Host Simon Spungin is joined by senior Haaretz writers Alon Pinkas and Bradley Burston, to discuss a poll which found that one in four American Jews sees Israel as an apartheid state. We ask: Is it an accurate description of Israel in 2021? If Israel gets rids of the occupied Palestinian territories, will allegations of ‘apartheid’ end immediately? What role did former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the moribund peace process play in mainstreaming the term? And in what other manifestations of ‘apartheid’ have become evident in Israeli society?

Host Simon Spungin is joined by senior Haaretz writers <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/misc/writers/WRITER-1.4969532">Alon Pinkas</a> and <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/misc/writers/WRITER-1.4968146">Bradley Burston</a>, to discuss <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/a-quarter-of-u-s-jews-agree-that-israel-is-an-apartheid-state-in-new-survey-1.9995986">a poll which found that one in four American Jews</a> sees Israel as an apartheid state. We ask: Is it an <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium.HIGHLIGHT-the-a-word-why-israel-is-not-an-apartheid-state-despite-hrw-s-claims-1.9756757">accurate description</a> of Israel in 2021? If Israel gets rids of the <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/palestinians">occupied Palestinian territories</a>, will allegations of &lsquo;apartheid&rsquo; end immediately? What role did former prime minister <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-netanyahu-and-hamas-are-working-together-to-destroy-my-israel-1.9822720">Benjamin Netanyahu</a> and the moribund peace process play in mainstreaming the term? And in what other manifestations of &lsquo;<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium.HIGHLIGHT-so-israel-s-an-apartheid-state-what-s-next-1.9759761">apartheid&rsquo;</a> have become evident in Israeli society?

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – a weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer.

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – a weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer.

Your audio guide to Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World.

Haaretz Podcast

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – the Haaretz weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer. 

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – the Haaretz weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer.

How Netanyahu lured Israel into the ‘apartheid’ trap: LISTEN to Alon Pinkas and Bradley Burston

With a high-profile conflict between IDF soldiers and a CNN crew, the establishment of five new Israeli settler outposts on territory meant to be under Palestinian Authority control in a single night, and skyrocketing settler violence aimed at erasing Palestinians from their land, the situation in the West Bank has “definitely worsened” during the Iran war, Haaretz West Bank correspondent Matan Golan told the Haaretz Podcast.

Golan joined her colleague, Yarden Michaeli, for a podcast conversation focused on what is unfolding in the West Bank and Gaza while the world’s attention is diverted to the major regional conflict between Iran, Israel and the United States. 

“It’s hard to count how many incidents of cars set on fire, and raids of settlers on Palestinian villages” have occurred over the past month, Golan said. 

What the West Bank and Gaza have in common, Michaeli noted, is a situation in which steps designed to be interim measures – such as the Yellow Line separating Gaza – don’t appear to be temporary. 

Since last autumn’s cease-fire, the IDF has maintained control of more than half of the Gaza Strip, and, as Michaeli explained, a Haaretz investigation has revealed the construction of military outposts and infrastructure that point to plans for an entrenched long-term presence. 

“All of this is happening in the context of the government pushing in a certain direction,” he explained, “and what makes us so concerned about it is the experience we have from the West Bank.”

In the rest of the Strip, which remains under Hamas’ control, he said, the humanitarian crisis continues. 

“We have 2.1 million people now in Gaza that are crammed to less than half the size of the land that they had prior to the war” with hundreds of thousands living in tents or makeshift shelters amid destroyed buildings with no access to power, fuel or running water – and over 18,000 severely ill people who have been denied entry to the West Bank and Jerusalem to receive medical care by Israeli authorities, Michaeli explained. 

Read more:

32 Outposts, 10 Miles of Ground Barrier: IDF Builds New Border Line Inside Gaza. Here's How It Looks

Gaza Aid Reduced by 80 Percent Since Start of Iran War as Food Prices Surge

IDF Suspends Reserve Battalion Whose Soldiers Detained CNN Crew in West Bank

Palestinian Man Shot Dead, 14 Wounded in West Bank Settler Raids as Five New Outposts Established in One Night

Analysis by Dahlia Scheindlin | Don't Buy the Israeli Right's Sudden Concern for Settler Violence

Who Gets to Decide What Counts as an Accident in the West Bank?

With a high-profile conflict between IDF soldiers and a CNN crew, the establishment of five new Israeli settler outposts on territory meant to be under Palestinian Authority control in a single night, and skyrocketing settler violence aimed at erasing Palestinians from their land, the situation in the West Bank has &ldquo;definitely worsened&rdquo; during the Iran war, Haaretz West Bank correspondent Matan Golan told the Haaretz Podcast.
Golan joined her colleague, Yarden Michaeli, for a podcast conversation focused on what is unfolding in the West Bank and Gaza while the world&rsquo;s attention is diverted to the major regional conflict between Iran, Israel and the United States.&nbsp;
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s hard to count how many incidents of cars set on fire, and raids of settlers on Palestinian villages&rdquo; have occurred over the past month, Golan said.&nbsp;
What the West Bank and Gaza have in common, Michaeli noted, is a situation in which steps designed to be interim measures &ndash; such as the Yellow Line separating Gaza &ndash; don&rsquo;t appear to be temporary.&nbsp;
Since last autumn&rsquo;s cease-fire, the IDF has maintained control of more than half of the Gaza Strip, and, as Michaeli explained, a Haaretz investigation has revealed the construction of military outposts and infrastructure that point to plans for an entrenched long-term presence.&nbsp;
&ldquo;All of this is happening in the context of the government pushing in a certain direction,&rdquo; he explained, &ldquo;and what makes us so concerned about it is the experience we have from the West Bank.&rdquo;
In the rest of the Strip, which remains under Hamas&rsquo; control, he said, the humanitarian crisis continues.&nbsp;
&ldquo;We have 2.1 million people now in Gaza that are crammed to less than half the size of the land that they had prior to the war&rdquo; with hundreds of thousands living in tents or makeshift shelters amid destroyed buildings with no access to power, fuel or running water &ndash; and over 18,000 severely ill people who have been denied entry to the West Bank and Jerusalem to receive medical care by Israeli authorities, Michaeli explained.&nbsp;
Read more:
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/security-aviation/2026-03-26/ty-article-magazine/.premium/32-outposts-10-mile-barrier-idf-builds-new-border-in-gaza-heres-how-it-looks/0000019d-1f59-d9d3-a5df-3f5d54440000">32 Outposts, 10 Miles of Ground Barrier:&nbsp;IDF Builds New Border Line Inside Gaza.&nbsp;Here's How It Looks</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/gaza/2026-03-19/ty-article/.premium/humanitarian-aid-trucks-entering-gaza-falls-80-percent-as-food-prices-surge/0000019d-0251-df92-a9df-ebd16eda0000">Gaza Aid Reduced by 80 Percent Since Start of Iran War as Food Prices Surge</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-03-30/ty-article/idf-suspends-reserve-battalion-whose-soldiers-detained-cnn-crew-in-west-bank/0000019d-3bdb-dc64-a3df-fbffda880000">IDF Suspends Reserve Battalion Whose Soldiers Detained CNN Crew in West Bank</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-03-27/ty-article/.premium/palestinian-man-from-east-jerusalem-shot-dead-by-israeli-near-bethlehem/0000019d-2cdc-d088-afdf-eede52e60002">Palestinian Man Shot Dead, 14 Wounded in West Bank Settler Raids as Five New Outposts Established in One Night</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2026-03-30/ty-article-magazine/.premium/fake-news-dont-buy-the-israeli-rights-sudden-concern-for-settler-violence/0000019d-3ec6-defb-a59d-becebb400000">Analysis by Dahlia Scheindlin | Don't Buy the Israeli Right's Sudden Concern for Settler Violence</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/2026-03-30/ty-article-opinion/.premium/who-gets-to-decide-what-counts-as-an-accident-in-the-west-bank/0000019d-39bc-d17e-a9bd-f9bfab9a0000">Who Gets to Decide What Counts as an Accident in the West Bank?</a>

How Israel 'is consolidating its control' in Gaza and the West Bank as the world focuses on Iran 

As Israelis continue to run to bomb shelters for protection from deadly Iranian missile attacks, the prospect of hosting Passover meals has felt overwhelming.

On the Haaretz Podcast, acclaimed food writer and cookbook author Adeena Sussman offers her best advice and coping tips and shares recipes that are easy and fun to execute, even in wartime. Cooking for the holidays can be stressful, she said, but in challenging times, becoming immersed in what is happening in the kitchen “can be a little bit of an escape”

“This year, let’s focus on what is meaningful and what will keep us sane,” she suggested.

Sussman is the author of three cookbooks – the first was published as the COVID-19 epidemic was sweeping the world, the second on the eve of October 7. Now her upcoming cookbook is due to be published this month in the shadow of the war with Iran. 

This makes her, she says, experienced with “simple cooking for complicated times,” which is the theme of her new book, "Zariz," the Hebrew word for “speedy.” 

Also complicated: being one of the most prominent representatives of Israeli cuisine in the U.S. at a time when Israel is such a hot-button issue that mainstream media outlets balk at writing about her work. Despite that, she said, her audience continues to grow, particularly online.

As she prepares to tour to promote her new book, she said, “I'm not trying to hide where I live or who I am, and I'm neither trying to defend nor indict a political situation for which I personally have no control.” 

On the podcast, Sussman shares her tales of running an informal “WarBnB” where she cooks for friends and family camped out at their home because of the lack of a bomb shelter where they live, plus the most popular bomb shelter snacks, and how the war has transformed the atmosphere of Tel Aviv's Carmel Market near her home.

Read more: 
Adeena Sussman Offers You Something for the Weekend in Her New ‘Shabbat’ Cookbook

This Love Letter to a Tel Aviv Food Market Is Getting a Lot of Love in America

Only the Shelves Remain: Inside Tel Aviv Wine Bar Shattered by Missiles

Tel Aviv-born Top Chef in London: 'It's Best Not to Say the Word 'Israel' Right Now'

Sex, Wine and Sacrifice: Jewish Holidays Used to Be Wild, Dramatic Affairs

As Israelis continue to run to bomb shelters for protection from deadly Iranian missile attacks, the prospect of hosting Passover meals has felt overwhelming.
On the Haaretz Podcast, acclaimed food writer and cookbook author Adeena Sussman offers her best advice and coping tips and shares recipes that are easy and fun to execute, even in wartime. Cooking for the holidays can be stressful, she said, but in challenging times, becoming immersed in what is happening in the kitchen &ldquo;can be a little bit of an escape&rdquo;
&ldquo;This year, let&rsquo;s focus on what is meaningful and what will keep us sane,&rdquo; she suggested.
Sussman is the author of three cookbooks &ndash; the first was published as the COVID-19 epidemic was sweeping the world, the second on the eve of October 7. Now her upcoming cookbook is due to be published this month in the shadow of the war with Iran.&nbsp;
This makes her, she says, experienced with &ldquo;simple cooking for complicated times,&rdquo; which is the theme of her new book, "Zariz," the Hebrew word for &ldquo;speedy.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Also complicated: being one of the most prominent representatives of Israeli cuisine in the U.S. at a time when Israel is such a hot-button issue that mainstream media outlets balk at writing about her work. Despite that, she said, her audience continues to grow, particularly online.
As she prepares to tour to promote her new book, she said, &ldquo;I'm not trying to hide where I live or who I am, and I'm neither trying to defend nor indict a political situation for which I personally have no control.&rdquo;&nbsp;
On the podcast, Sussman shares her tales of running an informal &ldquo;WarBnB&rdquo; where she cooks for friends and family camped out at their home because of the lack of a bomb shelter where they live, plus the most popular bomb shelter snacks, and how the war has transformed the atmosphere of Tel Aviv's Carmel Market near her home.
Read more: <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/food/2023-09-14/ty-article-magazine/.premium/adeena-sussman-offers-you-something-for-the-weekend-in-her-new-shabbat-cookbook/0000018a-92e8-d05a-abfe-feec8fae0000">Adeena Sussman Offers You Something for the Weekend in Her New &lsquo;Shabbat&rsquo; Cookbook</a> <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2019-10-13/ty-article/.premium/for-this-acclaimed-american-israeli-food-writer-life-is-sababa/0000017f-e1e1-d9aa-afff-f9f9163e0000">This Love Letter to a Tel Aviv Food Market Is Getting a Lot of Love in America</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/food/2026-03-19/ty-article-magazine/.premium/only-the-shelves-remain-inside-a-shattered-tel-aviv-wine-bar/0000019d-0082-df92-a9df-e9c2c14a0000">Only the Shelves Remain:&nbsp;Inside Tel Aviv Wine Bar Shattered by Missiles</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/food/2026-03-10/ty-article-magazine/.premium/tel-aviv-born-chef-in-london-its-best-not-to-say-the-word-israel-right-now/0000019c-b85a-df64-a59c-fa7ea7370000">Tel Aviv-born Top Chef in London:&nbsp;'It's Best Not to Say the Word 'Israel' Right Now'</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-04-10/ty-article-magazine/.highlight/sex-wine-and-sacrifice-jewish-holidays-used-to-be-wild-dramatic-affairs/00000187-5695-dcdb-a9af-debdb2e70000">Sex, Wine and Sacrifice: Jewish Holidays Used to Be Wild, Dramatic Affairs</a>

'Keep it simple and stay sane': Adeena Sussman's cooking tips for a complicated wartime Passover

While at war with Iran and a civilian population under missile attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government “has been working relentlessly towards the goal of making the public sphere of Israel more religious, its governance more autocratic, and the chances of replacing its leader slimmer,” Haaretz editor-in-chief Aluf Benn said on the Haaretz Podcast. 

The push for the anti-democratic judicial coup and empowerment of ultra-Orthodox autonomy “hasn't changed despite October 7,” Benn said. He observed that it had slowed significantly on that date, but today, the massacre and ensuing war has given Netanyahu “even more motivation” to “escape any responsibility and accountability for October” as he looks ahead to the election scheduled for this fall. 

In Benn’s wide-ranging conversation with podcast host Allison Kaplan Sommer on the four-week-old war and its impact on Israeli politics and society, Benn pointed out that the effort was not unusual, with many examples of wartime leaders taking advantage of “less public resistance” to consolidate their power. 

“Governments at war use it to limit civil liberties. We see it in Russia in the past four years, very visibly, where the last remaining bastions of some sort of opposition to President Putin have been wiped out.” 

Read more:

Netanyahu Says Israel 'Expanding' Lebanon Buffer Zone as Country's Death Toll Crosses 1,000

Stand-in Justice Minister Formally Recommends That President Herzog Pardon Netanyahu

Israel Preparing to Shift Pace, Targets of Iran Strikes if Trump Announces Cease-fire

Op-ed by Aluf Benn: The Strange Case of Dr. Bibi and Mr. Benjamin

Analysis by Anshel Pfeffer: In Iran, the Netanyahu Doctrine Is Now Facing Its Ultimate Test

 

While at war with Iran and a civilian population under missile attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&rsquo;s government &ldquo;has been working relentlessly towards the goal of making the public sphere of Israel more religious, its governance more autocratic, and the chances of replacing its leader slimmer,&rdquo; Haaretz editor-in-chief Aluf Benn said on the Haaretz Podcast.&nbsp;
The push for the anti-democratic judicial coup and empowerment of ultra-Orthodox autonomy &ldquo;hasn't changed despite October 7,&rdquo; Benn said. He observed that it had slowed significantly on that date, but today, the massacre and ensuing war has given Netanyahu &ldquo;even more motivation&rdquo; to &ldquo;escape any responsibility and accountability for October&rdquo; as he looks ahead to the election scheduled for this fall.&nbsp;
In Benn&rsquo;s wide-ranging conversation with podcast host Allison Kaplan Sommer on the four-week-old war and its impact on Israeli politics and society, Benn pointed out that the effort was not unusual, with many examples of wartime leaders taking advantage of &ldquo;less public resistance&rdquo; to consolidate their power.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Governments at war use it to limit civil liberties. We see it in Russia in the past four years, very visibly, where the last remaining bastions of some sort of opposition to President Putin have been wiped out.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Read more:
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-03-25/ty-article/.premium/netanyahu-says-israel-expanding-lebanon-buffer-zone-as-death-toll-hits-1-000/0000019d-2600-dc71-a7ff-e75ab4f00000">Netanyahu Says Israel 'Expanding' Lebanon Buffer Zone as Country's Death Toll Crosses 1,000</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-politics/2026-03-24/ty-article/.premium/stand-in-justice-minister-formally-recommends-that-herzog-pardon-netanyahu/0000019d-1ef7-d72c-a5fd-9eff2fc30000">Stand-in Justice Minister Formally Recommends That President Herzog Pardon Netanyahu</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-03-25/ty-article/.premium/israel-preparing-to-shift-pace-targets-of-iran-strikes-if-trump-announces-truce/0000019d-2690-dc71-a7ff-e7da0e1c0000">Israel Preparing to Shift Pace, Targets of Iran Strikes if Trump Announces Cease-fire</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/2026-03-25/ty-article-opinion/.premium/the-strange-case-of-dr-bibi-and-mr-benjamin/0000019d-216a-d77a-a7ff-ffea5e910000">Op-ed by Aluf Benn: The Strange Case of Dr. Bibi and Mr. Benjamin</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-03-25/ty-article-magazine/.premium/in-iran-the-netanyahu-doctrine-is-now-facing-its-ultimate-test/0000019d-204b-d7c1-a59f-ee5ba7150000">Analysis by Anshel Pfeffer:&nbsp;In Iran, the Netanyahu Doctrine Is Now Facing Its Ultimate Test</a>
&nbsp;

How Netanyahu lured Israel into the ‘apartheid’ trap: LISTEN to Alon Pinkas and Bradley Burston

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