Rubio in Jerusalem: The Message Hamas Fears

Rubio in Jerusalem: The Message Hamas Fears

Author: JNS Podcasts September 17, 2025 Duration: 33:38
In this episode of “Israel Undiplomatic,” former Israeli Ambassador to the UK Mark Regev and senior JNS editor Ruthie Blum—both former advisers at the Prime Minister’s Office— break down Israel’s dramatic ground incursion into Gaza City, Hamas’s last stronghold. With Israeli forces advancing, civilians fleeing and Hamas reportedly firing on its own people to keep them in place, the war enters a deadly and decisive phase. At the same time, the diplomatic front is just as volatile. Following controversy over Israel’s covert strike on Hamas leaders in Doha, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio arrives in Israel to signal strong American support. His visit includes a symbolic moment at the Western Wall with Prime Minister Netanyahu and Ambassador Mike Huckabee, and a sharp rebuke of Hamas’ hostage tactics. Regev and Blum dig into the geopolitical fallout: Is the U.S.-Israel alliance as strong as ever or are cracks beginning to show? What message did the Qatar strike send to terrorist sponsors worldwide? And is the West, especially leftist governments and media, fueling extremism through appeasement? This episode also explores the ideological battle raging in Western universities and media, the manipulation of Palestinian victimhood and the global spread of Islamist propaganda bankrolled by Qatar. From Gaza to DC to Doha, this is a war of weapons and narratives, and Regev and Blum expose both. With hostages still in peril, Hamas on the brink and world powers watching, the only question that remains is: Will Israel finish the job?

In Israel Undiplomatic, senior contributing editor Ruthie Blum and former ambassador Mark Regev, both veterans of the Prime Minister’s Office, engage in the kind of frank, detailed debate that happens behind closed doors. This podcast moves beyond headlines and diplomatic niceties to tackle the complex realities Israel navigates both at home and on the world stage. While sharing a foundational worldview, Blum and Regev often clash on strategy, interpretation, and the gritty particulars of policy, proving that the most consequential disagreements arise among those closest to the issues. Each episode is a deep dive into a pressing political, social, or security challenge, dissecting the nuances that shape Israel's present and future. Listeners get a front-row seat to an unfiltered exchange of ideas, where historical context meets current controversy and where the stakes of every decision are laid bare. The conversation is direct, informed by decades of insider experience, and unafraid to explore contentious ground. For anyone seeking to understand the forces shaping Israel beyond superficial narratives, this JNS podcast offers an essential and compelling dialogue.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Israel Undiplomatic
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