Decision Points

A Washington Institute podcast on key moments in Israel's history and present. Season 5 of the podcast dives into the Gaza war and explores the long-term implications for Israel, U.S.-Israel relations, and the Middle East.

A young Palestinian boy holds up a portrait of slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar during a rally in the West Bank city of Ramallah, on October 18, 2024. (John Wessels/AFP)

Decision Points

Post-Sinwar: Hostages, Succession & Thwarting Hamas Revival

November 4, 2024

We explore the implications of Sinwar's death on Hamas's internal politics and what it could mean for Israel’s next steps in the conflict.

US Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris (R) shakes hands with former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump during a presidential debate at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on September 10, 2024. (Saul Loeb/AFP)

Decision Points

Trump & Harris senior advisors contrast visions for US Mideast policy

October 28, 2024

Tom Nides and Victoria Coates join David Makovsky to discuss Donald Trump and Kamala Harris’s positions on U.S. policy in the Middle East

Mourners carry a picture of slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah during the funeral procession of their relatives, in Maisara near the northern coastal town of Byblos, Lebanon, Monday, October 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Decision Points

Hezbollah Decapitated? The War with Israel and Lebanon’s Future

October 21, 2024

David Makovsky is joined by Matt Levitt and Hanin Ghaddar to discuss Hezbollah’s leadership losses, Israel’s strategic moves, and what’s next for the region.

Iranians walk past a missile during a rally marking the 40th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, in Tehran, Iran, February 11, 2019. (AP/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Decision Points

Iran, Israel & Missiles: Roots of Iran’s Enmity & Military Escalation

October 14, 2024

Ray Takeyh and Meir Litvak join David Makovsky to discuss Iran's missile attack on Israel, the Iranian regime’s internal dynamics, and the roots of its hostility towards Israel.

File: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Jordan's King Abdullah II listen as President Barack Obama, not pictured, speaks on the Middle East peace negotiations in the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2010. Netanyahu sat next to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, on his right, while the late Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak sat next to the Jordanian king, to his left. (AP/Susan Walsh)

Decision Points

30 Years of Peace Under Pressure: Israel and Jordan in Regional Turmoil

September 30, 2024

Merissa Khurma, David Schenker, and Efraim Halevy join David Makovsky to explore the future of Israel-Jordan relations amid rising regional tensions and public unrest

A supporter of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group waves a Palestinian flag with Arabic words that read: 'Jerusalem we are coming,' as she awaits the speech of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Nov. 3, 2023 (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

Decision Points

Ring of Fire: Iran’s Proxy Network Against Israel and How to Disrupt It

September 23, 2024

Michael Knights, Zohar Palti, and Dr. Patrick Clawson join David Makovsky to discuss Iran’s proxies, their regional strategy, and what the US and Israel can do to curb their power.