Rain in Tel Aviv, AI on the Rise, and Political Storms Ahead- Marc Looks Back at the Week

In this wide-ranging episode of the Tel Aviv Diary, Marc Schulman opens with something rare in Israel these days—rain. From the welcome arrival of the year’s first storm to Israel’s long-term success in desalination and water planning, he traces how the country turned a national vulnerability into a strategic strength. From there, he pivots to a surge of investment in Israeli AI, including NVIDIA’s major new campus in the north and a broader wave of funding flowing into local startups. But the good news soon meets Israel’s turbulent political reality, with updates on the return of hostage bodies, escalating judicial battles, political scandals, and Netanyahu’s increasingly fraught corruption trial.Schulman also reflects on his recent participation in a rare Israeli–Palestinian dialogue session near Jericho, exploring the vast gap in expectations and the deep trauma shaping both societies after two years of war. The episode wraps with a stark warning from the world of artificial intelligence, as leading researchers raise alarms about uncontrolled AI capabilities—and what that means for the future. It’s an episode that moves from weather to war, from water strategy to AI, from politics to personal reflection—capturing a complex moment in Israel’s ongoing story. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marcschulman.substack.com/subscribe