Israel Undiplomatic

An Israeli-made film accusing the IDF of war crimes just received a staggering 25-minute standing ovation in Europe, and the reaction inside Israel couldn’t be more different.
Former Israeli ambassador to the UK Mark Regev and senior contributing editor at JNS Ruthie Blum take apart the controversy surrounding Naza, a film alleging that Israeli forces used AI to target Palestinians in Gaza while disregarding civilian casualties. They challenge the film’s anonymous military sources and ask why some of Israel’s harshest domestic critics receive such enthusiastic receptions overseas. The bigger question: does the applause in Venice reveal something far more troubling about how attitudes toward Israel have changed across the West?

Britain and Israel are suddenly facing what may be their worst diplomatic crisis yet, and Jerusalem has decided it’s done playing nice. After Britain accused Israel of unlawful occupation, announced an import ban and new sanctions, Israel fired back by closing the British Consulate in Jerusalem, restricting British involvement in Palestinian affairs and barring British figures from entering the country. Former Israeli ambassador to the UK Mark Regev and senior contributing editor at JNS Ruthie Blum unpack what’s really driving Britain’s dramatic shift and why London’s actions could destroy its ability to ever play peacemaker again. You’ll learn why this clash goes far beyond settlements and what it reveals about a much bigger transformation underway in Britain’s relationship with Israel.

Is President Trump tightening the noose around Iran, or could the latest escalation ignite another major round of war? Ruthie Blum and Mark Regev unpack Trump’s renewed pressure on Tehran, from economic and military measures to his provocative call for the Iranian people to “rise up and fight.” They examine whether mounting economic distress could finally weaken the regime’s security forces, why Iran has so far avoided directly attacking Israel and whether the coming Jewish holidays could bring renewed escalation.

Then they turn to the bigger strategic picture: Iran’s battered nuclear program, its weakened network of proxies and its continued use of terrorism and assassination plots abroad. Finally, with Israel heading toward elections, Regev and Blum debate claims that replacing Benjamin Netanyahu would transform Israel’s standing in the world and whether Netanyahu’s experience dealing with Trump could become a decisive issue for Israeli voters. Viewers will learn why Iran may be closer to a breaking point than it appears, what could trigger another major Israeli-American offensive and how elections in both Israel and the United States could shape what happens next.

Israel and the United States may be allies, but when it comes to Syria and Turkey, a potentially dangerous divide is opening up. Mark Regev and Ruthie Blum unpack Washington’s decision to remove Syria from its state-sponsor-of-terrorism list despite its new president’s jihadist past before addressing the controversy surrounding U.S. envoy Tom Barrack’s comments on the Golan Heights. Then they turn to an even bigger potential flashpoint: Turkey’s expanding influence in Syria and Israel’s determination to prevent Turkish military forces from establishing themselves closer to its borders. Viewers will learn why Jerusalem and Washington increasingly see Syria and Erdogan through very different lenses, why Israel has already demonstrated that Turkish military expansion could cross a red line and how Prime Minister Netanyahu must navigate those disagreements without jeopardizing Israel’s crucial relationship with President Trump.

Is Israel turning military victories into diplomatic defeats?

In this episode of Israel Undiplomatic, Mark Regev and Ruthie Blum tackle one of the biggest strategic questions facing Israel today: Is the government snatching defeat from the jaws of victory?

From the war in Gaza to the evolving situation in Lebanon, Iran's regional ambitions and the latest developments in Israeli politics, they examine whether Israel is capitalizing on its battlefield successes, or allowing political hesitation and international pressure to undermine them.