A famous ultra-Orthodox author of children's books, Chaim Walder, was accused by multiple women of sexual abuse.  Their disturbing accounts, first reported in Haaretz, are creating shock waves in Haredi communities, from Jerusalem to Brooklyn. Senior analyst Anshel Pfeffer joins the podcast to discuss the story, starting at time code 11:00.

Earlier on this week's episode, we ask: Why did Turkey arrest two innocent Israeli tourists and accuse them of espionage, and why did 'Sultan' Recep Tayyip Erdogan agree to release them? Turkey expert Dr. Gallia Lindenstrauss says the incident could open the door to broader rapprochement between Israel and Turkey. Listen to her conversation with host Amir Tibon.

A famous ultra-Orthodox author of children's books, Chaim Walder, was accused by multiple women of sexual abuse. &nbsp;Their <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-ultra-orthodox-author-haim-walder-quits-public-life-amid-sexual-abuse-allegations-1.10395783">disturbing accounts</a>, first reported in Haaretz, are creating shock waves in Haredi communities, from Jerusalem to Brooklyn. Senior analyst Anshel Pfeffer joins the podcast to discuss the story, starting at time code 11:00.
Earlier on this week's episode, we ask: Why did Turkey arrest two innocent Israeli tourists and accuse them of espionage, and why did 'Sultan' Recep Tayyip Erdogan agree to <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israeli-couple-arrested-in-turkey-released-and-heading-home-1.10396178">release them</a>? Turkey expert Dr. Gallia Lindenstrauss says the incident could open the door to broader rapprochement between Israel and Turkey. Listen to her conversation with host Amir Tibon.

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.

The sexual abuse scandal blowing up the Haredi world

While the Iranian regime “by and large, needed to be punished” and “did not deserve any mercy,” according to former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, it is possible that “a little bit more flexibility” in the negotiations for a nuclear agreement leading up to the U.S.-Israel assault might have meant they “would have resulted in a different way.” 

Olmert made his remarks in a dialogue with Haaretz Global Editor Noa Landau, featured in a plenary at the J Street Convention in Washington D.C. – and coinciding with the initial days of the U.S.-Israel war with Iran. 

Olmert expressed satisfaction that U.S. President Donald Trump pushed back on remarks from prominent Republicans that Israel pushed the US into the war and “did not pretend to say that he was fighting for us. He said in the most explicit manner: ‘They are American enemies. This is an American war. I'm fighting for America, and I had to do it for America.’ No one saved Israel, or no one got mixed up in a war in order to save Israel.”

In his dialogue with Landau, Olmert also discussed the Israeli-Palestinian peace initiative he is pursuing with former Palestinian Authority foreign minister Dr. Nasser al-Kidwa to “move forward into entirely new realities on the basis of cooperation and mutual respect and compromise and compassion.” He harshly condemned the ongoing and record-setting settler violence in the West Bank as “obnoxious” and “heartbreaking.” 

Speaking out against such actions, he added, "is essential if you want, as a Jew, not to be linked to these actions. You have to speak up.”

Read more:

'I Might Have Forced Israel's Hand': Trump Denies Israel Dragged U.S. Into Iran War After Rubio Comments Draw Ire

As Israeli Defense Officials Push for a Long Offensive, Trump Still Has Doubts

'Both Sides Are Tired of War': Former PM Ehud Olmert Makes Two-state Proposal With Former Palestinian Minister

Police Report Average of Four Daily Incidents of West Bank Settler Violence in Early 2026

The latest reporting on West Bank settler violence

While the Iranian regime &ldquo;by and large, needed to be punished&rdquo; and &ldquo;did not deserve any mercy,&rdquo; according to former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, it is possible that &ldquo;a little bit more flexibility&rdquo; in the negotiations for a nuclear agreement leading up to the U.S.-Israel assault might have meant they &ldquo;would have resulted in a different way.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Olmert made his remarks in a dialogue with Haaretz Global Editor Noa Landau, featured in a plenary at the J Street Convention in Washington D.C. &ndash; and coinciding with the initial days of the U.S.-Israel war with Iran.&nbsp;
Olmert expressed satisfaction that U.S. President Donald Trump pushed back on remarks from prominent Republicans that Israel pushed the US into the war and &ldquo;did not pretend to say that he was fighting for us. He said in the most explicit manner: &lsquo;They are American enemies. This is an American war. I'm fighting for America, and I had to do it for America.&rsquo; No one saved Israel, or no one got mixed up in a war in order to save Israel.&rdquo;
In his dialogue with Landau, Olmert also discussed the Israeli-Palestinian peace initiative he is pursuing with former Palestinian Authority foreign minister Dr. Nasser al-Kidwa to &ldquo;move forward into entirely new realities on the basis of cooperation and mutual respect and compromise and compassion.&rdquo; He harshly condemned the ongoing and record-setting settler violence in the West Bank as &ldquo;obnoxious&rdquo; and &ldquo;heartbreaking.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Speaking out against such actions, he added, "is essential if you want, as a Jew, not to be linked to these actions. You have to speak up.&rdquo;
Read more:
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/2026-03-03/ty-article/.premium/trump-denies-israel-forced-u-s-into-iran-war-after-rubio-comments-draw-ire/0000019c-b4b3-db60-a7dd-f6b3f7fc0000">'I Might Have Forced Israel's Hand':&nbsp;Trump Denies Israel Dragged U.S. Into Iran War After Rubio Comments Draw Ire</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-03-03/ty-article/.premium/as-israeli-defense-officials-push-for-a-long-offensive-trump-still-has-doubts/0000019c-b066-df64-a59c-fa76f1da0000">As Israeli Defense Officials Push for a Long Offensive, Trump Still Has Doubts</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-09-09/ty-article/.premium/both-sides-are-tired-of-war-ex-pm-olmert-makes-two-state-proposal-with-ex-pa-minister/00000191-d7ae-d233-a5d3-ffbf31530000">'Both Sides Are Tired of War': Former PM Ehud Olmert Makes Two-state Proposal With Former Palestinian Minister</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-02-04/ty-article/.premium/west-bank-settler-violence-averaged-four-incidents-daily-in-early-2026-police-say/0000019c-2926-d663-a39c-3daecf1c0000">Police Report Average of Four Daily Incidents of West Bank Settler Violence in Early 2026</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/west-bank">The latest reporting on West Bank settler violence</a>

'This is an American war. No one went to war to save Israel': Former PM Ehud Olmert on 'punishing Iran' and Trump's hazy end-game

“It is a time of fear and worry, but also a time of hope” in Iran after the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the early days of the U.S.-Israel assault on the regime in Tehran, said Iranian-American scholar and journalist Arash Azizi.

“The first thing [my family in Iran] told me was that they called me to say they were alive after Tehran was hit, and there are hundreds of civilian casualties,” said Azizi, speaking on a wartime edition of the Haaretz Podcast. Of Khamenei, he said “most Iranians are happy to see him gone.” 

Azizi was sharply critical of U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s calls for Iranian civilians to rise up and overthrow their regime. 

“It's absolutely bonkers,” he said. “If you had a population that had organized networks ready to take over, you could imagine perhaps something like that happening. But we don’t. So both Trump and Netanyahu keep saying this, and it makes me wonder, do they really believe it?”

He also had harsh words for Iranian exiles like himself, who he said were unprepared for this moment. “We have not done the work, we have not built organizations, we did not get our act together in a way that would be ready to make a successful transition to democracy.” 

Also on the podcast: Gregg Carlstrom, The Economist’s Dubai-based Middle East correspondent, reports on the growing anger in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates sparked by the intensity of the Iranian assault that could fuel support among everyday people to pick sides in this conflict.  

“The question is, what does that mean? Is it allowing America to use bases and Gulf countries to carry out attacks against Iran, or is it going a step further and militarily getting involved with their own warplanes and troops? I think it's more likely that they're willing to do the former than the latter.”

Read more:

Trump: U.S. Ahead of Schedule in Iran but Can Extend Fighting Beyond Projected 4-5 Weeks

Three Israeli Teenage Siblings Among Nine Killed in Iranian Missile Strike on Bomb Shelter

Analysis by Amos Harel | As Israeli Defense Officials Push for a Long Offensive, Trump Still Has Doubts

Analysis by Zvi Bar'el | Khamenei's Chosen Successor Could Offer Trump a 'Dream Deal' to End the Iran War

'Fire-Starter' or 'Historical Justice'? How Middle Eastern Media Frames the Iran War

&ldquo;It is a time of fear and worry, but also a time of hope&rdquo; in Iran after the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the early days of the U.S.-Israel assault on the regime in Tehran, said Iranian-American scholar and journalist Arash Azizi.
&ldquo;The first thing [my family in Iran] told me was that they called me to say they were alive after Tehran was hit, and there are hundreds of civilian casualties,&rdquo; said Azizi, speaking on a wartime edition of the Haaretz Podcast. Of Khamenei, he said &ldquo;most Iranians are happy to see him gone.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Azizi was sharply critical of U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&rsquo;s calls for Iranian civilians to rise up and overthrow their regime.&nbsp;
&ldquo;It's absolutely bonkers,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;If you had a population that had organized networks ready to take over, you could imagine perhaps something like that happening. But we don&rsquo;t. So both Trump and Netanyahu keep saying this, and it makes me wonder, do they really believe it?&rdquo;
He also had harsh words for Iranian exiles like himself, who he said were unprepared for this moment. &ldquo;We have not done the work, we have not built organizations, we did not get our act together in a way that would be ready to make a successful transition to democracy.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Also on the podcast: Gregg Carlstrom, The Economist&rsquo;s Dubai-based Middle East correspondent, reports on the growing anger in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates sparked by the intensity of the Iranian assault that could fuel support among everyday people to pick sides in this conflict.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&ldquo;The question is, what does that mean? Is it allowing America to use bases and Gulf countries to carry out attacks against Iran, or is it going a step further and militarily getting involved with their own warplanes and troops? I think it's more likely that they're willing to do the former than the latter.&rdquo;
Read more:
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/iran/2026-03-02/ty-article/.premium/trump-main-wave-of-joint-u-s-israeli-strikes-on-iran-yet-to-come-report-says/0000019c-aef1-d284-addf-bef9fcf80000">Trump: U.S. Ahead of Schedule in Iran but Can Extend Fighting Beyond Projected 4-5 Weeks</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-03-02/ty-article/.premium/three-teenage-siblings-among-nine-killed-in-iranian-missile-hit-on-bomb-shelter/0000019c-aeef-d0a6-a5ff-bfefa3120000">Three Israeli Teenage Siblings Among Nine Killed in Iranian Missile Strike on Bomb Shelter</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-03-03/ty-article/.premium/as-israeli-defense-officials-push-for-a-long-offensive-trump-still-has-doubts/0000019c-b066-df64-a59c-fa76f1da0000">Analysis by Amos Harel | As Israeli Defense Officials Push for a Long Offensive, Trump Still Has Doubts</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/iran/2026-03-02/ty-article/.premium/khameneis-chosen-successor-could-offer-trump-a-dream-deal-to-end-the-iran-war/0000019c-ae37-d0a6-a5ff-bff767110000">Analysis by Zvi Bar'el |&nbsp;Khamenei's Chosen Successor Could Offer Trump a 'Dream Deal' to End the Iran War</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/2026-03-02/ty-article-magazine/how-middle-eastern-media-frames-the-iran-war/0000019c-aa29-d00f-a9bc-effbaf8c0000">'Fire-Starter' or 'Historical Justice'? How Middle Eastern Media Frames the Iran War</a>

U.S.-Israel-Iran War update: Arash Azizi on 'scary times' in Tehran, Gregg Carlstrom on fury toward Iran in the Gulf

In this special edition of the Haaretz Podcast, recorded during the first hours of the dramatic joint U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran, and as Tehran began its retaliatory strikes on Israel and on U.S. targets across the Middle East, Haaretz senior analyst Amos Harel joins host Allison Kaplan Sommer for a real-time update and discussion.

"The stakes are much higher than last time," Harel said, referring to the 12 day Israel-Iran war in June 2025. For Israelis, "there is a certain amount of danger," although it is impossible to say at this point how hard the country will be hit by Iran and its proxies. For Iranians, "this is going to get messy and bloody," not only because of the military strikes, but also because of growing clashes between government forces and those hoping to throw over the regime. 

Read more on the escalating situation:

How the First Day of the Israel and U.S. War with Iran Unfolded

War for Regime Change in Iran: U.S. and Israel Have Ambitious Aims, but Will Trump Stay the Course? / Amos Harel

'Unnecessary, Idiotic, and Illegal' | After Strikes on Iran: U.S. Lawmakers Split on Party Lines As Congress Left in the Dark

Larnaca or Sharm el-Sheikh: Can Israelis Stuck Abroad Amid Iran War Get Back Home?

In this special edition of the Haaretz Podcast, recorded during the first hours of the dramatic joint U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran, and as Tehran began its retaliatory strikes on Israel and on U.S. targets across the Middle East, Haaretz senior analyst&nbsp;Amos Harel joins host Allison Kaplan Sommer for a real-time update and discussion.
"The stakes are much higher than last time," Harel said, referring to the 12 day Israel-Iran war in June 2025. For Israelis, "there is a certain amount of danger," although it is impossible to say at this point how hard the country will be hit by Iran and its proxies. For Iranians, "this is going to get messy and bloody," not only because of the military strikes, but also because of growing clashes between government forces and those hoping to throw over the regime.&nbsp;
Read more on the escalating situation:
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2026-02-28/ty-article-live/trump-not-happy-with-iran-nuclear-talks-omani-fm-deal-achievable-tomorrow/0000019c-a273-d5d1-a1fd-f27743d20000?liveBlogItemId=610352579#610352579">How the First Day of the Israel and U.S. War with Iran Unfolded</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/2026-02-28/ty-article/.premium/the-u-s-and-israel-have-ambitious-aims-but-will-trump-stay-the-course/0000019c-a440-db6a-a7bc-ef7b66da0000">War for Regime Change in Iran: U.S. and Israel Have Ambitious Aims, but Will Trump Stay the Course? / Amos Harel</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/2026-02-28/ty-article/.premium/on-iran-u-s-lawmakers-split-on-party-lines-after-congress-left-in-the-dark/0000019c-a50b-d3e2-af9f-efbb43960000?utm_source=App_Share&amp;utm_medium=iOS_Native">'Unnecessary, Idiotic, and Illegal' |&nbsp;After Strikes on Iran: U.S. Lawmakers Split on Party Lines As Congress Left in the Dark</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2026-02-28/ty-article/.premium/can-israelis-stranded-abroad-due-to-the-current-war-with-iran-come-back-home/0000019c-a4b7-df60-afdf-f4ffac3a0000">Larnaca or Sharm el-Sheikh: Can Israelis Stuck Abroad Amid Iran War Get Back Home?</a>

The sexual abuse scandal blowing up the Haredi world

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