War, Iran, and the Long View — A Conversation With Yitzhak Sokoloff

Title:Tel Aviv Diary: War, Iran, and the Long View — A Conversation With Yitzhak SokoloffLong Description:In this special episode of the Tel Aviv Diary Podcast, Marc Schulman is joined by his longtime friend Yitzhak Sokoloff for a wide-ranging and deeply reflective conversation on the war with Iran, the goals of the current military campaign, and the uncertainty surrounding what comes next. Speaking not only as observers but as historians, Zionists, and old friends who have been discussing these issues for decades, Marc and Yitzhak examine the central question now facing Israel and the United States: even after important military successes, can enough be achieved to truly change the strategic reality? They discuss the limits of air power, the hope that the Iranian people might eventually rise up against the regime, the role of the Revolutionary Guards, and the danger of assuming that the fall of a dictatorship is either inevitable or easy.The conversation also turns to the American dimension of the war, including President Trump’s shifting rhetoric, the meaning of U.S. military intervention, and the broader message this conflict sends to Russia, China, and the wider world. Marc and Yitzhak reflect on how much damage has already been done to Iran’s capabilities, while also wrestling with the possibility that the war could stop short of its maximum objective. From there, the discussion broadens into an equally urgent subject: Israel’s collapsing position in American public opinion, the failures of Israeli public diplomacy over decades, the influence of Qatar and other actors on American universities and media, and the growing estrangement of young American Jews from Israel. This is not a superficial exchange of talking points, but an honest and often sobering examination of how Israel fights not only on the battlefield, but also in the information sphere and in the moral arena.In the final part of the episode, the discussion becomes personal and philosophical. Marc and Yitzhak, who first met more than fifty years ago as students at Columbia, reflect on the Israel they imagined in their youth and the Israel they live in today. They speak candidly about war, morality, religious extremism, historical memory, and the unfinished nature of the Zionist project. Despite the pain, the uncertainty, and the many failures they identify, the conversation ends on a note of stubborn hope: that Israel remains strong, that history is still being written, and that one day the dream of a different Middle East—including perhaps even a democratic Tehran—may yet become reality. This is an episode about strategy, history, and endurance, but above all it is about keeping faith with reality while still holding on to hope. 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