From The Hartman Institute Promoted Podcast

Sparta Nation

Benjamin Netanyahu asked Israelis to embrace life as a “super-Sparta,” cut off from a hostile world— which begs the question: who do Israelis want to be after October 7?

A convoy of Israeli tanks is deployed at Israel's border with the Gaza Strip on September 16, 2025. (Photo by Menahem Kahana / AFP)

In a headline-grabbing speech, Benjamin Netanyahu asked Israelis to embrace life as a “super-Sparta,” cut off from a hostile world— which begs the question: who do Israelis want to be after October 7?

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi unpack the implications of embracing an isolationist strategy: was this merely a pep talk, or the burial of Start-Up Nation for Sparta Nation? What does Sparta really symbolize, and why are even right-wing voters feeling uneasy? With new polls showing 78% of Israelis prefer diplomacy over permanent siege, could a new Israeli identity movement be rising in response?

Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel.
Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.

JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS

Subscribe to For Heaven’s Sake on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you receive your podcasts.

Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake! Click here to learn more.

read more: