Bob Dylan has never made it easy for the legions of fans, critics, scholars and journalists who analyze his music with almost Talmudic fervor. Famously unforthcoming in interviews, which are rare, the protean singer-songwriter and Nobel Prize winner has succeeded in keeping listeners guessing over the course of his nearly six-decade recording career.

Dylan, who turns 80 today, remains a mystifying figure in American popular culture, even as many of the songs from his 39 studio albums — the most recent of which, Rough and Rowdy Ways, came out last year — feel as relevant today as they did when they were first produced, including “Masters of War,” “The Times They Are A-Changin,’” and “Hurricane,” among countless other hits.

In a recent column for New York Magazine, Jonathan Chait examines how antisemitism, particularly on the left, intersects with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “The existence of antisemitism makes it easier for Israel supporters to depict criticism of Israel as antisemitic,” he writes. “The existence of Israel hawks using inflated charges of antisemitism as a cudgel makes it easier for antisemites to pose as victims being silenced.” 

Chait discussed that dynamic and more in an interview with Jewish Insider on Friday. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity. 

Jewish groups and lawmakers condemned the antisemitic violence and rhetoric that has surged domestically and globally in recent days in response to the latest outbreak of violence between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and urged the White House and others to take further action to address it.

The latest uptick in crime, including attacks on Jewish individuals in Los Angeles, Florida and New York City; synagogue vandalisms in Arizona and Illinois; and verbal and physical attacks on Jews and Jewish institutions in Europe. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi have also made remarks that have been characterized as antisemitic while discussing the recent conflict.

In this week’s episode of Jewish Insider’s “Limited Liability Podcast,” hosts Richard Goldberg and Jarrod Bernstein are joined by Rep. Stacey Plaskett for a frank discussion on Black-Jewish relations in America and representing a U.S. territory in Congress.

Joining from Tel Aviv after over a week of hostilities between Israel and Hamas, Conference of Presidents CEO William Daroff joined Jewish Insider’s “Limited Liability Podcast” hosts Richard Goldberg and Jarrod Bernstein to talk about the atmosphere in Israel’s economic capital.

The following has been lightly edited for clarity.

President Joe Biden delivered brief remarks on Thursday evening praising the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and pledging that the U.S. would remain engaged in the region even after this latest round of violence is resolved.

Biden, who spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before delivering his remarks, said he “commended [Netanyahu] for the decision to bring the current hostilities to a close in less than 11 days.”

A CNN anchor shut down comments made by Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who alleged in an interview on Thursday that Israel has “connections” to “deep pockets” that “control media.”

Qureshi made the claims to CNN anchor Bianna Golodryga, who responded, “I would call that an antisemitic remark.” Qureshi initially brushed off Golodryga’s comments, saying, “The point is they have a lot of influence and they get a lot of coverage.”

Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI), a left-wing Democrat who has frequently been vocally critical of Israel, argued on Wednesday that Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system should remove the need for it to launch its own strikes in response to terrorist rocket attacks, as it largely prevents rockets from striking Israel.

“I’ve always supported the Iron Dome. Because the idea is when a missile comes in, if you take it out, no one’s been killed on either side, and there’s de-escalation,” Pocan, who organized an hour of speeches on the House floor criticizing Israel last week, told reporters. “If you use it for that purpose, then you still send 20 times the number of missiles back, that’s not the intention.”