Ben Rhodes on Why Democrats Need to Change How They Talk About Israel

In our latest Word on the Street, we were joined by Ben Rhodes for a conversation that felt, honestly, like one we’ve been waiting to have in public. Ben’s recent New York Times piece has stirred up exactly the kind of debate Democrats need heading into 2026 and 2028, and our discussion dug into the political, moral and strategic stakes in a way that felt unusually direct for this space. In a wide-ranging discussion, we explored: - How we got here. Ben reflected on how, inside the Obama Administration and in the years after, the Democratic Party’s pro-Israel talking points became disconnected from the reality on the ground – and how the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has shifted from a niche policy issue to a central values test for Democratic voters. - Where Democrats go from here. We explored why the old AIPAC-era playbook – unconditional support, public silence, hugging Netanyahu – has collapsed. We laid out a new lane that avoids both reflexive pro-Israelism and maximalist anti-Zionism, emphasizing authenticity, accountability and real US leverage. - The situation on the ground now. The ceasefire may have stopped the bombing, but it hasn’t resolved the crisis. We discussed the dire conditions in Gaza, the risk of treating the ceasefire as closure and why both Hamas and Netanyahu have incentives to maintain an unacceptable status quo. There’s much more in the full conversation, and Ben’s candor made this one of our most clarifying discussions yet. We hope you’ll give it a watch and share it with anyone trying to understand where Democrats go next.