Decades after World War II, Israel’s Mossad made a shocking decision: to reach out not to kill, but to recruit one of Hitler’s most infamous commandos, Otto Skorzeny. What drove this extraordinary move, and what does it reveal about espionage, morality, and survival in the shadow of history?In this episode of East to West, host Sarah Martinez Amir speaks with Oded Ailam, a former senior Mossad officer and JCFA researcher, who shares the inside story of how this operation unfolded, and what it tells us about the complex world of intelligence and postwar justice.
In this gripping episode of East to West, host Sarah Martinez Amir speaks with Mosab Hassan Yousef — the son of a Hamas co-founder who became one of the movement’s fiercest critics.
From inside the heart of Hamas to a global stage, Mosab unveils the true face of the ideology that birthed the October 7th massacre. He explains how Hamas grew from the Muslim Brotherhood’s radical vision, why “globalizing the Intifada” means spreading chaos worldwide, and how the group systematically weaponizes both civilians and hostages in pursuit of power.
In this episode of East to West, host Sarah Martinez Amir welcomes bestselling author and filmmaker Dinesh D’Souza together with Dr. Dan Diker, President of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, for a penetrating discussion on October 7th as more than just a terror attack.Together, they examine how Hamas’s atrocities marked a civilizational turning point — an assault not only on Israel but on Judeo-Christian values worldwide. With chilling parallels to history and a call for moral and spiritual revival, this episode confronts the deeper stakes of the war in Gaza and the future of the West itself.
Thirty-two years after the Oslo Accords, the grand promises of peace have given way to waves of terror and deep disillusionment. Now, as war rages in Gaza and governments around the world move to recognize a Palestinian State, one question looms: is this a genuine roadmap to peace — or an invitation that rewards more violence? In this episode of East to West, host Sarah Martinez Amir speaks with Ambassador Alan Baker, a key negotiator and drafter of the Oslo Accords, to confront the legacy of Oslo and the dangerous crossroads the world faces today.
In this episode of East to West, host Sarah Martinez Amir sits down with Oded Ailam, former senior Mossad officer and researcher at the JCFA Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs. Together, they mark one year since Israel’s daring “beeper operation” against Hezbollah in September 2024 — a covert move that crippled Hezbollah’s communications, eliminated thousands of commanders in minutes, and triggered a domino effect across the Middle East.
In this episode of East to West, Sarah Martinez Amir sits down with Sultan Said Sultan Deria, the traditional leader of the Grand Isaac Sultanate of Somaliland. Sultan Deria makes the case for Somaliland’s recognition, its natural partnership with Israel, and its role as a bridge between Africa, the Middle East, and the democratic world.
In this powerful episode of East to West, hosted by Sarah Martinez Amir, we sit down with Mosab Hassan Yousef, also known as The Green Prince — the son of a Hamas co-founder who made the extraordinary choice to break away and expose the truth about the movement from within.Mosab reflects on the aftermath of October 7, the suffering in Gaza, and the propaganda war that has reshaped global opinion. He explains why the chaos in Gaza isn't a famine, but a deliberate disorder, why hostages remain the true victims of this war, and why slogans of “ceasefire now” can ring hollow without accountability.With rare candor, Mosab warns against the illusions of quick fixes and challenges the world to face the ideology that fuels endless cycles of violence. His words — “October 7th cannot be justified — ever” — capture the moral clarity he believes is essential to moving forward.Can truth prevail in an age of distortion? And what will it take for peace to be more than just a slogan? Don’t miss this eye-opening conversation.
In this urgent episode of East to West by the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, host Sarah Martinez Amir speaks with Rashad, a resident of Sweida, Syria, and a member of the Druze minority, about the regime-led assault on his city.
In this urgent episode of East to West by the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, host Sarah Martinez Amir speaks with Gadeer Kamal-Mreeh, the first Druze woman elected to the Knesset and a fierce advocate for her community, about a devastating wave of violence targeting the Druze in southern Syria.From children killed in their cars to hospitals under siege, Kamal-Mreeh reveals how jihadist militias have resurfaced under the Syrian regime’s protection — and how the West is turning a blind eye. This is more than a humanitarian disaster. It’s a strategic crisis. And Gadeer wants the world to wake up.
On October 7, women were systematically targeted by Hamas. Now, Prof. Ruth Halperin-Kaddari, a UN insider and legal scholar, reveals why the world — including leading women's rights organizations — stayed silent.She co-authored the Dina Project’s explosive report, which shows: Gang rape and genital mutilation across multiple sites; Assaults against hostages that continued in captivity; A coordinated, intentional use of sexual violence as a weapon of war.This episode of East to West is more than a conversation — it’s a confrontation with the global failure to stand with victims of gender-based war crimes.
Why is the word "genocide" being weaponized against Israel while true atrocities around the world go ignored? In this powerful episode of East to West, JCFA’s Sarah Martinez Amir sits down with Egyptian-born national security expert Khaled Hassan to expose the media’s dangerous manipulation of language, and its consequences for Jews worldwide.From Piers Morgan’s viral interviews to BBC Arabic’s October 7th coverage, Hassan unpacks how disinformation, selective outrage, and antisemitic undercurrents are reshaping public opinion. Together, they analyze why terms like “apartheid” and “genocide” are disproportionately applied to Israel, and how social media and alternative platforms are accelerating this shift.
In this powerful episode of East to West from the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, host Sarah Martinez Amir sits down with Netflix star and software engineer Miriam Haart. Speaking live from Tel Aviv during the 12-Day War, Miriam opens up about finding herself in bomb shelters instead of Pride parades — and why she refuses to hide her identity in the face of rising antisemitism, even in the progressive spaces that once felt like home.
In this gripping episode of East to West, host Sarah Martinez Amir speaks with Zineb Riboua, Middle East scholar at the Hudson Institute, about Operation Rising Lion — the Israeli strike that shattered Iran’s strategic command and sent shockwaves through the Middle East.Zineb explains how Israel pulled off one of the most sophisticated deception campaigns in modern military history, why Iran’s grip on its proxies in Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, and Syria is faltering, and how the Islamic Republic may be on the brink of collapse. We also dive into what this operation means for U.S. strategy, shifting regional alliances, and the growing gap between the Iranian regime and its people.
In this gripping episode of East to West, host Sarah Martinez Amir speaks with Iranian activist Gazelle Sharmahd — the daughter of Jamshid, a journalist kidnapped, tortured, and executed by the Islamic regime. As Israeli airstrikes hit the gates of Iran’s notorious Evin Prison, Gazelle shares a deeply personal and unflinching account of life under the Islamic regime. From the systematic torture of children to the regime’s infiltration of Western discourse, this is a raw, urgent conversation about human rights, justice, and the future of a free Iran.
On this episode of East to West, host Sarah Martinez Amir is joined by Dr. David Wurmser to unpack the historic moment in Middle East history. The Fõrdow site, built deep underground, was recently struck in a high-impact operation involving advanced bunker-busting technology. The facility has long been central to the uranium enrichment efforts.
In this gripping episode of East to West, host Sarah Martinez Amir speaks with Lord Stuart Polak. He shares why he believes recent events in Iran aren’t just a local concern - but a preview of what's coming for the rest of the world.
In this powerful episode of East to West, host Sarah Martinez Amir speaks with Vahid Beheshti — activist, founder of the Iran Front, and one of the most outspoken voices against the Islamic Republic.
She walked the halls of Tehran. She spoke with regime elites. And now she’s sounding the alarm. In this explosive episode of East to West by the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, Sarah Martinez Amir sits down with Catherine Perez-Shakdam — a journalist-turned-controversial insider — to ask one burning question: is the world sleepwalking into nuclear catastrophe?
Operation Rising Lion explores whether we’re too late to stop Iran, what Israel is really preparing for, and why Perez-Shakdam may know far more than she’s supposed to.
On this episode of East to West, host Sarah Martinez Amir dives into President Donald Trump’s recent Middle East tour — a high-profile visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE that resulted in multi-billion-dollar deals and renewed calls for regional normalization with Israel.
While Trump didn’t touch down in Tel Aviv, his messaging echoed key Israeli priorities — condemning the October 7 Hamas attacks, pressing for hostage releases, and encouraging Saudi Arabia and even Syria to join the Abraham Accords.
So why was Israel left out? Was this a snub, or a calculated strategy to advance Israeli interests from behind the scenes? What does a U.S.–Qatar rapprochement mean for Jerusalem? is the US lifting sanctions on Syria the right move?
To unpack the complex signals and optics, we’re joined by Oded Ailam, former Mossad counterterrorism chief, and Hazem Alghabra, former senior advisor at the U.S. State Department to analyze the optics and long-term implications for Israel, the Gulf, and U.S. diplomacy in the region.
In this powerful episode of East to West, host Sarah Martinez Amir sits down with Marcus Sheff, CEO of IMPACT-se and a leading voice on education reform in the Middle East.
Sheff reveals troubling findings about the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), uncovering how its educational materials in the West Bank and Gaza have contributed to the radicalization of Palestinian youth.
With firsthand insights and years of research, he exposes how a system meant to nurture hope and opportunity has instead become a vehicle for indoctrination and extremism.