Since October 7, Israel has been fighting a war unlike any in modern history — against a terror group that hides in hospitals, stores weapons in schools, and holds hostages underground. The IDF is operating under intense pressure, with international demands for zero civilian casualties, blocked operations in key Hamas strongholds, and constant pauses driven more by perception than fact.

Urban warfare expert John Spencer joins Aviva Klompas to explain what’s really happening on the ground in Gaza. He’s been inside Hamas’s tunnels, studied the world’s most complex battlefields, and advised top U.S. generals. Together, they unpack the realities of urban combat, the misinformation war playing out across social media, and what the world gets dangerously wrong about how Israel is fighting.

Guest Bio:

John Spencer is an award-winning scholar, internationally recognized expert and advisor on urban warfare, military strategy, tactics, and other related topics. Considered one of the world’s leading experts on urban warfare, he served as an advisor to the top four-star general and other senior leaders in the U.S. Army as part of strategic research groups from the Pentagon to the United States Military Academy. John currently serves as the Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at the Modern War Institute at West Point, Co-Director of the Urban Warfare Project, and host of the Urban Warfare Project podcast.

Recent Articles from John Spencer:
The lies behind the Gaza casualty figures and the thousands of names removed without explanation

How Hamas Can Be Destroyed With Military Force

Why doesn’t Israel have a constitution and what would it mean to finally write one

Aviva Klompas sits down with Dr. Michael Oren to discuss one of the most foundational—and contentious—questions about Israeli democracy: the absence of a formal constitution.

Despite a promise made at the country’s founding in 1948, Israel continues to operate under a framework of Basic Laws and judicial precedents, with no singular document that defines the principles, powers, and limits of governance.

As Israel faces political upheaval, protests, war on multiple fronts, and a deepening struggle over the role of the judiciary, the debate over a constitution has resurfaced with urgency. Once an opponent of adopting a constitution, Dr. Oren now believes it’s essential to Israel’s future—and even to its security.

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Learn more about Boundless: https://boundlessisrael.org/

Referenced in the episode:
2048: The Rejuvenated State by Michael Oren
Israel needs a constitution to prevent civil war by Michael Oren

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made an unplanned stop at the White House after a visit to Hungary, aiming to persuade Donald Trump to reverse a looming 17% tariff on Israeli goods. But the real story was playing out just beneath the surface.

Trump dropped a surprise announcement: senior U.S. officials would be holding direct talks with Iran — a shift that appeared to blindside the Israeli leader. Netanyahu stuck to his hard line on Iran’s nuclear ambitions, while Trump emphasized diplomacy and pointedly reminded everyone of the billions in U.S. aid to Israel.

Was this an act of diplomatic finesse or a political gamble gone sideways?

Aviva Klompas speaks with Dr. Michael Oren — historian, author, and former Israeli ambassador to Washington — to break down the visit, the messaging, and what it all signals about the road ahead for Israel and Iran.

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Learn more about Boundless: https://boundlessisrael.org/

Definition of adumbration - the act of providing vague advance indications.

In this longform edition of Boundless Insights, Dr. Rachel Fish sits down with Michal Cotler-Wunsh — Israel’s Special Envoy for Combatting Antisemitism and a former Member of Knesset — for a wide-ranging conversation about the evolution of antisemitism, the weaponization of international law, and the global implications of October 7.

Michal argues that the misuse of human rights language, including terms like "genocide" and "apartheid," has served to delegitimize Israel, and she calls urgently for moral clarity and consistency in applying human rights principles globally.

Drawing from her own personal journey — from early childhood in Jerusalem’s Knesset corridors to formative years in Canada — Michal brings a rare perspective to understanding Israel from both the inside out and the outside in. She shares deeply personal stories, including memories of playing in the Knesset and visiting the home of Menachem Begin, while also offering sharp political insight into the modern-day challenges facing the Jewish people and the international community.

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Learn more about Boundless: https://boundlessisrael.org/

Guest Bio:

Michal Cotler-Wunsh, LL.B, LL.M, is Israel’s Special Envoy for Combatting Antisemitism and a Senior Policy and Strategy Advisor. A former Member of Knesset, she chaired and served on several key parliamentary committees and was the first Knesset liaison to the International Criminal Court. She also co-founded the Inter-parliamentary Task Force to Combat Online Antisemitism.

Michal’s work focuses on antisemitism, international law, human rights, and Zionism. Her diverse legal, academic, and professional background includes roles with the Jewish Federations of North America, Nefesh B’Nefesh, and Reichman University in Herzliya. She also serves as a trustee of The Rabbi Sacks Legacy. Michal lives in Ra’anana, Israel, with her husband and four children.

Mentioned in this episode:

Working definition of antisemitism from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA)

As the Houthis escalate their attacks on international shipping and threaten both Israeli and Western vessels, the Trump administration has responded with a sweeping military campaign against the Iran-backed group in Yemen. With Red Sea shipping traffic plummeting and global trade at risk, the U.S. is signaling that enough is enough.

So what’s different this time? Can the Houthis actually be stopped? And how will Iran, global powers, and U.S. allies respond?

Aviva Klompas is joined by Michael Doran, senior fellow and director of the Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East at the Hudson Institute. A veteran of the Bush administration, Doran served on the National Security Council, at the State Department, and in the Pentagon.

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Learn more about Boundless: https://boundlessisrael.org

Guest Bio:

Michael Doran is a senior fellow and director of the Middle East center at the Hudson Institute. In the administration of President George W. Bush, he served as the senior director in the National Security Council responsible for the Middle East and North Africa. He has taught at Princeton, NYU, and the University of Central Florida, and publishes articles frequently. His last book, Ike's Gamble, was published by Free Press in 2016. He received a B.A. from Stanford and a Ph.D. from Princeton.

Videos have surfaced showing Palestinians in Gaza rising up against Hamas. How significant are these protests? Do they mark a genuine turning point in public sentiment, or are they a fleeting moment of frustration? And what would it take for this unrest to evolve into a broader political shift or a change in leadership?

A recent Gallup poll found that more than half of Gazans would leave if given the chance. Meanwhile, Israel’s message to civilians has been stark: “The solution is in your hands. Hamas is insisting on taking you to hell.”

For the past 18 months, Israel has maintained that Hamas will not survive this war because there is no viable future, for anyone, while Hamas remains in power.

In this episode, host Aviva Klompas is joined by Dr. Michael Oren to discuss the protests, whether they signal a deeper shift within Gaza, and what it will take to imagine — and build — a future without Hamas.

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with others. Learn more about Boundless: https://boundlessisrael.org/

Referenced in this episode:

Gallup International Poll

Win-Win? - Clarity by Michael Oren

Definition of solipsistic - someone who is so focused on their own wants and needs that they don't think about other people at all.

Definition of adumbration - the act of providing vague advance indications.

Nearly 18 months after Hamas’s October 7 massacre, the war in Gaza has reignited. Israeli airstrikes are once again targeting senior Hamas leaders, and IDF troops have taken up new positions inside the Strip. Predictably, international condemnation has resumed, calling Israel’s actions a “step backward,” while rocket fire from Gaza and the Houthis intensifies.

But this time, one thing is different: the Trump administration has signaled a sharp shift in U.S. policy, giving Israel far more operational leeway than under the previous administration and expanding America’s own military campaign against the Houthis in Yemen.

Host Aviva Klompas is speaking with Dr. Michael Oren about Israel’s evolving military and political goals in Gaza, the international community’s response, and the moral dilemmas surrounding hostage negotiations.

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Learn more about Boundless: https://boundlessisrael.org/

Israel’s security leadership is in turmoil. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has moved to dismiss Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, citing a breakdown of trust after the October 7 Hamas massacre. But Bar is pushing back—warning that his removal is tied to what’s being called Qatargate. He claims the government is trying to obstruct an ongoing investigation into Qatar’s covert influence at the highest levels of Israeli leadership.

Israeli police have already arrested two suspects amid explosive allegations that senior aides to Netanyahu were on Qatar’s payroll. This is the same regime that funds Hamas, fuels terrorism across the region, and provided safe haven to the masterminds of October 7.

To help make sense of this unfolding crisis, I’m joined once again by Dr. Michael Oren. We unpack the far-reaching implications of these allegations, what they could mean for Israel’s national security, and whether Netanyahu’s government is at risk of collapsing under the weight of scandal.

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with others. Learn more about Boundless: https://boundlessisrael.org/