Terrorism expert Jonathan Schanzer on Israel, Iran, and averting a ‘nightmare scenario’

Firing Line with Margaret Hoover

Terrorism expert Jonathan Schanzer joins Margaret Hoover to discuss the latest developments in Gaza and the next phase of Israel’s war against Hamas.

Schanzer, a senior vice president at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, explains why Israel has delayed its expected ground invasion of Gaza, how the more than 200 hostages held by Hamas complicate any military action, and why the notion of Hamas-supporting Qatar facilitating hostage negotiations strikes him as “Orwellian.”

He assesses President Biden’s visit to Tel Aviv as the U.S. and Israel work to prevent Iran from escalating the conflict into a multi-front regional war. He also argues the Biden administration’s previous policies toward Iran emboldened Tehran and its terrorist proxies.

Schanzer, author of three books on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, looks ahead to the future of Gaza and comments on the importance of the U.S. maintaining support for both Israel and Ukraine amid rising threats to the U.S.-led world order.

Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by Robert Granieri, Stephens Inc., Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, The Tepper Foundation, The Asness Family Foundation, Kathleen and Andrew McKenna through The McKenna Family Foundation, Charles R. Schwab, The Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, and Damon Button.