Ajc Passport

Join us for a conversation with North Korea expert Jamie Metzl, a Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, on North Korea’s Olympic charm offensive. Then, we talk with Lt. Col. (res.) Avital Leibovitch, Director of AJC Jerusalem, about the recent violent flare-up on Israel's northern border. *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC.

The strength of the U.S.-Israel relationship has long been rooted in bipartisan support for an alliance based on shared interests and values. But is the bipartisan consensus on Israel fading away? In this episode of AJC Passport, we speak with Tamara Cofman Wittes, Senior Fellow in the Center for Middle East Policy at The Brookings Institution. Tamara, who previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs in the Obama Administration, recently co-authored an essay in The Atlantic that examines polling data and probes this question. Our second guest is Dr. Steven Bayme, AJC's Director of Contemporary Jewish Life, who discussed present-day American Jewish attitudes towards Israel. *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC.

On the eve of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the Polish government initiated a bill making it illegal to assert that Poland or Polish citizens bear responsibility for Holocaust crimes. Under this legislation, even the utterance of the words “Polish death camps” can be punished by up to three years in jail. The move has sparked outrage around the world, especially in Israel. In this week's episode, we talk to Poland's Chief Rabbi Michael Schudrich on the reaction in the Polish-Jewish community and to AJC's Gosia Szymanska Weiss regarding the political and diplomatic fallout. *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC.

Vice President Mike Pence traveled to Israel last week and was warmly received. Throughout his political career, Pence has cited his Evangelical faith as the foundation of his support for the Jewish state. Our guests are McKay Coppins, staff writer for The Atlantic, who recently profiled Pence for the magazine, as well as Rabbi Noam Marans, AJC’s Director of Interreligious and Intergroup Relations. Join us as we examine the dynamics undergirding Evangelical support for Israel. *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC.

In 2017, far-right parties rode a wave of anti-immigrant and xenophobic sentiment to new electoral heights across Europe. In Germany, the far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD) became the first far-right party to enter the Bundestag since the 1960s. Meanwhile, the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ), which was founded by former Nazis, entered Austria’s parliament for the second time. In this episode, we examine the societal responses to these two political developments. *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC.

It's been three years since an Islamist terrorist attacked Hyper Cacher, a kosher supermarket in Paris, murdering four Jews. In this episode, we examine how the French government, society, and Jewish community have responded since the attack. *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC.

Year one of the Trump administration is in the books. How did it approach Israel and the Arab-Israeli peace process? Did the administration's Middle East policy evolve as the year wore on? We explore both questions this week. *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC.

In late December, Iranians took to the streets across the country to protest against their government. The regime cracked down harshly—dozens were killed and hundreds were arrested. In this episode, we examine the surprisingly muted reaction in Europe and how the Iranian diaspora has responded. *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC.