The Kurdish-Israeli Alliance: From Secret Ties to Public Strategy

Is the Middle East witnessing the birth of a formal alliance between Kurds and Jews? For decades, relations between these two indigenous peoples were kept in the shadows, fueled by intelligence cooperation and shared security concerns. Today, that “taboo” is breaking. In this deep-dive interview, Kamal sits down with Giran Ozcan, Fellow for Kurdish Affairs at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA), to discuss the rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape. Following the fall of the Assad regime in Syria and the aftermath of October 7th, the role of the Kurds as a “natural ally” to Israel has moved from theory to headline news. In this video, we explore:

• The “Natural Ally” Statement: What did Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar mean, and why now?
• The Fall of Assad: How the collapse of the Syrian regime is forcing Israel and Rojava to rethink their relationship.
• Turkey’s Existential Fear: Why Ankara views Kurdish-Israeli ties as a threat to its national narrative.
• The Ethical Dilemma: How progressive Kurdish movements navigate relations with the Netanyahu government.
• The Doctrine of Periphery: Has the old Israeli strategy evolved into something more permanent and strategic?

About the Guest:Giran Ozcan is a leading expert on Kurdish affairs and a Fellow at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA). He provides unique insights into the diplomatic, security, and economic interests shaping Kurdish politics today.