We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to podcast@boundlessisrael.org or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas.

After more than two years, the mission to bring home every Israeli held hostage in Gaza has come to an end. For many Israelis, that moment has lifted an enormous emotional weight and raised a difficult question: Is the October 7 war over?

Host Aviva Klompas is joined by Dr. Michael Oren, former Israeli ambassador to the United States, to reflect on what this moment represents and what comes next. They discuss how wars actually end and what the return of the hostages means for a country emerging from prolonged trauma.

The conversation also looks ahead to Gaza: proposals for postwar governance, the challenge of dismantling Hamas, and the risk that Israel could become stuck in a prolonged holding pattern - neither fully withdrawn nor fully reengaged.

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to podcast@boundlessisrael.org or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas.

Israel’s political system is famously complex. It’s parliamentary, based on proportional representation, and rarely produces a clear majority - meaning governments are constantly being built, rebuilt, and threatened from within by their own coalitions.

In this episode of Boundless Insights, host Aviva Klompas is joined by Lahav Harkov, Senior Political Correspondent for Jewish Insider, to offer a clear primer on how Israeli elections work and what to expect as the country moves toward its next vote.

Although elections aren’t legally required until October 2026, few expect Israel to wait that long. Aviva and Lahav discuss what could trigger an early election, which parties and political figures to watch, and how public opinion is shifting.

Guest Bio

Lahav Harkov is the Senior Political Correspondent for Jewish Insider, where she covers Israel’s domestic and international politics. She previously served as Diplomatic Correspondent and Contributing Editor at The Jerusalem Post, and before that spent more than eight years as the paper’s lead reporter and analyst covering the Knesset.

Lahav has interviewed leading figures across Israel’s political spectrum and is widely regarded for her deep sourcing among lawmakers and diplomats. She regularly provides analysis to international outlets including the BBC, MSNBC, and France 24, and has published in The New York Post, The Free Press, Commentary, Tablet, and The Washington Examiner. She has been recognized by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency as one of the most influential voices on Jewish social media.

Originally from New Jersey, Lahav moved to Israel at 17, holds degrees in political science and communications from Bar-Ilan University, and lives in central Israel with her family.

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to podcast@boundlessisrael.org or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas.

Iran faced its most serious wave of unrest in years, as anti-government protests erupted across the country. Host Aviva Klompas is joined by Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior director of the Iran Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, to examine what’s happening on the ground, the role of U.S. signaling, the regime’s violent response, and what could realistically follow if the Islamic Republic were to weaken or collapse.

Guest Bio

Behnam Ben Taleblu is the senior director of the Iran Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and a senior fellow specializing in Iranian security and political affairs. With more than a decade of experience, he closely tracks Iran’s nuclear and missile programs, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its proxy network, sanctions, and internal Iranian politics. A native Persian speaker, he regularly briefs policymakers and has testified before the U.S. Congress, the Canadian Parliament, and the UK House of Commons. His analysis is widely cited in major international media outlets and he frequently appears on global broadcast news.

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Why These Iranian Protests Are Different by Behnam Ben Taleblu