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Latest Episodes:

Israel at War — A Nation that Dwells Alone May 28, 2025

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One of the goals of Zionism is to reintegrate the Jewish people into the “community of nations,” recognizing Israel’s sovereignty and forging global partnerships built on mutual respect and shared values. But as the war in Gaza takes a new turn, France, the UK, and even Germany have amplified their criticism, and President Trump is considering ending continued military support. Israel may soon find itself, politically and economically, “a nation that dwells alone”.

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi explore this theological axis in Judaism that is too often abused by the Israeli far-right. Is it a blessing? A curse? Or is it a call to action for Israelis and Jews around the world to rise to this moment?

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Israel at War — Red Lines May 22, 2025

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What does it mean to fight a just war justly—and who decides when we’ve crossed a moral red line?

What began as a just war of self-defense has evolved into something more morally ambiguous, raising questions about Israel's tactics, humanitarian concerns, and international standing. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi confront their differing "red lines" regarding Israel's conduct in Gaza and examine public discourse on this issue, including Yair Golan’s recent controversial statements about the war.

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Israel at War – The New Plan May 07, 2025

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As Israel enters a perilous new stage of the Gaza war—authorizing indefinite occupation of captured territory—Netanyahu’s pledge of “complete victory” over Hamas is deepening societal rifts and threatening to further fracture Israeli unity, pitting nationalist agendas against calls for restraint.

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi dissect the cascading consequences of occupation tactics, from escalating Gazan casualties to the erosion of soldiers’ morale, and as the conflict enters its 577th day, ask: Can a nation survive when its leaders weaponize survival itself?

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Israel at War — Independence Day: Gratitude and Hope May 01, 2025

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This Yom Ha’atzmut carries an apt but concerning metaphor for the State of Israel: as a brushfire burns along Route 1, the annual Independence Day torch-lighting ceremony has been canceled and the connection between Israel’s cultural and ideological poles, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, is literally blocked.

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi test the limits of their gratitude to the Israeli government and look for avenues of hope in a deeply broken country this Independence Day.

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Israel at War — Holocaust Memorial Day Apr 23, 2025

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In the wake of the Holocaust, the Jewish people defied history. We restored sovereignty in our homeland and established the State of Israel, vowing that such victimization would never befall us again.

Then came the massacre on October 7. Though Israel has successfully fought back against Hamas and its allies, the war is still being waged, hostages remain in captivity, and the evil that motivated the attack grows.

As we approach Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Memorial Day, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi reflect on what this moment of remembrance means to them this year in an Israel still shaken and hardened by tragedy.

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Israel at War — The State of our Freedom Apr 10, 2025

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A shadow lingers over Passover this year: 59 hostages still languish in Hamas captivity, Netanyahu continues his efforts to mold Israel into an authoritarian state, and Gazans once again live with the dangers of war. How can we celebrate freedom when so many in and around Israel are figuratively—and literally—not free?

This week, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi reflect on the Pesach seder as they explore how our oldest holiday can liberate us from despair and inspire us in this precarious moment.

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Israel at War – Believe it or Not Apr 02, 2025

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The Shin Bet, IDF, and Israel’s judiciary should serve the nation regardless of the government’s political leanings. But Prime Minister Netanyahu seems determined to bend these institutions to serve his will and that of his right-wing coalition. Despite his visibly corrupt behavior, he may already be succeeding at instilling autocracy into Israel’s highest public institutions.

This week, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi unpack the unbelievable recent absurdities and tragedies—from Netanyahu’s whiplash dismissal of his new Shin Bet chief and his response to Qatargate, to IDF arrests in the West Bank village of Jinba—and the choice Israelis face in allowing the current leadership to remain in power.

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Israel at War — “We Will Die and Not Enlist” Mar 26, 2025

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With the return to war in Gaza, a wave of fresh recruits would relieve the intense pressure on Israel’s fatigued fighting force and struggling economy. But those potential new recruits—Ultra-Orthodox young men—are refusing or ignoring their conscription orders, often at the behest of their rabbis and leaders.

This week, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi untangle the enigma of Haredi draft refusal. Why has this community—whose livelihoods rely so heavily on Israel’s taxpayer funds—acculturated such disdain against national service amidst a war of survival, and what can the country do about it?

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Israel at War – War and Corruption Mar 19, 2025

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In the early hours of Tuesday, March 18, the IDF resumed airstrikes on Gaza, breaking the two-month ceasefire with Hamas.

Israel’s decision to return to war can be debated, but what is harder to understand is why Netanyahu, after promising to fire the chief of the Shin Bet—Israel’s counter-terrorism agency—and with a new Haredi draft exemption in the works, has chosen this moment to thrust Israel back into the fray.

This week, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss Hamas’s resurgence, the impasse in ceasefire negotiations, and the fate of the hostages as the Prime Minister continues to erode Israel’s democratic institutions and divide the Israeli people.

This episode is sponsored by Wayne Robbins in honor of his grandson, Charlie Jacob Robbins’ first birthday.

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Israel in Ceasefire – The Domestic Front Mar 12, 2025

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As pressure mounts to move forward with further ceasefire negotiations, Israel finds itself beset with national scandals and crises, including a new Haredi draft exemption bill, threats to fire the Attorney General and Shin Bet Chief, and allegations that Netanyahu’s office took money from Qatar, while a looming budget deadline threatens to topple the government.

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi unpack the growing set of threats on Israel’s domestic front and ask how Israelis can heal their divisions under a government that thrives off schism.

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Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.