PEACE TALK

Music: Daniel Green

Artwork: Amir Levy

PEACE TALK

PEACE TALK

Episode 11

Jonathan Sacerdoti and Moataz Khalil interview MORDECHAI KEDAR, the Israeli expert in Arabic culture who famously schooled Al Jazeera on the Quran.

Prof Kedar learnt Arabic as a schoolboy and has worked in intelligence and academia since, using his expert knowledge of the Quran, Arabic texts and the Arabic language to better understand the complexities and realities of the Middle East.

In a searingly honest interview he discusses the differences between Western and Arab news stations, the idea of creating a Palestinian Emirates instead of a single Palestinian state and the true war doctrine of Hamas.

00:00 Coming up…

02:22 Introduction to Mordechai Kedar

02:40 How to speak to the Arab media (in Arabic)

05:46 Speaking Hebrew and being Israeli in the Middle East

08:45 How did you come to learn Arabic?

11:20 The Eight State Solution

12:40 Failed Arab states and successful ones

14:33 Can democracy work in the Arab world?

17:13 Islam and war

21:08 How to ensure a Palestinian state doesn't fail

23:14 Gaza and its administrative structure

26:00 Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood and Egypt

29:00 Causing offence as a communications strategy

31:09 'Al-Aqsa' is not Jerusalem: the history of the Islamic connection to Jerusalem

34:00 Palestinian and wider Islamic attitude to Jerusalem, Israel and Jews

PEACE TALK

Jonathan and Moataz interview Itamar Marcus, Director of Palestinian Media Watch.

British-born journalist and international affairs Tom Gross shares his vision predictions for the future of Israel and the Middle East, as well as discussing rising antisemitism around the world, and how the Arab world sees Jews and Israel. Formerly Jerusalem correspondent for the Sunday Telegraph (UK) and the New York Daily News, Tom has spent decades traveling and observing the Middle East, bringing a wealth of knowledge and information to the discussion.

Discussing the malign influence of Qatar in the Middle East and wider world, the complications of ceasefires and hostage deals, and the warning signs missed by Israeli intelligence and politicians before October 7th, Jonathan and Moataz interview Yigal Carmon, the President and founder of the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI). His organisation conducts deep research and translation of media material from multiple languages to help explain the Middle East (and beyond) to English speaking audiences.

PEACE TALK

Jonathan and Moataz discuss the New York Times' op-ed by the mayor of Gaza City, BBC Arabic's treatment of Israel, and Kanye West's 'apology' to Jews.