Rephonic
Artwork for Decision Points

Decision Points

David Makovsky
Gaza War
Israel
Iran
Hamas
Hezbollah
U.s.-Israel Relations
Gaza
Israel-Hamas War
Bipartisanship
Leadership Dynamics
Lebanon
Prime Minister Netanyahu
Israeli Society
Hostage Crisis
Yossi Klein Halevi
U.s.-Israel Security Relationship
Middle East
Israel-Jordan Peace Treaty
Abraham Accords
Middle East Policy

Decision Points is a Washington Institute podcast hosted by David Makovsky on key moments in Israel’s history and present. The first season focused on the history of U.S.-Israel relations, the second season examined key Israeli and Arab leaders, the third season explored Israel's contemporary policy dilemmas, and the fourth season highlighted books essential to understanding Zionism, Israel, and U... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes65Founded6 years ago
Categories
HistoryGovernment

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Decision Points

Latest Episodes

Israeli society has been through the gambit of emotions in 2024: from the national trauma of the aftermath of October 7th and repeated failed hostage negotiations, to major military achievements that have shifted the regional security landscape. As t... more

YouTube

After just a few days of fighting, Bashar al-Assad's regime has fallen, and Assad has fled to Russia. However, the collapse of the Assad regime is far from a fairytale ending. The rebels responsible for toppling Assad, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), are... more

The past few weeks in the region have been some of the most eventful in recent history. Hizbullah, the crown jewel of Iran’s proxy network, has suffered a devastating blow, Iran’s air defense systems have been dismantled, and a fragile ceasefire betw... more

YouTube

After more than a year of intense fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, President Biden recently announced a ceasefire, raising hopes that this agreement could save lives, restore stability, and bring an end to the unprecedented escalation that bega... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

What Matters Now
What Matters NowThe Times of Israel
Call Me Back - with Dan Senor
Call Me Back - with Dan SenorArk Media, Ilan Benatar
For Heaven's Sake
For Heaven's SakeShalom Hartman Institute

Recent Guests

Bernard Haykel
Professor of Middle Eastern Studies, expert on Middle Eastern politics, religion, and society
Princeton University
Episode: Inside the Middle East: How War, Ceasefires, and Trump’s Arrival Are Reshaping the Middle East
Amos Harel
Leading and senior military analyst for Haaretz, focusing on Israel's northern front.
Haaretz
Episode: Will the Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire Hold?
Tom Nides
Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel
U.S. government
Episode: Trump & Harris Senior Advisors Contrast Visions for US Middle East Policy
Victoria Coates
Former Deputy National Security Advisor for the Middle East
U.S. government
Episode: Trump & Harris Senior Advisors Contrast Visions for US Middle East Policy
Hanin Ghaddar
Senior Fellow at the Washington Institute, former managing editor of Lebanon's Now News website, and expert on Hezbollah
Washington Institute
Episode: Hezbollah Decapitated?: The War with Israel and Lebanon's Future
Matt Levitt
Director of the Counterterrorism and Intelligence Program at the Washington Institute, former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis at the US Department of the Treasury
Washington Institute
Episode: Hezbollah Decapitated?: The War with Israel and Lebanon's Future
Ray Takeyh
Senior Fellow of Middle East Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations; specializes in Iran, US foreign policy, and the modern Middle East
Council on Foreign Relations
Episode: Iran, Israel & Missiles: Roots of Iran's Enmity & Military Escalation
Meir Litvak
Professor at the Department of Middle Eastern and African History, Director of the Alliance Center for Iranian Studies at Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University
Episode: Iran, Israel & Missiles: Roots of Iran's Enmity & Military Escalation
efraim Halevy
Israeli Intelligence Expert and Diplomat, former Director of the Mossad
Episode: 30 Years of Peace Under Pressure: Israel and Jordan in Regional Turmoil

Host

David Makovsky
Host and Ziegler Distinguished Fellow focused on U.S.-Israel relations and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Former senior advisor to the U.S. Special Envoy for Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations and director of the Koret Project on Arab-Israel Relations at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 193 ratings
  • Great podcast

    Always thoughtful analysis on the hugely complex issues in the Middle East. Makovsky does a brilliant job hosting.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JoseEmergii
    United States10 months ago
  • Most insightful podcast about Middle East

    Great guests and moderator that allows one to understand what is going on in the Middle East, which other news sources don’t help clarify. My go-to for that region.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    birjon82
    United Statesa year ago
  • Great guests, always straight to the point

    Highly recommend the podcast. Wonderful insights and thoughtful guests. No chaff, always straight to the point and informationally dense.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    InGeoffsEars
    Canadaa year ago
  • Always insightful

    Great guests . Host is a strong facilitator providing a platform for humans expert guests!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Djz193
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • Excellent guests, thoughtful moderator

    Thank you for this excellent show, and please continue to offer this high-quality and high-level analysis and exploration of ideas and hopefully, also solutions to the problems faced by Israel.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    revawinston
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Many reviews highlight the podcast's ability to connect historical context with current events, making it essential for understanding the dynamics of the region.
Listeners praise the informative and insightful discussions that help clarify complex issues in the Middle East.
There is high appreciation for the expertise of the guests and the quality of the questions posed by the host, which encourages deep analysis.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#233
South Africa/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Israel into 2025: Building on Regional Successes, Avoiding Domestic Fractures
Q: What does Netanyahu's ongoing trial play at this critical moment?
It is perceived as a non-issue politically at this time, as many are fatigued by the continual focus on it amidst the broader national crisis.
Israel into 2025: Building on Regional Successes, Avoiding Domestic Fractures
Q: How is Israeli society processing the growing possibility of a partial hostage deal after over a year of failed starts?
The public is grappling with a partial deal not being enough, with intense feelings of both anger and hope arising from the potential for a deal that does not release all hostages.
After Assad: Navigating Syria's Power Vacuum and Regional Fallout
Q: Is there a need for outreach to HTS to see if they have moderated?
Yes, outreach is critical to understand HTS's intentions and whether they can include more moderate elements in their governance.
After Assad: Navigating Syria's Power Vacuum and Regional Fallout
Q: Why did Russia and Iran seemingly give up on Assad?
They were caught off guard by the rapid collapse of the Syrian army and realized there was no reliable support to intervene effectively.
After Assad: Navigating Syria's Power Vacuum and Regional Fallout
Q: What does it mean for Syria and the Middle East that the Assad regime has fallen?
It signifies a major geopolitical shift, potentially altering the dynamics of power in the region as new groups vie for influence.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Decision Points

What is Decision Points about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Episodes feature in-depth discussions regarding key events in Israel's history, particularly in relation to its security and diplomatic relations with the U.S. A significant focus is placed on the evolving political landscape, including the impacts of the Gaza conflict, the dynamics within the Israeli government, and the regional implications of Iranian influence. Distinguished experts from various fields, including military, academia, and foreign policy, engage in insightful conversations exploring the historical context and future trajectory of Israeli and Middle Eastern affairs. This approach ensures that listeners gain a nuanced understanding of both historical events and contemporary challenges, making it particularly appealing to thos... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Decision Points?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Decision Points. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Decision Points and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Decision Points get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Decision Points, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Decision Points?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Decision Points, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Decision Points have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Decision Points has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Decision Points?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Decision Points:

1. What Matters Now
2. The Times of Israel Daily Briefing
3. Call Me Back - with Dan Senor
4. For Heaven's Sake
5. Unpacking Israeli History

How many episodes of Decision Points are there?

Decision Points launched 6 years ago and published 65 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Decision Points?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Decision Points?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Decision Points from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Decision Points?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Decision Points. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Decision Points?

Recent guests on Decision Points include:

1. Bernard Haykel
2. Amos Harel
3. Tom Nides
4. Victoria Coates
5. Hanin Ghaddar
6. Matt Levitt
7. Ray Takeyh
8. Meir Litvak

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days