Call Me Back - with Dan Senor

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For years, normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel was seen as the ultimate goal of the Abraham Accords and the final step towards unlocking regional stability. But a sharp rivalry is heating up between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed. Dan is joined by Yonatan Adiri and Yael Wissner-Levy to unpack the economic, political, and personal dynamics driving this feud, what it means for Israel, and why India and global energy corridors may matter more than most people realize.
In this episode:
00:18 - MBS’s Vision 2030 under pressure and the internal Saudi recalibration
10:40 - Mentor turned rival: How MBS and MBZ went from alignment to confrontation
18:45 - The Yemen flashpoint that ruptured the Saudi–UAE relationship
24:00 - Energy corridors, IMEC, and the India factor
28:30 - Is Israel collateral damage or strategically positioned?
34:50 - Why UAE’s “infrastructure diplomacy” may be winning quietly
38:45 - The future of normalization versus regional integration
This episode was sponsored by United Hatzalah. Donate today at IsraelRescue.org/CallMeBack. Add this number to your phone right now if you live in Israel – 1221, and for those visiting it’s 972-2-5-383838.
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Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo

This is a sneak peek from the latest Inside Call me Back, the members-only edition of the podcast. Following Bret Stephens’ controversial “State of the World Jewry” speech, Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, joins Dan to respond directly.
Is the Jewish community overinvested in fighting antisemitism? Did institutions miss the warning signs before October 7? And can Jewish identity flourish without first ensuring Jewish security?
To hear the full conversation, become a member by following the link in the description or visiting arkmedia.org.
In the full episode: 
Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of Anti-Defamation League, joins Dan to respond to Brett Stephens’ controversial “State of the World Jewry” speech, which argued that too many Jewish resources are invested in fighting Antisemitism, rather than building a Jewish life. Jonathan, whom Bret called out by name, tells Dan that the two mustn’t be seen as mutually exclusive. The two also discuss whether Jewish institutions should do some soul searching after being blindsided by Oct. 8, whether the Blue Square Alliance Superbowl ad missed the mark, and what the data’s showing about anti-Jewish trends in America.
Read Jonathan’s op-ed, American Jews need both security and identity
Register for the Never is Now Summit and use discount code “Senor20”
Watch the Call Me Back episode from the 2025 Never is Now Summit
Watch Jonathan’s previous appearance on Call Me Back
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Dan Senor & Saul Singer’s book, The Genius of Israel
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Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo

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Prime Minister Netanyahu’s meeting with President Trump ended without any clear declaration about simmering tensions with Iran, so Ark Media contributor Nadav Eyal joins Dan to try to read between the lines. What did Netanyahu hope to achieve? Does anyone know Trump’s plan? Is an attack on Iran still on the table and did Netanyahu move the needle? Could the talks with Iran be just a head fake?
In this episode:
- What Netanyahu asked for in Washington
- Why Israeli officials think the Iran talks may be “dead on arrival”
- U.S. military buildup and strike contingencies
- Why Trump’s Iran policy is not about Israel — and never has been
- The China factor: oil, energy, and Cold War II
-  Will Israel participate in a strike?
- The Board of Peace and a potential Marshall Plan for Gaza
- Why Hamas will only disarm under credible threat
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, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo

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What will Israelis really be voting on in the first election since October 7?
Today we are launching Israel Votes, a new Call me Back and Ark Media series that will be your hub for unpacking the Israeli election. Ark Media contributors Amit Segal and Nadav Eyal join Dan to set the stage, exploring how October 7, the war, coalition politics, deep social divides, and the Netanyahu brand will all play a role in the upcoming vote, which many Israelis feel may determine the character and future of the Jewish state.
In this episode:
06:45 - Why this election feels different from every Israeli election before it
08:55 - Netanyahu’s coalition problem and the ultra-Orthodox question
11:55 - How October 7 changed the political map and voter psychology
16:40 - Is this election a referendum on the past or a vote about the future?
21:00 - What Israel’s demographic and political trends mean for the outcome
26:45 - The opposition’s strategy and the Bennett factor
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
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Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo

This is a sneak peek from the latest Inside Call Me Back, the members-only edition of the podcast. 
Subscribe here to Inside Call me Back
Bret Stephens argues that while organizations like the ADL do valuable work tracking and responding to antisemitic incidents, the Jewish community has overinvested in fighting antisemitism as a primary strategy.
To hear the full conversation, become a member by following the link in the description or visiting arkmedia.org.
In the full episode: 
New York Times columnist Bret Stephens joins Dan on the members-only edition of Call me Back to take questions about his speech at 92nd Street Y and the public conversation it started. Should we really stop trying to fight Antisemitism? Should the ADL be “dismantled”? Can we define the psychology of Antisemitism? And what are the stories that define Judaism?
Watch Bret's full speech: https://youtu.be/1QMTjVuo9dE
More Ark Media:
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, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Patricio Spadavecchia, Yuval Semo