Unlikely Partners spotlights the Israelis and Palestinians who dare to build bridges where others see only walls. Through intimate conversations with people from both sides, the show reveals stories of cooperation, innovation, and hope that rarely make headlines but can help make for a better future. Unlikely Partners is hosted by Yadin Kaufmann, a longtime American-Israeli venture capitalist who has spent years building business connections that benefit both Israelis and Palestinians.
Yadin’s Organizations
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In today’s episode, we explore MEET — Middle East Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow — an organization that brings together talented Israeli and Palestinian high school students for an intensive 3-year program in technology, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Working side by side, students learn to solve problems, launch ideas, and build relationships across a conflict that too often keeps their communities apart.
Yadin sat down with Assaf Harlap, an Israeli entrepreneur, investor, and one of MEET’s co-founders, and Khouloud Ayuti, an Arab-Israeli social entrepreneur and MEET board member who has spent much of her career advancing shared society and economic opportunity.
They discussed how MEET began, what happens when young Israelis and Palestinians spend years learning and creating together, and why entrepreneurship can provide a powerful platform for building trust. They also reflect on how the events of recent years have tested MEET’s model — and what its students and alumni can teach us about the possibility of a different future.
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CREDITS:
Yadin Kaufmann, Assaf Harlap, Khouloud Ayuti, Maya Rackoff, Alon Schwartz, Adi Shaham