Israel news analysis with Ariel Kahana on today's JM in the AM

JM in the AM on this TUBA Wednesday morning broadcast. Ariel Kahana is with us live via telephone from Israel. You could uh follow him on Twitter, Aaric 3000, AR K3000. He is the editor now at JNSI Israel, his new position. It's a pleasure to welcome welcome him to JM in the AM. Ariel, shalom. Shalom. Welcome to JM in the AM. Shalom. Good morning to you and to your listeners from Yushalim and thanks for introduction. You are right. I'm beginning a new job with JS. >> Well, you you've you've hooked on to a great outfit and as we say on this new pursuit. Uh the pressure is on. Um Ariel, the pressure is on because earlier this morning on the air I said there is no greater expert on the Trump Netanyahu relationship. So after yesterday, you've got to give us a comprehensive update of what you think of the relationship between the president and the prime minister. Did yesterday's meeting shed any new light for you on that situation? >> Uh thank you. So first of all, uh you know, I'll try, right? I don't know if I'm an expert, but I will try. Um let's begin with what we know for sure and that is first of all Trump is describing the meeting as a good one. uh his spokesman Caroline Levit also said it was good and productive and from the Israeli side what I heard from few sources and and the prime minister himself all of them said it was a fantastic and a great meeting and we saw the pictures there were pictures we saw the most senior officials of the administration on beside of Trump on top of Trump over there including JD Vance and and and I know you discussed with Malcolm uh that negative podcasters as the vice president had few weeks ago, right? >> And still Vince Yeah. and still Vince was there. >> Um what I was briefed by Israeli officials is that um that they let's say were coordinating uh they didn't get into details but it was a brainstorming. The meeting was a brainstorming and and um um updating one each other, coordinating one each other. uh what probably will be done. No one said and that's important. No one said that there are there were agreements or same decisions or same policy. So you can learn from that that maybe there were some differences. I don't know what are the differences but from the fact uh you know no one said we are exactly on the same page or or something like that. So it tells you that maybe there were some gaps. Um but um but all in all and that's very important to to to recall the last meeting was I'm sure you remember was on February, right? >> Mhm. >> And and we know and actually we discovered it just afterwards that in that meeting in February they decided together to go to a war on real time. Nobody knew that that's what happening. And and I'm saying that because we also have to, you know, be very humble now and know what we know and don't know what we don't know. So again, I told you what we heard from all from both sides, but we must remember that we know or we can say what we were told and we don't know what we were not told. So that's a picture I see. >> Ariel Kahana is with us from Israel. Um, look, I honestly I think one of the subtle one of these subtle um statements by Netanyahu I think diffused a very tense situation. What am I talking about? I'm sure you noticed yesterday that he, meaning the prime minister, made sure to toss into his comments that it's not just military action that might be effective against Iran, but there might be some diplomatic action as well that could be effective. Basically, the prime minister said, "We had this discussion and whether it's military or whether it's diplomatic, you know, we agree that, you know, we're on our way to solving this situation." And I think that the impression was until now that the prime minister stubbornly would never have agreed that any type of diplomacy would be good to resolve this crisis. And yesterday he went out of his way to actually mention it. Is this something that that you also felt was significant or I'm exaggerating a bit? >> Well, let's put it this way. First of all, it's not that was always against any kind of agreement. You know, if it could have been a good deal, including in Obama's time, then he would agree. It's just that all the suggested deals during Obama, during Biden, and and also not during Trump were awful deals. Um that's a and and secondly I don't know uh I mean the facts and the last developments are that not only there is no uh deal on the table because the Iranians as was the one who said no early this morning Israel time uh last hours uh and last minutes we see military developments in a way it seems that just few minutes ago probably the American forces attacked Iran or at least Iran militians earlier today Iranian militia s were attacking American bases here in the Middle East, not in Israel, but but in in neighbor neighboring countries and we see the Houth is now threatening to block uh Babel Mandab straits and of course Iranians are blocking home straits. So it doesn't seem at all it's going to any kind of a deal. Not a not a definitely not a good one and even not a bad one. It seems that uh once again the the guns or or the ammunition is the one to talk. Let's put it this way. >> Yeah. I mean, I don't know if they get this in Israel as much as we get it here. I mean, the midterms are coming up, of course. And and also we we are, you know, inundated with this whole uh idea of Trump having to save face to somehow get out of this whole situation. in Israel. I'm sure understandably the uh you know the threat of Iran is so much greater than what it is here uh that that you know takes the headlines so to speak and saving face is not nearly as important. Uh do you think they get this? Do you think that that Netanyahu and his administration understand that there is a big component to this of Trump having to figure out a way to get out of this? And that's what I mean when I saw Natao got out of his way, go out of his way to mention diplomacy because he may be setting things up for the inevitability that even if it's a bad deal, there might be a deal down the road. >> Well, again, I I don't see I don't see a deal in the cards. Um but but talking about midum's elections uh on your side num not only Netanyahu and his eyesides are very aware I can tell you that let's say involved Israelis I mean Israelis who are following the news so for them the midterms it's a topic here we I mean me and my colleagues we discuss it on on TV shows and on radio shows etc or newspapers we do discuss it we understand oh that's Our understanding here is that actually Trump halted the war because he is worried with the oil prices and and and because of the coming elections. I mean the common wisdom here is that after the the midterms then he will go back to a full scale war probably. Um but in any case we are aware to to your political side as well >> and and do you think that there's any any sympathy for the president of the United States? Do you think that there's an understanding that he's got to figure out a way out of this? >> I would say there is an understanding. Okay. Uh Israelis were very disappointed including myself. Uh the moment he went to that uh again it failed but then advance >> sorry >> the memo of understanding when he went in that direction right? Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Was advanced was was pushing for. Of course, there was a disappointment here. But then we understood or or again the explanation we we heard and we said is that because of the oil prices because he was uh buzzled from possibility of of econ let's say globe economical crisis and political reasons. All in all he decided to stop. But the the hope is that again after elections on on on your side of the world then maybe he will come back. So so in the beginning there was a wish disappointment. Now I would say with Trump now it's I would say it's a little bit better but uh but all in all the problem is still here. I mean the problem are the Iranians their policies their actions their plans. You know just few days ago they sent a ship with drones to Russia right? So, it tells you what's going on internationally. And by the way, early this morning, there is a report they're going to get or buy 400 anti-aircraft missiles from China. So, so this war not >> and there's a bigger problem. They actually hit a an they attempted to hit an American base yesterday unprovoked. >> Ex correct. Correct. So, and and I mean I I wish I hope and I wish there is an an oper operational way for the American army to to to force them to surrender the Iranians. I'm not sure there is. Um and or or maybe from from inside from within the collapse. I don't know. But but the problem the problem is still here and and and it's internationally and because of the straits because of Russia because of China the problem is big and it's here and and and you know let's put aside politics in America or in Israel it's we have to see how do we solve the problem. >> Yeah. >> That's that's the main issue to me at least. >> No, you're 100% right. Ariel Kahana with us. Is it unusual for uh Natanyao to fly without press or that's not a big deal that he had no journalists on the plane with him? >> It is it is a big deal. Uh and by the way, not only he didn't take press with him this time for the first time ever and I can tell you I'm covering those trips for uh decade and a half. It's the first time he didn't take at all reporters with him. He was flying with Kafion Wing of Zion but he didn't take off from Benon. He took off from uh air force base in Nevatim near Bereva. >> And the reason as far as I understand is the drones. Uh you had in America a few few weeks ago uh an attempt to kill Trump and Vance with drones, right? >> Yeah. Sure. >> So So security here is very worried that uh our enemies will use drones uh to attack Netanyahu and many others. It's a big issue here. Ariel, what do people in Israel think of Mamani? >> That's that's the common devil to to hate. In this case, it's easy. >> So, the common Israeli knows who he is. >> Oh, of course. >> Wow. Of course. >> Wow. The mayor of New York. And in Israel, they know who he is. >> I mean, they wouldn't know who is who is the mayor of I don't know, um um Texas. >> Well, they didn't know they didn't know who Adams was, did they, when he was mayor. >> Yeah. But but we know the people who hate us and and in this case and at least and by the way in this case at least there is no political uh um disagreements here in Israel. Everybody including the left they're not blaming our side. They're blaming him. Um and and and that's I must say. >> Is that true? Is that true? By the way, everybody across the board can't stand them in Israel. Regarding Mandani, yeah, I >> there's none there's none of the old guard socialists still around in the uh in the Holy Land. >> I didn't hear even one Israeli politician uh who is who had any any positive uh uh any positive to say about >> I mean I mean even even London and Kersian bound would have been against Manny. >> Well, Kersian bomb you know is in the world for a long time. London is not active. No, no, no, no. Yeah, >> London is London changed. London is still around. >> Uh, he's still around. He's not that active. >> But, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but but but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but but but, but seriously, I'll tell you. I mean, you have you have and and I follow that you have a communist fraction in American politics. >> Correct. >> We don't we don't have any communist fraction here at all. We You're right. In history, we used to have, >> but it doesn't exist at all over here. E even the socialists are not really socialist. All in all, I would say the when it comes to economy, everybody support capitalism. Uh so so at least we don't face this issues that you have in America and it seems from here at least is a big is a big challenge. >> Have you heard about um I I saw a report somewhere about the increased unemployment in the tech sector in Israel because of AI? Is that a big deal in Israel now? Are they discussing the loss of jobs down the road because of uh the proliferation of the use of AI? >> So first first of all say the high-tech market here in Israel is is um is great is very very successful and now there are some updates and changes and and and you know and and and the AI is an issue. Uh and there were you right that few companies had announced they're going to fire >> right? uh few people but but I'm not sure it's exactly because of AI they always say they always say few explanations together uh what is the reason for those changes but but it is important to emphasize that this market is really thriving strongly thriving I would say that's actually it's leading to Israel's economy so um I mean we have a lot of problems it seems to mean that at least the high-tech is is in a good very good shape even so um yeah so so I'm not worried now about that, let's say. And by the way, there is there isn't a new governmental headquarter to face uh and develop AI in Israel with the US by the way. So it seems in this case the government is doing what has to be done and the free market is doing what has to be done, >> right? Wow. I hear that Israel stayed up late at night to root for Argentina in the World Cup. Is that true? Argentina was the team of choice. >> Uh yes. You know, they have it's almost blue and blue and right, right? >> That's a good point. >> Yeah. And we have Malai, which is, you know, he's he loves Israel a lot as a president. So, uh, >> so it was disappointing the country, the country was was upset. >> He was, uh, you can say so. You can say so, but there are few supporters of Spain although although they don't deserve it because Spain is very negative last last years, including to America. Yeah. Yeah. >> I know. I'll tell you, I thought Argentina would would win just for that, but all right. Doesn't the stars don't always line up. What can I tell you? Ariel Hatahar on the new position at JNS. Our best regards to everybody there. And Toddarab, thanks so much for joining us this morning. >> Thank you. Enjoy your tub. Bye-bye. >> Ken Tubav Ariel Kahana. Follow him on Twitter. Aric 3000, Aaric Ak 3000. More coming up. You're listening to a tub Wednesday at JM in the A.M.