From Guns to Keyboards

In this episode, hosts Dillon and Michael tackle one of the most pressing and debated questions today: What is the endgame for the Israel-Gaza war?As diplomatic pressure mounts and the humanitarian crisis intensifies, Dillon and Michael present their contrasting perspectives on the path forward for Israel.Dillon argues that the war has reached a turning point that risks a lasting moral stain on the Jewish State. He advocates for a decisive end to military operations, urging Israel to declare victory, prioritize a hostage deal, and withdraw completely from the Gaza Strip to preserve its remaining moral standing.Michael challenges the moral criticism against the IDF but agrees that the status quo is unsustainable. His proposed solution focuses on practical, strategic change: Partnering with figures like Yasser Abu Shabab to facilitate regime change in Gaza, which he believes could secure the release of hostages and ensure long-term security for Southern Israel.What's your perspective on the Israel-Gaza endgame?

In celebration of America's 249th birthday, Michael and Dillon keep things all-American by discussing the American and Israeli plans of ending the war in Gaza... and the political implications of that in Israel.Michael and Dillon then take a personal approach by asking each other: "Don't you think you're too harsh on Israel?!" and "Don't you think you give Israel too much of a pass??" It's an episode exploring the personal, philosophical, and geopolitical and everything in between!

Like much of the world, Michael and Dillon sit breathless, awaiting Iran’s response to the U.S. B-2 bombers that dropped 14 GBU-57 "Massive Ordnance Penetrator" bombs on three key Iranian facilities.In this episode, they dive deeper into the tension between war and diplomacy. What drives nations to choose one over the other, and what shapes public opinion in moments of global crisis? They explore how this unfolding conflict could reshape Israel, destabilize the region, and leave lasting ripples across the world.Can this path be turned back? And if not, what comes next?

Like much of the world, Michael and Dillon sit breathless, awaiting Iran’s response to the U.S. B-2 bombers that dropped 14 GBU-57 "Massive Ordnance Penetrator" bombs on three key Iranian facilities.In this episode, they dive deeper into the tension between war and diplomacy: what drives nations to choose one over the other, and what shapes public opinion in moments of global crisis. They explore how this unfolding conflict could reshape Israel, destabilize the region, and leave lasting ripples across the world.Can this path be turned back? And if not, what comes next?

Jolted awake at 3 AM by a national emergency warning detailing Israel’s pre-emptive attack on Iran, Michael and Dillon kick things off by diving straight into the insane first day of the Israel-Iran War. Recording remotely near their respective bomb shelters, Michael and Dillon try to make sense of the chaos and the massive unknowns facing their city and country.

Rather than our usual intro, this episode lands you right in the middle of the action! Michael and Dillon are discussing the current event of the day (is Shas actually leaving the coalition or just playing hardball?) and end up discussing Israel's disastrous results on the Public Relations battlefront. Finally, we conclude with a fascinating and heated discussion about Gaza: is it a territory or should we consider it a country, and what implications does that have for the war? We hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed recording. And to our slowly growing list of fans out there, all we can say is we're honored to have your attention, and thank you for listening!

Calling IDF tactics & overall Gaza strategy into question, Michael & Dillion answer the question: Is the IDF Just Winging It?

This episode was recorded on February 20th - the day that four hostage bodies arrived in Israel. Michael and Dillon recorded this episode on Dillon's balcony overlooking hostage square (sorry about the slight wind in the background).It was an emotional day and an emotional night as Michael and Dillon get honest with one another about this war and ask the fundamental question: is there any way back from the brink?

Relieved that Hamas has freed 18 hostages in Gaza, the Israeli public is starting to digest the aftermath of the long awaited hostage deal. With 79 hostages still in the Strip and Hamas maintaining its rule, Dillon & Michael ask the question that Bibi & Trump are set to discuss: What's next?

Southern Lebanon has been destroyed and a ceasefire put in place to prevent further destruction. Assad's Syria is no more, ending the Iranian ability to transport weapons via land routes to Hezbollah. Iranian proxy groups in Iraq have agreed to stop firing while Gaza continues to be an endless quagmire. Looking around, Israel faces enemies from a distance: a weakened Iran and a Houthi regime in Yemen firing ballistic missiles at central Israel. This is a new war, one unlike anything Israel has faced to date, and Michael and Dillon are here to bring you their perspectives from the ground on of this new reality.

Donald Trump wins the U.S. presidential election. Yoav Gallant is fired from his position as Israeli Defense Minister. Anti-semitic mobs are hunting Jews in Amsterdam. Déjà vu, anyone? On day 400 of the War, Dillon and Michael discuss the future of the region at a time when history is set to repeat itself.

In Season 2, Episode 1, Dillon shares his experiences just days after coming back from war in Lebanon. From receiving the initial call up and sleeping in an orchard to clearing houses and blowing up terrorists, Dillon reminisces on his raw battle experiences in south Lebanon. *Michael's Note: The sound of liquid and clinking glass at minute 26:30 is yours truly, listening to Dillon describe the weapons that he found in Lebanon, anxiously pouring himself a third glass of whiksey.

Episode 18 is recorded on the evening of September 11th, a day that "shall forever live in infamy" for the millions of Americans who lived through it. As we approach the first anniversary of the October 7th attacks, the worst single attack against the Jewish people since the Holocaust, Michael and Dillon discuss what lessons can be learned and what can be expected for Israel after living the last 23 years in a post 9/11 world. This is a much darker and grimmer episode than usual, but beneath the layers of darkness also lie seeds of hope. One thing we can all agree on is that the future is far from certain.

More than 10 months have passed since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas War. As the War is stuck in something of a bitter stalemate, the very fabric of Israeli society is undergoing nothing short of a revolution. Michael and Dillon meet to discuss and ask the simple yet profound question of whether Israel will be okay.

Muhammad Dief is confirmed dead. Fuad Shukar, Hezbollah's top military commander, is blown up by the Israelis in Beruit. Ismail Haniyeh, chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau, is assassinated in central Tehran during a daring operation while attending the inauguration of Iran's new president. It reads like a Tom Clancey novel but it is very real and the fallout will likely change the course of the war in the Middle East. In this episode, Michael and Dillon discuss these major events and what they predict the fallout from them will be along with what dark political games the Israeli government is playing behind the scenes. There's a powder keg in the Middle East all right, and one wrong move might ignite the whole thing.

Dillon and Michael report from Tel Aviv after the Houthis carry out a drone attack on their hometown. Was this a fluke attack from a rogue rebel organization, or a coordinated Iranian-led strike on Israel's commercial center? From there Dillon and Michael discuss the assassination attempt on Mohammed Deif, the head of Hamas's military wing. Deif, one of the architects of October 7th, has already survived 7 targeted assassinations. Was the 8th time a charm? The two then discuss the upcoming speech that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to deliver to a joint session of Congress. What does Bibi aim to achieve in Washington? As they often do, Dillon and Michael deep dive into the situation in Gaza in light of recent developments. From the tactical incorporation of small drones into the battlefield to the strategic positions of both Netanyahu and the leader of Hamas in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, Dillon and Michael discuss the general direction of the war. Finally, the two discuss former President Donald Trump, coming out strong from a failed assassination attempt on his life, and what he and Bibi have in common.

In this episode, Dillon and Michael take a step back from the day-to-day headlines and talk about everything from what we think a Trump presidency would look like to when and how the Gaza war will end and/if Lebanon will begin. Unlike most episodes, Michael and Dillon have some strong debates about the issues leading to an interesting discussion about the future of Israel, the US, and the region at large.

As Israel unites in celebration behind the return of 4 hostages in a heroic operation, the domestic and northern fronts continue to burn. Benny Gantz, 1 of the 3 members of Israel's War Cabinet, has left the governing coalition, which is now run by Prime Minister Netanyahu and his far-right partners. While the now smaller coalition further divides Israeli society by passing legislation that de facto exempts ultra-orthodox men from military service, the northern front is heating up more than ever. Israel assassinated a Hezbollah brigader-general, and Hezbollah responded by launching an unprecedented number of rockets at Israel and causing massive forest fires. Israelis continue to wonder if the escalation in the north will morph into a total war, and if so, whether reservists will be willing to again put their private lives aside as their ultra-orthodox brethren refuse to share the burden of service.

This is a break from our typical episodes about Israel, Palestine, and the Hamas war and instead is a reading and analysis of the many intense comments we've received as writers on our Medium articles. What begins as a benign conversation quickly evolves into intense discussion and debate about the various themes involved in these comments including morality, antisemitism, and the nature of warfare. Despite this, we both manage to have some laughs while reading and analyzing the comments of our admiring (and many more not-so-admiring) fans. Anyone interested in reading the articles we discussed can click here: Dillon's articles: https://medium.com/illumination/5-objectives-for-a-successful-israeli-counterinsurgency-a-new-path-forward-19ddc03cd138?sk=6526d70fee7f4b90280cb7cff85faebf https://medium.com/@dillontelem/the-idfs-discipline-problem-goes-beyond-the-battlefield-55cea7299505?sk=0b396abd8d8d03e74996c16ff9c3206b Michael's articles: https://medium.com/predict/what-israels-successful-raid-in-rafah-taught-us-all-c45f51ff4cba?sk=a13a898849d52c638f4503efa8f622c0 https://medium.com/predict/three-reasons-why-israel-must-conquer-rafah-35028cde01dc?sk=ca4d3fdc1f62a97dcd91c5a3e6749a35

As the ICC prosecutor prepares arrest warrants for Israeli leaders, European countries recognize a Palestinian State, and allies threaten to hold up arms transfers, Israel is forced to answer a key question: Can we go it alone? Recorded two days before the May 24th ICJ decision on halting Israeli military operations in Rafah, Episode 11 delves into the decision-making of a country willing to fight this war at any cost.

Today, Dillon and Michael discuss the ongoing campus protests, their effectiveness, and their effect on the Jewish-American population. After debating this hotly contentious issue, Michael and Dillon then discuss the brand new Rafah operation and its potential and possibilities for the war between Israel and Hamas.

Iran shoots at Israel. Israel allegedly responds. America gets involved. In this week's episode, Dillon and Michael discuss the interests of Iran, Israel the United States and aim to answer a key question: What does everyone want?

Michael and Dillon both discuss and share personal experiences on how ego and revenge are connected to the ongoing war in Israel.

Israel's supporters claim that the IDF is the most moral army in the world. Its detractors accuse the IDF of war crimes. In "Is the IDF a Moral Army?" Dillon and Michael discuss what it means to be a moral army, analyze IDF policy and reflect on personal experiences from the Israel-Hamas War.

Israel's current military strategy against Hamas in Gaza is an absolute disaster. In this episode, Dillon makes the case for what a successful Israeli counterinsurgency in Gaza would actually look like by laying out 5 objectives for the IDF and the Israeli government. This would likely end this war with something like a victory, and hopefully put us on a path to the end of the conflict once and for all. To read this episode on Dillon's Medium for free, click here.

After the shock of the October 7th Massacre, it seems that Israel has adopted a new, albeit unofficial, national security doctrine that may redefine the country’s future. Michael discusses the three core pillars of this new doctrine, which will prove its worth as Israel wages a total war on Hamas and prepares for a potential escalation of fighting with Hezbollah. To read this episode on Michael's Medium, click here.

The Israelis and Palestinians are both running out of time. Dillon explains why there can’t just be a military solution to this conflict, there needs to be a political one, and this is exactly what counterinsurgency warfare was designed to bring about. To read this episode on Dillon's Medium, click here

"The Future of Gaza" discusses what has been on everyone's mind since October 7th: The day after. Who will rule a post-Hamas Gaza? Local clans, international peacekeepers, IDF military occupation and a "revitalized" Palestinian Authority are the potential scenarios that Dillon and Michael discuss in Ep 3.

Hi everybody, this time it's just Dillon doing a standalone episode. When Michael and I aren't in the army, working our day jobs, or working on From Guns to Keyboards together we can usually be found writing on Medium. This is a recording of my most recent story, one based on an experience I had while serving in and along the border of Gaza. It inspired me to dive down a rabbit hole where I was left with the utter horror of what humans are capable of. This episode is very dark and I recommend not listening to it if you're squeamish about things like animals or humans committing horrific acts on each other. ***Definitely do not listen to this episode on a speaker or around children!*** With all that said, I hope you... well "enjoy" isn't the right word, but I hope you get something out of this episode.

"Who Are We?" isn't just an intro episode into who your podcast hosts are (although it is that too) but also a discussion around purpose and identity. Michael and Dillon talk about how these two driving forces brought them to Israel along with discussing their unique reasons for choosing to enlist in the IDF. Michael is an avowed Zionist looking to settle in and protect the Jewish state. Dillon wanted credibility when it came to criticizing the state of Israel. At a time when everyone seems to have an opinion about the Israel-Hamas War (including us), Michael and Dillon hope to bring you some new ideas into a conflict that seems to have no end in sight.