containment, the strategy emphasizes preemptive action, military independence and advanced technology to confront threats before they emerge. Seaman also explores reports of revolutionary underground robotic systems being developed to counter Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran's subterranean infrastructure, and Netanyahu's refusal to yield to international pressure over Israel's security and Palestinian statehood. Also covered, unrest across Europe and growing controversies surrounding Judea and Samaria raise questions about Israel's relationship with the West. Drawing on this week's Torah portion, Lech Lecha, Seaman connects Israel's current challenges to the Jewish people's enduring commitment to their homeland. Is Israel entering a new era that could fundamentally transform its security and reshape the Middle East for generations?

PM Netanyahu is facing a new challenge from inside Israel's own right wing and the party threatening to shake up the election says it could be the key to keeping him in power. With Israel's October 27 elections fast approaching, former Jerusalem Deputy Mayor and JNS commentator Fleur Hassan-Nahoum joins Daniel Seaman on "Straight Up" to reveal why she joined former IDF Brigadier General Ofer Winter's new People of Israel party and why she believes it could become the election's biggest surprise. Hassan-Nahoum lays out the party's plans to defeat Hamas decisively, promote voluntary migration from Gaza and establish a powerful new public diplomacy ministry to confront Israel's enemies in the global information war. She also addresses accusations that the party could split the right-wing vote, reveals why she believes Netanyahu's allies are attacking their own political camp and explains the growing influence of Arab-Israeli activist Yoseph Haddad.

Israel is fighting a war on eight fronts and one of its most dangerous battles is being fought on your phone. Daniel Seaman sits down with Michael Harpaz, former star of Israel's legendary boy band "High Five" turned viral pro-Israel influencer, to expose how social media has become a powerful weapon in the battle for public opinion. Harpaz reveals how he reinvented himself after October 7, turned simple parking-lot videos into a platform for defending Israel and borrowed lessons from YouTube superstar Mr. Beast to make his message resonate. Harpaz also warns: anti-Israel propaganda is reaching younger generations, influencing how Jews see themselves and shaping attitudes toward the Jewish state. From allegations of foreign-funded influence in American education to the growing pressure on Jews to distance themselves from Israel, the two explore why traditional public diplomacy is failing and how ordinary people can fight back.

Israeli passengers had just minutes to stop a hijacked plane from becoming a weapon, and Daniel Seaman says their actions reveal something much bigger about how Israel survives. In this episode of "Straight Up", Seaman examines the heroism aboard the FlyDubai flight and draws a direct parallel to the ordinary Israelis who rushed into action on October 7. He also returns to Gaza’s own social-media footage to challenge Western narratives about conditions there and examines why mounting pressure on Iran could dramatically reshape the region. Finally, Seaman turns to Kohelet and Sukkot for a larger lesson: in a long war, patience, endurance and the ability to see beyond the latest headline may matter more than anything else.

Israel’s supporters are changing tactics: stop explaining, start going directly into the places most hostile to the Jewish state. In this episode of "Straight Up", Daniel Seaman sits down with “Jewish Jess” of Frontline Advocates, who says threats against her forced her to leave Britain and move to Israel. She reveals what happened when her group of IDF veterans took their message directly to NYU, Columbia and other New York campuses...where confrontations quickly erupted around their Israeli flag and “We fought in Gaza, ask us anything” table. Jess explains the provocative tactic they used to get pro-Palestinian activists talking about October 7, the intensive training behind their growing international operation, and why she believes personal stories, not traditional “Hasbara”, could be the key to changing the narrative about Israel.

The war with Iran may have gone quiet, but Daniel Seaman argues the real battle is still unfolding behind the scenes. In this episode of Straight Up, Seaman breaks down how U.S. pressure has weakened Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz, why Israel is watching Turkey’s growing regional ambitions and what ongoing operations against Hezbollah and Hamas reveal about Israel’s new strategy. He also takes aim at reports of a supposed mass Israeli “exodus” and examines how media narratives can distort everything from Israel’s wars to the ideological battles now playing out across the West.

Is President Trump setting a strategic trap for Iran, or giving the regime exactly what it wants? This week on "Straight Up," Daniel Seaman unpacks the dizzying cycle of military threats and diplomatic pauses surrounding the Islamic Republic, asking whether Washington's apparent hesitation is part of a larger strategy or a dangerous display of weakness. He also examines Hezbollah's continued rearmament in Lebanon, Hamas's attempts to use negotiations to halt Israeli military operations, Europe's growing migration crisis and the persistent effort to blame Israel for events far beyond its borders. Drawing on Jewish history and biblical lessons about patience and perseverance, Seaman explains why timing and national resilience remain essential in a region where appearances can be deceiving.

Did PM Netanyahu and President Trump leave Washington with a secret strategy, and is Iran walking straight into it? This week on Straight Up, Daniel Seaman cuts through the speculation surrounding the closed-door White House meetings and examines what may actually be driving U.S. and Israeli strategy against the Islamic Republic. He explains why Iran's latest attack on American forces in Jordan could expose the failure of Tehran's negotiating playbook, analyzes the growing pressure on Hezbollah and Hamas and asks whether international diplomatic initiatives are solving problems or simply buying time for America's enemies. Plus, Daniel exposes new revelations about Hamas operatives posing as journalists and why he believes the battle is ultimately one of values as much as military power. If you want to understand the strategy behind the headlines, not just the headlines themselves, this episode is for you.