The Honest Report

Israeli society has often been called one big family, where in times of crisis, all segments of society come together to pull for the common good.

Since Hamas' massacres of October 7 and the subsequent months, that common mission has been on full display, despite Israeli disagreements over politics, religion and more.

As the war began seven months ago, launched by Hamas on a Jewish holiday, Israel was in turmoil. Shock and anger soon gave way to a realization that the country was unprepared to take care of its front-line defenders, those soldiers fighting Hamas.

One organization was soon born, Soldiers Save Lives, which worked to help equip those on the front lines, even when seemingly other safety nets failed. In this episode of The Honest Report podcast, we sit down with Ike Bodner, the organization's COO.

Welcome to The Honest Report podcast.

Anti-Israel and antisemitic hate mongers have rarely sought to hide their true feelings, a reality that has been readily apparent for the last 6.5 months around the world.

But the response to it by Jewish and pro-Israel organizations have left much to be desired; beyond social media condemnations, little more has been done.

Fortunately, there are many options available.

Howard Levitt is a senior partner at Levitt Sheikh LLP, and a prominent media commentator on issues of combating antisemitism and anti-Israel hate using legal means, and he joins us on this week's podcast to discuss his template for creating a muscular, assertive and successful campaign, and why it's long overdue to be implemented.

Welcome to The Honest Report podcast.

It's a claim that is taken almost as an unassailable truth by a huge number of news media outlets around the world: that some 33,000 people died in Gaza, and that two-thirds of them are women and children.

While the source of that claim is Hamas, and its "Gaza Ministry of Health," which doesn't distinguish between civilians and combatants, or those killed by Israel or by errant Palestinian rockets, there is an even more fundamental way to recognize the data is unreliable: by statistics.

Abraham Wyner, a professor of Statistics and Data Science at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, recently penned a report where he pointed out that Hamas' casualty numbers don't add up, just from a statistical perspective, rendering them extraordinarily unlikely to be true.

Professor Wyner joins us as a guest to walk us through his research showing how statistics have shown Hamas' claims to be propaganda.

Welcome to The Honest Report podcast.

For years, Israel has accused UNRWA, the disgraced United Nations agency, of ties to Palestinian terrorism and incitement and glorification of violence.

But only after the massacres of October 7 did the UN agency, officially tasked with providing aid to Palestinians, get into the larger spotlight.

Israel has accused - and provided evidence for - UNRWA staff of participating in Hamas' massacre, and has pointed to a huge Hamas data centre built directly underneath the agency's Gaza City headquarters, as well as satellite photos of schools built on top of Hamas bunkers, and much more.

Every year, UNRWA receives funding from international donors, including Canada, meaning Ottawa effectively is funding Hamas terrorism.

As a result, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) recently announced it was taking legal action against the Trudeau government, saying funding UNRWA contravenes Canadian anti-terrorism legislation.

Richard Marceau, CIJA's VP and General Counsel, joins us as a guest.

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Ian Ward is a Councillor in Colwood, British Columbia, on Vancouver Island, a suburb of Victoria, population just under 20,000 people.

He has also become a leading voice of moral clarity, advocating for both Israel and the Jewish People, even though as an elected official in a municipality with a relatively small Jewish community, there is little electoral benefit in doing so.

Ian joins us as a guest on this week's podcast to discuss what prompted him to become so vocal, the feedback he has been getting from constituents, and why he thinks more municipal politicians need to stand up and make their voices heard.

Welcome to The Honest Report podcast.

In the immediate aftermath of Hamas' invasion of southern Israel on October 7, it became evident that Israel lacked the ability to scale up its procurement of military and civilian gear, both for the IDF in its operations, and for Israeli civilians forced from their homes and displaced refugees in their own country.

In the face of fast-changing events, one Israeli man, Michael Freedman, saw an opportunity to help.

The Israel-based businessman quickly launched what became known as Project Shushan, a complex effort to deliver much-needed gear to Israel, working faster than official channels could provide. Michael joins us as our guest this week.

Welcome to The Honest Report podcast.

It's a fact largely ignored by anti-Israel activists: that 20 percent of Israel's population are Arabs, largely Muslim. They enjoy the same democratic rights as Israeli Jews, can vote and stand for election, and hold citizenship as Israelis.

The Bedouin of Israel's south are part of this population, and they are unique in their own right, distinct from the Bedouin in Israel's north, the Druze community in Israel, and the Jewish majority.

In this week's podcast, we are joined by Ariel Viesel, the CO-CEO of Desert Stars, an Israeli organization that works to provide educational, vocational and other opportunities to members of Israel's Bedouin population in the country's south, and in so doing, help further integrate them into Israeli society, benefiting them, and Israel at large.

Welcome to The Honest Report podcast.

It is very easy to consume news in a bubble. Human nature is to read, listen and watch information that fits our preconceived ideologies and ideas.

Breaking out of that bubble is easier said than done, and when it comes to the hundreds of millions of Arabic-speakers around the world, getting accurate information about Israel can be next to impossible.

Rawan Osman is looking to change that. Following October 7, the Syrian-born, Lebanese-raised commentator, now based in Germany, became an outspoken advocate for Israel and the Jewish people.

Through her active social media presence, including her accounts, Arabs Ask, Osman has used her native Arabic language to share the truth about Israel to audiences who rarely had the opportunity to get that perspective.

Osman joins us as our guest this week.

Welcome to The Honest Report podcast.

October 7 was more than just a terrorist attack, or even the biggest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust.

It represented, perhaps more than any other event, the truest opportunity to see the real face of Hamas, not just its rhetoric, but its actions.

Not only the rapes, murders, tortures, and kidnappings, but the gleeful manner in which they were carried out, filming it all for posterity and out of pride.

But October 7, now more than five months ago, seems like ancient history, certainly to much of the news media, which now has widely lost interest, including in the Israeli hostages still in Gaza.

Seeing the sites of Hamas' massacres first-hand help to bring the reality home, not just of what happened that day, but of the moral necessity in fighting Hamas.

In late January, Toronto businessman Larry Maher brought a group of Canadian journalists to Israel for a short visit, where they bore witness to what Hamas carried out, and he joins us to discuss why he brought these individuals, and what he wants such a visit to achieve.

Welcome to The Honest Report podcast.

Over the last five months, Rahim Mohamed has become one of Canada's most recognizable opinion columnists. The Calgary-based commentator, writing in The National Post, has also made a name for himself as a vocal advocate for Israel and a harsh critic of the moral turpitude that has allowed disinformation to fester.

While commentators are entitled to their own views, but not their own facts, that simple yet profound difference has been nevertheless been lost by so many reporters and columnists alike, regardless of the platform.

In this week's podcast, Rahim joins us to discuss his perspective on the state of the news media when it comes to covering the Hamas-Israel war, how he would rate their coverage, and what his predictions for the news media in the near future look like. 

Welcome to The Honest Report podcast.

As the war rages in the Middle East between Hamas and Israel, following the simple narrative is easy.

And that narrative, that Israel is a murderous state hell-bent on genocide, may be a simpler message to understand, but it is an inversion of reality.

While some politicians take the easy path, others put facts before ideology.

In recent weeks, Kevin Vuong, an independent Member of Parliament for Spadina-Fort York, located in downtown Toronto, has become one of the country's most vocal supporters, both of Israel, and of Canada's Jewish community at large.

He joins us as our guest this week to discuss what prompted him to become such a stalwart ally, his message for other politicians, and what the feedback from his constituents has been like.

Welcome to The Honest Report podcast.

Egypt plays a towering role in the Middle East.

Not only is the country the most populous in the region, home to more than 100 million people, it is also the first Arab state to make peace with Israel, in 1979.

Egypt also plays a critical role in the current war between Israel and Hamas, bordering Gaza.

What is Cairo looking for in its relationship with Israel, with Hamas, and what role is it trying to play in the Middle East at large?

To share his expertise in the area, we are joined by Dr Ofir Winter. Dr. Winter is a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) in Tel Aviv, where he specializes in Arab-Israeli relations and contemporary Egypt.

Welcome to The Honest Report podcast.

In the current Hamas-Israel war, things are very different than before.

In previous conflicts, Israel practiced what was called "mowing the lawn," which meant degrading Hamas' capabilities, but avoiding all-out war. That is no longer the case.

But in an asymmetric war, how does that look long-term, and what power vacuum will take hold if and when Hamas is no longer in charge in the Gaza Strip?

To provide insight, we interview Efraim Inbar, President of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security.

Welcome to The Honest Report podcast.

For scores of Israelis, the horrors of Hamas' genocidal October 7 massacre didn't end four months ago; it continues every single day. Not just for the Israelis who continue to endure rocket fire, or who lost loved ones fighting the terror group in Gaza, but also for the families of the remaining 136 hostages in Gaza.

There are now negotiations for a possible release of this last group of hostages being coordinated by Qatar, the oil-rich Persian Gulf kingdom, which is playing a central role.

Qatar, while being home to senior Hamas leadership, is also working to secure the release of these kidnapped Israelis. This past Friday, at Qatar's Embassy in Ottawa, a gathering took place to show support for these efforts and to apply some pressure on Qatar to ensure the hostages are released.

Jodi Green, Communications and Advocacy Specialist at the Jewish Federation of Ottawa, who helped organize the gathering, joins us as our guest this week.

Welcome to The Honest Report podcast.

Since October 7, posters showing the faces and names of the Israeli hostages kidnapped by Hamas have become ubiquitous around the world, reminding the public about the true nature of the terrorist group and showing the reality of Israel's suffering.

Grotesquely, these same posters are also being widely torn down by anti-Israel activists, who oppose the humanization of Israelis, and beyond publicly naming and shaming these vandals, there wasn't much that could be done.

One Canadian mayor thought otherwise. In early November, Mayor Jeremy Levi of Hampstead, Quebec, a suburb of Montreal, announced that his town would adopt a by-law penalizing the removal of the posters with a $1,000 fine. He also added that the monies raised would be donated to Israeli charities.

Amongst Israel's enemies, there are many fronts in war: In addition to the physical threats marshalled against the Jewish State such as terrorism, there are others, such as the attempts to delegitimize and demonize the country in the eyes of the world, namely in the form of the BDS movement.

But there is yet another front, often unknown to the general public: cyber warfare, where state and non-state actors attempt to cause harm to Israel via cyber attacks against important targets.

And while these threats are very real to Israel, the country has become a pioneer in addressing them. That's according to Chuck Freilich, Israel's former deputy national security adviser, who is also co-author of the book, "Israel and the Cyber Threat: How the Startup Nation Became a Global Cyber Power."

Freilich joins us on this week's podcast, and provides a deep dive into the reality of cyber warfare beyond the headlines, how Israel has responded so far, and the storm clouds on the horizon.

Welcome to The Honest Report podcast.

The social media platform X, formerly called Twitter, has often been criticized by Jewish leaders and human rights organizations for what critics say is its failure to act on addressing widespread antisemitism, particularly since coming under the ownership of Elon Musk in the fall of 2022.

But for some, simply speaking out against the social media giant isn't good enough.

In January 2023, the European Union of Jewish Students, alongside HateAid, a German non-profit organization, commenced legal action against Twitter for neglecting to remove reported hateful content from its platform, saying that its failure represents a violation of its own Terms and Conditions, as well as running afoul of German hate legislation.

Avital Grinberg, the former president of the European Union of Jewish Students who initiated the lawsuit, joined us as a guest to discuss the legal action, its chances of success, and what they are looking to achieve.

Welcome to The Honest Report podcast.

The judicial overhaul being proposed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has united countless Israelis in at least one way: their strong opinions on the matter. To its supporters, the legislation represents a critical need to stand in the way of an activist and unelected judiciary. To its opponents, it is an unforgivable assault on democracy.

But is there room for compromise between the two sides, and what is taking place behind the scenes that may be missed by the international news media? In this week's podcast, we are joined by one of Israel's most foremost public intellectuals and a senior fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem, Yossi Klein Halevi. He is a prominent opponent of the legislation but has also sought to close the gap between Israelis to ensure that disagreement can remain civil and with Israel's best interests always in mind.

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Thirty years ago, on September 13, 1993, Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) signed a Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements, which were more commonly known as part of the Oslo Accords, called because they were secretly negotiated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. What are the significance of these accords three decades later, and do they help provide any hope for any future peace between Israel and the Palestinians? And what exactly caused the Oslo Accords, once seen as a promising roadmap towards negotiations, to fail?

To help share the in-depth details behind Oslo, we are joined by Maurice Hirsch. He previously served as Director of the Military Prosecution for Judea and Samaria. He is currently the Director of PA Accountability and Reform Initiative at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs.

Welcome to The Honest Report podcast.

Israel is widely known as the Start-up nation, producing a disproportionate number of high-tech companies, and a general ambiance of ingenuity. But what exactly is Israel's secret sauce? What makes Israeli society do things differently? Many answers have been offered, including the country's small and vulnerable area, its paucity of natural resources, its focus on education, and even its military draft. But do those answers do justice to the truth?

To help us unpack Israel's secret, we are joined by Yaniv Rivlin. Yaniv is a high-tech entrepreneur who co-founded Bird, the company behind Tel Aviv's ubiquitous electric scooters, which have helped change the face of the city.

Yaniv's new book, Live Like a Startup, helps shed light on Israel's culture of innovation, and he joins us this week as our guest.

Welcome to The Honest Report podcast.

In 2011, after a large earthquake and tsunami struck Japan, killing tens of thousands of people, Israeli teams were on the ground, providing critical relief and rescue operations. 

That earthquake, which also created a large nuclear meltdown and the discharge of radioactive water in Fukushima, was one of the largest disasters in recent memory, but it still didn't stop Israelis from coming to the other side of the world to offer aid.

Yotam Polizer was there, leading the efforts of IsraAID, an Israeli humanitarian aid group that has become one of the most widely recognized Israeli organizations around the world, having operated in Sierra Leone, Liberia, the Philippines, and elsewhere.

Today, Yotam is IsraAID's CEO, and he joins us to discuss his views on what makes Israel time and time again a heavyweight when it comes to lending a helping hand to those who need it most urgently.

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Following the 2020 Abraham Accords, which established diplomatic relations between Israel and two new Arab partners, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, there has been speculation about which country may be next for Israel to establish relations, namely Saudi Arabia.

But there's still more potential for Israel to establish ties with a much larger Muslim-majority country: Pakistan, home to nearly 250 million people.

That's according to Mohammed Rizwan, a Pakistani-Canadian journalist and political commentator, who recently co-authored an opinion column in the National Post with activist Raheel Raza, where he called on Pakistan to establish diplomatic relations with the Jewish State.

Rizwan joins us on this week's podcast to discuss why Pakistani-Israeli diplomatic ties may not be as far-fetched as it seems.

Welcome to The Honest Report podcast.

It happens like clockwork: whenever tensions rise in the Middle East, as they did during the spring of 2021 between Israel and Hamas, the Gaza-based Islamist terrorist group, incidents of antisemitism spike around the world.

But that doesn't mean antisemitism ceases to exist other times, or even that it remains dormant. Indeed, across the world, from North America, and particularly in Europe, though statistics vary, Jews are targeted disproportionately to their population. In some European cities, Jews are often encouraged to hide symbols of their Jewish identity.

In Germany, one person has decided that's unacceptable. Tobias Reckeweg, a non-Jewish educator in Western Germany specializing in German history and mathematics, has become an unlikely ally to the Jewish community: in recent years, he has begun donning a Star of David, a widely-recognizable Jewish symbol, in an act of solidarity.

In this week's podcast, we sit down with Tobias to discuss his small act of showing support for the Jewish community, the response from Jews and the wider public alike, and his take on what prompted him to take up the cause of advocating for Europe's Jews.

Welcome to The Honest Report podcast.

Over the course of about four weeks beginning in August 2005, Israel underwent a profoundly traumatic experience: the Disengagement from Gaza. Critics at the time said it was tearing Israel apart. Supporters said it was difficult, but Israel had no choice.

Before long, the vacuum left by Israel in Gaza was filled by Hamas, the Islamist terrorist group which continues to run the coastal enclave with an iron fist. But was Hamas' takeover inevitable, or could it have been avoided?

And now, 18 years later, what is the legacy of the Disengagement on Israel, and how do its supporters and detractors evaluate the withdrawal from Gaza?

To help us unpack the historic decision and its aftermath, we are joined by Amotz Asa-El. He is the Jerusalem Post's senior commentator and former executive editor, is currently a fellow at the Hartman Institute and a senior editor at the Jerusalem Report.

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When exactly did the conflict between Israel and its Arab neighbours begin? Some detractors say that following the Six Day War, when Israel gained eastern Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria (sometimes called the West Bank), among other areas, the conflict truly kicked off, but others say Israel's establishment in 1948 was the genesis.

Still, the seeds of the conflict were planted before that, in 1936. That's according to journalist and political analyst Oren Kessler. Kessler's new book, Palestine 1936: The Great Revolt and the Roots of the Middle East Conflict, posits that 1936 was the year which was critical in establishing a conflict between Israel and its Arab neighbours.

Kessler has previously served as the Arab affairs correspondent for the Jerusalem Post, an editor, translator and writer for the English edition of Haaretz and a research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society think tank in London, and he joins us as our guest on this week's podcast.

Welcome to The Honest Report podcast.

Arabs represent more than 20 percent of Israel's total population, and members of Israel's Arab minority have been represented across Israeli society, including politics, the judiciary, business, and the arts.

But despite enjoying equal rights under Israeli law, Israeli Arabs today face lower incomes and higher levels of violence in their community, leading some critics to falsely accuse the Jewish State of discriminating against its Arab population.

But the future of Israeli Arabs has never been brighter, thanks in part to people like Dr. Dalia Fadila. Dr Fadila is the founder of Q Schools,  an institution for promoting quality education in the Arab society in Israel. She was previously president of the Engineering and Technology College and vice president of Al Qasemi teacher education college. In 2022, she received the Medal of Honour from Israel's president.

Dr. Fadila joins us as a guest to discuss Q Schools, and how her efforts are helping to pave the way for a more prosperous future for Israel's Arab population.

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While international commentators and journalists around the world rhetorically ask what it will take for peace to take place between Israel and the Palestinians, arguing that complex issues such as Jewish settlements are the main obstacle to peace, a much simpler factor is at play: the Palestinian Authority’s payments to Palestinian terrorists and their families.

This complex system, nicknamed “Pay for Slay,” is a program where the Palestinian Authority spends hundreds of millions of dollars annually – nearly one-twelfth of its entire budget –  in support payments to Palestinian terrorists and their families.

This regimen not only actively encourages Palestinians to take up violence against Israelis, but provides the financial support to assist them in doing so.

To help us delve deeper into this insidious program, we are joined by Sander Gerber. Sander Gerber is a fellow and board member at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs.

Welcome to The Honest Report podcast.

There are few terms in the English language which have been as widely misunderstood and misrepresented as Zionism. While anti-Israel detractors claim that Zionism is synonymous with racism, settler-colonialism, and oppression, in reality, it refers to the national liberation movement of the Jewish People.

But what exactly does that mean, and in particular, what does Zionism mean for Israel today, a country that gained its independence 75 years ago and despite challenges, is likely as stable and secure as it has ever been?

The success of anti-Israel activists in falsely redefining Zionism has not only contributed to the delegitimization of Israel in the international arena; it has also helped drive a wedge between Israel and many Jews, particularly younger Jews, in the Diaspora.

Joining us this week to share his expertise on the true nature of Zionism, and its relevance in the contemporary world, we are joined by Daniel Gordis. Daniel is a Koret Distinguished Fellow at Shalem College. He is the author of 13 books, including Israel: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn, and also hosts a popular blog and podcast, Israel from the Inside.

Welcome to The Honest Report podcast.

Palestinian incitement against Israel has been long established as the main obstacle to peace between Israelis and Palestinians. But this incitement - in Palestinian media, school textbooks and mosques, is only part of the equation. Palestinian incitement has also manifested in the continued rejectionism of the Palestinian leadership, which is sending an unmistakable message to the Palestinians, that Israel is an illegitimate state which should be opposed.

In light of decades of this Palestinian incitement and rejectionism, is there any light at the end of the tunnel? Or has the Palestinian leadership poisoned an entire generation to oppose Israel, all but rendering any future peace all but impossible?

To help provide much-needed context, we are joined this week by Jonathan Spyer. He is an analyst, author and journalist specializing in the region. He is the director of the Middle East Center for Reporting and Analysis (MECRA),  a Research Fellow at the Jerusalem Center for Strategy and Security and a Fellow at the Middle East Forum.

Welcome to The Honest Report podcast.

Beginning primarily in the late 1940s, hundreds of thousands of individuals living in the Middle East were expelled from their homes, under threat of violence, and on occasion, more than just threats.

And while the image that may come to mind for many people are Arab refugees who left Israel following the Jewish State’s independence in 1948, these refugees were Jews who left their homes in Arab countries and Iran in the 1940s and 1950s.

More than 850,000 Jews from across the region left under threatening conditions or were expelled, leaving behind millennia of history as well as huge amounts of assets, which they gave up in exchange for safety.

But despite this incredible experience, the trials of Jews from Arab lands is little-known.

To help us unpack why, and explain what needs to be done to raise awareness for this important issue, is Sylvain Abitbol. Born in Morocco, he is a Montreal businessman who currently serves as Co-President for the organization Justice for Jews from Arab Countries, and previously served as co-president of the Canadian Jewish Congress from 2007 to 2009.

Welcome to The Honest Report podcast.

The end of June marks the start of summer, as well as the end of the academic year for high school students across Canada. Many of these high school graduates will then pursue further education in college or university, while others will enter the workforce.

Regardless of whether they will be heading to higher education or into the world, what will these graduates know about Israel and the Jewish People? Will they leave high school informed or ignorant, tolerant or intolerant - with social media usage - which sometimes features anti-Israel disinformation - nearly ubiquitous in this age bracket, are 14 to 17-year-olds more or less susceptible to antisemitism?

To help shine a light on current trends, and how education can best be used to set the record straight among high school students, we are joined this week by two high school educators in Southern Ontario, Cindy Tobias, and Jennifer Feldman, both active leaders in helping to bring Israel and Jewish education, both to students and to their peers in the teaching profession.

Welcome to The Honest Report podcast.

Israel's ties with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain are often pointed to as a model for what Israel-Arab relations can look like if they reach their full potential: extensive economic and cultural ties, and an open embrace of open relations.

But why is it that some Arab countries have accepted Israel's existence, even enthusiastically adopting ties, while other states have refused? And what will it take for the Palestinian leadership to recognize the benefits of peace with Israel that other Arab leaders in the Middle East have already done?

Or, as some critics contend, is the Palestinian Authority too invested in conflict with Israel to ever acknowledge the economic growth potential that lies in a peace agreement with the Jewish State?

To help us navigate this complex web, we are joined by Ofir Gendelman. For 17 years, Ofir served as Israel's spokesperson to the Arab media. He previously served in Israel's Embassy to Canada in Ottawa as First Secretary and Consul, among other roles. Currently, he manages Geldeman Strategic Consulting, which assists Israeli and international companies expand their business in the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco.

Welcome to the Honest Report podcast.

On May 30, Jan Grabowski, a Polish-Canadian professor and historian at the University of Ottawa, was scheduled to deliver a lecture in Warsaw on the Holocaust, specifically on government attempts to suppress the degree of Polish collaboration during the war.

But before Grabowski could start, a Polish politician smashed his microphone and began toppling speakers, accusing Grabowski of spreading "historical propaganda."

Grabowski is used to attempts to stifle academic scholarship on the Holocaust by authorities in Poland, and by extension, on the history of antisemitism in the country. His latest violent encounter is only the latest example of how the memory of the murder of six million Jews is being challenged in increasingly assertive ways in Poland.

This week, Professor Grabowski joins us as our guest.

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On March 10, Saudi Arabia and Iran announced that they had agreed to resume diplomatic relations, in an agreement brokered by the Chinese government.

As part of the negotiations, they agreed to continue official visits between the countries, as well as re-open mutual embassies.

In recent years, Iran and Saudi Arabia have been jostling for power across the Middle East as regional rivals and as Islamic powers. Beyond being a major diplomatic win for Beijing, what is the impact of the announcement on Israel? Will Saudi Arabia continue to look at Tehran and its nuclear program suspiciously, or has Israel lost a sympathetic ear inside the Saudi kingdom?

Joining us to help shine some light on these negotiations is Rafael Castro. He is a political analyst based in Berlin. His writings have appeared in a number of Israeli publications.

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In late June 1976, a group of terrorists belonging to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and a German allied group hijacked a plane with more than 250 people on board as it made its way from Tel Aviv to Paris, with a stopover in Athens.

The hijackers demanded cash payments and the release of Palestinian prisoners and eventually made their way to Entebbe Airport, in Kampala, Uganda, where President Idi Amin had welcomed them.

Israel's response, Operation Thunderbolt, came within days, and in a famous hostage rescue, the Israel Defence Forces carried out a daring nighttime raid, rescuing virtually all survivors except one, suffering only one death, that of Yoni Netanyahu, the unit's commander.

Sassy Reuven was on the ground. As an elite paratrooper at the time, he was selected to participate in Operation Thunderbolt and was on the ground during the incredible mission.

Sassy joins us on this week's podcast. He is a sought-after speaker who retells his experiences to audiences around the world.

Welcome to The Honest Report podcast.

Despite its tiny size and shortage of natural resources, or in fact, as a result of it, Israel has become a widely-recognized leader in the usage of solar power and water use. Rooftops across Israel feature solar-powered water heaters, and Israel boasts that 90 percent of its water is recycled, four times higher than any other country in the world.

According to the famous proverb, necessity is the mother of invention, and so Israel – with little rainfall – must make maximal use of its limited natural resources.

And while Israel has done exactly that, the Jewish State has taken it a step further, taking its know-how and technical skills, and actively helping to share that knowledge with other countries around the world.

Enter Innovation: Africa.

For the last 15 years, the Israeli nonprofit has helped deliver access to light and clean water to millions of people across Africa, also showing the true face of Israel in the process.

In this week’s podcast, we sit down with Michal Smith. Michal is the Director of Communications at Innovation: Africa.

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On September 30, 2000, Muhammad al Dura, a young Palestinian boy, was caught on film dying in the crossfire between Israeli troops and Palestinian terrorists, in the Gaza Strip.

Even before the spread of social media networks like Facebook, Tiktok or Twitter, the video of his death went viral. Almost instantly, Israel was accused of intentionally murdering the boy, though no such evidence exists.

Despite this absence of evidence, the footage became an enduring symbol of the nascent Second Intifada, or Palestinian uprising. But there is little doubt that the death - widely reported by the news media - played a major role.

To help us understand this context, and how the incident's reporting was only a symptom of a larger problem in the news media, we are joined in this week's podcast by Professor Richard Landes. Professor Landes, formerly a lecturer at Boston University, is currently an Israel-based researcher and scholar, who is widely credited with coining the term "Pallywood," referring to staged Palestinian incidents aiming to promote anti-Israel propaganda.

Landes' recent book, Can “The Whole World” Be Wrong? Lethal Journalism, Antisemitism, and Global Jihad, discusses this incident at length.

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Throughout North America, and indeed much of the Western world, college and university campuses are a fulcrum of anti-Israel activism and campaigning. These efforts can manifest through BDS (Boycott Divestment Sanctions) referendums, anti-Israel disinformation being spread in the classroom or by the student government, and also through campus media outlets.

Claire Frankel knows this all too well.

Claire is a Jewish student at McGill University in Montreal, and a Campus Media Fellow with HonestReporting Canada, and in March, she attempted to submit an opinion column, which discussed her views on a student club's attitudes towards Jews. But when she tried to submit the column to The McGill Tribune, it was rejected by the newspapers editors, who cited their opposition to Zionism, characterizing it as “a settler-colonial ideology that has perpetuated the ethnic cleansing of Palestine.” The Tribune further claimed that “Your article doesn’t align with our values as a paper. We’re not going to be able to publish it.”

In this week's podcast, we sit down with Claire to discuss her experience and the lessons it teaches Jewish students about how to advocate for themselves on campus.

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In early April, only days before the onset of the Passover and Easter holidays, Palestinian rioting broke out in and around the Al Aqsa Mosque, on Jerusalem's Temple Mount.

The riots also coincided with the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, when the holy city can become a tense flashpoint and sometimes even erupt in open rioting.

And while news outlets across Canada and the world covered the violence, they often missed the back story of Palestinian incitement and the role that Palestinian religious leaders have played, as well as the history of the Temple Mount itself.

In this week's podcast, we sit down with Dr. Reuven Berko, Co-Founder & CEO of the Berko Group, a Tel Aviv-based security consultancy.  Dr Berko served for 10 years as an Advisor on Arab Affairs to the Chief of Jerusalem Police, and today is a commentator in Israeli media, largely in Arabic.

Welcome to The Honest Report podcast.

In an increasingly interconnected world, no country is an island. Today, that is arguably no truer in the Middle East than anywhere else on the planet.

As the war between Russia and Ukraine rages, a number of countries, including the European Union (EU) have pledged to decrease their consumption of Russian oil and gas, and now Israel may be able to play a central role in helping to supply these much needed resources to citizens across Europe.

In this week’s episode, we sit down with Asher Fredman. Asher is Director for Israel at the Abraham Accords Peace Institute, as well as the Chief Executive Officer of Future Middle East, and a number of other roles. He is a widely recognized expert in energy policy, and he shares his vision for a future where Israel plays a critical role in supplying energy to Europe and beyond.

Welcome to The Honest Report podcast.

It's not unusual to read headlines that say "Israeli soldier shoots Palestinian," but provides no context about what was actually taking place. Frequently, news media reports omit key details about dead or injured Palestinians, suggesting that they were civilians, when they may have been active combatants.

In short: Israeli soldiers are used to getting an unfair and inaccurate story told about them, but a group of Israeli reservists is working to change that.

Reservists on Duty is an organization of reservists in the Israeli armed forces who travel the world, showing the true face of Israel in the face of often hostile disinformation.

In this week's episode of The Honest Report, we sit down with three members of a Reservists on Duty delegation who recently conducted a three-city tour in Canada, speaking to students and community members about the difference between how Israeli soldiers are portrayed, and the reality on the ground.

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On February 6, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Turkey, near the Syrian border. Almost 60,000 people eventually died, and nearly 130,000 were injured.

In the immediate aftermath, international aid and relief efforts flooded Turkey, providing much-needed medical aid and rescue. One of the largest delegations in the world came from Israel. Rescue personnel from Israel weren't just from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), but from United Hatzalah, an Israel-based rescue group that has become famous for being among the first on the ground after a disaster.

In this week's podcast, we sit down with Eli Beer, the founder of United Hatzalah. Eli shares with us the backstory of how his team was able to get to Turkey so quickly, the incredible efforts behind the scenes, and the details of a security threat that forced them to return earlier than planned.

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In January 2019,  during a town hall-style meeting in St. Catharines, Ontario, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau blasted the BDS (Boycott Divestment Sanctions) movement as antisemitic, and said it ran contrary to "Canadian values."

While Canada has been a vocal opponent of antisemitism in general and movements like BDS in particular, having been one of the first countries to adopt the IHRA (International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance) working definition of antisemitism, can more be done?

To help stop the scourge of Jew-hatred, what other efforts and methods can be used in this fight to protect and advocate for Canada's Jewish population?

In this week's podcast, we sit down with Member of Parliament Anthony Housefather, who represents the Montreal riding of Mount Royal, one of the country's most heavily Jewish constituencies.

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In recent years, Israel has celebrated a number of high-profile peace agreements with Arab and Islamic countries in the Middle East and Africa, including Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Morocco, Sudan, and others.

And while these normalization agreements have been widely celebrated in Israel, they don't provide a complete picture of what's happening beneath the surface regarding relations between the Jewish State and countries in the Middle East and beyond.

What kind of relations does Israel enjoy with other Islamic countries, and why are some of them holding back from expanding or otherwise formalizing ties?

In this week's podcast, we sit down with Joshua Krasna. Joshua is an Israel-based researcher, commentator, and teacher specializing in strategic studies, intelligence studies, and international politics of the Middle East, the Arab World, and Israel. He serves as the Director, of the Center for Emerging Energy Politics in the Middle East; a political and strategic analyst at the Foreign Policy Research Institute.

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Antisemitism has been called the world's oldest hatred. But that doesn't mean there aren't modern tools available for combatting it. In Canada, the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism has been accepted by the federal government, as well as a number of provinces and municipalities as well.

But is simply adopting the definition sufficient for combatting antisemitism, or can more be done?

In this week's episode, we sit down with Melissa Lantsman. Melissa is the federal Member of Parliament for the riding of Thornhill and the Deputy Leader of The Conservative Party of Canada, and she joins us to discuss the role that elected officials can play in helping to utilize IHRA and other tools in the fight against antisemitism.

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The nefarious activities of Iran's theocratic leadership are well known, from funding Islamist terrorist activity in the Middle East and beyond to brutally suppressing dissent within its own borders. But lesser-known is the details of the Islamic Republic's nuclear ambitions.

While global negotiations over Iran's nuclear program are frequently in the news, the details are often less clear, including how much progress Tehran is making, how experts know it is developing weapons, rather than nuclear power, and how long will it take Iran on its current course to develop weapons potentially?

In this week's podcast, we sit down with Tzvi Kahn, Research Fellow, and Senior Editor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, to help simplify some of the often complex answers around these questions.

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Ken Timmerman is an author and former foreign correspondent who was once held captive by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in 1982 during the First Lebanon War.

He's also worked as a journalist in Egypt and Iraq. His newest book, "And the Rest is History, Tales of Hostages, Arms Dealers, Dirty Tricks and Spies", is a biographical account of his experiences as a war correspondent in the Middle East.

In this week's episode of The Honest Report, we sit down with Ken to discuss his own experiences, as well as his perspective on how journalism, and in particular war journalism in the Middle East, has changed in the last 40 years.

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While the BDS (Boycott Divestment Sanctions) movement portrays itself as a grassroots campaign using legal means to combat alleged Israeli crimes, at its core, the movement is radically different.

In addition to spreading anti-Israel disinformation, BDS campaigners also frequently use tools of discrimination in their attempt to demonize the Jewish State. While these efforts can take place anywhere, college and university campuses, as well as inside the halls of government, are frequent targets for this battleground aimed at delegitimizing Israel.

In the face of these campaigns, many pro-Israel efforts have been launched in response, including the use of legal means. In this week's podcast, we sit down with Ron Machol, the Israel-based Chief Operating Officer of Zachor Legal Institute. Ron has a hi-tech background and is responsible for project development and outreach at the organization.

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