Politica: Israeli Politics Explained breaks down Israeli politics for a Jewish Diaspora audience, during a critical Israeli election year.
Each episode provides clear explanations, political context and informed discussion to help listeners understand one of the world’s most talked about countries.
For more than three decades, Benjamin Netanyahu has been the face of Israel to Jews and governments around the world. With Israel voting on 27 October, Episode 13 of Politica looks at how he built and kept power: his corruption trial, the political culture known as "Bibism," his record after 7 October, and his strained relationship with the diaspora. Will Israel crown him King Bibi?
22 Sept 2026
Will the Arabs save the Jews? Israel's election sheikh-maker
Ahead of Israel's election, neither of Israel's political blocs can reach a majority without the Arab vote. Sharon and Yuval discuss how Mansour Abbas, Ra'am, and the coalition math is shaping Israel's election, from the October 7th story of Osama Abu Asha to the organised crime crisis driving Arab voters' priorities. On 27 October, will the Arabs become Israel's government sheikh-makers?
3 Sept 2026
Who are Jew voting for? The political tribes of Israel
Forget left vs right. Israeli voters are political tribes and keep producing more parties than anyone can keep track of. Are stalwart Likud voters moving away and if so, who will they replace King Bibi with? Sharon Offenberger and Yuval Regev break down the identities really deciding this election and look at Jewish history as a reminder of what happens when the people are divided. Politica - Israeli politics explained at a diaspora volume.
13 Aug 2026
Can the army exemption cost Israel's election?
Sharon and Yuval unpack the Haredi draft exemption crisis dividing Israel ahead of its 2026 election - an equality issue as much as a legal one, with some Israelis serving months in reserve duty (miluim) and paying the price of war while others are excused entirely. Why does the High Court keeps striking the exemption down, why is it splitting Likud party and Religious Zionist Party voters, and what it means for the next Israel's next prime minister, whoever that is.
30 Jul 2026
Israel Election 2026 - What could possibly go wrong? | Politica Israel
Israel's election has been called for 27 October 2026 as the Israel's government completes its 4-year term. What could actually derail it? This episode, Sharon and Yuval score the real risks: war with Iran, West Bank violence, internal division, attacks on the judiciary, or an outcome that takes Israel back in time. A look at what's actually at stake for Israeli democracy — and why the diaspora needs to pay attention. Watch on Youtube: https://youtu.be/3yx4wjDesx0
15 Jul 2026
A Court without a democracy, for a democracy without a Court: Explaining Israel’s constitutional crisis
Israel is officially going to elections on 27 October 2026, and just before moving to a caretaker government, a new assault on democratic institutions is taking place. For the first time in Israel's history, the government has declared in a statement that it will not respect a Supreme Court ruling. Sharon and Yuval discuss the fight for three democratic institutions: the judiciary, the media, and the Attorney General. Without a formal constitution, the stakes of this election are clear....
1 Jul 2026
Not Zionist: Who Are a Third of Israel’s Voters?
Two communities make up a third of Israel’s population, don’t serve in the military, and increasingly decide who governs. Sharon and Yuval examine Israel’s Haredi and Arab populations — two groups that sit outside the Zionist mainstream for very different reasons. One is growing fast and the other has been largely excluded from government. This episode covers demographics, political leverage on the Knesset in Israel, and the coalition trade-offs shaping the next election. Watch th...
10 Jun 2026
What's left of the Left and who's right about the Right | Politica Israel
Before examining the issues driving the upcoming Israeli election, it's worth pausing to understand the political landscape itself. Traditional categories of left and right have shifted so dramatically that they can obscure more than they reveal. In this episode of Politica Israel podcast, Sharon and Yuval map the new fault lines dividing Israeli voters: from Netanyahu's leadership, democratic institutions, and military service. Conventional political identities have become more complicated a...
27 May 2026
The Coalition Games, Election Fever and the Battle for the Knesset
Israel appears to be heading toward another election, but this episode goes beyond the headlines to explain how the Knesset, coalition politics and Israel’s voting system work. Sharon and Yuval unpack why this election is so consequential, from judicial reform and Netanyahu’s trial to the growing debate over the future of Israeli democracy itself. Watch it here: https://youtu.be/ATMSUCE6uQc
3 May 2026
Bondi vs. October 7: The Politics of Accountability
This episode compares how Australia and Israel have responded to their most significant terror attacks. While Australia is already undertaking a Royal Commission into the Bondi attack, Israel still has no independent inquiry into October 7 attack, more than two years later. Sharon and Yuval unpack the political, legal and societal reasons behind that delay, including why Israel's High Court and competing narratives have turned tragedy into politics. The conversation explores why account...
15 Apr 2026
If everyone won the war, who lost? Israel, Iran and the battle for a victory
In this episode of Politica, Sharon Offenberger and Yuval Regev unpack how the US, Israel and Iran each frame the war's outcome in their favour. The conversation explores how victory is no longer decided by military achievements, but in perception. As public opinion, political affiliation and media ecosystems shape entirely different understandings of the same war, this episode asks simple but uncomfortable questions about how Israeli and global narratives will affect Israel's future, especia...
24 Mar 2026
Whose Side Are You On? Qatargate, Israel and the Politics of Influence
As Israel navigates war with Iran and a shifting regional order, Qatar sits at the centre of a strategic paradox: a country that can be both indispensable and deeply problematic to Israel. In this episode of Politica, Sharon Offenberger (Australia) and Yuval Regev (Israel) unpack one of the most complex regional actors and explore Qatargate — the unfolding scandal involving Netanyahu’s inner circle.
11 Mar 2026
War: What Is It Good For? Israel, Iran and the Politics of Victory
Just nine months after the previous conflict that many believed had reshaped the strategic balance in the Middle East, Israel and the US launched another war with Iran. Despite political divisions inside Israel, the war has created a rare moment of consensus. At least momentarily. In a special episode of Politica: Israeli Politics Explained, Sharon Offenberger (Australia) and Yuval Regev (Israel) unpack support for the Iran War and what it could mean for Israel’s politics, elections and long...
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