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Steffen Seibert: Gaza won’t sever special Germany-Israel ties
Jun 12, 2026
34m 00s
Dakar Eilat: Inside prisons for Hamas terrorists
May 15, 2026
30m 19s
Is the IDF telling the right story to the world ?
May 8, 2026
42m 55s
David Rosen: Israel doesn't adequately understand Christian relations
Apr 24, 2026
41m 19s
Moran Zaga: The Gulf states react to humiliation by Iran
Apr 17, 2026
37m 11s
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| Date | Episode | Description | Length | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6/12/26 | ![]() Steffen Seibert: Gaza won’t sever special Germany-Israel ties | Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. Last week, Germany failed to secure a temporary seat on the powerful United Nations Security Council. There were several theories about the reason for Berlin's failure, but Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul offered a striking one — that it could be that Germany's support for Israel cost it the coveted seat. Germany is indeed one of Israel's closest allies in the world, and has been for decades. At the same time, the special relationship Israel enjoys with Berlin -- like its ties with other key allies -- has come under strain in the wars it has pursued in the wake of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks. In August 2025, Germany announced a partial arms embargo on Israel over its decision to conquer Gaza City. To discuss the roots and the state of the Germany-Israel relationship, German Ambassador Steffen Seibert joined the podcast, weeks before he wraps up his four-year tenure and returns to Berlin. He rejects the idea that Germany's approach to Israel is guided by "Holocaust guilt." Instead, he says that the Shoah is a compass for Germany, which has the responsibility to learn the appropriate lessons from that dark period and let them guide its foreign policy. Seibert stresses that the Germany-Israel relationship is also rooted in shared democratic values and common interests. At the same time, he emphasizes that the special relationship exists within the pre-1967 borders, and that it sees Israel's presence in the West Bank as a violation of international law. On the war in Gaza, Seibert calls Israel's military response "inevitable and logical." Still, he says, there are questions over "how it was fought, how long it was fought." Still, he says that Hamas bears the main responsibility for the plight of Gazans. Seibert explains that Germany's decision not to intervene on Israel's behalf in the ICJ genocide case against Israel is a tactical move, as Berlin faces its own charges over its support for Israel: "It changes the assessment that we took at the beginning of the conflict. It's to do with the court case that we find ourselves in." Turning to the Iran war, Seibert says the Israeli-US campaign was "definitely understandable," but that continued fighting won't achieve much, and that it is now time to turn military gains into a political arrangement. Seibert, who learned Hebrew during his tenure, says that he is not sure what he will do next, but intends to continue spending time in Israel while he works to "reinvent" himself in the next phase of his career. Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and video edited by Ari Schlacht.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | 34m 00s | ||||||
| 5/15/26 | ![]() Dakar Eilat: Inside prisons for Hamas terrorists | Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. The New York Times printed a bombshell accusation against Israel this week. An op-ed by columnist Nicholas Kristof alleged widespread sexual abuse and rape against Palestinian prisoners. The column alleged “a pattern of widespread Israeli sexual violence against men, women and even children — by soldiers, settlers, interrogators in the Shin Bet internal security agency and, above all, prison guards.” Palestinians quoted in the piece said they’d even been mounted and raped by specially trained dogs. Israel called the article “one of the most hideous and distorted lies ever published against the State of Israel," and promised to sue the NYT. Some of the more extreme claims seem highly unlikely, to say the least, but could a group of guards -- or a prison commander -- be abusing prisoners in violation of the law? Israel's Prison Service is not a well-understood security organization, as bodies like the IDF, the Shin Bet, Mossad, and police garner far more attention. But IPS holds thousands of hardened terrorists from groups like Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and is an important part of the fight against those organizations. To better understand the IPS, its oversight, and how prisoners are treated, we speak to Col. Dakar Eilat, who ran two prisons in Israel. He explains the changes in the prison service's approach to terrorist prisoners that took place two decades ago, removing their ability to order terror attacks from inside prison, and then again after the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks. There is no question that after October 7, conditions for terrorists have been reduced to the minimum required by law, he says. But guards can't do whatever they want. Everything that happens in prison is recorded by cameras, says Eilat, with footage then sent to prison service headquarters. Eilat shares some of his personal experiences as a prison commander and the use of force. He says that one of his predecessors had been caught using illegal force on prisoners, and the prison commissioner brought him in to end the phenomenon. That doesn't mean that prisoners were treated lightly. There were strip searches of prisoners, and if they resist with force, "they will be met with force," says Eilat. Still, there are multiple oversight mechanisms, he says. Some 130 organizations -- both Israeli and international -- carry out inspections and oversight of prisons, and during some weeks, he had 5 snap inspections of his prisons. As for the NYT allegations, he calls them "bullsh*t". He says that -- beyond the cameras -- doctors in prisons have an independent chain of command and reporting mechanism, and they would catch signs of abuse. Dog training is overseen by animal rights groups, and official investigations of the prison service are carried out by the Justice Ministry and the police. Covering up systematic abuse like that described in the Kristof piece would take hundreds of conspirators, says Eilat. Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and video edited by Ari Schlacht.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | 30m 19s | ||||||
| 5/8/26 | ![]() Is the IDF telling the right story to the world ? | Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. Israel has had a rough time of it on the international stage since the Hamas invasion of October 7, 2023 and the subsequent wars. Allegations of collective punishment, genocide, and targeting of religious sites have been made by some of Israel's closest allies, and support for the Jewish state is plummeting in the West. Much of the criticism leveled at Israel, justified or not, revolves around what the world sees from the battlefield. The IDF has a large, well-oiled public communications machine. The IDF Spokesperson's Unit does things other militaries can only dream of. At the same time, there is a feeling in Israel and among its friends that the IDF is too slow and bureaucratic to effectively get its message out in the age of social media and AI. LTC Nadav Shoshani, who returned to active duty in the wake of October 7, argues that despite Israel's inherent disadvantages, the IDF is effectively communicating to the world. In an interview the day before he steps down as the IDF's international spokesman, Shoshani reveals his approach to speaking to the world about the war in Gaza. He admits that Israel's reputation is at a nadir and that the problem must be dealt with. Yet he stresses that Israel is facing structural disadvantages. Much of the world simply doesn't like war. Israel's enemies aren't held to the same standard of truth and accuracy, which allows them to quickly spread lies while Israel is still carrying out investigations. Shoshani lays out some of the lessons he's learned in the position. Israel has to fill information vaccuums, he says, even if it is a message that the country is investigating the incident at hand. He also opened many new social media accounts, in order "to be everywhere and to be active everywhere." Pressed on the persistent problem of IDF soldiers posting problematic content on social media, Shoshani says that he has invested significant effort into confronting the problem, with tangible results. "They understand what's happening," says Shoshani. "They're more sensitive. It's still not where we want it to be, but it is much better." Shoshani takes listeners back to key episodes in the Gaza war like the 2025 announcement by Defense Minister Israel Katz that nothing would be going into Gaza, and the GHF aid site fiasco in which Gazans were killed nearly daily around the food distribution sites. He says that the IDF has acted properly around prisoners taken from Gaza. Shoshani visited the Sde Teiman base, and says Hamas terrorists there are receiving food and medical care, and that there are lawyers on site to make sure the guards adhere to the law. Shoshani also argues that the IDF is doing everything it can to combat settler violence in the West Bank: "We see this as a core mission. Our mission in Judea and Samaria is to keep stability and to keep safety for all the people living in that area, to make sure there is no violence." The military recognizes the problem, he says, and is dealing with it, but that it takes time. Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and video edited by Ari Schlacht.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | 42m 55s | ||||||
| 4/24/26 | ![]() David Rosen: Israel doesn't adequately understand Christian relations | Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. The world, and most Israelis, were horrified this week as a photo of an IDF soldier smashing a statue of Jesus in Lebanon spread across social media. The act was roundly condemned by the army and by Israel's leaders. Yet, it happened. And it wasn't the first time Israeli soldiers had disrespected Christian sites in Lebanon, nor was it the only instance of Israel drawing the ire of Christians around the world. Rabbi David Rosen is a leader in Israeli and Jewish ties with Christians, especially the Catholic Church. Drawing on decades of experience, including numerous meetings with popes, he lays out the moral reasons for investing in ties with the Christian world, and why it is in Israel's national interest to get these relations right. He calls the modern Catholic Church a "loyal friend to the Jewish people," marking the "most dramatic transformation in the course of human history." The vast majority of the Christian world does not want to be seen as antisemitic, and sees itself as an ally of the Jewish people. But there is much to be done. Israel still has not concluded its decades-long talks with the Vatican, despite promising to wrap them up in the 1990s. Moreover, Israeli society doesn't understand the Christian world. Most religious Israelis have had no meaningful relationships with Christians, and see them through shallow stereotypes of historical antisemitism -- "almost a reverse image of some of the anti-Semitic cartoon images." Even worse, extremists continue to harass Christians in the Old City of Jerusalem and beyond. Rosen points at urgent tasks Israel must complete undertake if it is to get ties with Christians right. It must fix the "fundamental and enormous educational flaw" in schools by creating curricula to familiarize Israeli students with contemporary Christians, including their communities inside of Israel.Police must crack down on harassment of Christians in order to stamp out the phenomenon. Finally, he says, a senior official position must be created to build Israel's strategy toward churches and the broader Christian world. "There is no strategic thinking, no strategic approach whatsoever on the part of sequential governments of government after government in Israel," he laments, "because basically there has not been an understanding that this needs to be a priority in any way." Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and video edited by Ari Schlacht.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | 41m 19s | ||||||
| 4/17/26 | ![]() Moran Zaga: The Gulf states react to humiliation by Iran | Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. The shorthand term "Gulf states" doesn't describe a monolith. The Arab states along the Persian Gulf -- Saudi Arabia, Oman, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain -- all have unique internal dynamics, and approach their relationships with both Israel and Iran in different ways. Yet they do share a common threat -- the Shiite regional heavyweight just across the water, Iran. Placing a priority on stability and prosperity, the Gulf states have sought to prevent a war between the US and Iran. And if that war did break out, they hoped to secure immunity from Iranian attacks by maintaining diplomatic channels with the Islamic Republic and by showing that they were working for a ceasefire. That effort failed spectacularly. All the Gulf states were targeted by Iran, and the UAE was the country hardest hit by Iran in the war that began on February 28. The war made the countries look weak, as none of them hit back, nor were they able to put together a unified diplomatic initiative to end the war. Moran Zaga, expert on the Gulf states at the University of Haifa and at MIND Israel, explains how each of the countries is rethinking its approach to the Iran threat, and whether they are open to deeper ties with Israel. For now, she says, they are facing new and pressing challenges that threaten their economic well-being -- the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the possibility that the Houthis will shut down the approaches to the Red Sea, and Iran's insistence that it should decide who gets to enter the Persian Gulf. Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and video edited by Ari Schlacht.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | 37m 11s | ||||||
| 4/10/26 | ![]() John Spencer: US can force open Strait of Hormuz if it decides to | Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. The fledgling ceasefire between the US and Israel on the one hand, and Iran on the other, is holding. Even before it went into effect, a pointed debate began over who won, and whether US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu achieved what they set out to accomplish 41 days ago. John Spencer, chair of war studies at the Madison Policy Forum, says that it is way too early to determine the outcome of the war, as it is impossible to know what the outcome will be. Negotiations on a long-term settlement have not even begun yet. Moreover, Spencer argues, wars should be judged based on the stated goals of the campaign. Both Trump and Netanyahu made clear on multiple occasions that, though they would love to see the regime in Tehran fall, regime change is not a goal of the campaign. And, he says, there is no guarantee that the regime survives. It often takes time for the public to rise up and topple oppressive rulers. Spencer also notes that Israel is clearly stronger than it was on October 6, 2023, and Iran and its axis are much weaker. As for the Strait of Hormuz, which emerged as a central factor in the war, Spencer does not doubt that the US spent plenty of time and resources planning for the possibility that Iran would close the waterway. He recalls war-gaming such a scenario 15 years ago as a US officer, and stresses that there is a permanent task force in the Pentagon to think about keeping the Strait open. There are plenty of possible reasons for the US to decide not to force Hormuz open at this point, including global markets, diplomatic openings, and the potential costs of an operation. Spencer says that in his eyes, Iran's strategy failed, in that it validated all the fears about it in the region, and is likely to push Arab states further into the arms of the US and its regional alliance. Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and video edited by Ari Schlacht.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | 45m 18s | ||||||
| 4/3/26 | ![]() What does history of air power tell us about Iran war? | Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. The US and Israel are trying to drastically weaken Iran, and maybe even bring down the regime, entirely from the air. They are certainly not the first combatants to strive for far-reaching goals through air power.In fact, countries have tried to win wars from the air for over a century. Airpower has a tendency to capture the imagination of civilian and military planners, leading them to believe that this time, new technology will give them the edge needed to transform warfare and avoid long, costly ground campaigns. But strategic air campaigns almost always fall short of their goals. They do not topple regimes, do not cause the public to rise up (and often create solidarity among the enemy public), and achieve results that are anything but decisive. Airpower certainly has its place, especially in destroying specific targets and supporting ground forces. Israel has taken that further, eliminating layers of Iranian, Hezbollah, and Hamas leadership from the air. Can the two most capable air forces in the world win the war against Iran from the air? Or will this be the latest case study that shows how difficult it is to achieve strategic goals from the air? Joined by diplomatic reporter Nava Freiberg, Lazar walks the listener from the 18th century, through the world wars, Vietnam, and Kosovo to explain what air power can accomplish -- and what mistakes overoptimistic planners continue to make. Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and video edited by Ari Schlacht.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | 35m 22s | ||||||
| 3/27/26 | ![]() Raz Zimmt: Iran's new leadership and the coming escalation | Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. The war in Iran has reached a new, somewhat odd, phase. After hammering the Islamic Republic for four weeks, US President Donald Trump dropped a bombshell announcement this week -- that he was in talks with Tehran over an end to the war. Iran initially denied the talks, then acknowledged that there were contacts, and released a series of demands for the war to end. Now, the US and Israel continue to strike Iran, the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, and Trump talks about Iran talks. Raz Zimmt, Iran expert at the Institute for National Security Studies, joins Lazar to make sense of what is happening inside Iran, and where the war might go from here. He explains who is running Iran, and why the country is moving in an even more hardline direction. Zimmt argues that Iran's motivation for building a nuclear weapon has gone up drastically, and Ali Khamenei's fatwa against one is no longer in place now that he is dead. The regime shows no signs of cracking, Zimmt argues, though its military industries and capabilities have been badly degraded. If talks with the US fail, he says, the war seems headed for further escalation. That may come in the form of an invasion of Kharg Island, which Zimmt says is the wrong way to force Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz. Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and video edited by Yitzhak Ledee.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | 34m 50s | ||||||
| 3/20/26 | ![]() Caroline Glick: Why we went back to war in Iran | Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. Almost three weeks of the US-Israeli war on Iran have gone by. There are undoubtedly important achievements. This week, Israel assassinated Ali Larijani, perhaps the most important leader left in the Islamic Republic. It also took out leaders of the brutal Basij force, and there is no question that Iran's ability to launch ballistic missiles and drones at its enemies has been severely degraded. Top officials in Gulf states are speaking out more openly about Iranian attacks, with a senior UAE adviser saying that the strikes will push the Gulf closer to Israel. Despite the impressive -- even unprecedented tactical achievements -- key questions remain. How does this war end? How will Israel "create the conditions" for Iran's people to topple the regime, and will we be back at war again in the coming years if they don't? Caroline Glick, a veteran journalist who has served as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's international affairs adviser during both Iran wars, lays out why Israel is fighting against Iran less than a year after Netanyahu declared that the 12-day war last June achieved a historic victory. She says that Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump are aligned on the goals on the campaign, and reports of discord do not reflect reality. Glick makes clear that it is up to the Iranian people to achieve their freedom, but Israel is doing what it can to pave the way from the air. Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and video edited by Yitzy Ledee.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | 34m 35s | ||||||
| 3/13/26 | ![]() Gallia Lindenstrauss: Iran war reaches Kurds, Turkey and Azerbaijan | Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. Two weeks into the war against Iran, the Islamic Republic has made good on its threats and attacked all the Gulf Arab states. But while the focus on reporting has been on those countries, players on Iran's northern border are also under fire. Iran has fired two missiles at Turkey, a major regional power; has hit targets in Azerbaijan; continues to pound Iraqi Kurdistan; and Iran's proxy Hezbollah even attacked British zones in Cyprus. The northern theater should not be overlooked. Each of these actors has a complex relationship not only with Iran, but also with Israel. Some, like Cyprus and Azerbaijan, are close allies, while Turkey has turned into a leading adversary and a backer of Hamas. Gallia Lindenstrauss, a leading Turkey expert, examines how each is reacting to the outbreak of war, and what might lie ahead in their ties with Israel. Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and video edited by Ari Schlacht.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | 35m 41s | ||||||
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| 3/6/26 | ![]() Can the Iran regime be toppled from the air? | Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. We are one week into a stunning US-Israel bombing campaign against the Islamic Republic. Senior Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have been eliminated, and Iran's ability to attack its neighbors and to defend itself has been severely damaged. But it is still fighting, and launching attacks on countries across the region.What are US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu trying to achieve in this war? And if it is regime change, is that even possible without sending in ground troops? A possible way to thread that needle -- to avoid committing US or Israeli forces but to still take ground from the Islamic Republic -- is to use local opposition forces. The Kurds are being talked about as a possible vanguard of ethnic uprisings against the regime. That is probably overambitious. There are only a few thousands Iranian Kurds under arms, and they have ample reasons to be wary of American promises. Still, every day that goes by sees the US and Israel degrade Iranian forces, while they gain more freedom of action over the country. But there is still a long way to go before Trump and Netanyahu can consider ending the campaign while still achieving their goals. Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and video edited by Ari Schlacht.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | 31m 50s | ||||||
| 2/27/26 | ![]() Imam Imad Al Masri: The Muslim community spreading peace in Israel and beyond | Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. There is a religious community in Israel dedicated to spreading peace throughout the country and beyond. Days after October 7, this community opened its doors for hundreds of Israelis from diverse backgrounds, stressing the importance of maintaining peaceful dialogue between ethnic and religious groups. That community is Muslim. The Ahmadiyya number only around 2,000 in Israel, but are part of a global community of some 20 million. In today's Lazar Focus, Imam Imad Al Masri, a Jordanian cleric living in Haifa, explains the origins of his sect and makes an impassioned case for the Ahmadiyya vision for spreading peace around the world. As he marks the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, he discusses the community's outreach in Palestinian areas, including in the Gaza Strip under Hamas rule and during the recent war there. Al Masri recounts the reaction of the Ahmadiyya community to the October 7, 2023, attacks and how they dealt with initial suspicions from their Jewish neighbors. As Israel maintains a shaky ceasefire in Gaza and prepares for a possible war with Iran, the Ahmadiyya present an unwavering call for peace that many find refreshing and uplifting. Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and video edited by Ari Schlacht.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | 39m 04s | ||||||
| 2/20/26 | ![]() Michael Oren: Israel's historic Iran moment | Israel has never been stronger. Since October 7, 2023, Israel has steadily rolled back its enemies in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran. A staunch friend of Israel is in the White House, and he might well launch a second wave of strikes on Israel's archenemy in Tehran. Or is Israel historically vulnerable? None of the adversaries it has taken on since the Hamas invasion are defeated. US President Donald Trump is an ally, but both the Democratic and Republican parties have influential and growing wings that are hostile to Israel, if not antisemitic.To make sense of this moment, one needs a grasp of military strategy, Middle East geopolitics, and the workings of the US-Israel relationship. Michael Oren, Israel's former envoy in Jerusalem and a leading Middle East historian, says that the post-October 7 wars represent "one of the greatest military victories in modern history, perhaps in all history." However, it remains to be seen whether Israel can translate the military victories into permanent strategic and diplomatic gains. On the potential for a US strike in Iran, Oren stresses the importance of missile defense for the US Navy, as Iran's greatest achievement would be the sinking of an American aircraft carrier. He predicts that after Trump issued clear threats and put his reputation on the line, he is not going to back down and leave a legacy that could be compared to that of Barack Obama. Looking at the future of the US-Israeli relationship, Oren notes that the US is going through domestic processes that Israel has no control over, but often use Israel to score political points. Given those trends, Israel should diversify its diplomatic relationships, but there will never be a replacement for American support. Oren firmly supports Israel moving off of US military aid, and transforming its relationship with Washington into one of equal partners working together to develop capabilities. Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and video edited by Ari Schlacht.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | 35m 12s | ||||||
| 2/13/26 | ![]() Lazar Berman: Are Saudis moving away from Israel and toward Islamists? | Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. Only 16 days before the October 7, 2023, attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took to the podium at the United Nations. As a Saudi diplomat listened intently, he said, "We are on the cusp of an even more dramatic breakthrough, a historic peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia.” The war that erupted with the Hamas invasion has, not surprisingly, pushed off normalization, but it was still seen as likely once the hostages came back and Hamas was beaten. That prognosis has been replaced by alarm in recent months. The rivalry between Saudi Arabia and the UAE -- a close Israeli ally -- spilled out into the open in Yemen, and continues to simmer in Sudan and Libya. Meanwhile, Riyadh's relations with Ankara and Doha continue to improve. In parallel, Saudi media and clerics launched a bitter war of words on the UAE, Israel, and even Jews. Berman drills down into the economic, strategic, and military roots of the UAE-Saudi regional rivalry, and whether the idea of blocs in the Middle East is even accurate. He then gives his assessment of whether Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman is really realigning the kingdom's foreign policy, and what it means for a peace deal with Israel. Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | 26m 30s | ||||||
| 2/6/26 | ![]() William Daroff: What Trump needs to do for that Nobel Prize | Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. American Jews have plenty to fret about. Facing rising antisemitism even before October 7, 2023, the community has had to deal with a massive spike in threats, defamation, and outright violence since the Hamas attack. While Israel was fighting to defeat Hamas and get the hostages home, US Jews were contending with anti-Zionist attacks from both the left and the right. William Daroff, CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, has been a central player in the US Jewish communities' responses to October 7 and the subsequent two years of war. He lays out his explanation for the spike in antisemitism in the US, and argues that with domestic focus on ICE, Israel has an opening to restart reconnecting with Democrats and young Americans. He recounts his conversations with the Biden Administration at the start of the war, and explains why the relationship with Netanyahu became so strained. Turning to the White House, Daroff offers insights into Trump's relationships with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatar. He argues that one should take Trump's threats seriously, both against Hamas if they don't disarm and Iran if they don't concede to US demands. Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | 40m 55s | ||||||
| 1/30/26 | ![]() David Parsons: Why Christian Zionists support a strong Israel | Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. On January 17, a statement from heads of Jerusalem churches touched off a firestorm. It blasted Christian Zionism, leading to an online fight over religious authority, divine promises, and ecclesial divisions. Christian Zionists, including US Ambassador Mike Huckabee and the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem. fought back, releasing robust defenses of their theology and love for Israel and the Jewish people. ICEJ Senior Vice President David Parsons, who has lived in Israel for over two decades, explains why Christian Zionists back Israel, and what it has to do with the nature of God's promises. He addresses the charge that Christian Zionists are secretly trying to get Jews back to Israel to spark the Armageddon, and answers questions about whether they take sides in partisan issues in Israel. Parsons reveals surprising details on the effectiveness of ICEJ as a diplomatic tool for Israel, and why continued US support for Israel depends on the tens of millions of Christian Zionists. Moving to a lighter topic, Parsons discusses the ICEJ's keystone event, the annual Feast of Tabernacles celebration in Jerusalem, in which thousands of Christians from dozens of countries come to march in the capital -- even at the height of the war against Hamas. Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | 35m 56s | ||||||
| 1/23/26 | ![]() Adam Louis-Klein: Why anti-Zionism is the newest hate movement | Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. Since October 7, 2023, there has been a focused and intense campaign to paint Zionism as a supremacist, racist, and inherently violent movement that has no place in academia, popular culture, or public life in the West. Jews and supporters of Israel usually label such attacks as antisemitism, since they often take old tropes about Jews and apply them to Israel. Anthropologist Adam Louis-Klein, who emerged from the Colombian jungle on October 9 and found himself under attack from colleagues for his support of Israel, is leading the effort to cast anti-Zionism as a hate movement that seeks to deny Jews a place in the public square on their own terms by portraying Zionism as the root of much of the world's evil and violence. Louis-Klein applies his critical lens to anti-Zionism, examining its roots in Nazism, Islamist ideology, and Soviet propaganda. He unpacks terms like "settler-colonialism," "genocide," and " apartheid," and explains why the anti-Zionists chose those loaded words in their attack on the Jewish state. Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht. IMAGE: Adam Louis-Klein (courtesy) / Demonstrators gather on the UCLA campus, June 12, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | 33m 28s | ||||||
| 1/16/26 | ![]() Lazar Berman: Why Iran's regime is holding on… for now | Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan and diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. Starting December 28, Iran's cities and towns filled with protesters, but its political elite continues to show cohesion and confidence. Additionally, there have been no signs that security personnel are defecting or refusing orders. This week, Berman -- looking back at previous protests and how they were squelched -- projects forward to how the current unrest may play out for the Islamic Republic's oppressive regime. We speak about the unpopularity of the 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the sense that Iran's youth taking to the streets increasing feel they have nothing to lose. Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Lazar Berman (courtesy) / Demonstrators burn a poster depicting Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a rally in support of anti-government protests in Iran, in Holon, Israel, January 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | 22m 20s | ||||||
| 1/2/26 | ![]() Haviv Rettig Gur with 6 projections for Israel in 2026 | Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, catch diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. This week, while Berman was in Florida to cover the summit between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan invited senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur to sit in the hot seat and prepare five scenarios for Israel for 2026. Rettig Gur came prepared -- plus one -- and the two spend the first half discussing the three main fronts of the war, Lebanon, Gaza and Iran. In the second half, we learn about more domestic/political issues, including Rettig Gur's projection that Israel will begin to wean itself from US aid as the political winds shift in the States. Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht. IMAGE: A man walks down to the Western Wall as the Dome of the Rock at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound appears in the background in the Old City of Jerusalem on December 4, 2025. (JOHN WESSELS / AFP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | 1h 06m 19s | ||||||
| 12/26/25 | ![]() Lazar Focus: Eran Ortal on where does the IDF go after October 7? | Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, catch diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. This week, we’re joined by Eran Ortal, a brigadier-general (res.) in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and a leading military theorist. Ortal commanded The Dado Center for Interdisciplinary Military Studies, and wrote "The Battle Before the War: The Inside Story of the IDF's Transformation," which came in second place for the Institute for National Security Studies's 2025 Tshetshik Prize. Months before the October 7 invasion of southern Israel by Hamas, Ortal warned in an interview with The Times of Israel that the country's "military situation is eroding, not improving," and that “time is not on our side." Ortal explains what glaring problems he saw in the military in which he served for decades. He says that the IDF concept in its initial decades enabled it to win its famous victories over far more numerous foes. He then lays out why the IDF's center of gravity moved from the armored corps to the Air Force and intelligence services. Over time, says Ortal, Israel also moved away from its focus on decisive victory, and pursued a series of indecisive deterrence operations against non-state enemies like Hamas and Hezbollah. While there were efforts underway in the IDF to implement a wide-ranging series of reforms in the years before October 7, the Hamas attack took place before they had the desired effect. Israel, he says, went to war with an army that had not been properly trained and resourced, which affected the course of the war in Gaza. Looking forward, the IDF must go through another transformation, Ortal argues. Those who argue for continuing to prioritize airpower are mistaken, as are those who call for a return to a focus on mass ground maneuver. Instead, there must not only be investment in AI, drones, and a network that brings them to the troops on the battlefield; Israel also needs a new strategy that employs cutting-edge technology to achieve decisive victory over its enemies. Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht. IMAGE: Israeli soldiers are seen during an army raid in the West Bank town of Tubas, November 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | 34m 43s | ||||||
| 12/19/25 | ![]() Lazar Focus: Danielle Pletka on what Trump wants in the Middle East | Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, catch diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. This week, we’re joined by Danielle Pletka, distinguished senior fellow in Foreign and Defense Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where she focuses on US foreign policy, the Middle East, and terrorism. Pletka, speaking to Beman from her native Australia, blasts the Albanese government for its failure to confront antisemitism and for its entirely insufficient response to the deadly shooting at a Hanukkah party in Sydney on Sunday. Turning to US policy around the Gaza war, Pletka argues that then-US president Joe Biden was indeed a friend of Israel, but was already losing control over the White House to figures such as former National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan when Hamas invaded southern Israel, killing some 1,200 and taking 251 hostage to Gaza, on October 7, 2023. She critiques elements of US President Donald Trump's foreign policy, including the lack of Middle East experts and the influence of countries such as Qatar over decision-making. Still, Pletka gives high marks to the Abraham Accords and Trump's aggressive policy against Iran. Pletka predicts, however, that the nascent International Security Force for Gaza will collapse on its own, allowing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to say that he was willing to go along with Trump's plan before resuming his own tactics. In the wake of a social media bust-up this week, Pletka says that US Vice President JD Vance is not anti-Israel, but is instead willing to take whatever positions will help him advance politically -- even if it means befriending Tucker Carlson, who had a softball interview with Nick Fuentes after the antisemitic media personality used racist slurs against Vance's wife. Despite some warning signs, Pletka says that the evidence indicates that most Republicans -- and the "soul of the party" -- still support Israel and the continued alliance between Washington and Jerusalem. Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Danielle Pletka (courtesy) / President Donald Trump and Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi hold signed documents during a summit to support ending the more than two-year Israel-Hamas war in Gaza after a breakthrough ceasefire deal, October 13, 2025, in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | 30m 00s | ||||||
| 12/12/25 | ![]() Lazar Focus: Jacob Magid on the day that never came - Blinken's vision for postwar Gaza | Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan and diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. This week, US bureau chief Jacob Magid fills in for Berman and goes in-depth into an exclusive report he published on just how close the Saudis were to normalization with Israel ahead of the Hamas onslaught on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, and the finer details of former Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s vision for post-war Gaza. We learn that months ahead of Hamas’s attack on Israel, the US had been hard at work crafting a document with Saudi Arabia, laying out what Israel would need to do in exchange for Riyadh joining the Abraham Accords. We begin by discussing what steps were taken towards a pathway to a Palestinian state. A few weeks following the Hamas massacre, Blinken presented his "Tokyo Principles," to G7 countries, essentially outlining his guiding principles in working towards a day after the war. We learn about the 5 "nos" and the three "musts." Magid compares and contrasts the differences between Blinken's eventual 14-point plan and the finally adopted 20-point Trump peace plan, including the idea of a multinational force and the role of the Palestinian Authority. We discuss the role of former British prime minister Tony Blair, who is the most well-known personality who worked with both the Biden and Trump administrations. And we hear about what a Hamas official told Magid over the weekend regarding why the terrorist organization took the current ceasefire deal. Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Jacob Magid (courtesy) / Then-US Secretary of State Antony Blinken waves as he arrives at Ben Gurion Airport, June 10, 2024. (Jack Guez/Pool via AP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | 36m 49s | ||||||
| 12/5/25 | ![]() Lazar Focus: Did the Red Cross do all it could for hostages in Gaza? | Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan and diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. This week, we're joined by Julien Lerisson, the head of delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Israel and Occupied Territories. Berman reviews the organization's troubling history of failures regarding Jews, specifically during the Holocaust, but also moving forward in its rejection of Israel's national Magen David Adom chapter until two decades ago. We learn about the ICRC's work in Gaza during the hostage releases and Lerisson shares the humanitarian group's frustrations with its inability to access those held by Hamas and other terrorist groups in Gaza. Lerisson tells us about the group's core principle of neutrality and how a mission to serve humanity is at the center of its work in war-torn and disaster-prone regions. Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Julien Lerisson (courtesy)/ A Red Cross vehicle carrying the remains of a deceased hostage handed over by Hamas militants heads toward the border crossing with Israel for transfer to Israeli authorities, in Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza Strip, December 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | 40m 34s | ||||||
| 11/28/25 | ![]() Lazar Focus: As US and Saudi Arabia shore up ties, is Israel left out? | Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan and diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. Last week, US President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met in the White House, after which there were several announcements. Among them were a $1 trillion investment by the Saudis into the US economy, the Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement, advancements in critical minerals cooperation, and an AI Memorandum of Understanding. Of course, the one announcement that Israel has been waiting for — Saudi normalization — did not come. This week, we learn about the rise of the crown prince and how he's transformed his country. We talk about how the gains in Washington correspond with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 and whether normalization with Israel is even still on the table. Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: US President Donald Trump meets with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, November 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | 31m 33s | ||||||
| 11/21/25 | ![]() Lazar Focus: Is Trump's 'pathway to a Palestinian state' code for nation-building? | Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan and diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. Last week, the pair spoke with foremost urban warfare expert John Spencer and Borschel-Dan noted that a term -- “nation-building” -- was raised repeatedly. In this week's episode, we explore this concept, starting with defining the term. We hear about previous models of nation-building, starting from Japan and Germany, following their defeats in World War II. We learn how these attempts were successful -- and former enemies quickly turned into allies. We then turn to more recent history with the West's attempts to reshape Afghanistan and Iraq. What were the differences between the two wars and their aftermaths? And finally, Berman applies the lessons learned in these previous attempts at nation-building and conjectures how they could -- or could not -- be applied in Gaza. Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Lazar Berman (courtesy) / A general view shows a Security Council meeting at the UN headquarters, September 23, 2025, at the United Nations. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, File)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | 35m 29s | ||||||
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Chart Positions
4 placements across 4 markets.
Chart Positions
4 placements across 4 markets.

























