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It's Monday, june 15th. This episode was recorded at 6pm new york time on Sunday. I'm deborah pardes and this is arc news daily. After more than 100 days of war, a deal to end the fighting between the United States and Iran is now in place. Pakistani Prime Minister Shabazz Sharif announced it yesterday, posting on X that, quote, both sides have declared the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon. Trump followed within minutes. On Truth Social, he wrote, quote, congratulations to all. I hereby fully authorize the toll free opening of the Strait of Hormuz and simultaneously authorize the immediate remov removal of the United States naval blockade. Ships of the world, start your engines. Iran's foreign minister also confirmed the deal. One state broadcaster said, quote, the United States was forced to accept an end to the war. A formal signing ceremony is expected this Friday in Switzerland. The deal is really just the first concrete step toward a true resolution. The Strait will reopen, but that won't mean an instant return to normal. Shipping, mine clearing, repairs and security guarantees will take time. On the nuclear question, the two sides have given themselves 60 days to reach a technical agreement on how to dilute Iran's highly enriched uranium and how to monitor its nuclear program going forward. Sanctions, relief and access to frozen funds will be tied to progress on those issues, so Iran has a financial incentive to keep talking. Pakistan and Qatar say they will facilitate a series of meetings this week followed by technical talks. So really, the hardest part of this negotiation is only just beginning. For Israel, the announcement landed mostly with unease. Netanyahu's public response was carefully calibrated. He said he spoke with Trump and both agree that any final deal must eliminate the nuclear danger. But for other Israeli leaders, that's not enough. Avigdor Lieberman, a former Israeli defense minister and potential prime minister candidate, wrote in a social media post yesterday that the deal is a catastrophe from Israel's perspective. Another anonymous official told Ynet, trump screwed us. Israel was not a party to the agreement and the terms reflect that. The agreement does not mention Iran's ballistic missiles or its proxy network, both of which are central to Israel's security. There is also concern that Iran will use the 60 day window to drag out technical negotiations and emerge from the war with its nuclear program largely intact. As for Lebanon, the deal includes a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. The two traded attacks over the weekend. Hezbollah struck northern Israel first and Israel responded with an attack in the Dahia neighborhood of Beirut. One US Official accused Israel of using the attack to deliberately derail the deal, but instead it had the opposite effect. According to the New York Times, Iranian officials debated whether to retaliate, and they ultimately decided not to. As some argued, it benefit Israel to upend the deal. It's Pride Month. That's typically a moment to celebrate inclusivity. But at a parade in Bologna, Italy, a small group of Jewish and Iranian marchers were surrounded and forced out almost immediately after joining. They were carrying a rainbow flag with a Star of David in the center. Witnesses say a pregnant woman was pushed. One told Channel 12, we were with children, proud families who came to march in an event founded to promote our rights, and we were attacked because we were Jews. Parade organizers had made support for the Palestinian people a central theme in this year's event. Palestinian flags were waved alongside Pride flags throughout the march. Protesters chanted, queers know which side to stand on. Free Palestine. From the river to the sea. Signs read no Pride in Genocide. One organizer over the PA said, we don't accept any organization of any politics that does not have a clear position on the genocide and occupation of Palestine. Israel's ambassador to Italy, Jonathan Peled, condemned the confrontation in a post on X. He called it an unacceptable act and contrary to the values of equality, freedom and inclusion. Last month, a Jewish American woman and her partner were questioned about their Zionism at a gay spa in Barcelona and then kicked out because she was wearing a Star of David. And earlier this month, Rome Pride barred Italy's only Jewish LGBTQ group from marching. The irony is that Israel is the most progressive country in the Middle east when it comes to LGBTQ rights. In Gaza, under Hamas, homosexual acts can carry up to 10 years in prison. The Palestinian Authority also banned LGBTQ activity in the West bank in 2019. But in Israel, discrimination based on sexual orientation is illegal both in the workplace and public services. LGBTQ people serve openly in the idf. Tel Aviv also hosts one of the largest Pride parades in the world. Just before Bologna, more than 100,000 people marched in Tel Aviv's parade. Many waved the same rainbow flag with the Star of David. I'm Deborah Pardes, and this is Ark News Daily. See you tomorrow.
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Hi, I'm Dan Senor, host of the Call Me Back podcast. These past few years have asked a lot of the Jewish world. We've been wrestling with pain, disagreement, and dilemmas. The war in Gaza, the war with Iran, the pressure on Jewish communities in diaspora societies, and the upcoming Israeli elections, which may bring many of these tensions to a head. These are not simple stories, and In a moment filled with bad information and overly simplistic answers, it can be hard to know who to trust. At Call Me Back. We know that trust has to be earned, and we know your time is valuable, so when you spend it with us, we take that seriously. We don't claim to have all the answers, but we do try to ask better questions with honesty and humility. It may be that is where hope begins, not in pretending this moment is simple, but in believing at a minimum, we must face it together. You can find Call Me Back on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. See you there.
Host: Deborah Pardes
Date: June 15, 2026
This episode covers the landmark ceasefire agreement that ends active fighting between the United States and Iran after more than 100 days of war. Host Deborah Pardes breaks down the deal’s terms, the fragile state of the new peace, regional reactions (especially from Israel), and a series of incidents highlighting tensions around Jewish inclusion at recent Pride events in Europe. The tone is measured, fact-driven, and responsive to rapidly developing geopolitical changes.
[00:12–01:45]
Deal Announcement:
"Congratulations to all. I hereby fully authorize the toll free opening of the Strait of Hormuz and simultaneously authorize the immediate removal of the United States naval blockade. Ships of the world, start your engines." — Donald Trump, 01:00
Terms & Implementation:
"So really, the hardest part of this negotiation is only just beginning." — Deborah Pardes, 01:38
[01:46–03:10]
Israeli Leadership:
"The deal is a catastrophe from Israel's perspective." — Avigdor Lieberman, 02:25
"[The deal] does not mention Iran's ballistic missiles or its proxy network, both of which are central to Israel's security."
Hezbollah-Israel Ceasefire:
[03:11–05:53]
Bologna, Italy:
Jewish and Iranian marchers carrying a rainbow flag with a Star of David were surrounded and forced out of a Pride parade.
A pregnant woman was reportedly shoved; children and families were present. Participants were targeted "because we were Jews."
"We were with children, proud families who came to march in an event founded to promote our rights, and we were attacked because we were Jews." — Unnamed witness, 04:04
Parade organizers had made pro-Palestinian messaging central:
Israel's ambassador to Italy, Jonathan Peled, condemned the incident as "contrary to the values of equality, freedom, and inclusion."
Similar Incidents in Europe:
"The irony is that Israel is the most progressive country in the Middle East when it comes to LGBTQ rights." — Deborah Pardes, 05:07
On the ceasefire’s swift international rollout:
"Ships of the world, start your engines." — Donald Trump, 01:00
On the negotiators’ uphill battle:
"So really, the hardest part of this negotiation is only just beginning." — Deborah Pardes, 01:38
On Israeli anxiety:
"Trump screwed us. Israel was not a party to the agreement and the terms reflect that." — Unnamed Israeli official, 02:32
On exclusion at Pride:
"We were attacked because we were Jews." — Witness at Bologna Pride, 04:04
On regional LGBTQ rights:
"The irony is that Israel is the most progressive country in the Middle East when it comes to LGBTQ rights." — Deborah Pardes, 05:07
Deborah Pardes closes the episode by underscoring both the fragility and significance of the ceasefire, Israel’s uneasy response, and the rising tensions affecting Jewish communities—even within traditionally inclusive spaces like Pride marches in Europe. The episode skillfully weaves together geopolitical analysis and social context, offering vital insight for anyone tracking the consequences of the Iran-US war and its ripple effects for Jews and the Middle East more broadly.