The Promised Podcast

Miriam, Noah, and Deputy Director of the Geneva Initiative Tehila Wenger talk about: 1) The controversial opinion piece in the Times suggesting that Israeli guards and soldiers sexually assault Palestinian prisoners, and 2) Why Jerusalem Day has become an almost sectarian holiday for religious Zionists.
For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Tehila Wenger's Geneva Initiative has been arguing for a Two-State Solution for 23 years. How has working for peace changed over this time?
Plus remembering Marie Nahmias and a few things that moved us over the week.

Allison, Noah and (for some of the time) special star-ringer Professor Gordon Lafer talk about: 1) How the war with Iran seems to have quickened a surprisingly close strategic relationship between Israel and the UAE, and 2) How Israel is these days seen on college campuses, from the quad to the student union to the seminar room to the faculty lounge.
For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Is it still possible to be a "liberal Zionist" outside of Israel?
Plus an ambivalent tribute to artist Yair Garbuz and a few things that moved us over the week.

Linda and Noah talk about 1) President Yitzhak Herzog's split-the-baby reply to Prime Minister Netanyahu's request for a pardon, saying he will host and mediate plea bargain negotiations: Is this clever or craven? 2) The announcement that former Prime Ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid will run together in the upcoming elections, with Bennett atop the list, and whether the whole they make is bigger or smaller than the sum of its parts.
For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: After Bennett and Lapid ring the opening bell of the election campaign, we ask ourselves what we expect from the next six months of politicians politicking politically.
Plus new songs with words by lately fallen soldiers, a kid in Beirut who asks the IDF to blow up her school, and talking peace in Area C.

Miriam Herschlag and Noah Efron talk about 1) The imposed cease-fires, and whether Israelis ought to worry we're becoming a vassal state, and 2) What explains why an IDF soldier thought it was right, or maybe just amusing, to take a sledgehammer to a statue of Jesus in a yard in a village in Lebanon.
For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Peace activist, negotiator, and friend of the podcast Gershon Baskin writes that, "Donald Trump is the best chance Israelis, Palestinians have for peace since 1993". That so?
Plus the joint Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Ceremony, an out of control bus-driver, and the lovely debut record of rising-star Noa Carsenti.

Allison and Noah talk about 1) Whether or not, as an essay in the New York Times suggests, war has become "not a strategy but the norm" for Israel, (2) The World Happiness Reports finding that Israelis remain among the happiest people on earth, including after October 7th: Why is this?
For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: A bunch of writers send a confusing open-letter to the Jewish Book Council saying (we think) that the JBC needs to de-Zionize. What should we make of that?
Plus Yom Hashoah, Yom Ha-Atzmaut and Noga Erez rocking Coachella!