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Presented by the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, "East to West" offers a fresh look at the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East and Israel. This podcast features diverse voices and perspectives rarely heard in mainstream media, bringing expert analysis from policymakers, scholars, and thought leaders.
With in-depth discussions on the region's most pressing issues, "East to West" uncovers the complexities behind the headlines and provides unique insights for both seasoned observers and those new to the topic. Discover the untold stories shaping to
With in-depth discussions on the region's most pressing issues, "East to West" uncovers the complexities behind the headlines and provides unique insights for both seasoned observers and those new to the topic. Discover the untold stories shaping to
77 Episodes
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Türkü Avci, a Muslim Turkish woman and a Zionist studying in Israel, joins East to West with Balig Sladeen to discuss her life, her Muslim-Zionist identity, and the dramatic changes taking place in Turkey.When she publicly identified as a Zionist, the video went viral in Turkey, leading to an arrest warrant from the Turkish government. Turku shares her story of growing up in a secular Turkey, her fear that Erdoğan is radicalizing the country using the Palestinian issue, and why she feels Turkey is becoming a "middle eastern corrupted country". Now facing exile, Turku discusses her plans to apply for asylum.
In this episode of East to West, Balig Sladeen speaks with Dr. Dan Diker, President of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, about the strategic questions shaping Gaza and the wider region. The conversation looks at post-conflict governance, regional power dynamics, the U.S.-Israel partnership, and the broader Middle East context, including Iran and regional security considerations.
In this episode of East to West, host Balig Sladeen sits down with Elyana Elyan, a Kurdish political analyst and activist, to talk about what’s happening to the Kurds, and why it suddenly matters more than ever. They discuss who the Kurds are, why they remain stateless, what’s unfolding in northern Syria today, and how years of conflict have shaped Kurdish life across the region. Iliyana explains the cultural values of Kurdish society, the challenges Kurds face after fighting ISIS, and why many fear being forgotten once again.
In this episode of East to West, host Balig Sladeen speaks with Soraya Dean, a Muslim lawyer and activist, about what is being taught in mosques, the spread of antisemitism, and why condemnation without action has failed. Dean explains why Muslim leadership must confront these teachings directly and why recognizing Israel’s right to exist is unavoidable.
In this episode of East to West, Balig Sladeen speaks with Dr. Hay Eytan Cohen Yanarocak, an expert on Turkey at the Moshe Dayan Center at Tel Aviv University, about Turkey’s expanding role in the Middle East and its growing challenge to Israel’s security.The conversation examines Ankara’s post–October 7 shift toward Hamas, its neo-Ottoman ambitions in Syria, Iraq, Libya, and beyond, and why Israel can no longer afford to underestimate Turkey as a regional actor. From hostage mediation and ceasefire dynamics to Turkish aspirations for a guarantor role in Gaza, the episode explores how Turkey’s policies are reshaping regional power balances and Israeli strategic thinking.
Iran is facing one of its most dangerous internal moments in decades. As protests spread, infrastructure collapses and the currency plunges, the regime is struggling to contain public anger, while still pouring resources into missiles, proxies and nuclear ambitions.In this episode of East to West, host Balig Sladeen is joined by Ella Rosenberg, Senior Fellow on Counter Terrorism Financing at the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs (JCFA), to break down why this crisis feels different. From failed sanctions enforcement and Iran’s shadow oil trade with China, to Hezbollah’s financial networks, Venezuela’s collapse, and the growing unrest inside Iran itself — this conversation exposes the regime’s vulnerabilities and the hard choices facing the West.Is Iran entering the beginning of the end — or preparing for its most dangerous phase yet?
Israel has formally recognized Somaliland, a self-governing region in the Horn of Africa. In this episode of East to West, host Balig Sladeen speaks with Mostafa Hasan, former Director of Intelligence of Somaliland, about the legal basis for Somaliland’s statehood, the strategic interests behind Israel’s decision, and the potential implications for regional security, diplomacy, and stability in the Horn of Africa.
In this episode of East to West, Balig Sladeen speaks with Dean Shmuel Elmas, reporter and geopolitics analyst at Globes, about Israel’s evolving strategic reality after two years of war.From Iran’s weakening proxy network to Turkey’s growing influence in Syria, Africa, and the Eastern Mediterranean, the conversation explores new regional threats, shifting alliances, and why Israel can no longer afford to think like an isolated island in a changing Middle East.
In this episode of East to West, Balig Sladeen speaks with Dr. Charles Jacobs, President of the Jewish Leadership Project, author, and longtime activist, on the ideological shifts that have shaped American public opinion over the past two decades. He explains how narratives formed in academia and media gradually filtered into mainstream culture, influencing how Israel, Zionism, and Jewish communities are perceived today.
In this episode of East to West, host Balig Sladeen sits down with Ella Rosenberg, an expert on the Iranian economy with extensive experience analyzing financial systems and capital movements, to understand how do they survive decades of crippling sanctions?Ella Rosenberg, whose research focuses on how funds are transferred from the Iranian regime to European countries explains that the Western idea of a "normal" economy, where goods are abundant and ordering is easy, doesn't exist for them. For Iranians, "bad is normal".
In this powerful episode of East to West, host Balig Sladeen sits down with Pastor Dumisani Washington, founder of the Institute for Black Solidarity with Israel, to tackle a topic few dare to touch: how the Black community in America and across the world really views Israel and the Jewish people — and how that story changed over time.
In this explosive episode of East to West, host Balig Sladeen sits down with Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, a Gaza-born analyst who speaks openly about the one topic everyone avoids: what people in Gaza REALLY think about Hamas. No slogans. No propaganda. Just personal experience, raw emotion, and truths that rarely escape the region.Ahmed shares what friends, relatives, and civilians whisper behind closed doors — the fear, the pressure, the anger, the exhaustion, and the silent majority that never gets represented on screen. This is the kind of conversation that breaks narratives, challenges assumptions, and brings forward voices that have been ignored for years.
Decades after World War II, Israel’s Mossad made a shocking decision: to reach out not to kill, but to recruit one of Hitler’s most infamous commandos, Otto Skorzeny. What drove this extraordinary move, and what does it reveal about espionage, morality, and survival in the shadow of history?In this episode of East to West, host Sarah Martinez Amir speaks with Oded Ailam, a former senior Mossad officer and JCFA researcher, who shares the inside story of how this operation unfolded, and what it tells us about the complex world of intelligence and postwar justice.
In this gripping episode of East to West, host Sarah Martinez Amir speaks with Mosab Hassan Yousef — the son of a Hamas co-founder who became one of the movement’s fiercest critics.From inside the heart of Hamas to a global stage, Mosab unveils the true face of the ideology that birthed the October 7th massacre. He explains how Hamas grew from the Muslim Brotherhood’s radical vision, why “globalizing the Intifada” means spreading chaos worldwide, and how the group systematically weaponizes both civilians and hostages in pursuit of power.
In this episode of East to West, host Sarah Martinez Amir welcomes bestselling author and filmmaker Dinesh D’Souza together with Dr. Dan Diker, President of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, for a penetrating discussion on October 7th as more than just a terror attack.Together, they examine how Hamas’s atrocities marked a civilizational turning point — an assault not only on Israel but on Judeo-Christian values worldwide. With chilling parallels to history and a call for moral and spiritual revival, this episode confronts the deeper stakes of the war in Gaza and the future of the West itself.
Thirty-two years after the Oslo Accords, the grand promises of peace have given way to waves of terror and deep disillusionment. Now, as war rages in Gaza and governments around the world move to recognize a Palestinian State, one question looms: is this a genuine roadmap to peace — or an invitation that rewards more violence? In this episode of East to West, host Sarah Martinez Amir speaks with Ambassador Alan Baker, a key negotiator and drafter of the Oslo Accords, to confront the legacy of Oslo and the dangerous crossroads the world faces today.
In this episode of East to West, host Sarah Martinez Amir sits down with Oded Ailam, former senior Mossad officer and researcher at the JCFA Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs. Together, they mark one year since Israel’s daring “beeper operation” against Hezbollah in September 2024 — a covert move that crippled Hezbollah’s communications, eliminated thousands of commanders in minutes, and triggered a domino effect across the Middle East.
In this episode of East to West, Sarah Martinez Amir sits down with Sultan Said Sultan Deria, the traditional leader of the Grand Isaac Sultanate of Somaliland. Sultan Deria makes the case for Somaliland’s recognition, its natural partnership with Israel, and its role as a bridge between Africa, the Middle East, and the democratic world.
In this powerful episode of East to West, hosted by Sarah Martinez Amir, we sit down with Mosab Hassan Yousef, also known as The Green Prince — the son of a Hamas co-founder who made the extraordinary choice to break away and expose the truth about the movement from within.Mosab reflects on the aftermath of October 7, the suffering in Gaza, and the propaganda war that has reshaped global opinion. He explains why the chaos in Gaza isn't a famine, but a deliberate disorder, why hostages remain the true victims of this war, and why slogans of “ceasefire now” can ring hollow without accountability.With rare candor, Mosab warns against the illusions of quick fixes and challenges the world to face the ideology that fuels endless cycles of violence. His words — “October 7th cannot be justified — ever” — capture the moral clarity he believes is essential to moving forward.Can truth prevail in an age of distortion? And what will it take for peace to be more than just a slogan? Don’t miss this eye-opening conversation.
In this urgent episode of East to West by the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, host Sarah Martinez Amir speaks with Rashad, a resident of Sweida, Syria, and a member of the Druze minority, about the regime-led assault on his city.
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