Best David Makovsky Podcasts (2025)

1
Gaza and Israel After Phase One — with David Makovsky 45:15

Play Pause

11d ago45:15

45:15

Middle East analyst David Makovsky joins Dr. Rachel Fish to unpack the “phase one to phase two” handoff in Gaza: what the Trump plan actually changed, why returning the remaining hostages bodies still matters, and why an international stabilization force is unlikely to disarm Hamas. Makovsky outlines a de-Hamas future for Gaza built on a West-Berli…

1
A New Vision for Israel – with Dr. Einat Wilf 34:33

2d ago34:33

34:33

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to [email protected] or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas. In this episode of Boundless Insights, host Aviva Klompas speaks with Dr. Einat Wilf about her decision to launch a new political party in Israel and what she believes the country urgently needs right now. Wilf explains why s…

1
The Price of Alliance – with Dr. Michael Oren 26:13

9d ago26:13

26:13

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to [email protected], or message Aviva on X at @AvivaKlompas. Boundless relies on your support to produce courageous conversations and nuanced analysis at a time when clarity matters more than ever. If this episode – or any of our work – has helped you better understand the moment we’r…

1
Settler Violence – with Dr. Michael Oren 20:29

14d ago20:29

20:29

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to [email protected], or message Aviva on X at @AvivaKlompas. In this episode, Aviva sits down with Dr. Michael Oren to examine the troubling spike in settler violence in Judea and Samaria. In recent weeks, attacks on Palestinian communities and farmers have become more frequent and mo…

1
What’s Happening in the Republican Party? – with Rep Randy Fine 20:23

16d ago20:23

20:23

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to [email protected] or message Aviva on X at @AvivaKlompas. The Republican Party is in flux. Once unified around faith, freedom, and family, it now finds itself wrestling with internal divisions — between traditional conservatives, populists, and the MAGA movement — over what it means…

1
What’s Happening in the Democratic Party? – with Brianna Wu 19:53

23d ago19:53

19:53

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to [email protected] or message Aviva on X at @AvivaKlompas. Zohran Mamdani’s election as mayor of New York City has stirred a deeper conversation about the Democratic Party’s identity. Once defined by pragmatism and broad coalitions, the party is now grappling with a rising current of…

1
What the F! NYC – with Michael Rapaport 25:19

30d ago25:19

25:19

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to [email protected] or message Aviva on X at @AvivaKlompas. The day after New York City elected its first openly anti-Israel mayor, many Jews in America’s largest Jewish community are asking the same question: what now? In this episode, Michael Rapaport joins Aviva to talk about what …

1
Freedom – with Eli Sharabi 22:53

1M ago22:53

22:53

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to [email protected] or message Aviva on X at @AvivaKlompas. Eli Sharabi spent 491 days in Hamas captivity — hidden in homes, held in tunnels, and forced to survive the unthinkable. When he finally emerged, Israel rejoiced, but his freedom came with unbearable news: his wife and daught…

1
Rebuilding Gaza without Rebuilding Hamas - with Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib 52:35

1M ago52:35

52:35

Gazan-born analyst Ahmed Fouad AlKhatib joins Dr. Rachel Fish for a conversation about Gaza after the war’s “freeze.” He explains why the current deal hasn’t solved core problems, how Hamas is using the pause to re-entrench and terrorize rivals, and why outside power in the form of an international stabilization force with real teeth is the only pa…

1
Winning the Peace – with John Spencer 27:14

1M ago27:14

27:14

Send questions and comments to [email protected] or message Aviva on X at @AvivaKlompas. After two years of war, Israel now faces a new kind of battle — the challenge of winning the peace. President Trump’s Gaza plan calls for the demilitarization and deradicalization of Gaza: dismantling Hamas’s weapons and tunnels, building a new Palest…

1
The Media’s War on Israel - with Matti Friedman 33:54

1M ago33:54

33:54

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to [email protected] or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas. Matti Friedman has spent more than a decade dissecting how Israel is covered in the press and what those stories reveal about the storytellers themselves. His 2014 Atlantic essay, What the Media Gets Wrong About Israel, remai…

1
Phase Two: The Plan to Demilitarize Gaza – with Jonathan Conricus 31:41

2M ago31:41

31:41

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to [email protected] or message Aviva on X at @AvivaKlompas. Phase Two of President Trump’s Gaza plan envisions a demilitarized, “terror-free zone.” The Strip would be cleared of weapons and tunnels, militants who renounce violence could receive amnesty or exile, and an international s…

1
From War to Peace (?) – with Dr. Einat Wilf 22:31

2M ago22:31

22:31

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to [email protected] or message Aviva on X at @AvivaKlompas. After 738 days of war, Israel’s hostages are home and the country is beginning to exhale. But relief comes with hard questions about what happens next. In this episode, Aviva speaks with Dr. Einat Wilf about what the end of t…

1
From Captivity to Closure: The End of Israel's Longest War – with Dr. Michael Oren 24:21

2M ago24:21

24:21

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to [email protected] or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas. After two years, the last hostages are finally returning home. This moment — long prayed for and nearly impossible to imagine — is one of relief, heartbreak, and reckoning. Dr. Michael Oren joins host Aviva Klompas to reflect…

1
The Beginning of the End of the War - with Avi Mayer 19:40

2M ago19:40

19:40

After two years of war, Israel stands at the threshold of peace. The ceasefire agreement marks the end of a long and painful chapter — bringing relief, uncertainty, and deep emotion across the country. In this episode, Avi Mayer joins from Jerusalem to reflect on what this moment feels like inside Israel. We discuss the mood on the streets, the cau…

1
The End of the Gaza War – with Jonathan Conricus 27:03

2M ago27:03

27:03

After two years of war, a breakthrough is within reach. Negotiators in Egypt have been working through President Trump’s 20-point plan — a framework that could end the fighting, free the remaining 48 Israeli hostages, and set the stage for rebuilding Gaza. To break down the key points and what it would take for any agreement to lead to real and las…

1
Surviving Captivity – with Keith Siegel 21:57

2M ago21:57

21:57

1
Marking Two Years Since October 7 – with Dr. Michael Oren 19:12

2M ago19:12

19:12

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to [email protected] or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas. Two years after the October 7 massacre - the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust -Israel is still at war and Jewish communities worldwide are still grappling with its aftershocks. In this episode, Aviva sits down with …

1
Trump’s Plan to End the War in Gaza – with Jonathan Schanzer 25:48

2M ago25:48

25:48

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to [email protected] or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas. President Trump’s 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza has stirred international attention — not only for its sweeping scope, but also for the unusual support it has drawn from key Arab states. The proposal promises an immedi…

1
Recognition Fever: The Push for Palestine – with Dr. Michael Oren 24:30

2M ago24:30

24:30

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to [email protected] or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas. At this year’s UN General Assembly, a fresh wave of governments — including several G7 members and two permanent Security Council members — moved to recognize a Palestinian state. Supporters call it a step toward peace; criti…

1
Judaism Beyond Bagels and Seinfeld – with Sarah Hurwitz 57:47

2M ago57:47

57:47

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to [email protected]. Former presidential speechwriter and author Sarah Hurwitz joins Dr. Rachel Fish for an honest conversation about Jewish identity, Israel, and how to navigate a post–October 7 world without giving in to simplicity. Drawing on her new book, As a Jew: Reclaiming Our …

1
Aviva’s Rosh Hashanah Message 4:47

2M ago4:47

4:47

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to [email protected] or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas. In this special pre-Rosh Hashanah episode, Boundless Insights steps away from its usual format. Aviva offers a personal reflection on the past year, the challenges facing Jewish communities, and the values that hold us togeth…

1
Faith in a Time of Darkness – with Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis 22:43

3M ago22:43

22:43

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to [email protected] or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas. This year, Jews around the world enter the High Holiday season carrying an extraordinary weight. The tragedies of October 7, the ongoing war, and the alarming surge in antisemitism have left communities grieving, unsettled, a…

1
Striking Qatar – with Dr. Michael Oren 23:31

3M ago23:31

23:31

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to [email protected] or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas. Israel’s strike on Hamas leaders meeting in Doha has upended hostage negotiations, drawn public criticism from President Trump, and intensified scrutiny of Qatar’s dual role as both host to Hamas’s leadership and key partner …

1
The War of Ideas Behind the War in Gaza – with Dr. Einat Wilf 29:15

3M ago29:15

29:15

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to [email protected] or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas. For two years, Israel has been fighting a war that plays out not only on the battlefield but also in the realm of ideas. Beneath the headlines lies a deeper struggle over identity, language, and legitimacy. In global discours…

1
Why is Israel Losing the Narrative War? – with Dr. Michael Oren 26:02

3M ago26:02

26:02

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to [email protected] or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas. Israel may be holding its own on the battlefield, but it’s losing ground in the court of public opinion. False accusations, distorted statistics, and relentless condemnation in parliaments, human rights groups, the press, and…

1
The Israeli Organization Delivering Aid to Gaza – with Yotam Polizer 27:50

3M ago27:50

27:50

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to [email protected] or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas. IsraAID — Israel’s leading humanitarian relief group — has quietly worked inside Gaza. What began as behind-the-scenes coordination with international NGOs has grown into direct aid: delivering medicine and medical equipment,…

1
Do the Hostage Protests Help or Hurt Israel? – with Dr. Michael Oren 22:02

3M ago22:02

22:02

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to [email protected] or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas. The protests for Israel’s hostages have become one of the largest grassroots movements in the country’s history. Highways are blocked, strikes are called, and ministers’ homes are surrounded by demonstrators demanding one thi…

1
My Husband is a Hostage in Gaza – with Rebecca Bohbot 19:12

3M ago19:12

19:12

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to [email protected] or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas. On October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists stormed the Nova Music Festival in southern Israel. Among those kidnapped was Elkana Bohbot, who was working as a co-producer that morning. Before he was taken, Elkana called his wife, Reb…

1
A Mother’s Fight for her Hostage Son – with Herut Nimrodi 21:41

3M ago21:41

21:41

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to [email protected] or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas. On October 7, 2023, 21-year-old soldier Tamir Nimrodi was kidnapped from his base near the Gaza border. He was barefoot, in his pajamas, and unarmed when Hamas terrorists dragged him across the border. Since that day, his mot…

1
President Trump’s Crackdowns on Campus Antisemitism – with Alyza Lewin 25:00

4M ago25:00

25:00

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to [email protected] or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas. As students head back to campus, universities are stepping into a storm of debates over antisemitism, safety, and free speech. The Trump administration has stepped up federal intervention — pulling funding, opening investigat…

1
The Gaza City Gamble – with Jonathan Schanzer 31:10

4M ago31:10

31:10

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to [email protected] or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas. Israel is preparing for one of the most consequential moves of the war: taking control of Gaza City. Supporters say it’s the only way to finish the fight against Hamas; critics warn it could endanger hostages, deepen the huma…

1
The Israel–Diaspora Divide - with Yossi Klein Halevi 35:20

4M ago35:20

35:20

Yossi Klein Halevi joins Dr. Rachel Fish for an honest and moving conversation about the State of Israel, Zionism, and the widening rift with the American Jewish community. From the trauma of October 7 to the breakdown of Israel’s political consensus, Yossi reflects on how Israelis are navigating war, grief, and internal division. Together, they ex…

1
The Rules Only Israel Has to Follow – with John Spencer 28:24

4M ago28:24

28:24

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to [email protected] or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas. Israel is fighting two wars: one on the ground in Gaza—and another in the court of global opinion. In this episode, host Aviva Klompas is joined by urban warfare expert John Spencer to discuss the double standards Israel face…

1
The Rush to Recognize a Palestinian State Part 2 – with Dr. Michael Oren 20:43

4M ago20:43

20:43

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to [email protected] or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas. In part two of their conversation, host Aviva Klompas and Dr. Michael Oren examine the deeper forces behind the global push to recognize a Palestinian state—and what this moment reveals about the West’s enduring relationship …

1
The Rush to Recognize a Palestinian State Part 1 – with Dr. Michael Oren 17:40

4M ago17:40

17:40

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to [email protected] or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas. France, the United Kingdom, and Canada have each announced they plan to recognize a Palestinian state this September at the United Nations General Assembly. The move has been harshly criticized by Israeli and U.S. officials, …

1
Canada’s Antisemitism Crisis – with Melissa Lantsman 21:06

4M ago21:06

21:06

Antisemitism in Canada has exploded in ways that few could have imagined. Attacks on synagogues, Jewish schools, and businesses have become frighteningly common. How did it get this bad in a country that prides itself on tolerance and multiculturalism? Why have leaders at every level failed to protect their Jewish communities? And what does this sa…

1
Unpublished Opinions: Why Hamas Abandoned Negotiations - with Aviva Klompas 2:21

4M ago2:21

2:21

In this episode of Unpublished Opinions, Aviva Klompas shares a letter to the editor that never made it to print, unpacking why Hamas no longer feels the need to negotiate. While the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is real and devastating, global outrage has been overwhelmingly directed at Israel—giving Hamas exactly what it wants: cover, leverage, and…

1
Gaza at a Boiling Point - with Jonathan Conricus 28:46

4M ago28:46

28:46

Host Aviva Klompas is joined by Lt. Colonel (Res.) Jonathan Conricus to discuss the escalating pressure on Israel—from mounting international outrage over the humanitarian situation in Gaza to the breakdown of hostage negotiations. As accusations of starvation and civilian suffering dominate global headlines, Israel faces growing condemnation from …

1
Unpublished Opinions: Mahmoud Khalil Visits Congress - with Aviva Klompas 2:42

4M ago2:42

2:42

We’re trying something new on Boundless Insights. Welcome to Unpublished Opinions—a mini-series where Aviva Klompas shares letters to the editor that didn’t make it to print, but still make an argument worth hearing. In this first episode, Aviva takes a closer look at Mahmoud Khalil—a leader of Columbia’s anti-Israel encampment who was recently rel…

1
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation & The Battle Over Aid in Gaza – with Rev. Johnnie Moore 26:38

4M ago26:38

26:38

For years, UNRWA positioned itself as the primary source of humanitarian aid in Gaza. But after October 7, its deep entanglement with Hamas became undeniable. A dozen UNRWA employees participated in the massacre. Up to 10% of its Gaza staff are linked to terror groups. And aid meant for civilians has been diverted, looted, and weaponized to fund Ha…

1
Deadlock in Gaza – with Dr. Michael Oren 26:15

5M ago26:15

26:15

Prime Minister Netanyahu’s recent visit to Washington made headlines and raised expectations. He met twice with President Trump, and both leaders suggested that a deal to release hostages was within reach. But on the ground, little has changed. The war in Gaza continues. IDF soldiers are still being killed. And 50 hostages remain in captivity. Desp…

1
Israel and Syria: Is Peace Still on the Table? – with Dr. Michael Oren 20:08

5M ago20:08

20:08

For more than seven decades, Israel and Syria have been in a formal state of war. Now, for the first time in years, there are murmurs of something different, but new tensions are threatening to unravel what little stability remains. In recent days, violence has erupted in southern Syria. A bloody assault on the country’s Druze community has reignit…

1
How Iran and Hamas Mainstreamed Anti-Zionism - with Jeffrey Herf 39:28

5M ago39:28

39:28

In this episode, Dr. Rachel Fish talks with historian Dr. Jeffrey Herf, a leading expert on Nazism, the Holocaust, antisemitism, and the connections between Europe and the Middle East. Dr. Herf explains how antisemitism and anti-Zionism have become more accepted in universities and public debates, and why that’s so dangerous. They discuss Iran’s st…

1
My Husband is a Hostage in Gaza – with Rebecca Bohbot 19:21

5M ago19:21

19:21

On October 7, Hamas terrorists stormed the Nova Music Festival in southern Israel. Among those taken hostage was Elkana Bohbot, who was working for the festival that morning. Before he was captured, Elkana called his wife Rebecca to tell her he was staying behind to help the wounded. He promised her he would come home. That was their last conversat…

1
Rebuilding Tel Aviv after the Iranian Attack – with Asaf Zamir 17:02

5M ago17:02

17:02

Tel Aviv – Israel’s cultural and commercial heart – was rocked by direct missile strikes from Iran. In this episode, Aviva sits down with Deputy Mayor Asaf Zamir to discuss how the city is recovering from the attacks. They explore what it felt like on the ground during the missile strikes, the challenges of rebuilding homes and lives, and whether T…

1
Will NYC Elect an Antisemitic Mayor? – with Jonah Platt 22:10

5M ago22:10

22:10

Aviva Klompas sits down with Jonah Platt to unpack what Zohran Mamdani’s rise means for New York and the broader Jewish community. Mamdani, a 33-year-old socialist state legislator, is now the presumptive Democratic nominee for mayor. His positions on Israel, refusal to condemn extremist slogans, and calls to arrest Israeli leaders have sparked ala…

1
My Son is a Hostage in Gaza – with Idit Ohel 18:00

5M ago18:00

18:00

New research from Boundless shows that 40% of Americans don’t know that dozens of hostages are still being held by Hamas. And it’s clear from released hostages that those who remain are being starved, tortured, humiliated and denied medical care. In this episode, host Aviva Klompas speaks with Idit Ohel, whose son Alon was kidnapped by Hamas from t…

1
My Home Was Destroyed by an Iranian Missile – with Ethel Berdah 18:13

5M ago18:13

18:13

Ethel Berdah’s apartment in Tel Aviv was destroyed by an Iranian missile less than two weeks ago. In this episode, Ethel joins Aviva Klompas to share what it’s like to lose everything in an instant and how she’s navigating life in the aftermath. Originally from France, Ethel moved to Israel to build a life, never imagining she’d be caught in the cr…

1
America Bombed Iran – with Dr. Michael Oren 23:10

6M ago23:10

23:10

On the night of June 21, the United States launched direct military strikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure for the first time in history. Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan—long considered untouchable—were hit with precision by American forces. President Trump called the strikes a “spectacular military success” and declared that Iran’s key nuclear sites …