The hidden power play behind Trump’s Gaza peace plan

The hidden power play behind Trump’s Gaza peace plan

Author: JNS Podcasts October 15, 2025 Duration: 38:30
What makes the new Gaza peace plan different from all previous peace plans? In this week’s episode of “Israel Undiplomatic,” senior contributing editor at JNS Ruthie Blum and former Israeli ambassador to the United Kingdom Mark Regev—both former advisers in the Prime Minister’s Office—analyze President Donald Trump’s bold new peace initiative, the release of the final Israeli hostages and the reactions across Israel’s political spectrum. Most importantly, they reveal what makes the peace plan that freed the last remaining living hostages in Gaza this past Monday fundamentally different from all previous Middle East peace efforts. Blum and Regev then explore how Trump’s coordination with Prime Minister Netanyahu and Israeli envoy Ron Dermer shaped the plan from the inside, and how Trump’s unconventional pressure tactics on Qatar, Turkey and other Arab states made compliance possible. Finally, this episode wouldn’t be complete without covering the most talked-about moment of the week: Trump’s monumental Knesset address. They examine his powerful message of “peace through strength,” his open defense of Israel’s right to finish the war and his stunning declaration that the Oct. 7 attacks would never have happened if he were still president.

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: 50

Israel Undiplomatic
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