Israel, Iran, and the United States lack trust and credibility, making meaningful negotiations unlikely, according to Itay Ben Horin, author of Crisis Management.
Speaking on the ILTV Podcast, Ben Horin said that this deep mistrust is one of the reasons the countries are at war, as no side believed the other was serious. Iran, he explained, did not think the United States would bring such significant military power to the region, while the Americans did not believe Iran would go so far as to block the Strait of Hormuz.
“They misunderstood the power of the other side,” Ben Horin said. “In the end, after a lot of fighting, we will get back to the same place, the negotiating table.”
He made the comments just before U.S. President Donald Trump announced a temporary ceasefire agreement, which remains volatile. The deal depends on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and has already been threatened by both Israel and Iran.
Ben Horin’s book, Crisis Management, was recently translated into English. In the interview, he discussed the book, his role in the October 7 hostage negotiations, and the current war.
He also addressed the world of public relations and what Israel may be doing wrong. Ben Horin said that if he were made prime minister of Israel tomorrow, the first thing he would do is establish a crisis management team with a real budget.
Listen to the full conversation: