Host Simon Spungin is joined by Haaretz's Amira Hass to discuss the recent demonstrations in the Palestinian territories and the Palestinian Authority's violent repression of those protests. We ask: What role does the Israeli occupation play in Mahmoud Abbas' ability to crush dissent? How is the Palestinian national struggle also a struggle for democracy? And why are Palestinian security forces targeting women?

Host Simon Spungin is joined by Haaretz's <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/misc/writers/WRITER-1.4968114">Amira Hass</a> to discuss the<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/palestinians/.premium.HIGHLIGHT-confident-of-support-from-the-west-the-pa-suppresses-protests-violently-1.9946744"> recent demonstrations</a> in the Palestinian territories and the Palestinian Authority's <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/palestinians/.premium-death-of-an-abbas-opponent-in-palestinian-detention-stokes-revulsion-toward-his-rule-1.9941098">violent repression</a> of those protests. We ask: What role does the Israeli occupation play in Mahmoud Abbas' ability to crush dissent? How is the Palestinian national struggle also a struggle for democracy? And why are Palestinian security forces <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/palestinians/.premium.HIGHLIGHT-as-palestinians-protest-death-of-an-abbas-opponent-women-are-assaulted-in-response-1.9966244">targeting women</a>?

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 Israel, Fatah and the PA join forces to silence Palestinian protest: LISTEN to Amira Hass

Israel is in a strategically weakened position – and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will take a hard political hit if reports on the details of U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding are accurate, Haaretz columnist Joshua Leifer said on the Haaretz Podcast. 

Netanyahu had been “riding high,” planning to face Israel’s upcoming elections in the fall having compensated for his failures that led to October 7 by boldly “reconfiguring the map of the Middle East, and disassembling Iran's proxy network of Hezbollah and Hamas, and taking on the Iranian regime itself,” Leifer said. 

The Israeli leader thought “his legacy [would] be rehabilitated by those wars. Fast forward to where we are now, and that's not the case, and he’s having to confront that,” Leifer added. “Strategically, Israel's in a terrible place, where the Iranian regime is stronger than it was, and it is now able to enforce a new kind of equation where Israeli freedom of movement is limited by the potential threat of ballistic missiles from Iran – which wasn't the case prior to October 7.”

Netanyahu, Leifer said, has been “backed into a corner” on all of Israel’s fronts – Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and now Iran. He must follow Trump’s dictates and has turned Israel into “a total vassal state of the U.S.” and “Trump’s lapdog.” If he were to defy Trump, he runs the risk of losing American support, which could endanger the country even more.

Read more: 

What You Need to Know About the U.S.-Iran Deal – and What It Means for Israel

Report: Billions in Frozen Iranian Assets May Be Released Under U.S.–Iran Deal

Israeli Withdrawal From Lebanon Not Part of U.S.-Iran Deal, White House Official Says

'Don't Bullshit Us, Trump': Netanyahu Loyalists Rage at 'Treacherous' United States Over Iran Deal

Netanyahu Says Israel to Remain in Security Buffer Zones in Lebanon, Gaza and Syria After U.S.-Iran Deal Signed

Amos Harel: The Iran Fiasco Is Netanyahu's Biggest Failure Since October 7

Read more analysis from Haaretz's Joshua Leifer

Israel is in a strategically weakened position &ndash; and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will take a hard political hit if reports on the details of U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding are accurate, Haaretz columnist Joshua Leifer said on the Haaretz Podcast.&nbsp;
Netanyahu had been &ldquo;riding high,&rdquo; planning to face Israel&rsquo;s upcoming elections in the fall having compensated for his failures that led to October 7 by boldly &ldquo;reconfiguring the map of the Middle East, and disassembling Iran's proxy network of Hezbollah and Hamas, and taking on the Iranian regime itself,&rdquo; Leifer said.&nbsp;
The Israeli leader thought &ldquo;his legacy [would] be rehabilitated by those wars. Fast forward to where we are now, and that's not the case, and he&rsquo;s having to confront that,&rdquo; Leifer added. &ldquo;Strategically, Israel's in a terrible place, where the Iranian regime is stronger than it was, and it is now able to enforce a new kind of equation where Israeli freedom of movement is limited by the potential threat of ballistic missiles from Iran &ndash; which wasn't the case prior to October 7.&rdquo;
Netanyahu, Leifer said, has been &ldquo;backed into a corner&rdquo; on all of Israel&rsquo;s fronts &ndash; Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and now Iran. He must follow Trump&rsquo;s dictates and has turned Israel into &ldquo;a total vassal state of the U.S.&rdquo; and &ldquo;Trump&rsquo;s lapdog.&rdquo; If he were to defy Trump, he runs the risk of losing American support, which could endanger the country even more.
Read more:&nbsp;
<a href="What%20You%20Need%20to%20Know%20About%20the%20U.S.-Iran%20Deal%20&ndash;%20and%20What%20It%20Means%20for%20Israel">What You Need to Know About the U.S.-Iran Deal &ndash; and What It Means for Israel</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/iran/2026-06-16/ty-article/.premium/report-billions-in-frozen-iranian-assets-may-be-released-under-u-s-deal/0000019e-cee1-d142-a19e-ffe3b3640000">Report: Billions in Frozen Iranian Assets May Be Released Under U.S.&ndash;Iran Deal</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/lebanonnews/2026-06-15/ty-article/.premium/israeli-withdrawal-from-lebanon-not-part-of-u-s-iran-deal-wh-official-says/0000019e-cc34-d9a8-a5de-df772bc90000">Israeli Withdrawal From Lebanon Not Part of U.S.-Iran Deal, White House Official Says</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-politics/2026-06-15/ty-article/.premium/netanyahu-loyalists-rage-at-treacherous-united-states-over-iran-deal/0000019e-cb57-d1bc-abbe-cf5fa9ac0000">'Don't Bullshit Us, Trump': Netanyahu Loyalists Rage at 'Treacherous' United States Over Iran Deal</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-06-15/ty-article/.premium/netanyahu-says-israel-to-stay-in-border-buffer-zones-after-u-s-iran-deal-signed/0000019e-cc8d-d9a8-a5de-dfef2bd90000">Netanyahu Says Israel to Remain in Security Buffer Zones in Lebanon, Gaza and Syria After U.S.-Iran Deal Signed</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-06-16/ty-article/.premium/trumps-iran-deal-may-be-the-toughest-pill-netanyahu-has-had-to-swallow/0000019e-ccf3-d142-a19e-fff3acc50000">Amos Harel: The Iran Fiasco Is Netanyahu's Biggest Failure Since October 7</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/ty-WRITER/0000017f-da32-d42c-afff-dff23e3e0000">Read more analysis from Haaretz's Joshua Leifer</a>

Trump made a deal with Iran. What will Netanyahu do? 

When Mayor Zohran Mamdani refused to march in New York City’s Israel Day parade - the first mayor of the city to do so in over 60 years – “did not surprise” Rabbi Josh Weinberg, who participated in the parade. But the liberal Zionist Reform rabbi was surprised to discover that he was marching alongside far-right ministers like Bezalel Smotrich and members of the Kahanist Otzma Yehudit party.  

Had he known, said Weinberg, Vice President of the URJ for Israel and Reform Zionism, speaking on the Haaretz Podcast, he would’ve held a sign making it clear that “Smotrich’s Zionism does not reflect our ideology at all, and is in fact antithetical to who we are as Jews and Zionists, and even as Americans. His brand of racism, discrimination, xenophobia – everything that he stands for – we want to totally reject while still maintaining our love and support for Israel." 

Weinberg added that a statement by Smotrich that the New York event resembled the Jerusalem Day flag march – an event regularly marked by harassment and violence towards Palestinians in the city – made him “want to throw up.” 

Also speaking on the podcast, Haaretz's New York correspondent Etan Nechin said that the Israeli ministers in the parade presented their presence as an “act of defiance by the Israeli Knesset and by the Israeli government” to “show” Mamdani.

Assessing the mayor’s relationship with the Jewish community over the first six months of his term, Weinberg praised Mamdani’s initiative to increase spending to secure Jewish institutions with the rise of antisemitism, but regretted his boycott of the parade and his high-profile commemoration of Nakba Day online.

Nechin countered with his belief that Mamdani had taken advantage of harnessing his popularity to take advantage of “this sudden historic opportunity to platform and champion Palestinian voices.” Mamdani, he said, “is a symptom of American public opinion – especially young Americans who are having conversations about Israel and Palestine, but not on Israeli or Jewish terms. It’s something that the Jewish community and Israelis will need to contend with.”

Read more:

Majority of Americans Hold Unfavorable Opinion of Israel as Confidence in Netanyahu Plummets, Pew Survey Finds

'We're Done Apologizing': Inside the Israeli Far Right's Big Weekend Out in New York

Mamdani 'Offended' by Participation of Far-right Israeli MKs in Israel Day Parade

Nearly Half of Young U.S. Jews Want to Replace Israel With Binational State, Poll Finds

How Trump's Second Term Marks the Ascendance of The New Jewish Orthodox Right

When Mayor Zohran Mamdani refused to march in New York City&rsquo;s Israel Day parade - the first mayor of the city to do so in over 60 years &ndash; &ldquo;did not surprise&rdquo; Rabbi Josh Weinberg, who participated in the parade. But the liberal Zionist Reform rabbi was surprised to discover that he was marching alongside far-right ministers like Bezalel Smotrich and members of the Kahanist Otzma Yehudit party.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Had he known, said Weinberg, Vice President of the URJ for Israel and Reform Zionism, speaking on the Haaretz Podcast, he would&rsquo;ve held a sign making it clear that &ldquo;Smotrich&rsquo;s Zionism does not reflect our ideology at all, and is in fact antithetical to who we are as Jews and Zionists, and even as Americans. His brand of racism, discrimination, xenophobia &ndash; everything that he stands for &ndash; we want to totally reject while still maintaining our love and support for Israel."&nbsp;
Weinberg added that a statement by Smotrich that the New York event resembled the Jerusalem Day flag march &ndash; an event regularly marked by harassment and violence towards Palestinians in the city &ndash; made him &ldquo;want to throw up.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Also speaking on the podcast, Haaretz's New York correspondent Etan Nechin said that the Israeli ministers in the parade presented their presence as an &ldquo;act of defiance by the Israeli Knesset and by the Israeli government&rdquo; to &ldquo;show&rdquo; Mamdani.
Assessing the mayor&rsquo;s relationship with the Jewish community over the first six months of his term, Weinberg praised Mamdani&rsquo;s initiative to increase spending to secure Jewish institutions with the rise of antisemitism, but regretted his boycott of the parade and his high-profile commemoration of Nakba Day online.
Nechin countered with his belief that Mamdani had taken advantage of harnessing his popularity to take advantage of &ldquo;this sudden historic opportunity to platform and champion Palestinian voices.&rdquo; Mamdani, he said, &ldquo;is a symptom of American public opinion &ndash; especially young Americans who are having conversations about Israel and Palestine, but not on Israeli or Jewish terms. It&rsquo;s something that the Jewish community and Israelis will need to contend with.&rdquo;
Read more:
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/2026-06-04/ty-article/.premium/pew-majority-of-americans-hold-unfavorable-views-of-israel-and-netanyahu/0000019e-9420-da37-a19f-d6aadca20000">Majority of Americans&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/2026-06-04/ty-article/.premium/pew-majority-of-americans-hold-unfavorable-views-of-israel-and-netanyahu/0000019e-9420-da37-a19f-d6aadca20000">Hold Unfavorable Opinion of Israel as Confidence in Netanyahu Plummets, Pew Survey Finds</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/2026-06-04/ty-article-magazine/.premium/were-done-apologizing-inside-the-israeli-far-rights-big-weekend-out-in-nyc/0000019e-8ef2-da37-a19f-cefad3e60000">'We're Done Apologizing':&nbsp;Inside the Israeli Far Right's Big Weekend Out in New York</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/2026-06-02/ty-article/mamdani-offended-by-participation-of-far-right-israeli-pols-in-israel-parade/0000019e-8523-d0a9-a7df-b5bb43350000">Mamdani 'Offended' by Participation of Far-right Israeli MKs in Israel Day Parade</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/2026-05-31/ty-article/half-of-young-u-s-jews-would-replace-israel-with-binational-state-poll-finds/0000019e-7d6b-ddb5-a5ff-fd6f9ccb0000">Nearly Half of Young U.S. Jews Want to Replace Israel With Binational State, Poll Finds</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/2026-05-21/ty-article-magazine/.premium/how-trumps-second-term-marks-the-ascendance-of-the-new-jewish-orthodox-right/0000019e-3f75-dab3-adfe-bf75ee8b0000">How Trump's Second Term Marks the Ascendance of&nbsp;The New Jewish Orthodox Right</a>

In Mamdani's NY, Israel's far right used Israel parade to flex their muscles

U.S. President Donald Trump has tired of the Israel-Iran conflict, but a solution remains elusive as missile fire renewed Sunday following an Israeli attack on Beirut that provoked the Iranian regime.

“I think he's had enough of us,” said Haaretz senior defense analyst Amos Harel, speaking on the Haaretz Podcast. “He's fed up with this region. This is taking a lot longer than he thought, and it was less successful than he assumed. He’s paying a huge price at home domestically because of the economic effects, and he doesn't seem that tough anymore.”

Joining Harel on the podcast is former Mossad official Sima Shine, an Iran expert at Tel Aviv’s Institute for National Security Studies, who said that Iran clearly has the advantage in negotiations with the United States towards a long-term cease-fire. 

While she said she doesn’t believe that Tehran wants to prolong the war, she said, they will only end the fighting “on their terms.” 

“They are much more determined, they are willing to pay the price and therefore, they have the upper hand in negotiations” on the key issues – their nuclear capabilities and access to the Strait of Hormuz, despite the fact that their economic situation is “very bad.”

As a result, she said, she believes that ultimately “Iran will dictate the terms” of any agreement.

Read more:

Israel Strikes Multiple Targets Across Iran, Including Petrochemical Plant

'I Call the Shots': Trump Urges Netanyahu Not to Retaliate After Iranian Missile Attack

UN Nuclear Watchdog Says It's Been Unable to Inspect Iranian Facilities

Report: Pentagon Officials Suspect Israel Tried to Spy on U.S. Officials Involved in Iran Talks

Analysis by Amos Harel | As Israel Tips Back to War With Iran, Netanyahu Gets His Wish

Israel's New 'Iran Spies': Young, Broke and Mostly Clueless

U.S. President Donald Trump has tired of the Israel-Iran conflict, but a solution remains elusive as missile fire renewed Sunday following an Israeli attack on Beirut that provoked the Iranian regime.
&ldquo;I think he's had enough of us,&rdquo; said Haaretz senior defense analyst Amos Harel, speaking on the Haaretz Podcast. &ldquo;He's fed up with this region. This is taking a lot longer than he thought, and it was less successful than he assumed. He&rsquo;s paying a huge price at home domestically because of the economic effects, and he doesn't seem that tough anymore.&rdquo;
Joining Harel on the podcast is former Mossad official Sima Shine, an Iran expert at Tel Aviv&rsquo;s Institute for National Security Studies, who said that Iran clearly has the advantage in negotiations with the United States towards a long-term cease-fire.&nbsp;
While she said she doesn&rsquo;t believe that Tehran wants to prolong the war, she said, they will only end the fighting &ldquo;on their terms.&rdquo;&nbsp;
&ldquo;They are much more determined, they are willing to pay the price and therefore, they have the upper hand in negotiations&rdquo; on the key issues &ndash; their nuclear capabilities and access to the Strait of Hormuz, despite the fact that their economic situation is &ldquo;very bad.&rdquo;
As a result, she said, she believes that ultimately &ldquo;Iran will dictate the terms&rdquo; of any agreement.
Read more:
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-06-08/ty-article/.premium/israel-strikes-multiple-targets-across-iran-including-petrochemical-plant/0000019e-a5a2-db4c-ab9f-afbf348a0000">Israel Strikes Multiple Targets Across Iran, Including Petrochemical Plant</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-06-08/ty-article/trump-says-netanyahu-will-have-no-choice-but-to-accept-iran-deal-report-says/0000019e-a425-d3e2-a3df-ae3728110000">'I Call the Shots':&nbsp;Trump Urges Netanyahu Not to Retaliate After Iranian Missile Attack</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/world-news/2026-06-05/ty-article/un-nuclear-watchdog-says-its-been-unable-to-inspect-iranian-facilities/0000019e-9761-d59e-a79f-ff6732220000">UN Nuclear Watchdog Says It's Been Unable to Inspect Iranian Facilities</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/iran/2026-06-06/ty-article/report-pentagon-puts-israeli-spying-on-u-s-risk-at-highest-level-sources-say/0000019e-9bc4-d59e-a79f-fbe7895f0000">Report: Pentagon Officials Suspect Israel Tried to Spy on U.S. Officials Involved in Iran Talks</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/iran/2026-06-08/ty-article/.premium/as-israel-tips-back-to-war-netanyahu-gets-his-wish/0000019e-a3e0-d7a4-a9bf-f7e8faf00000">Analysis by Amos Harel | As Israel Tips Back to War With Iran, Netanyahu Gets His Wish</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-06-08/ty-article-magazine/israels-new-iran-spies-young-broke-and-mostly-clueless/0000019e-6e87-de13-a19e-7e9fc7f00000">Israel's New 'Iran Spies':&nbsp;Young, Broke and Mostly Clueless</a>

How Israel, Fatah and the PA join forces to silence Palestinian protest: LISTEN to Amira Hass

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