No foreign leader has had talks with President Trump more often than Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu. After their nearly invisible meeting at the White House, their written statements signaled disagreement -- over Trump's insistence on negotiating with Iran.

Dan is joined by Joel Rubin -- a former State Department official, a strategist for Democratic campaigns, and a foreign affairs analyst -- in considering if the disagreement is real, or a repeat of the plot that led to Israel and the United States attacking Iran's nuclear facilities in June 2025.

Rubin, who publishes on Substack as "The Briefing Book," also talks about the impact of Iran and Gaza events on the elections coming this year in the U.S. and in Israel.

You'll also hear President Trump saying he'll give the talks with Iran one month; and that he'd like to see "regime change" in Iran; and that he's angry at Israel's president for refusing (so far) to pardon Netanyahu.

Please comment on X at @danraviv. Also on BlueSky, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Dan's most recent book -- with Israeli espionage/defense expert Yossi Melman -- is a low-priced e-book, "Target: Iran -- How the Mossad Penetrated Iran to Smash the Nuclear Program." For Kindle: https://levantbooks.short.gy/hGLRKs

Also the Raviv-Melman history of the Mossad is "Spies Against Armageddon: Inside Israel's Secret Wars" -- You may purchase it at http://bit.ly/41j1Sc3 in Kindle or paperback (and on all e-book platforms).

AND: Dan Raviv is co-author of a new book --with social psychologist Prof. Arie Kruglanski -- "The Quest for Significance: Harnessing the Need that Makes the World Go Round." It explains how every person has a need for respect and dignity, and the book advises how you can figure out yourself and the people around you, to give them a measure of Significance. To buy: https://amzn.to/3Y2cawj

(You can watch or listen, also, to THE QUEST FOR SIGNIFICANCE PODCAST series.)

Our music for THE MOSSAD FILES podcast is Clock is Ticking, by Braden Deal, from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/braden-deal/clock-is-ticking -- License code: YY2MEPOUFX6P7MIH.

Our expert guest is Gidi Grinstein, who has served on Israel's negotiating team in U.S.-sponsored talks with Palestinians -- and now is busy with two organizations he created: the Re'ut Group (which combats antisemitism and tries to foster leadership skills in Israel) and TOM (Tikkun Olam Makers), working on programs to help needy people worldwide.

As he closely examines the deal that ended the hottest, most violent part of the Gaza war, Grinstein contends that the Trump-sponsored 20-point plan was a brilliant mix of prior ideas and important principals.

Together, Dan and Gidi wonder if the Israeli government can persist in its stated refusal to let the Palestinian Authority - based in the West Bank - participate in the future governance of the West Bank. And, will Hamas really give up its weapons?

This is, of course, against the background of pressure -- and perhaps imminent violence -- between Iran and the United States. Israel is certain to be affected.

Please comment on X at @danraviv. Also on BlueSky, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Dan's most recent book -- with Israeli espionage/defense expert Yossi Melman -- is a low-priced e-book, "Target: Iran -- How the Mossad Penetrated Iran to Smash the Nuclear Program." For Kindle: https://levantbooks.short.gy/hGLRKs

Also the Raviv-Melman history of the Mossad is "Spies Against Armageddon: Inside Israel's Secret Wars" -- You may purchase it at http://bit.ly/41j1Sc3 in Kindle or paperback (and on all e-book platforms).

AND: Dan Raviv is co-author of a new book --with social psychologist Prof. Arie Kruglanski -- "The Quest for Significance: Harnessing the Need that Makes the World Go Round." It explains how every person has a need for respect and dignity, and the book advises how you can figure out yourself and the people around you, to give them a measure of Significance. To buy: https://amzn.to/3Y2cawj

(You can watch or listen, also, to THE QUEST FOR SIGNIFICANCE PODCAST series.)

Our music for THE MOSSAD FILES podcast is Clock is Ticking, by Braden Deal, from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/braden-deal/clock-is-ticking -- License code: YY2MEPOUFX6P7MIH.

January 26, 2026, should be remembered as a turning point in Israel's history: the day that the remains of the last hostage held in Gaza were recovered from a Palestinian cemetery. Sgt. Ran Gvilli, considered a hero who died battling terrorists on Oct. 7, 2023, has now been buried in Israel -- and the whole country seemed deeply moved.

But what now?

Dan interviews Prof. Kobi Michael -- a senior strategic analyst at the Misgav Institute and at INSS (the Institute National Security Studies based near Tel Aviv) -- who expresses doubts that President Trump's Gaza peace plan can succeed as smoothly as Trump is imagining. (We hear Trump with one of his dreamy descriptions, too.)

And Dan interviews Ory Slonim, a Tel Aviv lawyer who for nearly 40 years was a secret negotiator for the Mossad, the IDF, and Israel's government -- trying to locate and arrange the return of Israelis kidnapped or killed by terrorist groups and enemy countries. (Slonim's book is "A Knock At The Door.")

Please comment on X at @danraviv. Also on BlueSky, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Dan's most recent book -- with Israeli espionage/defense expert Yossi Melman -- is a low-priced e-book, "Target: Iran -- How the Mossad Penetrated Iran to Smash the Nuclear Program." For Kindle: https://levantbooks.short.gy/hGLRKs

Also the Raviv-Melman history of the Mossad is "Spies Against Armageddon: Inside Israel's Secret Wars" -- You may purchase it at http://bit.ly/41j1Sc3 in Kindle or paperback (and on all e-book platforms).

AND: Dan Raviv is co-author of a new book --with social psychologist Prof. Arie Kruglanski -- "The Quest for Significance: Harnessing the Need that Makes the World Go Round." It explains how every person has a need for respect and dignity, and the book advises how you can figure out yourself and the people around you, to give them a measure of Significance. To buy: https://amzn.to/3Y2cawj

(You can watch or listen, also, to THE QUEST FOR SIGNIFICANCE PODCAST series.)

Our music for THE MOSSAD FILES podcast is Clock is Ticking, by Braden Deal, from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/braden-deal/clock-is-ticking -- License code: YY2MEPOUFX6P7MIH.