FIDF LIVE BRIEFING: Dr. Mordechai Kedar, Vice President of Newsrael - Auguest 23, 2026

Lara Krinsky opens the briefing by introducing Dr. Mordechai Kedar as a veteran Israeli military intelligence expert whose focus is understanding the cultures, ideologies, rivalries, and psychology behind Middle Eastern actors, not just their surface-level statements. Kedar begins with Turkey, arguing that Israel’s strike on the Abaza airbase in northern Syria was a direct warning to Erdogan after Israeli intelligence saw preparations for a deeper Turkish military move into Syria, closer to Damascus and therefore closer to Israel. He frames Erdogan’s worldview as neo-Ottoman and Muslim Brotherhood-influenced, saying Turkey sees former Ottoman lands—including Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Israel—as part of its historical sphere, while also supporting Hamas and presenting a growing strategic challenge to Israel. Kedar says Israel’s post–October 7 doctrine is to deal with threats while they are still “small,” explaining that Israel’s actions against Turkey, Hezbollah, Iran, and Hamas are part of a broader message that Israeli security now comes before every other consideration. He also argues that new regional alignments—especially between Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia—reflect fear that the U.S. may eventually pull back before Iran is defeated, leaving Sunni states exposed to Iranian revenge and destabilization. The conversation closes with Kedar warning that Western leaders often misread the Middle East because they apply Western assumptions to a region shaped by religion, tribalism, deception, and jihadist ideology, while Lara ends by reminding viewers that Israel’s soldiers must be ready for whatever comes next and urging support for their humanitarian and well-being needs.