Political scientist Ian Bremmer on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
What’s happening in Gaza and why? And how did we get here?
Political scientist Ian Bremmer joins Big Think’s Editor-in-Chief, Robert Chapman-Smith, to discuss the historical and political context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
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Ian Bremmer, a political scientist and president of Eurasia Group, joins us to discuss the historical and political context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In this conversation, Bremmer and our editor-in-chief, Robert Chapman-Smith, explore the current dynamics between Israel and Palestine, particularly during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s tenure.
They also delve into internal politics in Israel — including growing dissent against the government, how the conflict in Gaza is being handled, the influence of hard-right political parties, and the impact of these factors on the relationship between Israel and the Palestinians.
0:00 Palestinians forgotten
6:30 Israel’s domestic instability
13:17 Israel and Gulf states
19:28 Hamas’ strategy
27:06 Social media disinformation
37:20 Israel’s strategy and peace
44:40 U.S. support for Israel
49:32 World War 3?
54:07 Two-state solution
Read more from Ian Bremmer on the Middle East crisis:
The Gaza invasion will not make Israel safer
► https://time.com/6330157/israel-gaza-invasion-essay/
Will the Middle East war cost Biden politically?
► https://www.gzeromedia.com/by-ian-bremmer/will-the-middle-east-war-cost-biden-politically
What should Israel do next?
► https://www.gzeromedia.com/by-ian-bremmer/what-should-israel-do-next
What we know (and don’t know) about Iran’s role in the Israel-Hamas war
► https://www.gzeromedia.com/by-ian-bremmer/what-we-know-and-dont-know-about-irans-role-in-the-israel-hamas-war
A brutal wake-up call shakes Israel and the world
► https://www.gzeromedia.com/middle-east/a-brutal-wake-up-call-shakes-israel-and-the-world
Want more? You can get Ian’s big thoughts on the world every week by subscribing to his free newsletter here: https://www.gzeromedia.com/subscribe/
Additional information sources:
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict by the Center for Preventive Action
► https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/israeli-palestinian-conflict
This United Nations’ document database
► https://www.un.org/unispal/documents/
Mapping the Massacres
► https://oct7map.com/
Films to watch:
Paradise Now
► https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0445620/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
5 Broken Cameras
► https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2125423/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Waltz with Bashir
► https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1185616/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_q_waltz%2520with%2520
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About Ian Bremmer and Robert Chapman-Smith:
Ian Bremmer is the president and founder of Eurasia Group, the leading global political risk research and consulting firm started in 1998. Today, the company has offices in New York, Washington, and London, as well as a network of experts and resources around the world. Bremmer has authored several books, including the national bestseller The End of the Free Market: Who Wins the War Between States and Corporations?
Robert Chapman-Smith is the Editor-in-Chief of Big Think. As Editor-in-Chief, Rob guides coverage and works with the Big Think team to explore the world’s biggest questions with the world’s biggest thinkers. He is based in Philadelphia.
@dlsolof
October 12, 2025 at 6:16 pm
This was great. We need long-form content from experts with intelligent questions asked sensitively.
@osamaibrar4088
October 12, 2025 at 6:16 pm
Stop genocide in Palestine and Israel is terrorist country. Free Free Palestine
@GeorgePaul-dz9bi
October 12, 2025 at 6:16 pm
The solution is very simple. Israel is occupying the entirety of Palestinian land. These Jews don’t belong there. It is an illegal land grab. They must pack-up their bags and leave. Palestine is not their 1948 “homeland”. Moreover they are terrorizing and murdering Palestinians in Gaza
@GeorgePaul-dz9bi
October 12, 2025 at 6:16 pm
The Jews who lived in Palestinian region for millennia since western Roman Empire time are not the same as present day Jews after their “Holocaust” in 1945 Europe and American Jews who picked up on the Zionist movement for a Jewish homeland they named “Israel”. These are entirely European Ashkenaze Jews. The only thing that makes the “Jews” is Judaism (tradition) and revival of Hebrew script (Tora), Jewish religious traditions and spoken language which they had to learn for use as Israelis use today. Politically, this is phony and synthetic to generate “Israeli unity” when actually there is none.
@Jason-tx3dn
October 12, 2025 at 6:16 pm
The interviewer loves the sound of his own voice. Those word salad questions are nauseating. Just get to the point and ask the question.
@Jason-tx3dn
October 12, 2025 at 6:16 pm
Not worth watching
@Jason-tx3dn
October 12, 2025 at 6:16 pm
This was incredibly disappointing. Typical Zio perspective. Don’t be fooled.
@leoxvelllopez6476
October 12, 2025 at 6:16 pm
ISRAEL IS THE WORST TERRORIST ORGANIZATION IN THE WORLD, AND THE WORLD NOW KNOWS THAT.
@fannycasteel7118
October 12, 2025 at 6:16 pm
Israel NEVER wanted 2 states!! It always wanted ALL of the land..
@Agluvak
October 12, 2025 at 6:16 pm
This interview didn't age well considering Israeli media's reports that the IDF have been targeting civilians, contrary to Ian Bremmer's claims. The IDF have destroyed all hospitals and universities in Gaza (not military targets). A bit surprised that the interview didn't point out Mr. Bremmer's bias, or at least a potential for perceived bias when Mr. Bremmer mentions his Israeli friends but doesn't mention personal connections to Palestinians.
Still an interesting conversation.
@thescottwino
October 12, 2025 at 6:16 pm
This futurology conversation has definitely not aged well …
@jrodamores87
October 12, 2025 at 6:16 pm
This video immediately discredited it self because…. Palestine, the PLO, and HAMAS (who is now in control of the government) has firmly and repeatedly outright REFUSED any type of “2 state agreement”, and blatantly proclaim that their one and ultimate goal is to get rid of all the Jews. So no, it’s not that other nations have not done their part to “help” it’s that the areas occupied by the “Palestinians” is being run by a very corrupt and dangerous terrorist group that has no shame in using their own citizens as shields and collecting the sympathy from the uneducated world.
@Pyro712
October 12, 2025 at 6:16 pm
Bibi netanyayu will be democraticly elected again, the people of israel want a strong leader
@FieryJuniper
October 12, 2025 at 6:16 pm
The Turks aren't very innocent themselves. They're no better than Hamas themselves for their terror on the Kurds.
It's also true not to pick a side because there are innocent people suffering on both sides. People who aren't involved and want peace don't deserve this at all! It disheartening.
@omerkhan5080
October 12, 2025 at 6:16 pm
This analysis is complete bias, and he makes it seem eloquent but it’s not. The statements he made as “facts” are not fact. Please people look up information for yourselves as well, listen to this but do not let this be the only source of information. The mentioning of hamas having places set up by hospitals and mosques is completely wrong. Also, them holding Palestinian civilians is wrong. He mentioned “the broader context” but fails to mention anything that has been happening in Palestine since 1948. It’s psychological warfare. If you don’t agree with this comment, no problem but pleaaasee look up more information on this because not everything he states is correct. Though something’s mentioned are correct.
@mpmanuelportillotvma
October 12, 2025 at 6:16 pm
My question is why do the people of Palestine have to pay for an agreement that never took them into consideration? The Haavara Agreement was between Nazi Germany and Zionist jews, not the palestinians. Israel was only founded because the Palestinian people were lied to by the British. The framing of Hamas as terrorist rather than a resistance group shows the world bias against the palestinians.
ANDDDDD in a joint study between Harvard Medical School and the hebrew Uni of Jerusalem that analyzed DNA from the remains of 33 individuals buried in a medieval Jewish cemetery in Erfurt, Germany.
"The analysis revealed two distinct subgroups within the remains: one with greater Middle Eastern ancestry, which may represent Jews with origins in Western Germany, and another with greater Eastern and Central European ancestry."
So where is the ancestral connection?
@user-kk2pc7ik7t
October 12, 2025 at 6:16 pm
Its great to see someone taking on different sides, here.
@drandel23
October 12, 2025 at 6:16 pm
This is wonderful Israeli propaganda.
@LamaitreFotografie
October 12, 2025 at 6:16 pm
Well, 4 months later, It is save to say Israël didn't listen. The war cabinet turned a complete generation (doing serviyin the IDF) into Warcriminals. And the Biden administration, sending 2000 pound bombs (the type you are not allowed to use in densely populated areas, can be hold liable (by international law) for aiding a genocide.
Asian and African countries turn away of the clearly hypocrite West. And the UN proved its absolute uselessness as a peacekeeper. What's next?
@Avaaaw
October 12, 2025 at 6:16 pm
This Israel-Palestine conflict is actually very simple. It’s a story about colonialism. The West will never acknowledge it because it is a mirror to their own ugly history. Israel is a colonial power with segregation laws. It is an Apartheid state. Period. All attempts to try to explain it otherwise is blatant racism towards the non-white party of this conflict (the Palestinians).
@rh70hgjfddh
October 12, 2025 at 6:16 pm
All Israelis are "settlers". It's bs to say the kibitz are liberal Israelis, like saying liberal Nazis. Israel is a country of squatters.
@haukemeier5148
October 12, 2025 at 6:16 pm
Thank you for being a voice of reason in these CRAZY times ❤
@chuckjenkins8132
October 12, 2025 at 6:16 pm
He is full of B S !! Just another opinion! Arabs NEVER EvER helped Palestine ! Because they know that HAMAS are FUnded by the Terrorists IRAN !!!!
This guy never ever mentions This Huge Elephant in the ROOM
@suzankhoshnevisriahi824
October 12, 2025 at 6:16 pm
Democracy Now is the only news outlet that is telling the truth also Alhazeerah.
@suzankhoshnevisriahi824
October 12, 2025 at 6:16 pm
Israel has not allowed world journalists go to Ghaza. Tell us the reason bbc, cnn Ap or others are not allowed there.
@suzankhoshnevisriahi824
October 12, 2025 at 6:16 pm
It has been proven that if IDF did not wish to kill Palestinians they could do target shootings. Mr Bremmer nothing was proven in the hospitals, or mosques. Nothing. IDF has killed journalists, doctors just recently hungry people. Stop mouthing Natanyahu’s lies.
@suzankhoshnevisriahi824
October 12, 2025 at 6:16 pm
It is astonishing to hear an intelligent man such as Ian Bremmer talk about getting rid of Hamas, doesn’t he think the Zionist Israel by massacring 30000 innocent people created new enemies all around the world? The Jewish historians are talking about the way Palestinians were kicked off their homes and orchards.
Settlers have killed hundreds of Palestinians in the last few years and confiscated their lands, that was the reason the army was there helping the settler grab the Palestinian lands. The Zionists in Israel have illegally moved into Palestinian lands hence enlarging their share.
Mr. Bremmer does not mention that before October 7 the people in Ghaza lived with no water or electricity, could not move freely. Ghaza was an open air prison. If you are discussing the situation and wish to really be of help please be truthful. The world is grateful for the caring Jewish Historian such as Ilan Pepe and others, who are informing the US public who has been under the Israeli Lobby’s propaganda, of the truth.
Comments are closed.