On October 8th, 2023, Hezbollah joined the war against Israel. Now, nearly fifteen months later, a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon may be imminent.

As of this evening in Israel, the Israeli security cabinet has officially approved a ceasefire deal with Lebanon. Under the proposal, Israeli forces would withdraw from Lebanon within 60 days, while Hezbollah forces would relocate farther north, effectively establishing a buffer zone. The Lebanese Army would be stationed in southern Lebanon, to ensure that Hezbollah remains north of the Litani River.

To analyze the key terms of the agreement, and help us unpack its military, political, and social implications, our guest is David Horowitz.

David Horovitz is the founding editor of The Times of Israel. He was previously the editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post, and editor and publisher of The Jerusalem Report.

David on X: https://x.com/davidhorovitz

The Times of Israel: https://www.timesofisrael.com/

This past Thursday, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Israel’s former defense minister, Yoav Gallant. The warrants were issued on charges of attempting to orchestrate starvation as a method of warfare, and crimes against humanity, of “murder and persecution”, in the ICC's terms. A warrant was also issued for Hamas leader Mohammed Deif, who was killed in an airstrike in Gaza in July.

To help us understand the ICC; its role, jurisdiction and credibility; and the wide range of implications of these arrest warrants, our guest is Natasha Hausdorff.

Natasha is a British barrister and expert on international law, foreign affairs, and national security policy. She is the Charitable Trust Legal Director of UK Lawyers For Israel (UKLFI). Natasha regularly briefs government leaders and international organizations, and has spoken at parliaments across Europe and at the United Nations. She is a regular commentator on issues of international law, both generally and specifically as they apply to Israel.

UK Lawyers For Israel on X: https://x.com/uklfi

On an almost daily basis, Hezbollah fires hundreds of missiles and rockets into Israel’s North. And yet there seems to be progress being made in negotiations towards a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

If we are approaching a deal, what does it look like? How will it be enforced? What are the political forces shaping the deal - in Jerusalem, in Tehran, and in Washington D.C., as the U.S. transitions to a new administration?

And, crucially, how many of the some 60,000 Israelis who were evacuated from the north over a year ago will be able to return to their homes?

To help us understand what’s going on here, we are once again joined by Call Me Back regular Nadav Eyal.

Nadav Eyal is a columnist for Yediiot. He is one of Israel’s leading journalists. Eyal has been covering Middle-Eastern and international politics for the last two decades for Israeli radio, print and television news.

Well before October 7th 2023, we were already witnessing too many examples of the worst in higher education with a lack of diversity of ideas and debate. Numerous U.S. college campuses had become intellectual and ideological monocultures. Then, immediately following October 7th, we saw something much darker, but perhaps we shouldn’t have been surprised.

Many of us lament what is happening in higher education. But at CallMeBack, we have also observed some bright spots — universities with inspiring leaders and healthy intellectual climates — and we want to try to understand what is happening at these universities that have bucked the trend.

In this episode, we have a discussion about Vanderbilt University. Our guest is Daniel Diermeier, Vanderbilt University’s ninth chancellor. He previously served in leadership roles at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and at the University of Chicago, where he served as dean of the Harris School of Public Policy.

In addition to his role as chancellor, Diermeier is University Distinguished Professor in the Owen Graduate School of Management and Distinguished University Professor of Political Science in the College of Arts & Science. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Guggenheim Foundation. He has published five books and more than 100 research articles in academic journals.

In our conversation, which was recorded on campus, Chancellor Diermeier discusses how the university has developed its policies around free speech, institutional neutrality, and campus order. In the face of staggering levels of intolerance -- not to mention pro-Hamas protests effectively taking over some campuses -- has Vanderbilt become a model for how to get it right?

The article referenced in this episode - Chancellor Diermeier’s piece in the Wall Street Journal, ‘Free speech Is Alive and Well at Vanderbilt University’ https://www.wsj.com/articles/free-speech-is-alive-and-well-at-vanderbilt-university-023884d1

Additional piece recommended, Chancellor Diermeier in the Wall Street Journal: ‘Scholarly Associations Aren’t Entitled to Their Opinions’ https://www.wsj.com/opinion/scholarly-associations-arent-entitled-to-their-opinions-it-chills-debate-harms-young-faculty-2584c09c?st=LK2G22&reflink=article_imessage_share

In recent weeks, with the IDF focusing most of its attention on the Northern front, the media has been paying less attention to what’s actually happening in Gaza. What would constitute the Gaza War being over? Is there any progress on a Day After Plan for Gaza? What is the status of hostage negotiations and other efforts to free the hostages? What would the future (medium-term/long-term) Israeli presence in Gaza look like?

To help us connect these dots, Haviv Rettig Gur returns to the podcast.

Haviv Rettig Gur is the political analyst at The Times of Israel. He was a long time reporter for the Times of Israel. Haviv was also a combat medic in the IDF where he served in the reserves.

Watch the full conversation on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZTiuntsCs8

Regardless of who you voted for in the U.S. presidential election, many of us are continuing to attempt to unpack what happened in this extraordinary election. There has been a lot of analysis of the various demographic shifts.

But less attention has been paid to Jewish voters and the role they played - as well as the issues of the Israel-Hamas war and rising antisemitism in the U.S. How did these issues impact how Americans - both Jewish and non-Jewish - chose to vote?

To discuss, our guest today is Congressman Ritchie Torres. Rep. Torres lives in the Bronx and represents New York’s 15th congressional district. He is a member of the House Committee on Financial Services and the House’s Elect Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. He has been on the front lines of electoral politics this year, both in his congressional district in the Bronx, and nationally, as a champion on the issue of Israel and antisemitism.

Item discussed in this episode: Michael Powell’s interview with Ritchie Torres in the Atlantic - https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2024/11/democrats-lost-voters-ritchie-torres/680599/

Last night in Amsterdam, dozens of Maccabi Tel Aviv fans suffered a pogrom in the streets of Amsterdam, following the soccer team’s match against Ajax. According to most accounts, this ambush was planned and coordinated in advance.

And according to Israeli authorities, 10 Israelis were injured throughout the night, as mobs of antisemitic rioters ambushed, chased, and attacked the Israeli soccer fans. Dozens have been arrested, and the Israeli government dispatched planes to Amsterdam to return the Israeli fans safely to Israel. The Amsterdam police was observed to be largely ineffective in attempting to protect the Israeli fans from the assailants.

To unpack these disturbing events, and discuss the climate of antisemitism that has erupted in the Netherlands and across Europe, we are joined by Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Omer Bigger.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali is a Somali-born Dutch-American activist, author, and a former Dutch member of Parliament. She is known for her outspoken criticism of Islam.

Ayaan has just launched a media platform called Courage.Media, which aims to amplify the voices of those who are showing great courage by standing up to the anti-western, anti-liberal, anti-democratic movements that are taking root in our media, our politics, our schools, and our communities.

Omer Bigger is an Israeli tech worker living in Amsterdam.

Ayaan’s piece on the pogrom in Amsterdam: https://courage.media/2024/11/08/the-pogrom-in-amsterdam/

To buy Ayaan’s books: https://tinyurl.com/pd34a9s8

Also discussed in this episode: “Pogrom 2024” John Podhoretz: https://www.commentary.org/john-podhoretz/pogrom-2024/

Last night in Israel, in what came as a shock to many Israelis, Prime Minister Netanyahu fired Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

At the same time, there was a Red Wave that swept through U.S. politics.

As Israelis and Americans simultaneously process these two 180 degree pivots in their respective political systems, we are joined by two CallMeBack regulars to discuss both stories:

Nadav Eyal is a columnist for Yediiot. He is one of Israel’s leading journalists. Eyal has been covering Middle-Eastern and international politics for the last two decades for Israeli radio, print and television news.

Amit Segal is the chief political correspondent and analyst for Channel 12 News, and for Yediot Ahronot, the country’s largest circulation newspaper.