Disputed Territory: Real Talk About Israel

Israelis have gone to the polls after years of war, political upheaval, and growing divisions over the country's future. But beyond the election results, what does this moment reveal about Israeli society - and where the country is headed?

Shanie sits down with Israeli peace activist Eran Nissan, a member of the Israeli Democrats Party and former CEO of Mehazkim, to unpack the election and the forces shaping Israel's political future.

They discuss what drove Israeli voters, whether traditional left-right divisions still define Israeli politics, and where the Israeli-Palestinian conflict fits into the national conversation. They also explore the challenges facing Israel's next government, the limits of political change, and what's at stake for the country's future as a Jewish and democratic state.

How are Israeli election results calculated? IPF explains, in brief: https://israelpolicyforum.org/2026/10/26/how-are-israeli-election-results-calculated/ How is an Israeli government formed? IPF explains, in brief: https://israelpolicyforum.org/2026/10/26/how-is-an-israeli-government-formed/ Visit Israel Policy Forum's 120 Project for the latest updates and analysis on Israeli elections: https://israelpolicyforum.org/onetwenty

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Israel defines itself as both a Jewish state and a democratic one. But balancing those two identities raises fundamental questions about equality, national identity, and who gets to define what it means to be a Jewish state.

On this episode of Disputed Territory, we're bringing in Israel Policy Forum's heavy hitter Chief Policy Officer Michael Koplow to help us try to answer this question. A longtime analyst of Israeli politics and American Jewry, Michael writes the weekly Koplow Column and contributes to publications including Foreign Affairs, The Atlantic, Foreign Policy, and frequently appears on Vox's Today, Explained, NPR, War on the Rocks, and in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Jewish Insider, and more.

Together, they explore what makes Israel both Jewish and democratic, where those commitments come into tension, and what Israel's Jewish identity means for its non-Jewish citizens. They also examine Israel's relationship with Jews around the world and who ultimately gets a say in shaping the country's identity.

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Much of the conversation around Israel and Palestine puts pressure on choosing a side—which side's suffering matters, whose violence deserves condemnation, and whose story gets heard. Too often, this leaves little room for empathy and fuels the dehumanization of Israelis and Palestinians alike.

Shanie sits down with Palestinian human rights and peace advocate Ihab Hassan, who was born and raised in Ramallah in the West Bank. Ihab has been outspoken in condemning extremism and violence on both sides—documenting Jewish terrorism against Palestinians in the West Bank daily, while rejecting Palestinian terrorism against Israeli civilians as a means of resistance. His willingness to denounce violence regardless of who perpetrates it has drawn criticism from across the political spectrum.

Ihab and Shanie discuss why it can be so difficult to hold empathy for Israelis and Palestinians at the same time, how acknowledging suffering on both sides can be mistaken for creating false equivalencies, and what gets lost when solidarity with one people requires abandoning the other. They also explore what it takes to criticize your own community and how moving beyond dueling narratives, contests of victimhood, and debates over historical grievances can create space for more productive conversations about a better future for both peoples.

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Talking about Israel has become its own battleground.

Shanie sits down with Israeli writer, speaker, and creator Hen Mazzig to explore how the conversation around Israel became so polarized—and why disagreement so often turns into a fight over who gets to speak, what can be said, and which perspectives are considered legitimate.

They discuss the impact of social media on the Israel debate, the pressure to choose a side, and why holding multiple truths at once has become increasingly difficult. They also explore what productive disagreement can actually look like—and how we can make more room for people who are conflicted or still figuring out what they believe.

For more information on Hen, follow him on Substack or Instagram. You can learn more about the Tel Aviv Institute at https://tlvi.org/

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What do we lose when we stop talking to people we disagree with about Israel?

Shanie sits down with peace activist and storyteller Alana Zeitchik for a conversation about why engaging across political divides still matters—and where to draw the line. They discuss the difference between engaging with someone and legitimizing their views and how to know when to simply disengage.

They also explore the growing disconnect between American and Israeli Jews, the challenge of separating people from their politics, and what happens when disagreement gives way to dehumanization. Alana Zeitchik is an Israeli-American advocate, writer, and media professional who became a public voice after six of her family members were taken hostage on October 7. Now executive director of The Narrow Bridge Project, she has written for The New York Times and The Forward, spoken at the United Nations, and made courageous communication and relationship-building central to her work.

For more information on Alana, subscribe to her Substack or follow her on Instagram (@AlanaLindsay).

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In this debut episode, Shanie Reichman shares the experiences that shaped how she thinks about Israel, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the difficult conversations surrounding both.

Shanie is the Director of Strategic Initiatives and Director of IPF Atid at Israel Policy Forum, where she works to elevate the discourse around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But her connection to these issues is also deeply personal.

Shanie shares stories about her Israeli family and upbringing, the communities and perspectives that have influenced her, and why she believes there needs to be more space for complexity, disagreement, and honest conversation about Israel.

You'll learn about why Disputed Territory was created and what you can expect from the conversations ahead.

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Israel has become one of the hardest things to talk about - even among people who care deeply about it. On Disputed Territory, host Shanie Reichman sits down with a range of voices to tackle the topics dominating the discourse around Israel today. Grounded in a vision of a secure, Jewish, democratic Israel, Israeli-Palestinian reconciliation, and a strong U.S.-Israel relationship, Disputed Territory equips listeners to engage thoughtfully, where others see only division.

New episodes weekly. Subscribe and join the conversation.

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