Middle East Forum Podcast

In this episode of Israel Insider, guest host Alex Selsky explains the race to form Israel's next government, as Gadi Eisenkot's opposition bloc weighs a minority government built with either the Arab party Ra'am or the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism.Selsky also discusses Avigdor Lieberman's reversal on the Haredi parties, the opposition's takeover of key Knesset committees, Naftali Bennett's pivotal role, and why another round of elections may suit Netanyahu.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 Todd Bensman of the Heritage Foundation about his new report on Iran's nearly two-decade partnership with Daniel Ortega's Nicaragua, and why he calls it a US national security blind spot.Bensman also discusses what Iran and Hezbollah may be doing in Nicaragua, the threat to Americans and Jewish communities in Latin America, the leverage Washington holds over Managua, and Hezbollah sleeper agents in the United States.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 Bernard Haykel of Princeton University about Saudi Arabia's war with the Houthis, why the kingdom struggles to defend itself, and what Riyadh wants from a deal with Iran.Haykel also discusses whether MBS still trusts Washington, the prospects for Saudi normalization with Israel, the rift with the UAE, China's role in the war, and the strain on the Saudi economy.Subscribe to the Middle East Forum for new episodes and expert analysis every week.

In this episode of Israel Insider, guest host Alex Selsky breaks down Israel's election results the day after the vote, why neither bloc has the 61 seats needed to govern, and the paths Netanyahu and the opposition have to a coalition.Selsky also discusses the role of the Arab parties, why security policy is unlikely to change whoever governs, the Haredi draft, and the chance of another election round.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 Michael Knights of The Washington Institute about the U.S. military withdrawal from Iraq and why Iran-backed militias feel free to defy Washington's push to disarm them.Knights also discusses how Iraq serves as a financial lifeline for sanctioned Iran, whether the Kurds have been abandoned, Iraq's ties with Saudi Arabia and Turkey, and the militias he considers most dangerous.Subscribe to the Middle East Forum for new episodes and expert analysis every week.

In this episode of Israel Insider, host Ashley Perry examines Israel's election race six days before the vote, why neither bloc has a clear path to a 61-seat majority, and why turnout could upend the polls.Perry also discusses Netanyahu's pressure on two small parties to quit the race, President Trump's endorsement of Netanyahu, the latest signals on Iran, and the odds of a unity government.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 Craig Considine of Rice University about his new book, When Marx Meets Islam, and the "Red-Green alliance" of Marxists and Islamists united against the United States, Israel, and the West.Considine also discusses his chessboard model of the alliance, from campus activists to foreign patrons like Qatar, the backlash he has faced at Rice, Karl Popper's paradox of tolerance, and how the term Islamophobia is used to silence criticism.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 security fears hanging over Israel's election, now thirteen days away, and whether warnings of an attack from Iran, Hezbollah, or the West Bank before the vote are campaign rhetoric or a real threat.Perry also discusses Likud's campaign against Ofer Winter, Ronen Bar's defamation suit against Netanyahu, the latest Qatargate revelations, and why two small parties near the electoral threshold could decide the outcome.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 David Betz, Professor of War in the Modern World at King's College London, about the risk of civil conflict in Britain.Betz argues that the threat stems less from Islamism than from political and social divisions, declining institutional legitimacy, economic insecurity, and elite failures. He also discusses rising antisemitism, the potential for unrest across Europe, and how Britain's security forces might respond to a domestic crisis.Subscribe to the Middle East Forum for new episodes and expert analysis every week.

In this episode of Israel Insider, host Ashley Perry reflects on the third anniversary of the October 7 massacre and why the events of that day remain so deeply felt across Israel. He examines the growing political battle over responsibility for the failures preceding the attack, Netanyahu’s competing narrative, and how October 7 is shaping the final weeks of Israel’s election campaign.Perry also discusses renewed tensions over ultra-Orthodox military enlistment, Netanyahu’s security-focused campaign strategy, and Gadi Eisenkot’s challenge to the prime minister for a televised debate.Subscribe to the Middle East Forum for new episodes and expert analysis every week.