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Today’s episode:

On Wednesday night, two employees of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky, were shot dead by Elias Rodriguez, a radical left-wing activist. “I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza,” he said after being taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder.

It’s been almost two years since the chant ‘globalize the Intifada’ has gone mainstream. Is what happened in DC a manifestation of that chant, or is this a lone-wolf incident? If we look around the globe - from Canada, to France, to Germany, Sweden, the UK and Australia - it looks like the US might be joining an already established club, albeit, a bit late.

How should the Jewish community in the US, and Jewish communities around the world prepare, if this is indeed a global intifada?

With us today to discuss all of this is Mitch Silber, who served as Director of Intelligence Analysis at the NYPD and is one of the foremost experts on counterterrorism and radicalization. Mitch currently leads the Community Security Initiative NY.

CREDITS:

ILAN BENATAR - Producer & Editor

MARTIN HUERGO - Sound Editor

MARIANGELES BURGOS - Additional Editing

GABE SILVERSTEIN - Research

YUVAL SEMO - Music Composer

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Today’s episode:

A lot has unfolded in the span of just a few days:

Iran’s Supreme Leader has publicly dismissed the potential for nuclear negotiations with the United States. This comes as U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff has doubled down on the zero enrichment condition for any Iran nuclear deal — while the Trump administration appears to be quietly pressuring Israel on the path forward on Gaza, while not demanding that Israel actually end the war. Meanwhile, international pressure continues to build.The UK announced plans to pause trade talks and countries within the European Union are discussing scrapping a cooperation deal with Israel. Finally, Pope Leo XIV appealed for more humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, calling the situation there “yet more worrying and saddening.”

Where does Israel go from here? How are these dynamics impacting domestic Israeli politics and the options for Israeli decision-makers.

With us today to discuss all of this are Nadav Eyal, senior analyst at Yedioth Achronot, and Amit Segal, senior political analyst at Channel 12.

Subscribe to Amit Segal’s newsletter here: https://www.amitsegal.net/newsletter/

CREDITS:

ILAN BENATAR - Producer & Editor

MARTIN HUERGO - Sound Editor

GABE SILVERSTEIN - Research

YUVAL SEMO - Music Composer

Watch Call me Back on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CallMeBackPodcast

Subscribe to Ark Media’s new podcast ‘What’s Your Number?’: lnk.to/HJI2mX

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I have been moved by the reaction to my speech at the annual State of World Jewry Address in the last episode. In Part II of that evening at the 92nd Street Y, I sat down with Rabbi David Ingber, following my address, for a conversation. Rabbi Ingber picked up on some of the ideas in my talk…to probe some more…and push me on several of the issues I raised.

Rabbi Ingber is the Senior Director for Jewish Life and Senior Director of the Bronfman Center at 92NY. He also serves as the founding rabbi of Romemu. He serves on the faculty for the Wexner Heritage Program and the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America and Israel.

Rabbi Ingber is also the host of the “Detours & Destinations” podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/detours-destinations/id1809796304

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Today’s episode:

Dan Senor’s 2025 State of World Jewry Address at the 92nd Street Y (92NY).

Dan’s address expanded upon many of the topics we often discuss on Call Me Back, but it primarily focused on the challenges ahead for Diaspora Jewish communities in a post-10/07 world. Dan also laid out a first draft of an action plan for Jewish Peoplehood that is no longer prominent and weak but one that is instead Jewish and strong.

CREDITS:

ILAN BENATAR - Producer & Editor

MARTIN HUERGO - Sound Editor

GABE SILVERSTEIN - Research

YUVAL SEMO - Music Composer

Watch Call me Back on YouTube: youtube.com/@CallMeBackPodcast

Subscribe to Ark Media’s new podcast ‘What’s Your Number?’: lnk.to/HJI2mX

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To contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts, visit: arkmedia.org

Dan on X: x.com/dansenor

Dan on Instagram: instagram.com/dansenor

Today’s episode:

As we mentioned in our brief update this morning, there is a lot happening in Israel and it’s happening fast.

Hamas has released hostage Edan Alexander, a US-Israeli citizen, in what Hamas is calling a “gesture of good will” to US President Donald Trump. All of this while the IDF has been preparing a large-scale offensive in Gaza and as the Gulf Summit is about to start in Saudi Arabia where President Trump will be meeting with Arab leaders to discuss further US investment and the future of the Middle East.

To discuss all of this and what it means, we are joined by Call Me Back regulars Nadav Eyal, senior analyst at Yedioth Achronot, and Amit Segal, senior political analyst at Channel 12

Amit Segal’s newsletter: https://www.amitsegal.net/newsletter/

Amit Segal’s opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/opinion/trumps-blunders-put-israel-at-risk-a9c0af65

CREDITS:

ILAN BENATAR - Producer & Editor

MARTIN HUERGO - Sound Editor

GABE SILVERSTEIN - Research

YUVAL SEMO - Music Composer

It is 9PM on Sunday May 11th here in New York City. It is 4AM on Monday May 12th in Israel.

A lot is happening, and it’s happening fast. So instead of taping today, Sunday, and releasing Monday morning as we usually do, we will be taping Nadav Eyal and Amit Segal on Monday morning and releasing the episode later in the day. In the meantime, in case you haven’t caught up yet, here’s a quick update on the events that took place this weekend.

CREDITS:

ILAN BENATAR - Producer & Editor

MARTIN HUERGO - Sound Editor

GABE SILVERSTEIN - Research

YUVAL SEMO - Music Composer

Watch Call me Back on YouTube: youtube.com/@CallMeBackPodcast

Subscribe to Ark Media’s new podcast ‘What’s Your Number?’: lnk.to/HJI2mX

Ark Media on Instagram: instagram.com/arkmediaorg

To contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts, visit: arkmedia.org

Dan on X: x.com/dansenor

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=============================================

It’s been a busy week with a lot of moving pieces - there are new war plans in Gaza, the US-Houthi agreement, and of course, the Gulf Summit and a potential new deal between the US and Saudi Arabia. Here’s what we do know:

On Tuesday, during a press availability in the Oval Office of the White House, President Donald Trump told reporters that the total number of living hostages in Gaza dropped from 24 to 21. “As of today, it’s 21. Three have died.”, he said. Israel maintains that officially, the list of living hostages remains 24.

Trump also said that the US would stop bombing Yemen’s Houthis after the Iran-backed group had agreed to stop interrupting important shipping lanes in the Middle East. The announcement did not mention the Houthi attacks on Israel, including a missile that hit Ben Gurion international airport on Saturday, to which Israel responded with a crippling attack on Yemen's international airport in Sanaa. Following Trump’s announcement, a spokesman for the Houthis pledged that the strikes on Israel would continue.

On Thursday, sources told Reuters that the United States is no longer demanding Saudi Arabia normalize ties with Israel as a condition for developing its nuclear program - a major concession by Washington. Senator Lindsey Graham says he opposes any pact with the Saudis that excludes normalization with Jewish state.

Earlier in the week, on Monday, Israel’s security cabinet authorized plans for the widening of the Gaza invasion, which if taken to its logical conclusion, meaning Hamas refuses to surrender and release the hostages – could result in an Israeli reoccupation of Gaza and reestablishing some permanent presence there.

It is unclear at this point if this military plan is going to be implemented, or if it is used as leverage on Hamas as a negotiating tactic. That said, Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich said on Monday that “We are finally going to occupy the Gaza Strip. We will stop being afraid of the word’ occupation.”

To unpack what this all means, we are joined by Lahav Harkov, Senior Political Correspondent for Jewish Insider. Senior Fellow at the Misgav Institute for National Security.

(00:00) Introduction

(04:56) Potential US-Saudi deal

(13:33) What do the Saudi's want?

(15:37) IDF operations in Gaza

(21:10) How would occupation work?

(26:58) Strain on reservist soldiers

(34:13) What are the options for Hamas?

CREDITS:

ILAN BENATAR - Producer & Editor

MARTIN HUERGO - Sound Editor

GABE SILVERSTEIN - Research

YUVAL SEMO - Music Composer

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Watch Call me Back on YouTube: youtube.com/@CallMeBackPodcast

Subscribe to Ark Media’s new podcast ‘What’s Your Number?’: lnk.to/HJI2mX

Ark Media on Instagram: instagram.com/arkmediaorg

To contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts, visit: arkmedia.org

Dan on X: x.com/dansenor

Dan on Instagram: instagram.com/dansenor

Today’s episode:

Latest reporting from Times of Israel on wildfires: https://www.timesofisrael.com/fire-authority-needs-double-the-budget-to-cope-during-mega-fires-era-official/

Next week, President Trump is heading to Saudi Arabia to convene a summit with leaders from the Gulf Cooperation Council—Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman. The agenda? Arms deals, AI partnerships, and a substantial Saudi investment pledge. Israel isn't on his itinerary, although Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has just announced that he will be traveling to Israel in advance of President Trump’s Middle East trip, and that Secretary Hegseth will be meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister Katz and Israel’s military leadership. He will then travel to Saudi Arabia to accompany President Trump on his travels.

The Middle East visit will also take place against the backdrop of an important personnel change on Trump’s national security team – namely, the national security advisor Mike Waltz stepping down and moving to the UN.

To unpack what's at stake for Israel and the US, we're joined by Mike Singh, former senior director for Middle East affairs at the National Security Council and now managing director at the Washington Institute, and Call me Back regular, Nadav Eyal, columnist for Yediot Ahronot.

CREDITS:

ILAN BENATAR - Producer & Editor

MARTIN HUERGO - Sound Editor

GABE SILVERSTEIN - Research

YUVAL SEMO - Music Composer