“Trust the Person Who Says ‘I’m Confused.'”
Benjamin Rogers, Director of the AJC's Middle East and North Africa Initiatives spoke with us about the future of Israel’s relationships with its Arab neighbors following October 7.
This past December, I sat down with Benjamin Rogers, Director of the American Jewish Committee’s Middle East and North Africa Initiatives and Deputy Director of the AJC Center for a New Middle East. Benjy and I spoke about the future of Israel’s relationships with its Arab neighbors in the wake of October 7, and how he hoped the Abraham Accords will continue to evolve. Benjy discussed Israel’s potential as a strategic partner to countries across the region confronting shared challenges such as economic instability, water insecurity, and climate change. Despite ongoing tensions, Benjy remains hopeful that necessity will continue to drive progress toward normalization and regional collaboration.
He also reflected on the personal impact of tragedy—the May 2025 murders of Israeli Embassy staffers Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky; Benjy felt particularly close with Yaron. Benhy speaks about the evening of the murder, how he and others are processing the senselessness of the tragedy, and how he continues to navigate what it means to live, work, and identify as a Jew in this complex moment in history.
Host and Creator: Manya Marcus
Managing Producer: Eli Akselrod
Editor and Producer: Ben Wallick
Editor 2: Eli Akselrod
Logo Design: Samuel Vilemar
Outro Music: Olam Chesed Yibaneh · Rabbi Menachem Creditor · David Paskin
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