The American-Israeli war on Iran - Polls and Impact on Strategic Considerations

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with University of Maryland Professor Dr. Shibley Telhami and FMEP President Lara Friedman. The three discuss the new US & Israeli war against Iran, the strategic changes in the Persian Gulf and the polling data in the U.S. demonstrating a lack of support for the war. They discuss the fate of the Abraham Accords and normalization more broadly. They also discuss the role and politics of Israel in the U.S. now, including recent polling data and the impact on current and future leadership.  See Dr. Telhami's most recent poll, "Do Americans Favor Attacking Iran Under the Current Circumstances? The Latest Critical Issues Poll Findings," conducted in early February 2026, before the U.S. & Israel launched the recent war. Dr. Shibley Telhami is the Anwar Sadat Professor for Peace and Development, Distinguished Scholar-Teacher, and the Director of the University of Maryland Critical Issues Poll. He is also Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. Lara Friedman is FMEP’s president. Ahmed Moor is a Palestinian-American writer born in Gaza and a Fellow at FMEP. Original music by Jalal Yaquob.