Call Me Back - with Dan Senor

Can Israel stop Iran if America decides to move on?

As Washington pursues negotiations with Tehran, many Israelis are wondering what their country can still do to shape the outcome. Dan Senor is joined by Ark Media contributor and Channel 12 senior political analyst Amit Segal to discuss the state of the U.S.-Iran talks, why Israel is showing restraint in Lebanon, and what leverage Jerusalem still has as Washington pursues negotiations with Tehran. They also examine the growing debate inside Israel over President Trump and J.D. Vance, and whether Netanyahu can navigate a moment when many Israelis feel the military achievements against Iran have yet to translate into a lasting strategic gain.

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In this episode:

- Why the U.S.-Iran talks may be headed for failure

- Does Israel have any leverage left?

- Why Israel is showing restraint in Lebanon

- Why “no deal, no war” could still hurt Tehran

- Netanyahu, Trump, and the Vance problem

- Israel’s options if America steps back

- Could Trump shape Israel’s next election?

- Will Netanyahu really run for a seventh term?

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Credits: Ilan Benatar, Beth Pearlman, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Yuval Semo

Did Israel and the U.S. win the battle but lose the war?

Israel and the United States achieved what many would consider a remarkable military success against Iran. But the agreement that followed has left many Israelis wondering whether battlefield gains translated into strategic victory. Dan Senor is joined by Wall Street Journal columnist and Hudson Institute senior fellow Walter Russell Mead to discuss the paradox at the heart of the new U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding, what it reveals about President Trump's approach to power, and how leaders across the Middle East are recalculating their assumptions about America, Israel, and the future of the region.

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Call Me Back is made possible by our subscribers. If these conversations are where you turn to understand Israel and the Jewish world, consider joining them. It's what keeps this show going.

Become a Subscriber - Inside Call me Back

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In this episode:

03:42 - The paradox: military success vs. political disappointment

05:03 - Why so many Israelis think Israel lost

07:27 - What was President Trump actually betting on?

21:30 - Does the 60-day deal mean anything?

22:30 - Why sanctions rarely deliver regime change

27:24 - What this war reveals about the future of warfare

35:27 - How Riyadh, Ankara, and Beijing are reading the moment

45:33 - Israel's growing dependence on President Trump

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Dan Senor & Saul Singer’s book, The Genius of Israel

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Credits: Ilan Benatar, Beth Pearlman, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Yuval Semo

For the full episode, subscribe here to Inside Call me Back.

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This is a sneak peek from the members-only edition of Inside Call Me Back. Nadav Eyal reacts to J.D. Vance's comments on Israel and what they may signal about changing attitudes in Washington. The discussion touches a deeper Israeli concern: whether the assumptions that have long defined the U.S.-Israel relationship are beginning to change. If support for Israel can no longer be assumed, how should Israelis think about their relationship with America going forward?

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You can access the full episode here, where Dan takes on listener questions about:

- Why Nadav is waiting before judging the Iran deal

- Has the word "Zionism" outlived its purpose?

- Gadi Eisenkot and the significance of a Sephardic prime minister

- Does Eisenkot's English matter?

- Why Eisenkot is gaining political momentum

- Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Israel's freedom of action

- Can Israel afford a confrontation with the United States?

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Newsletters | Ark Media | Amit Segal | Nadav Eyal

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Dan Senor & Saul Singer’s book, The Genius of Israel

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Credits: Ilan Benatar, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Yuval Semo

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What does the Iran deal mean for Israel, and for Netanyahu’s political future?

Dan is joined by Ark Media contributor and Channel 12 political analyst Amit Segal to assess the newly announced U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding and the political questions it has unleashed in Israel. As negotiations begin and the fighting pauses, they discuss whether the war should be seen as a success, a missed opportunity, or something whose consequences are still unfolding. They also discuss the growing tension between Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, the fight over Lebanon, and what all of it could mean for Israel's next election.

This episode was sponsored by Birthright: Invest in the Jewish future today at onetripchangeseverything.com.

In this episode:

04:03 - What worries Israel most about the new Iran deal?

06:18 - Trump’s unpredictability and the limits of certainty

13:15 - Is this a pause button or a rewind button for Iran?

18:42 - Does anyone expect a final agreement within 60 days?

20:57 - Why Lebanon has become the real battleground

23:09 - The growing tension between Trump and Netanyahu

28:54 - How the deal is reshaping Israeli politics

39:12 - How will history judge the war with Iran?

More Ark Media:

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Newsletters | Ark Media | Amit Segal | Nadav Eyal

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Dan Senor & Saul Singer’s book, The Genius of Israel

Get in touch

Credits: Ilan Benatar, Beth Pearlman, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Yuval Semo

Subscribe to Inside Call me Back.

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Why is Israel’s next election being driven more by fear than hope?

Dan is joined by For Heaven's Sake hosts Yossi Klein Halevi and Donniel Hartman to discuss the emotional forces shaping Israel's coming election. As Israelis prepare to vote, different communities are carrying different traumas, fears, and visions for the country's future, from tensions over Arab and Haredi political power to questions of national unity, leadership, and diminishing hope that life there can improve. They also consider whether Israelis can rediscover the unity of October 8th and what Israelis and diaspora Jews are each looking for in the country's next leader.

In this episode:

04:36 -  Why this is a fear-based election, not a hope-based election

10:30 - The fear of Arab parties in a post-October 7 Israel

16:21 - Can Arab parties become part of Israel's political mainstream?

18:09 - The role and concern over Haredi voters reshaping politics

27:09 - Is the unity of an "October 8th Israel" still possible?

30:30 - The forces that threaten to shut down Israel’s economy

32:21 - Can Israel's political center hold?

37:39 - Why Gadi Eisenkot appeals across ideological lines

43:33 - Israelis and diaspora Jews each want something different from Israel’s leader

More Ark Media:

Want to join Ark Media? Check out our careers page for new openings.

Explore Israel Votes

Listen to For Heaven's Sake

Listen to What’s Your Number?

Watch Call me Back on YouTube

Newsletters | Ark Media | Amit Segal | Nadav Eyal

Instagram | Ark Media | Dan

X | Dan

Dan Senor & Saul Singer’s book, The Genius of Israel

Get in touch

Credits: Ilan Benatar, Beth Pearlman, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Yuval Semo