Jonathan Schanzer

Jonathan Schanzer
Schanzer in 2023
OccupationsAuthor, executive director at Foundation for Defense of Democracies and former U.S. Treasury terrorism finance analyst
Websiteschanzer.pundicity.com

Jonathan Schanzer is an American author, executive director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) and former U.S. Treasury terrorism finance analyst. At the FDD he oversees the work of the organization's experts and scholars and hosts the FDD Morning Brief podcast. Schanzer is the author of several books on the Middle East and has testified before U.S. Congress.

Early life and education

Schanzer graduated from Emory University with a bachelor's degree and from Hebrew University of Jerusalem with a master's in Middle Eastern history. In 2001, he studied Arabic at the American University in Cairo. He received his doctorate from King's College London, and wrote his dissertation on anti-terrorism efforts of the US Congress. He speaks English, Hebrew and Arabic.

Career

After graduating, Schanzer returned to the U.S. and worked at the Middle East Forum in Philadelphia and The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. He then worked at the U.S. Treasury Department as a counterterrorist analyst, helping to track and freeze funding of Al-Qaeda and Hamas.

In 2007, Schanzer was appointed Director of Policy of the Jewish Policy Center (JPC), a think tank tied to the Republican Jewish Coalition. He was also editor of inFOCUS Quarterly, a JPC journal.

Schanzer is the executive director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. He joined the FDD in February 2010 and is a member of its Center on Economic and Financial Power.

Media appearances

Schanzer has provided commentary on Middle Eastern affairs for broadcast and online media outlets. In a 2023 episode of PBS's Firing Line with Margaret Hoover, he discussed the Gaza war, hostage negotiations, and Iran's role in the region. In interviews with RealClearPolitics in 2021 and 2023, Schanzer discussed the Gaza conflict, Hamas, Israel, Iran, and humanitarian conditions in Gaza. In a 2021 C-SPAN interview, he spoke about the Gaza conflict and U.S. counterterrorism policy. Schanzer has also appeared on independent platforms such as SmartHER News and The One Way Ticket Show. Additionally, Schanzer hosts the FDD Morning Brief Podcast, in which he discusses Middle Eastern topics with relevant experts.

Publications

References

Citations

  1. ↑ "Jonathan Schanzer Executive Director". Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
  2. ↑ "No Incentive for Terrorism: U.S. Implementation of the Taylor Force Act and Efforts to Stop 'Pay to Slay'" (PDF). Retrieved 2026-08-13.
  3. 1 2 3 "Homegrown Pundit Appointed to Think Tank | The Jewish Exponent". 2007-09-22. Archived from the original on 2007-09-22. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
  4. 1 2 "Jonathan Schanzer". Young America's Foundation. Retrieved 2025-05-20.
  5. 1 2 3 "Author Jonathan Schanzer to speak on Middle East developments". Archived from the original on 2025-07-11. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
  6. ↑ "Jonathan Schanzer | International Affairs | Lehigh University". global.lehigh.edu. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
  7. ↑ "Jonathan Schanzer". Lockdown University. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
  8. 1 2 "Who's behind the pro-Palestinian protests that are disrupting Biden's campaign events and blocking city streets?". NBC News. 2024-03-20. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
  9. ↑ "So finanziert sich die Hamas". euronews (in German). 2023-11-02. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
  10. ↑ Zlatopolsky, Ashley (2026-06-16). "Middle East Expert Jonathan Schanzer Headlines Shaarey Zedek Event". thejewishnews.com. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
  11. ↑ Snyder, Mark. "Former counterterrorism analyst talks terror at special event". Wicked Local. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
  12. ↑ Marcus, Imanuel (2024-01-10). "Hamas-Terror: Warum Israel Yahya Sinwar nicht einfach tötet". Jüdische Allgemeine (in German). Retrieved 2024-10-30.
  13. ↑ "Jonathan Schanzer | The Jerusalem Post". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
  14. ↑ Firing Line | Jonathan Schanzer | Season 2023. Retrieved 2025-10-02 – via www.pbs.org.
  15. ↑ Walworth, Andy (2021). "Gaza, Hamas, and Israel". www.realclearpolitics.com. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  16. ↑ Schwartz, Ian (2023-10-12). "Hamas, Israel, Iran and the Human Tragedy in Gaza with Jonathan Schanzer". www.realclearpolitics.com. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  17. ↑ "Gaza Conflict 2021". Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  18. ↑ "Radio: Jonathan Schanzer on U.S. Efforts to Combat Terrorism". Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  19. ↑ "SmartHER News-Episode 15-Jonathan Schanzer". Podbay. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  20. ↑ "INTERVIEW: Debrief On The Middle East - SmartHER News". smarthernews.com. 2023-10-12. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  21. ↑ "FDD Morning Brief". FDD. 2023-11-17. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
  22. ↑ Rolfsen, Dylan (2024-06-11). "Dr. Jonathan Schanzer on the Recent Ceasefire Proposal in Israel: "The Question Is, Which Israeli Was Involved in This Proposal?"". FOX News Radio. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
  23. ↑ Richard, Augustus (11 November 2008). Hamas vs. Fatah: The Struggle For Palestine (9780230609051): Jonathan Schanzer, Daniel Pipes: Books. ISBN 978-0230609051.
  24. ↑ John, Colonel (2005). Al-Qaeda's Armies: Middle East Affiliate Groups & The Next Generation of Terror (9781561718849): Jonathan Schanzer, Dennis Ross: Books. ISBN 156171884X.
  25. ↑ "Jonathan Schanzer | Jewish Book Council". www.jewishbookcouncil.org. Retrieved 2025-05-22.

Sources