Yossi Alpher is an independent security analyst. He is the former director of the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at Tel Aviv University, a former senior official with the Mossad, and a former IDF intelligence officer. Views and positions expressed here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily represent APN's views and policy positions.

This week, Alpher discusses the strategic significance of the first-ever official visit to Israel by the prime minister of India, Narendra Modi; Putin and Trump's ceasefire agreement in southwest Syria; and whether North Korea's nuclear and missile program is an Israeli concern.

After receiving many requests from scholars and from the media for information on the population growth of West Bank Jewish settlers, we are publishing a table based on data collected by Israel’s Peace Now movement. The table shows the population growth in Israel and in West Bank settlements since 1967. While the data shows the rapid growth of the settlers’ population, it also points out what a small minority the settlers are out of Israel’s overall population.

Xinghua: July 6, 2017
"Jerusalem Municipality to build 800 new settlement homes in East Jerusalem," Peace Now says the Israeli government intends to construct about 1,000 new homes in East Jerusalem settlements.

Times of Israel: July 3, 2017
"1,800 East Jerusalem homes slated for approval," Peace Now poised to file objection to new settlement construction plans in East Jerusalem.

The Guardian: July 3, 2017
"Emboldened by Trump, Israel pushes on with East Jerusalem settlement plans," Peace Now criticizes Israeli government's plans for more settlement homes in East Jerusalem

The Times (UK): July 3, 2017
"Israel defiant with first settlement since the 1990s," Peace Now says new construction in the West Bank has soared by 70 percent between April 2016 and March 2017

Haaretz: July 2, 2017
"Plans to build Jewish housing in East Jerusalem require Palestinians' eviction," Peace Now criticizes plans for more Jewish settlements inside East Jerusalem Palestinian neighborhoods.

Washington Post: July 1, 2017
"A new Jewish settlement begins to rise in the West Bank," Peace Now criticizes establishment of the new settlement.

Carmi Gilon, the former chief of Israel’s secret service, Shin Bet, for years helped run Israel's occupation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Like many other Israeli former senior security officials,  he became an anti-occupation peace advocate when he finish his service. If you watched the documentary The Gatekeepers, which features Carmi Gilon among six past heads of Israel’s Shin-Bet, you understand why.

Episode 16 of PeaceCast features a conversation with Gilon, who today is the executive chair of Cytegic, an Israeli cyber security company.