Israel Update: The Truth Behind the Media Lies

Hosts: Gadi Taub (Tel Aviv) & Michael Doran (Washington, D.C.)
Date: July 30, 2025
Podcast by Tablet Studios

Episode Overview

In this episode, Gadi Taub and Michael Doran dive into the latest developments from Israel, with a focused critique on global and domestic media narratives surrounding the Gaza war, humanitarian issues, and Israel’s shifting political landscape. They also discuss the growing isolation of Israel on the world stage, the impact of legal constraints on military strategy, and a groundbreaking Israeli cyberattack on Iran’s financial system. The discussion is interspersed with sharp, often humorous observations and informed by their personal experiences within academia and policy.

1. Key Discussion Points & Insights

Opening Banter and Tone Setting

• [00:04–01:51] The episode opens with playful banter, with Taub jokingly introducing Doran as “court jester.”
• Sets a semi-serious, self-deprecating tone, before turning to a “depressing week” dominated by Gaza and negative press coverage.

Headline Rundown

• [02:00–05:33]
  • Gaza: Operation Gideon’s Chariots winding down. IDF claims to have dismantled Hamas control, but future strategy is uncertain: push into last Hamas areas, or pursue drawn-out negotiations.
  • Hostage Talks: Ongoing, with talks stalling as Hamas escalates demands, and Netanyahu recalling his team. Still, a partial deal is “within reach.”
  • International Isolation: The Netherlands bans Israeli ministers; France is near recognizing Palestinian statehood; the EU considers suspending Israeli research ties; antisemitic incidents rise abroad.
  • Political Turmoil: Shas party poised to rejoin government after earlier coalition exit. Netanyahu temporarily holds their ministries, creating complications.
  • Humanitarian Policy Failure: Aid flows into Gaza “unchecked,” some commandeered by Hamas. Israel accused of both creating and mishandling a humanitarian crisis—public diplomacy failing, even among U.S. allies.

Humanitarian Crisis & Legal Constraints

• [05:33–10:12]
  • Reality of Aid: Taub insists, “Israel was not withholding aid. That is not true.” The army failed to execute a major plan because legal authorities (specifically, Israel’s attorney general) barred population movement.
  • Consequences: Aid isn’t properly distributed; Hamas steals from convoys; the UN refuses cooperation under Israeli conditions; pockets of hunger emerge, but due to Hamas, not Israel.
  • Self-Inflicted Damage: “We made a half measure for humanitarian consideration…we have ourselves created a humanitarian crisis.” (Taub, 08:47)
  • Media Narratives: “We enabled Hamas to portray us as deliberately causing mass hunger, which is, of course, ridiculous. And the press in Israel outrageously cooperated, and then the press around the world followed.” (Taub, 09:29)
  • Metaphorical Frustration: Taub quotes an Israeli saying: “We ate the rotten fish, were expelled from town, and got beaten.” (10:01) — i.e., Israel tried appeasement but suffered the worst outcomes from all sides.

International and Domestic Consequences

• [10:12–13:18]
  • Pressure from the Right: Netanyahu’s criticized for failing to force the decisive end to Hamas control.
  • American Influence: Doran speculates on U.S. pressure to restrain Israel, but Taub notes it may have diminished, uncertainties remain.
  • Diplomatic Turbulence: European recognition of Palestine is framed as emboldening Hamas and making a deal harder.

Media Manipulation & The Battle for Narrative

• [13:18–16:34]
  • Fake/Selective Imagery: Skeletal children images circulate to push the starvation narrative—but some are fake or misleading; Israeli media amplifies rather than challenges these claims.
  • Political Motives: “The reason is always the same. Toppling Netanyahu is the top priority.” (Taub, 15:01)
  • Academic Self-Sabotage: Israeli elite try to shield themselves from international boycotts by trashing Israel, straining relationships with returning reservists and broader society—a looming internal conflict.

U.S. & Israeli Academia: Conformity and Spinelessness

• [16:34–28:26]
  • Doran and Taub discuss the dynamic in American and Israeli academia:
    • Conforming to Anti-Israeli Sentiment: Israeli academics seeking acceptance in the U.S. adopt anti-Israeli stances.
    • Harper’s Letter on Cancel Culture: Used as an example of the academic left’s internal contradictions—nominally against cancel culture but unable to form alliances with the right.
    • Irony & Peer Pressure: Academics “love it when they can…become absolutely feral” when attacking safe targets, never challenging their own peer group.
  • Quote: “If there’s anybody you do not want to be in a foxhole with, it’s an academic. They are such sheep.” (Doran, 24:30)

Psychological/Ethical Maps of the Left

• [25:15–28:26]
  • Media Motivation: For the Israeli left, portraying Israel as the villain restores a sense of moral order shaken by October 7th, 2023.
  • Sociological Pattern: There is a psychological need to return to “the way things were”—with Israel as the aggressor, not the victim.

Prospects for the War’s End, Political Forecasting

• [28:26–31:21]
  • Election Dynamics: Doran predicts Netanyahu will call early elections after a partial hostage deal and possible military “victory,” to avoid contesting October 7th’s anniversary.
  • Taub’s Concerns: Worries about “half-measures” and international pressure leaving Hamas standing. The internal army strain and upcoming elections constrain broader options.

Literary Diversion: Translation and Metaphor

• [31:21–34:30]
  • The hosts share an extended, lighthearted discussion of a Damon Runyon story mistranslation—illustrating the quirks of borrowing cultural metaphors and the subtleties of language.

Mossad’s Cyberattack on Iran’s Financial System

• [34:30–43:40]
  • Revelation: Doran details his Wall Street Journal article (with Eran Lerman), revealing how Mossad and Israeli cyber units nearly collapsed Iran’s entire banking system during the “12 Days War.”
  • How It Worked:
    • Targeted IRGC’s bank (Bank Sepah), wiped data—including pensions, account balances—causing a nationwide run on banks.
    • Iranian government printed cash, injected currency, but failed to stabilize the system; stock exchange collapsed.
    • Israeli cyber unit also erased cryptocurrency assets tied to the IRGC.
  • Strategic Message:
    • “You survive economically at the will of Benjamin Netanyahu and the Mossad.” (Taub, 39:26)
    • “This was designed really, very cleverly…designed to have this systemic impact.” (Doran, 40:59)
    • Undermined trust in the entire Iranian financial system.
  • Economic Philosophy:
    • “Business is trust and money is belief. Once your belief is shaken…your paper is not worth anything.” (Taub, 41:58)

Closing Moments & Upcoming Content

• [44:02–46:51]
  • Taub plugs his soon-forthcoming Tablet Magazine piece, “The Bugs Bunny Trial,” on the Netanyahu legal saga.
  • Announces upcoming guest Dr. Mordechai Kedar will substitute for Taub; Doran jokes about creating segments on “sex and chocolate.”
  • Both hosts humorously discuss vacation schedules and possible guest line-ups for the coming episodes.

2. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Israel was not withholding aid. That is not true. What is going on is that the army is dragging its feet and did not implement the plan...” — Gadi Taub [05:33]
• “We made a half measure for humanitarian consideration...and so we have ourselves created a humanitarian crisis.” — Taub [08:47]
• “You tried to avoid one or two of these things and you ended up getting all of them.” — Michael Doran (explaining the “rotten fish” metaphor) [10:12]
• “We enabled Hamas to portray us as deliberately causing mass hunger...and the press in Israel outrageously cooperated, and then the press around the world followed.” — Taub [09:29]
• “If there’s anybody you do not want to be in a foxhole with, it’s an academic. They are such sheep.” — Doran [24:30]
• “Business is trust and money is belief...Once your belief is shaken, the paper is not worth anything.” — Taub [41:58]
• “You survive economically at the will of Benjamin Netanyahu and the Mossad.” — Taub [39:26]
• “This was designed really, very cleverly…to have this systemic impact. The goal here was to really shake the [Iranian financial] system.” — Doran [40:59]
• “The left in Israel has based its identity on a conception of the conflict in which we are in the wrong…What happened with October 7th, Mike, is that it shook their world.” — Taub [27:08]

3. Important Timestamps

• Opening banter and episode framing — [00:04-02:00]
• Headline summary — [02:58-05:33]
• Discussion of aid, legal barriers, and humanitarian crisis — [05:33-10:12]
• International isolation & media impact — [10:12-16:34]
• US and Israeli academia, cancel culture, group conformity — [16:34-28:26]
• War endgame, election calculus — [28:26-31:21]
• Damon Runyon translation/linguistics — [31:21-34:30]
• Mossad cyberattack on Iran explained — [34:30-43:40]
• Discussion of monetary trust/philosophy — [41:58-43:40]
• Closing comments & future programming — [44:02-end]

4. Tone & Style

The episode is intellectually robust but conversational, irreverent, and sometimes biting. The hosts use humor and banter to navigate bleak subjects and insider references, keeping the discussion both accessible and expert. Gadi Taub is more emotive, often passionate in defense of Israeli policy and critical of internal dissent, while Michael Doran provides context from US policy circles and is more sardonic in discussing academia.

5. For New Listeners

This summary captures the major arguments and atmosphere of this episode of Israel Update, making it easy to follow the latest analysis on Israel’s security, politics, and public diplomacy wars—even if you missed the broadcast.