Why Israel Has Gone Off The Rails (S01E108)

Wednesday, July 15, 2026, ChicagoIsrael’s wars in Gaza, the West Bank, Iran, and Lebanon have led to ambiguous military outcomes but undoubtedly increased the isolation of the country, both in terms of diplomacy and its worldwide image. In part two of her interview with badlands, Noga Tarnopolsky discusses what I describe as the “malaise” that seems to be afflicting Israeli society. She describes fear and loathing whipped up by a gang of rightwing politicians to exploit the horror of October 7 to keep a tight reign over society and pursue their maximalist demands. We also discuss Benjamin Netanyahu’s latest power grab, in which he defies a supreme court ruling in order increase his control over the country’s media ahead of elections now scheduled for October 27. Subscribe to Noga’s newsletter now!Also today, I provide some brief updates on the escalation in the Persian Gulf and Donald Trump’s various flip flops in an interview with France 24. badlands is a listener-supported podcast. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit borzou.substack.com/subscribe