Rephonic
Artwork for Decision Points

Decision Points

David Makovsky
Iran
Israel
Hezbollah
Hamas
Gaza
Gaza War
United States
Middle East
U.s.-Israel Relations
Syria
Lebanon
U.S. Foreign Policy
Turkey
Palestinian Authority
Israel-Hamas War
Artificial Intelligence
Israel-Jordan Peace Treaty
U.s.-Israel Security Relationship
Yossi Klein Halevi
Prime Minister Netanyahu

Decision Points is the podcast that gets beyond the noise on tough choices in the Middle East. Hosted by David Makovsky of The Washington Institute, the show brings together top policymakers and experts from Washington and the region for candid conversations about the forces and factors driving Middle East policymaking.

Season Six tackles the toughest U.S. foreign-policy debates, from the brink ... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes78Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
News CommentaryNewsPolitics

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Decision Points

Latest Episodes

The recent NATO summit in Ankara raised the already high temperatures between Israel and Turkey, two major regional powers. President Trump says he's considering selling U.S. F-35 stealth fighters to Turkey despite the opposition of Israeli Prime Min... more

The Gaza war is over, but the misery on the ground continues. Reconstruction in the Gaza Strip has stalled; Hamas refuses to disarm; and the world's attention has moved on to the Iran war and other issues. Gaza remains bitterly divided: Hamas retains... more

The conflict may be over, but the shockwaves of the Iran war are still spreading. The United Arab Emirates and other Gulf states endured Iranian drone and missile strikes; Iran withstood weeks of bombardment from the U.S. and Israel, which have perha... more

Artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly central to U.S. strategy in the Middle East. AI has played a pivotal role in the current Iran war, even as the U.S. is deepening its AI investments in the region. Israel and the Gulf are also jockeying... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

What Matters Now
What Matters NowThe Times of Israel
Israel Policy Pod
Israel Policy PodIsrael Policy Forum
Ask Haviv Anything
Ask Haviv AnythingHaviv Rettig Gur
For Heaven's Sake
For Heaven's SakeShalom Hartman Institute, Ark Media

Recent Guests

Tamir Hayman
Major General (Res.) IDF, head of INSS
Institute for National Security Studies
Episode: Are Israel and Turkey on a Collision Course? With Tamir Hayman and James Jeffrey
James Jeffrey
Distinguished Fellow, Washington Institute; former U.S. ambassador to Turkey and Iraq
The Washington Institute
Episode: Are Israel and Turkey on a Collision Course? With Tamir Hayman and James Jeffrey
Raith El Omari
Senior Fellow at the Washington Institute, former adviser to the PA negotiating team
The Washington Institute
Episode: Can Gaza Have a Brighter Future? With Ghaith al-Omari and Shira Efron
Shira Efron
RAND Corporation's distinguished Israel Policy Chair, former researcher at Israel Policy Forum and Center for American Progress
RAND Corporation
Episode: Can Gaza Have a Brighter Future? With Ghaith al-Omari and Shira Efron
Barbara Leaf
Ambassador, former Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs
Arnold & Porter (current)
Episode: The Aftershocks of the Iran War, with Amb. Barbara Leaf and Kirsten Fontenrose
Kirsten Fontenrose
Senior Fellow, former Senior Director for the Gulf at the NSC
Atlantic Council
Episode: The Aftershocks of the Iran War, with Amb. Barbara Leaf and Kirsten Fontenrose
Grant Rumley
Director of the Great Power Competition Program, Washington Institute
Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Episode: The AI Race in the Middle East, with Avner Golov and Grant Rumley
Avner Golov
Vice President, MIND Israel; former Senior Director at Israel's National Security Council
MIND Israel
Episode: The AI Race in the Middle East, with Avner Golov and Grant Rumley
Amir Eshel
Former commander-in-chief of the Israeli Air Force; former head of IDF Planning; director general of the Israeli Ministry of Defense
Israeli Air Force / Israeli Defense Establishment
Episode: What the U.S. and Israeli Militaries Have Learned So Far From the Iran War with Eliot Cohen and Amir Eshel

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 205 ratings
  • Leftists

    Every so called expert is a leftist and most suffer from Trump Derangement Syndrome

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    This Ken
    United States3 months ago
  • Great guests offering fresh perspectives

    The episode about the UAE from Season 6 was a truly interesting and refreshing perspective — and this is coming from a person who listens to half a dozen Middle East podcasts.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Lucite75
    Israel4 months ago
  • Fantastic episode

    Fascinating insights from guests who know the territory. David Makovsky does a great job getting the most out of these conversations.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    sensmcg
    Canada5 months ago
  • 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 States2 years 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 States2 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Host facilitates thoughtful, rigorous dialogue with complex topics.
The show provides deep historical and strategic context for Middle East issues.
Guests are consistently high-caliber policymakers and researchers.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Can Gaza Have a Brighter Future? With Ghaith al-Omari and Shira Efron
Q: Is Plan B (PA-led or NCAC-led governance) a realistic alternative if disarmament stalls or fails?
Plan B is skeptical in practicality due to governance and funding constraints, but there is room for humanitarian-plus work and selective governance steps that could bridge toward Plan A without fully abandoning it.
Can Gaza Have a Brighter Future? With Ghaith al-Omari and Shira Efron
Q: What role do mediators like Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey play, and can they push Hamas toward disarmament or a governance path like NCAC?
Mediators have divergent interests; Egypt is wary of non-state actors with guns, Qatar and Turkey show more flexibility toward Hamas' inclusion, but US involvement and a coherent plan are crucial to prevent the process from stalling further.
Can Gaza Have a Brighter Future? With Ghaith al-Omari and Shira Efron
Q: Do you think Hamas is serious about disarming, given the conditions they attach to talks?
They are serious about talking, but not serious about disarming in any meaningful way; their acceptance of disarmament appears conditional and aimed at preserving influence in Gaza.
Are Israel and Turkey on a Collision Course? With Tamir Hayman and James Jeffrey
Q: Tamir, how do you see the threat perception shaping Israel's foreign policy toward Turkey?
Israel assesses Turkey's growing footprint, its potential to gain access to advanced weapons in NATO contexts, and the risk of Turkish cooperation with adversaries; as a result, Israel advocates for strict conditions on arms transfers (like F-35) and emphasizes maintaining a qualitative military edge while seeking allied coordination with the U.S. and European partners.
The Aftershocks of the Iran War, with Amb. Barbara Leaf and Kirsten Fontenrose
Q: Kirsten, what do you think about regional integration and normalization post-war and post-election in Israel?
Kirsten observes cautious optimism among Gulf states about deeper economic and security links with Israel, but stresses that normalization hinges on progress toward a Palestinian state and credible regional security architecture.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
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?

Decision Points features candid conversations with top policymakers and regional experts to dissect Middle East policy choices. Episodes typically explore security, diplomacy, and strategic tradeoffs among the U.S., Israel, and Arab states, with a focus on realistic options and their human costs. The show is known for deep historical context, data-driven analysis, and a knack for translating complex geopolitics into actionable insights for policymakers and communicators. Noteworthy elements include a strong host who guides high-caliber guests through nuanced discussions, a bias toward practical diplomacy and hard questions about war, peace, and stability in the region, and regular cross-pollination between Washington and regional voices tha... 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. Israel Policy Pod
4. Ask Haviv Anything
5. For Heaven's Sake

How many episodes of Decision Points are there?

Decision Points launched 7 years ago and published 78 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. Tamir Hayman
2. James Jeffrey
3. Raith El Omari
4. Shira Efron
5. Barbara Leaf
6. Kirsten Fontenrose
7. Grant Rumley
8. Avner Golov

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