Hadiyun: Bicom's Podcast

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks with Edmund Fitton-Brown about Israel’s recent strikes on the Houthis in Yemen and Hamas leaders in Doha. They discuss the effectiveness of Israel’s operations, the role of Iran, and the reaction across the Gulf. Edmund also assesses the UK’s decision to recognise a Palestinian state at the UN, its implications for counter-terrorism, and the wider diplomatic fallout. Edmund Fitton-Brown is a veteran British diplomat who served at numerous postings in the Middle East culminating as the UK’s Ambassador to Yemen from 2015 to 2017 and later coordinated UN expert panels on counterterrorism. He is now a senior fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks with Dr Michal Hatuel-Radoshitzky about the UK’s recent announcement on recognising a Palestinian state, the dynamics around the humanitarian aid, and the prospects for a hostage deal. Michal assesses the role of Egypt as a mediator and the challenges posed by Hamas. Dr Michal Hatuel-Radoshitzky is a senior adviser and programme director at Mind Israel, an adjunct lecturer at Tel Aviv University, and one of the founding members of the Forum Dvorah. She holds a PhD in political science from Tel Aviv University.

In this episode, Daniel J. Levy speaks with Dr Lynette Nusbacher about the history of Israeli military strategy and doctrine, as well as how it has manifested itself in recent conflicts. She is a is a former British Army intelligence officer and worked on developing two of the UK’s National Security Strategies as part of Britain’s National Security Secretariat. She has been Senior Lecturer in War Studies, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst; Head of the Strategic Horizons Unit in the UK Cabinet Office; and the Devil’s Advocate to Britain’s Joint Intelligence Committee. 

In this episode, Daniel J. Levy speaks with Dr Jonathan Spyer about his recent visit to Yemen, and prospects of an Arab-supported campaign to push the Houthis away from their coastal strongholds.  Dr Jonathan Spyer is a British-Israeli analyst, writer, and journalist of Middle Eastern affairs. He is Director of Research at the Middle East Forum and Editor of Middle East Quarterly magazine. This is a follow-up interview from our earlier interview two weeks ago in Episode 264.

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks with Gadeer Kamal-Mreeh about the escalating violence against the Druze community in southern Syria. Gadeer offers powerful insights into the nature of the attacks, the fractured post-Assad Syria and the complex identity, history and loyalty of the Druze minority. She also explores the role of Israel and the international community in responding to the emerging threat of Islamist militias and reflects on the deep bond between Israel and the Druze. Gadeer Kamal-Mreeh, director of Eastern Mediterranean Affairs at the Middle East Forum, is a Druze-Israeli broadcaster, politician, and consultant. She was Israel’s first non-Jewish anchorwoman for main evening news in Hebrew and Arabic and, in 2019, became the first Druze woman elected to the Knesset with Blue and White, serving until 2022. In 2021, Isaac Herzog appointed her the first non-Jewish Senior Envoy of the Jewish Agency in Washington, D.C.

In this episode, Daniel J. Levy speaks with Dr Jonathan Spyer about the aftermath of Iran’s regional setbacks and the evolving security picture in the Middle East. Dr Spyer offers first-hand insights from his recent trip to Yemen, assesses the trajectory of Iran’s proxy network post-Operation Rising Line, and examines the implications of the Assad regime’s collapse in Syria. Jonathan Spyer is a British-Israeli analyst, writer, and journalist of Middle Eastern affairs. He is director of research at the Middle East Forum and editor of Middle East Quarterly magazine.

In this episode, Daniel J. Levy speaks with Oz Noy, a former senior security official, about Israel’s current strategy in Gaza and the prospects for a ceasefire with Hamas. In the conversation – recorded during a media briefing hosted by BICOM – Oz Noy unpacks the tension between Israel’s declared objective of dismantling Hamas and the parallel goal of returning the remaining hostages. He assesses the security risks of a potential prisoner release, the strategic leverage of hostage diplomacy, and the role of Egypt and other regional powers. Oz Noy served as a divisional head in Shin Bet (ISA – Israel Security Agency), equivalent in rank to a Major General in the IDF, before retiring in 2020. He now lectures at Reichman University in Tel Aviv.

In this episode, Richard Pater speak with Professor Kobi Michael about the trajectory of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. In the conversation, recorded during a media briefing hosted by BICOM, Professor Michael outlines the emerging trilateral cooperation between Israel, Egypt, and the Palestinian Authority, reflects on Qatari involvement, and discusses the prospects for further hostage releases. Prof. Kobi Michael is a senior researcher at INSS and a visiting professor at the International Centre for Policing and Security at the University of South Wales. He served as the Deputy Director-General at Israel’s Ministry for Strategic Affairs and as the Head of the Palestinian division at Israel's National Security Council. Please note that this episode was recorded before the Twelve-Day War with Iran.

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks with Professor Amichai Cohen about the IDF’s conduct in the war against Hamas. They explore Israel’s approach to the rules of engagement, the delivery of humanitarian aid, and how Israel’s accountability mechanisms compare internationally. Professor Amichai Cohen is Professor of Law at Ono Academic College and head of the Amnon Lipkin-Shahak Program on National Security and the Law at The Israel Democracy Institute. Cohen was also a visiting professor and scholar at Columbia Law School and Cambridge University. He is the author of several books on international humanitarian law and has advised both Israeli and international bodies on matters of war crimes and proportionality in armed conflict. Please note that this episode was recorded before the Twelve-Day War with Iran. 

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks with Behnam Ben Taleblu about the impact of Israel’s and the US’s recent strike on Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities. In this conversation – recorded during a media briefing hosted by BICOM – Ben Taleblu assesses the scale of the damage to Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and explains why the strike may have lasting psychological and operational effects on the Iranian regime’s strategic planning. Behnam Ben Taleblu is senior director of the Iran Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), where he oversees the organisation’s work on Iranian political and security affairs. He specialises in nuclear non-proliferation, ballistic missiles, the IRGC and its proxies, and internal Iranian dynamics. He has testified before the US Congress, the Canadian Parliament, and the UK House of Commons.

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks with Helit Barel about Israel’s recent strike on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. In this conversation – recorded during a media briefing hosted by BICOM – Barel explains the objectives and scope of the strike, how Israeli intelligence and Mossad operated with extraordinary precision on the ground in Iran, and the technical vulnerabilities Israel aimed to exploit within Iran’s nuclear facilities. Helit served as a Director at the Israel National Security Council, heading the U.S.-Israeli bilateral desk and is a former Managing Director of the Council for Peace and Security. She also worked at the Congressional Research Service in Washington DC authoring several reports for Congress on issues related to weapons of mass destruction.

In this episode, Daniel J. Levy speaks with Edmund Fitton-Brown, former UK Ambassador to Yemen, about the evolving Houthi threat and its implications for Israel, the Gulf states, and the broader regional balance of power. They explore the role of the Houthis in Iran’s attempts to project power in the region and in ongoing talks about the Iranian nuclear programme. Edmund Fitton-Brown is a veteran British diplomat who served as the UK’s Ambassador to Yemen from 2015 to 2017 and later coordinated UN expert panels on ISIL, Al-Qaeda, and the Taliban. He holds advisory or fellowship positions with the Counter Extremism Project, the Middle East Institute, The Soufan Center and New America.

In this episode, Daniel J. Levy speaks with Dr Lynette Nusbacher about the future of UK–Israel relations, as viewed from a British strategic perspective. They explore how the Labour government’s evolving stance – including threats of sanctions and the suspension of trade talks – is reshaping bilateral ties, and what this means for defence, intelligence and cyber cooperation. Dr Lynette Nusbacher is a strategic consultant and former British Army intelligence officer who was Head of the Strategic Horizons Unit in the UK Cabinet Office and Senior Lecturer in War Studies, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. She was part of Britain’s National Security Secretariat working on UK’s national security strategy.

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks with veteran journalist and Middle East expert Henrique Cymerman about his extraordinary 12-year relationship with Pope Francis. They discuss Cymerman’s unique role as an emissary between the Vatican and the Middle East, including organising the Pope’s historic visit to Israel, brokering interfaith peace initiatives, and advocating for Israeli hostages in Gaza. Henrique Cymerman is a multi-award-winning journalist, fluent in five languages, with over 30 years’ experience covering the Middle East. He is also President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry between Israel and the Gulf States and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize at the initiative of Pope Francis.

In this episode, Daniel Levy hosts Professor Chuck Freilich for a discussion on the current state of US-Iran nuclear negotiations and the broader strategic implications for Israel and the region. They explore how Donald Trump’s diplomatic posture shapes the unfolding talks and whether a viable deal is within reach. Professor Chuck Freilich is a former Israeli deputy national security advisor and currently a senior fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv. He is also an adjunct professor at Columbia University and a leading voice on Israeli national security strategy.

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks with Professor Ofra Bengio about the historical evolution and contemporary challenges of the Kurdish people across the Middle East. They discuss how being divided among four main states shaped Kurdish identity and delve into recent challenges, including the rise of the new Jolani regime in Syria. Professor Ofra Bengio is a senior research fellow at the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle East and African Studies, where she directs the Kurdish Studies programme. She is also the author of 16 books and over 150 articles.

In this episode, Richard Pater discusses with Professor Charles Asher Small the ideological and financial influence of Qatar and the Muslim Brotherhood on Western academia, especially in the UK and the US. Professor Small outlines how Qatar’s soft power has contributed to the spread of antisemitism and anti-democratic values on university campuses and beyond. Professor Small  is the founder and director of the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP), holds academic degrees from University College London and Oxford University, and is currently a research fellow at St Edmund's College, University of Cambridge.

In this episode, Richard Pater speaks to Tom Wegner, founder of the newly launched Center for Middle East Normalization. They discuss the center’s role in fostering civil society connections between Israel and pro-democracy, pro-peace groups across the region. Wegner shares insights from his experience in Israeli politics, military coordination with the Palestinian Authority Security Forces, and interfaith dialogue initiatives. As a professional strategic consultant, Tom has led over 40 election campaigns and previously served as a spokesperson for the Peres Center for Peace. This year, Tom released his new book, The Abrahamic Revolution. Previously, he won the Global Books Award for Cannabis Wars and co-authored The Unity of the Believers with his Palestinian friend Elias N. J. Baboun.

In this episode, Dr Amira Halperin speaks with Professor Chaim Hames, the Rector of Ben Gurion University of the Negev. They discuss the horrific situation on campus following October 7th when, 88 members of the BGU community, students, staff, and family members, were murdered, and 6 students were taken hostage. One-third of the student body are active reservists. Prof. Hames also shares his experiences and actions regarding academic boycotts and radicalisation on campuses outside of Israel.    Professor Hames is a historian of religious thought. He received his PhD in Medieval History from Cambridge University in 1996.

In this episode, Dr Amira Halperin speaks to Lt.-Col. (res.) Maurice Hirsch about the release of Palestinian prisoners in the ceasefire deal, and the state of security in the West Bank.   Lt-Col (res.) Hirsch served as Director of the Military Prosecution for Judea and Samaria. Since retiring from the IDF, Hirsch worked as the Head of Legal Strategies for Palestinian Media Watch, as a Senior Military Consultant for NGO Monitor, an advisor to the Ministry of Defense, and head of an advisory committee in the Ministry of Interior.