Israel in August: Likud’s Primary, the Election Ahead, Iran’s Uncertainty—and the AI Revolution

Israel may be experiencing the traditional August slowdown, but beneath the surface, very little is truly quiet.

In this episode of Tel Aviv Diary, Marc Schulman looks at where Israel stands 70 days before the election. He examines the results of the Likud primary and what they reveal about Benjamin Netanyahu’s continuing control of the party, including the political downfall of former Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat and the distinctive system of alliances and organized voting that shapes Likud primaries.

Marc then turns to the larger question hanging over Israeli politics since October 7: who has accepted responsibility—and who has not? With no state commission of inquiry and little serious public discussion of Israel’s future defense doctrine, the country is moving toward dramatically higher military spending while simultaneously maintaining forces in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and the West Bank.

The episode also assesses the election campaign and the increasingly central role of Gadi Eisenkot, whose personal popularity and public image could prove decisive as the opposition tries to assemble a governing majority.

Beyond Israel, Marc looks at the uncertain standoff with Iran after the end of the 60-day ceasefire period, the growing political pressures surrounding America’s November congressional elections, and the problems Israel faces from increasingly hostile voices on both the American left and right.

Finally, the conversation turns to artificial intelligence. Drawing on his own experience using AI to help translate Between Hope and Fear into Hebrew, Marc discusses how quickly the technology is improving, why the economic case for AI may be stronger than skeptics believe—and why older generations in particular should learn to use these new tools rather than avoid them.

A wide-ranging snapshot of Israel and the world in August 2026: elections, war, accountability, Iran, American politics, and a technological transformation moving faster than almost anyone anticipated.