The Honest Report

If Israel is the start-up nation of the world, then Tel Aviv is the beating heart of that start-up nation.

But what is it about Tel Aviv, the cultural and economic capital of Israel, that makes it such a mecca for investment, innovation, and ingenuity? And what lessons can Tel Aviv teach the rest of Israel about what it means to share positive publicity with the rest of the world?

In this week’s podcast, we sit down with Eytan Schwartz. Eytan is perhaps best known in Israel as being the winner of the first season of "The Ambassador," a popular Israeli reality Television program that focused on improving Israel’s image.

He has served as  head of Media & Tourism at the Tel Aviv Municipality, as well as the CEO of Tel Aviv Global – an initiative aimed at promoting Tel Aviv as an international center of innovation

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Given Qatar’s support for Hamas terrorism against Israel, its creation of Al Jazeera as a propaganda arm, and its brutal treatment of its foreign workers, critics have questioned how the country was able to secure such a high-profile tournament.

But after the games conclude, the questions will remain: will being awarded the World Cup enable its extremism, or will it help to moderate the oil-rich kingdom?

For his perspective on this, we are joined on this week’s podcast by Tal Brody. Tal is an Israeli former professional basketball player and current goodwill ambassador of Israel. Brody was drafted in the National Basketball Association (NBA) draft but chose to pass up an NBA career, to instead play basketball in Israel.

Today, Tal is a sought-after speaker in the world of Israel and sport.

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In the summer of 2006, Israel and Hezbollah, the Lebanon-based Shia Islamist terrorist group, engaged in an armed conflict which lasted 34 days and killed more than 100 Israelis. News reports widely called the conflict a stalemate, with no clear winner.

Sixteen years later, Hezbollah is just as devoted to Israel's destruction as it ever was, but now its capabilities are far greater than ever before. But how much of a threat to Israel's security is Hezbollah? Does the group really possess the ability to attack and invade Israel - and hold Israeli territory, as it's claimed to be able to do - or is the real danger far less acute?

In this week's podcast, we sit down with Sarit Zehavi, the founder & president of the Alma Research & Education Center.

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It's hardly news that Israel is in a tough neighbourhood, with Syria and Hezbollah in Lebanon on the Jewish State's doorstep, and the Islamic Republic of Iran, a menacing regime looking to develop nuclear weapons, wields significant influence across the region.

But the Russian-Ukrainian war raging in Europe is also now impacting Israel directly, specifically the country's ability to operate against Iranian threats in Syria. What do all these changing dynamics mean for Israel?

In this week's podcast, we sit down with Brian Hay. Brian is the President of the Mackenzie Institute for the Study of Terror, Propaganda, and Social Instability, an independent and non-partisan think tank in Toronto.

When it comes to combatting anti-Israel and anti-Jewish discrimination, using the law has been an increasingly popular tool used by pro-Israel advocates. But behind the headlines, how has pro-Israel lawfare changed in recent years, and how have anti-Israel activists been using the same laws to push anti-Israel disinformation?

In this week's podcast, we sit down with Aaron Rosenberg for his in-depth analysis.

Aaron is a partner at RE-LAW LLP, a Toronto law firm, where he specializes in employment and human rights law. Aaron has been actively involved in a number of cases in recent years and offers a very rare insight into both the strategies and tactics used on both sides.

Aaron is a civil rights advocate devoted to the defense of civil rights, the pursuit of social justice, and mobilizing communities toward positive change. His advocacy work has inspired changes to legislation and has improved conditions for vulnerable groups in the workplace. Aaron's work has been featured in national media, including the CBC, the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, and the National Post.

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In 1897, the First Zionist Congress was held in a seaside resort in the city of Basel, Switzerland. Led by journalist Theodore Herzl, the conference helped kick off the Zionist Organization, and the Zionist movement in general.

Now, 125 years later, Herzl's dream has come true. The State of Israel is alive and well, and in fact thriving, though by no means is it without challenges, many of them serious.

So what would Herzl think of today's Israel? Surely he would be proud of the country, but what challenges would still be keeping him up at night, and what issues would he still be driven to address?

In this week's podcast, we sit down with Professor Gil Troy. Professor Troy is an author and noted historian who has written extensively about Theodore Herzl and the Zionist movement, from Herzl until today.

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Recent years have shown the tremendous economic growth that has blossomed as a result of peace deals between Israel and a number of Arab states, including Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

But what about Israel and the Palestinians?

Despite the absence of a peace deal, millions of Israelis and Palestinians live in very close proximity to one another, and helping them to work together can make everyone's lives better.

That's what Avi Zimmerman is trying to achieve. Zimmerman is an entrepreneur serving as the President of the Judea Samaria Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and is also CEO at Integrated Business Roundtable, which brings together Jews and Arabs who live in Judea & Samaria - often called the West Bank - to work together, invest together, and help improve the quality of living for everyone.

And while efforts like Zimmerman's aren't always what the news media takes note of, he's nevertheless making significant changes on the ground.

Avi is our guest this week. Welcome to The Honest Report podcast.

On Tuesday, November 1, Israelis will be heading to the polls – again. In fact, it will be the fifth election in only three years. How did Israeli politics get to be this state, what does the future hold for Benjamin Netanyahu – called King Bibi for his longevity in Israeli politics – and what are the major issues at play?

In this week’s episode of The Honest Report, we sit down with Ruthie Blum. Ruthie is a Jerusalem-based columnist for the Jerusalem Post, among other publications, and she shares with us her perspectives on what this Israeli election is about, what Israelis are concerned about, and what she sees as being the likeliest outcome of the vote next week.

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Hamas, the Gaza-based Islamist terrorist group, has been a longtime recipient of funds from the government of Qatar, the oil-rich gulf kingdom.

In fact, Khaled Mashaal, the leader of Hamas, is currently in exile in the kingdom, where he can direct the Islamist group’s actions far away from harm.

But the Qatari government’s focus on Israel does not end with funding Hamas; that’s only the tip of the iceberg. The kingdom also invests in the Middle Eastern departments of Western universities, helping to spread its ideology into the minds of the next generation on campuses.

In this episode of The Honest Report, we sit down with Gregg Roman, Director of the Middle East Forum, for his thoughts on the Qatari investment in universities and its implications, as well as a new initiative called the Israel Victory Project which seeks to convince anti-Israel actors that seeking to destroy the Jewish State is a hopeless endeavour.

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In 1995, an organization was born at the Edith Wolfson Medical Centre near Tel Aviv. It aimed to provide top-tier heart surgery to as many needy children from around the world as possible, all at no cost.

In the 37 years since, Save a Child’s Heart has operated on thousands of children, saving countless lives in the process. But what makes the organization’s work especially noteworthy is that many of the children come from countries and regions with whom Israel has no diplomatic relations, including Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

As such, Save a Child’s Heart has become more than a humanitarian organization; it’s become somewhat of a symbol of the Jewish State at large – extending a helping hand around the world.

In this week’s episode of The Honest Report, we sit down with Tamar Shapira, Deputy Executive Director of Save a Child’s Heart, for her behind-the-scenes sharing of the remarkable stories from this microcosm of Israel.

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