Settlements, Sanctions, and Smotrich: Religious Zionism's Simcha Rothman joins Israel Electioncast

Support the podcast and join a subscriber-only Q&A webinar:👉 Subscribe on Patreon for $10/month: https://patreon.com/eylonpodcast Can Naftali Bennett get the growing Haredi community to carry its weight by unplugging their benefits? Can he bring down Israel’s obscene cost of living by dismantling bureaucracies? And he rebuild Israel's standing while ruling out a Palestinian state and declaring a major US ally an enemy?Former prime minister and BeYachad Party chairman Naftali Bennett joins Eylon Levy ahead of the Israeli election. His chosen topics: Haredi integration, the cost of living and declaring Qatar an enemy state. Eylon adds Israel's global standing.Bennett proposes cutting benefits for those refusing work or service, and sending Haredim to protect Israel’s vulnerable borders.He targets monopolies and kosher import barriers to cut grocery bills by 30%. Eylon challenges him on confronting Qatar, a US ally, and the diplomatic price of his personal opposition to a Palestinian state.The Israel Electioncast explores Israel's first election after the October 7 Massacre, helping English speakers in Israel and international viewers understand what Israelis are really arguing about before the critical 27 October elections.BeYachad Parties Policy Plans: https://be-yahad.org.il/en/plans/?bennett_plans_cat=290%2C251%2C294%2C298 Explore the series: https://www.eylonalevy.com/electioncast Join my subscriber-only webinar on 26 October: https://patreon.com/eylonpodcast Produced by Leah Miller

Support the podcast and join a subscriber-only Q&A webinar:👉 Subscribe on Patreon for $10/month: https://patreon.com/eylonpodcast Should Gazans have to cut up UNRWA cards to enter a new “Gaza of peace”, and should draft-dodgers be stopped from coming back into the country?Einat Wilf of the Reservists-Economic Party joins Eylon Levy ahead of the Israeli election. Their three agreed topics: universal service, the economy and the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. Eylon adds foreign policy.Wilf defends military or national service for everyone and benefit cuts for refusers. Eylon questions the justification for conscription to non-essential work and warns of a fierce backlash. He presses her on Yaron Zelekha’s economic plans: do the sums add up?Her own proposals include annexing an uninhabited part of Gaza and parts of Judea and Samaria, requiring entrants to her Gaza of peace to renounce refugee status and the right of return, and growing food on rooftops to prepare for extreme scenarios. Eylon pushes back: could her annexation plans drive allies towards sanctions? Israel Electioncast helps English-speaking Israelis and international viewers understand what Israelis are really arguing about before the critical 27 October elections. https://patreon.com/eylonpodcast The Reservists Party Policy Plans: https://www.themiluimnikim.org.il/platform/ The Economics Party Policy Plans: https://www.hakalkalit.org/ Explore the series: https://www.eylonalevy.com/electioncast

Support the podcast and join a subscriber-only Q&A webinar: 👉 Subscribe on Patreon for $10/month: https://patreon.com/eylonpodcast

Support the podcast and join a subscriber-only Q&A webinar:👉 Subscribe on Patreon for $10/month: https://patreon.com/eylonpodcast Is it possible to unite Israel while still pursuing the major reforms the country needs? Yashar’s Shaul Meridor joins Eylon Levy ahead of the Israeli election. He chooses to discuss the economy, rebuilding Israel’s north and national service for all; Eylon adds the welfare state. Meridor proposes shifting public spending from those who dodge the military draft to those who serve their nation, reducing draft exemptions to only 3% of each new cohort. He outlines Yashar’s extra ₪15 billion over five years for the north, and backs more import competition and lower farm tariffs alongside subsidies. He rejects the idea that Israel can be economically self-sufficient; Eylon challenges whether Yashar has a plan to future proof the Israeli economy against possible sanctions. Israel Electioncast is for English-speaking Israelis and international viewers seeking to understand what Israelis are really arguing about before the critical 27 October elections. Yashar Policy Plans: https://yasharwitheisenkot.com/principles/economics-en/ Explore the series: https://www.eylonalevy.com/electioncast Join my subscriber-only webinar on 26 October: https://patreon.com/eylonpodcast

Support the podcast and join a subscriber-only Q&A webinar:👉 Subscribe on Patreon for $10/month: https://patreon.com/eylonpodcastCan Amcha Yisrael end the war by helping Gazans leave—and who will take them?Fleur Hassan-Nahoum of Amcha Yisrael joins Eylon Levy to discuss the Israeli election. She chooses total victory, national service and public diplomacy; Eylon adds foreign relations.Fleur defends facilitating voluntary emigration from Gaza and says she thinks departure should be permanent. Eylon presses her on host countries and civilians who stay; she says they must be separated from combatants. She backs deep buffer zones and annexing the Jordan Valley.On service, she defends exemptions for serious Torah students and economic penalties for others who refuse to serve, including losing childcare subsidies and property-tax discounts. Eylon challenges the undefined exemption criteria. She argues for a Hasbara Ministry; he asks why another ministry is needed—and how tougher policies can retain allied support.Israel Electioncast explores Israel’s first election after the October 7 massacre, for English-speaking Israelis and international viewers seeking to understand what Israelis are really arguing about before the critical 27 October elections.Amcha Yisrael’s Policy Plans: https://amchayisrael.com/foundations Explore the series: https://www.eylonalevy.com/electioncastJoin my subscriber-only webinar on 26 October: https://patreon.com/eylonpodcast