The Honest Report

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Welcome to The Honest Report podcast.

On May 14, 1948, David Ben Gurion, Israel's first prime minister, proclaimed the Jewish State's independence.

Across Israel, euphoria erupted as crowds celebrated the country's rebirth after two thousand years of exile.

While today, Israel’s rebirth and subsequent successes seem ordinary, it was not too long ago that the concept was far-fetched; But thanks to Theodor Herzl, an Austrian lawyer, and journalist, who penned the book Der Judenstaat (The State of the Jews), the Jewish nation-state became a reality.

Herzl, who died in 1904, never got to see his vision come to fruition, but his memory is being kept alive today by people like David Matlow. Matlow, a Toronto lawyer, is also the world's largest collector of Theodor Herzl memorabilia, and whose recent book, 75 Treasures: Celebrating Israel at Seventy-Five, offers readers a collection of Herzl memorabilia. It is available free at herzlcollection.com.

In this week's podcast, we sit down with David Matlow to discuss Theodor Herzl, his collection, and Herzl's legacy as Israel turns 75.

Welcome to The Honest Report.