Boundless Insights - with Aviva Klompas

For years, Israel's international standing has been measured by military strength, diplomatic alliances, and peace agreements. Today, a different challenge has come to the forefront: a growing crisis of legitimacy.

Host Aviva Klompas sits down with diplomat, legal scholar, and former Israeli Foreign Ministry Legal Adviser Tal Becker to explore why support for Israel has eroded in many parts of the world, and whether the roots of that shift lie in Israeli policy, broader cultural and political changes in the West, or something deeper still.

Drawing on decades of experience representing Israel on the world stage—including before the International Court of Justice and during the negotiations that led to the Abraham Accords—Tal Becker offers a framework for understanding the current moment. He discusses the difference between Israel's critics and its enemies, why not all criticism should be dismissed as hostility, and how Israel can engage those acting in good faith while confronting those seeking to undermine its legitimacy.

Guest Bio:

Dr. Tal Becker is a Senior Fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute, a Counsel at Honigman LLP, and as a leading consultant and public intellectual on geo-politics, the Middle East and peace and security policy. Until recently, Dr. Becker served as the Legal Adviser of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and has been a senior member of the Israeli peace negotiation team in successive rounds of peace negotiations. Tal has represented Israel before the International Court of Justice, played an instrumental role in negotiating and drafting the “Abraham Accords”, and served as a key behind the scenes player in many complex bilateral and multilateral processes in which Israel was involved.

For decades, the U.S.-Israel relationship has been one of the defining features of American foreign policy. But as both political parties undergo change, many of the assumptions that have sustained the alliance for generations are being tested.

Host Aviva Klompas is joined by journalist and political commentator Eli Lake to examine the future of the U.S.-Israel relationship in an era of political realignment.

They discuss whether support for Israel is undergoing a temporary backlash or a more fundamental transformation, the forces driving changing attitudes toward Israel within the Democratic Party, and whether a return to bipartisan consensus is still possible. They also explore the rise of the America First movement, the implications of a potential J.D. Vance presidency, generational shifts in foreign policy thinking, and what the next decade could mean for one of America's most important alliances.

Speaker Bio

Eli Lake is a journalist and geopolitical analyst, currently a contributing editor and columnist at The Free Press and host of the excellent Breaking History podcast. He was previously a columnist for Bloomberg, The Daily Beast, and Newsweek, where he covered national security, foreign policy, and global affairs. Known for his sharp analysis and independent voice, Eli brings a nuanced and thought-provoking perspective to some of the most pressing issues in international politics.

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to podcast@boundlessisrael.org

Israel will head to the polls on October 27 in what promises to be one of the most consequential elections in its history. It will be the first Israeli government to complete a full term in more than five decades.

Host Aviva Klompas is joined by former Israeli Ambassador to the United States Dr. Michael Oren to examine what this election is really about. While much of the international media will frame the vote as a referendum on Prime Minister Netanyahu, Israelis are weighing far broader questions about security, leadership, national priorities, and the country's future nearly three years after October 7.

Together, they discuss how the war has reshaped Israeli politics, whether the government's wartime record will help or hurt Netanyahu at the ballot box, how Israelis are balancing military achievements with unresolved challenges, and what coalition scenarios are most likely to emerge after the vote. They also explore whether international opinion will influence Israeli voters and what this election could mean for Israel's direction in the years ahead.

Guest Bio:

Michael Oren served in the IDF as a Lone Soldier in the paratroopers. He was Israel’s ambassador to the United States from 2009 to 2013 and later served as a Member of Knesset and Deputy Minister of Diplomacy.

He is the author of several New York Times bestsellers including Six Days of War, Ally: My Journey Across the American-Israel Divide, and Power, Faith, and Fantasy. Ambassador Oren published 2048: The Rejuvenated State in 2023 and is the founder of Israel Advocacy Group.

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to podcast@boundlessisrael.org

The rise of democratic socialism is no longer confined to a handful of high-profile politicians. Across the country, insurgent candidates are defeating establishment Democrats, building sophisticated political organizations, and reshaping the future of the Democratic Party.

Host Aviva Klompas is joined by political strategist and former congressional candidate Brianna Wu to examine what is driving this movement and why its influence extends far beyond a few headline-grabbing elections.

They discuss the growing divide between traditional Democrats, progressives, and democratic socialists; why opposition to Israel has become a defining feature of the movement; the role of activist networks and political infrastructure; and what recent primary victories reveal about the Democratic Party's future.

The conversation also explores the upcoming Michigan Senate race, the rise and fall of insurgent candidates like Graham Platner, and whether the party is undergoing a temporary shift or a more lasting political realignment.

Guest Bio:

Brianna Wu rose to national prominence during Gamergate, a flashpoint in the video game industry that pioneered many of the toxic tactics now common in online political discourse. She ran for Congress in 2018 as a progressive Democrat, but experienced a sharp break with her party following the October 7th Hamas attacks. Today, she is a prominent advocate for U.S./ Israel national security cooperation and a leading voice in the evolving debate over liberalism, extremism, and the future of the trans movement.

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to podcast@boundlessisrael.org

Former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel used a major speech in Israel to lay out what many see as the foreign policy vision of a potential 2028 presidential campaign and his message was blunt: the U.S.-Israel relationship is at a crossroads.

In this episode, host Aviva Klompas is joined by Dr. Michael Oren to examine Emanuel's diagnosis of Israel's strategic position and the future of the alliance between Jerusalem and Washington.

They discuss Emanuel's claim that Israel has become too reliant on military power and his argument that decades of unconditional American support enabled some of Israel's worst decisions.

Guest Bio:

Michael Oren served in the IDF as a Lone Soldier in the paratroopers. He was Israel’s ambassador to the United States from 2009 to 2013 and later served as a Member of Knesset and Deputy Minister of Diplomacy.

He is the author of several New York Times bestsellers including Six Days of War, Ally: My Journey Across the American-Israel Divide, and Power, Faith, and Fantasy. Ambassador Oren published 2048: The Rejuvenated State in 2023 and is the founder of Israel Advocacy Group.

Mentioned in This Episode:
Rahm Emanuel’s Speech