Podcast appearances and mentions of Peter Beinart

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In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart speaks with international lawyer Itay Epshtain about the recent decision by 12 countries, led by the UK and France and including Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden, to UK, to impose sanctions on Israel, including import bans on goods from Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The new policies may also include sanctions against companies providing services, such as construction or financing, for Israeli settlements in the West Bank, personal sanctions against individual Israeli settlers, and a new bank on certain weapons used in the Israeli occupation of the West Bank. In their conversation, Peter and Itay look at how the International Court of Justice set the stage for these sanctions, how the UK and other countries will determine what sanctions to impose, and how Israeli banks and businesses are reacting to the prospect of being sanctioned. Itay Epshtain is a Senior Humanitarian Law and Policy Consultant, serving as a Special Advisor on International Law and Humanitarian Principles to the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and Legal Advisor at the Center for Operational Analysis and Research (COAR). Formerly, the Policy and Protection Advisor of the NRC Palestine Office, West Bank Protection Consortium Chief of Party, International Humanitarian Law Advisor with Diakonia IHL Resource Centre, and Director of Amnesty International Israel Section. Peter Beinart is a Non-Resident Fellow at the Foundation for Middle East Peace. He is also a Professor of Journalism and Political Science at the City University of New York, a Contributing opinion writer at the New York Times, an Editor-at-Large at Jewish Currents, and an MSNOW Political Commentator. His newest book (published 2025) is Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning. He publishes regularly on https://peterbeinart.substack.com/. Original music by Jalal Yaquoub.

Negar Mortazavi joins Peter Beinart on the Occupied Thoughts podcast to discuss the sixth month of war on Iran, what the U.S. got wrong in its expectations for the war, why the MOU broke down, the impacts of sanctions and economic warfare on the ground in Iran, and how the Iranian diaspora is navigating the war.Occupied Thoughts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/occupied-thoughts/id1442278034?i=1000788531557

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart speaks with journalist and commentator Negar Mortazavi about the developments & dynamics around the now six-month old war in Iran. They discuss what the U.S. got wrong in its expectations for the war, why the MOU between the U.S. & Iran broke down, and how the economic warfare of sanctions is working. They also look at what is happening on the ground in Iran, including with the possibility of real opposition to the regime, and how the Iranian diaspora is navigating the war, opposition to the regime, and divisions in the diaspora.  Negar Mortazavi is an award-winning journalist and commentator, editor and host of the Iran Podcast, and a Senior Fellow at the Center for International Policy (CIP), based in Washington DC. She has been covering Iranian and Middle Eastern affairs as well as US foreign policy towards the Middle East for fifteen years. She is a frequent media commentator and has appeared on CNN, NBC, NPR, BBC, France24, Aljazeera, and other global outlets. She has written for Foreign Policy magazine, Politico, The Intercept, The Independent, and other publications, and is regularly invited to speak at panels and conferences around the world about Iranian affairs and US foreign policy. Peter Beinart is a Non-Resident Fellow at the Foundation for Middle East Peace. He is also a Professor of Journalism and Political Science at the City University of New York, a Contributing opinion writer at the New York Times, an Editor-at-Large at Jewish Currents, and an MSNOW Political Commentator. His newest book (published 2025) is Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning. He publishes regularly on https://peterbeinart.substack.com/. Original music by Jalal Yaquob.

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart speaks with researcher Ben Lorber about the "bad-faith disinfo[rmation] attacks" against Hasan Piker and others, which cast critiques of Israel as antisemitism. Peter and Ben look at the competition between the Left and the Right to explain Israel's behavior and define anti-Israel politics, with the Left offering a structural critique of Israel, naming imperialism and ethnonationalism, versus the Right's focus on what they identify as essentialist faults with Jewish character and identity. Ben and Peter also discuss how bad-faith accusations of antisemitism make it difficult to hold productive conversations about antisemitism, Israeli policy, and other political issues, how to think about "calling someone out" vs. "calling them in" over political disagreements; and how to think about political strategies for both short-term and long-term goals.  Ben Lorber is a writer, researcher and movement strategist. He works as Senior Research Analyst at Political Research Associates, a think tank that works to understand and counter authoritarian movements, where he focuses on antisemitism and white Christian nationalism. He is co-author of Safety Through Solidarity: A Radical Guide to Fighting Antisemitism (Melville House, 2024). Peter Beinart is a Non-Resident Fellow at the Foundation for Middle East Peace. He is also a Professor of Journalism and Political Science at the City University of New York, a Contributing opinion writer at the New York Times, an Editor-at-Large at Jewish Currents, and an MSNOW Political Commentator. His newest book (published 2025) is Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning. He publishes regularly on https://peterbeinart.substack.com/. Original music by Jalal Yaquob

(The full Dish returns on September 4. In the meantime, we are re-airing a handful of the most downloaded episodes from the early years of the Dishcast.)The Middle East has become one of the most contested topics here at the Dish. So on our summer break, we thought we'd run some classics, popular with Dishheads and ageing well. So here's the great and humane Yossi Klein Halevi from 2022.Yossi is an American-born Israeli journalist, and his latest book is Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor. After our pod with Peter Beinart in July 2021, many of you recommended Yossi to balance out the discussion on Israel. I was grateful for the suggestion and truly enjoyed our January 2022 talk — alternately honest and difficult. How can one admire Israel while also being candid about its flaws? How deeply utopian was Zionism in the first place?Go here for a polished transcript. We also have two clips on YouTube — on the “bizarre, tragic” history of Zionism, and on the intractable nature of the Israeli settlements. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewsullivan.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart speaks with Eli Clifton and Ian Lustick, co-authors of the new book Israel's Lobby: America in the Grip of a Foreign Power. They discuss the priorities and mechanisms used by what the call the Israel Lobby and whether it always gets its way; how to talk about the Israel lobby without being a conspiracy theorist; and the possibilities for the Israel lobby's future.  Eli Clifton is an investigative journalist who focuses on money in politics and US foreign policy. He is a cofounder of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft where he serves as a senior adviser. His work has appeared in The Guardian, The Nation, The Intercept, The South China Morning Post, LobeLog, Salon, HuffPost, The Daily Beast, Slate, Gawker, Foreign Policy, and Responsible Statecraft. Ian S. Lustick is the Bess W. Heyman Chair, Emeritus, in the Political Science Department of the University of Pennsylvania. He served in the Carter administration as the State Department's expert on Israel-Palestine affairs and subsequently became a regular consultant with American administrations on US foreign policy and national security affairs. He is a founder and past President of the Association for Israel Studies and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Peter Beinart is a Non-Resident Fellow at the Foundation for Middle East Peace. He is also a Professor of Journalism and Political Science at the City University of New York, a Contributing opinion writer at the New York Times, an Editor-at-Large at Jewish Currents, and an MSNOW Political Commentator. His newest book (published 2025) is Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning. He publishes regularly on https://peterbeinart.substack.com/. Original music by Jalal Yaquoub.

Progressive outsider candidate Abdul El-Sayed narrowly prevailed over establishment pick Haley Stevens to win the Democratic nomination for Michigan's open Senate seat, though AIPAC spent tens of millions of dollars to defeat him. The narrative that has emerged before and after the primary is one that stresses El-Sayed's weakness with Black and Jewish voters.As Jewish Currents senior reporter Alex Kane wrote earlier this month, Black and Jewish centrists are teaming up in key races to defeat progressive candidates, whom they portray as fixated on Palestine at the expense of their Black constituents. As Darius Jones—senior adviser to a Black centrist group called the National Black Empowerment Action Fund and longtime AIPAC operative—told Jewish Currents, “Focusing on a “foreign conflict” won't “lower health care or housing costs for a Black senior in Detroit, or ensure that a path to home ownership easier for a Black constituent in St Louis or Ferguson.” These Black politicos have endeavored to link moderate Democratic policies and Black interests; reflecting on El-Sayed's attacks on the Democratic establishment, for example, party strategist Jamal Simmons told The Hill that such “attacks on the Democratic establishment in places like Detroit are attacks on Black leaders.” Meanwhile, moderates and conservatives across the country appear intent on pushing the narrative that democratic socialism is the province of privileged white people, pointing to the demographics of the group's membership and the class backgrounds of Mayor Zohran Mamdani's staffers and advisers. To discuss the ways that the figure of the “Black voter” is being used in the fight over the direction of the Democratic Party, host Arielle Angel and Alex Kane welcome Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor—professor of African American studies at Princeton University, author of From #BlackLivesMatter to Black Liberation, and a co-founder of the digital magazine Hammer & Hope—to On the Nose. They discuss the role of Israel/Palestine in Black politics, the fallacy that Black voters are more moderate on the issues, and what to do with DSA's demographic problem.Thanks to Jules Natt for editing and to Nathan Salsburg for the use of his song “VIII (All That Were Calculated Have Passed).”Media Mentioned and Further Reading“The End of Black Politics,” Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, The New York Times“Donald Trump's Victory, the Elitism of Democrats, and the Need to Build a Hospitable Left,” Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor and Daniel Denvir, Hammer & Hope“With Jewish Establishment's Help, a Black Political Group Battles the Left,” Alex Kane, Jewish Currents“An Anti-AIPAC Insurgent Tests Her Message in a Working-Class Stronghold,” Alex Kane, Jewish Currents“The Congressional Black Caucus's Silent Partnership With AIPAC,” Anthony Conwright, The Nation“Can Abdul El-Sayed unite Dems? He has work to do with Black, Jewish voters,” Simon D. Schuster, Bridge Michigan“Who Is Abdul El-Sayed? His Harsh Trump Takedown Is a Clue,” Daily Blast with Greg Sargent, The New Republic“El-Sayed faces ‘risky bet' with Michigan's Black voters,” Amie Parnes and Caroline Vakil, The Hill“NYC-DSA is 60% white, internal survey says,” Peter Sterne, City & State“How ‘Pro-Israel' Orthodoxy Keeps US Foreign Policymaking White,” Peter Beinart, Jewish Currents“Valerie Foushee ‘Will Not Accept' AIPAC Money in 2026 Election,” Chase Pelligrini de Paur, Indy“The Revolutionary Imperative,” Neil Smith, AntipodeSiena University poll of DSA favorability“Most Americans Say Policing Needs 'Major Changes,'” Steve Crabtree, Gallup“AOC and Mamdani wanted to defund the police. Their backtracking puts organizers at risk,” Derecka Purnell, The Guardian“Movement for Black Lives opposes George Floyd Justice in Policing Act,” AP“Eliot Engel, Jamaal Bowman, and the CBC,” Alexander Sammon, The American ProspectCommunists in Harlem During the Depression by Marc NaisonThe New Jim Crow by Michelle AlexanderTranscript forthcoming.

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor interviews FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart about Peter's recent Jewish Currents essay, "The Shame of the American Jewish Establishment," which offers a political and historical look at American Jewish institutions, known broadly as the American Jewish establishment. They discuss Peter's analysis of the trajectory of American Jewish institutions & their leadership, which in the mid-20th century saw American Jewish wellbeing as tied to the growth and expansion of American liberal democracy and thus supported civil rights, women's rights, and LGBT+ rights, and where they are now, which is abandoning the fight for American democracy in favor of support for the state of Israel. Peter posits that if American Jewish institutions and the people who work in them once navigated a dichotomy in which they supported legal equality in the United States but Jewish supremacy in Israel/Palestine, that contradiction has been solved: in the wake of Israel's assault on Gaza and Trump's 2024 return to power, these institutions and their leadership prioritize support for Israel over any other values or needs, including the dangerous growth of Christian nationalism, election denial, and open racism. Ahmed & Peter also discuss why they think it is important to speak with people with whom they hold profound disagreements - such as Curt Mills and Tucker Carlson - and why it's both necessary and possible to challenge them on the racism and other hate they explicitly or implicitly platform. Peter Beinart is a Non-Resident Fellow at the Foundation for Middle East Peace. He is also a Professor of Journalism and Political Science at the City University of New York, a Contributing opinion writer at the New York Times, an Editor-at-Large at Jewish Currents, and an MSNOW Political Commentator. His newest book (published 2025) is Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning. He publishes regularly on https://peterbeinart.substack.com/. Ahmed Moor is a Palestinian-American writer born in Gaza and a Fellow at FMEP. He is an advisory board member of the US Campaign for Palestinian rights, co-editor of After Zionism (Saqi Books) and is currently writing a book about Palestine. He also currently serves on the board of the Independence Media Foundation. His work has been published in The Guardian, The London Review of Books, The Nation, and elsewhere. He earned a BA at the University of Pennsylvania and an MPP at Harvard University. You can follow Ahmed on Substack at: https://ahmedmoor.substack.com and on X at @AhmedMoor. Original music by Jalal Yaquoub.

This episode originally aired June 15, 2026 on Patreon — we're unlocking it for the rest of you.  Author and Jewish Currents editor-at-large Peter Beinart returns to "Know Your Enemy" to discuss Tucker Carlson's newfound anti-Israel politics, their connection to his broader nationalist project, and how the left should think about right-wing anti-zionism. Sources: Peter Beinart, "What Tucker Carlson Means When He Talks About Israel," New York Times, April 28, 2026 — "Progressives Must Not Give Tucker Carlson a Pass," The Beinart Notebook, May 11, 2026 — Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning, (2025) Daniel G. Hummel, The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism (2023) "Tyler Oliveira: Exposing Somali Welfare Abuse, Republican Hypocrisy & the Group You Can't Criticize," The Tucker Carlson Show, May 8, 2026 Will Alden, "The Many Equivocations of Curt Mills," Jewish Currents, April 16, 2026.

What does the war in Gaza mean for the future of Israel, Zionism and Jewish identity?Peter Beinart has become one of the most prominent and controversial Jewish voices challenging Israel's political direction. Once a supporter of a two-state solution, he now argues that lasting peace can only come through equal rights for Israelis and Palestinians, regardless of religion or ethnicity.In this conversation with Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald, Beinart explains his struggle with the idea of a Jewish state, how his South African upbringing shaped his views on nationalism and democracy, and why he believes Israel is becoming increasingly isolated internationally.Beinart also asks: how can you make a plan for the future when there is no clear way for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza to make their voice heard? Without elected representatives, how can decision-makers know what the Palestinian people want for themselves?Get in touch:We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.auFind all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts. 

As the Gaza war stretches into its third year, journalism professor and MSNBC analyst Peter Beinart claims that, as a Jew, he must reckon with the intense moral and theological tensions that not only he holds, but what he sees as challenges for Judaism as a whole. Because of these tensions, Beinart believes the Jewish community must build a new answer to the question: What does it mean to be a Jew? From his book, Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning, MSNBC analyst Peter Beinart imagines a world where Israeli Jews have the right to equality, not supremacy, and in which Jewish and Palestinian safety are not mutually exclusive but intertwined. In Beinart's view, one story dominates Jewish communal life: that of persecution and victimhood. It is a story that erases much of the nuance of Jewish religious tradition and warps our understanding of Israel and Palestine. Beinart claims that, as a Jew, he must reckon with the intense moral and theological tensions that not only he holds, but what he sees as challenges for Judaism as a whole. Because of these tensions, Beinart believes the Jewish community must tell a new story and build a new answer to the question: What does it mean to be a Jew? From his book, Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza, Beinart offers a path toward resolution. A frequent contributor to The New York Times and an MSNBC analyst, Peter Beinart is a professor of journalism and political science at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. He is also the editor at large of Jewish Currents and writes The Beinart Notebook, a weekly newsletter. He lives with his family in New York City. Professor Smadar Ben-Natan is a professor of human rights at the School of Global Studies and Languages, University of Oregon. A legal scholar of human rights, criminal justice, and armed conflict, she is an expert on Israel/Palestine. She is working on two books: Citizen-Enemies: Military Courts and the Construction of Citizenship in Israel/Palestine; and The Carceral State in Conflict: Between Reconciliation and Radicalization. Professor Ben-Natan received her PhD in law from Tel Aviv University and a master's in international human rights law from the University of Oxford. She also served as a visiting scholar at UC Berkeley and Harvard, and as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Washington. Buy the Book Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning (Hardcover) Third Place Books

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP fellow Peter Beinart speaks with Abed Abou Shhadeh, a community organizer based in Jaffa who served as a City Council representative of the Palestinian community in Jaffa-Tel Aviv from 2018 to 2024. The discussion centered on an essay Abed published June 18, 2026 at +972 Magazine: The Palestine movement must seek power over purity - https://www.972mag.com/palestine-bds-power-purity/

CHAPTERS 0:00 Intro - four nice things about Peter Beinart 4:50 Will God punish Israel? Jeremiah, tradition, and belief 13:20 The critical-mass hypothetical: a 49% Hasidic America 22:03 Quebec, Czechoslovakia, South Africa - why not divorce? 41:35 The right of return: "You can cherry-pick anything" 54:24 1948: They were closer to the Holocaust than we are to COVID 63:40 Day one of a one-state solution: the list 79:53 "An agenda dressed up in violins" Claude Says: Peter Beinart - editor-at-large of Jewish Currents, New York Times opinion writer, and author of "Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza" - joins Noam Dworman and Dan Naturman for an honest, occasionally heated conversation about the questions underneath the Israel-Palestine debate. Does Jewish tradition teach that Israel's survival depends on its ethics - and does Beinart, an observant Jew, mean that literally? Is there such a thing as demographic critical mass? Why is secession the answer everywhere from Quebec to Czechoslovakia, but one shared state the answer here? Is the Palestinian right of return a sacred principle, a practical question, or - as Noam puts it - "an agenda dressed up in violins"? Plus: South Africa and Mandela, Iran, the Olmert-Abbas offers, what Benny Morris actually wrote about 1948, Robert Jackson's "suicide pact," and what day one of a one-state solution would look like for a gay couple in Tel Aviv. Two people who disagree about almost everything - except the settlements - actually talk to each other. Peter's book: Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza https://bit.ly/4ygbHH8 Peter's Substack: The Beinart Notebook https://peterbeinart.substack.com/

CHAPTERS 0:00 Intro - four nice things about Peter Beinart 4:50 Will God punish Israel? Jeremiah, tradition, and belief 13:20 The critical-mass hypothetical: a 49% Hasidic America 22:03 Quebec, Czechoslovakia, South Africa - why not divorce? 41:35 The right of return: "You can cherry-pick anything" 54:24 1948: They were closer to the Holocaust than we are to COVID 63:40 Day one of a one-state solution: the list 79:53 "An agenda dressed up in violins" Claude Says: Peter Beinart - editor-at-large of Jewish Currents, New York Times opinion writer, and author of "Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza" - joins Noam Dworman and Dan Naturman for an honest, occasionally heated conversation about the questions underneath the Israel-Palestine debate. Does Jewish tradition teach that Israel's survival depends on its ethics - and does Beinart, an observant Jew, mean that literally? Is there such a thing as demographic critical mass? Why is secession the answer everywhere from Quebec to Czechoslovakia, but one shared state the answer here? Is the Palestinian right of return a sacred principle, a practical question, or - as Noam puts it - "an agenda dressed up in violins"? Plus: South Africa and Mandela, Iran, the Olmert-Abbas offers, what Benny Morris actually wrote about 1948, Robert Jackson's "suicide pact," and what day one of a one-state solution would look like for a gay couple in Tel Aviv. Two people who disagree about almost everything - except the settlements - actually talk to each other. Peter's book: Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza https://bit.ly/4ygbHH8 Peter's Substack: The Beinart Notebook https://peterbeinart.substack.com/

Peter Beinart joins us to discuss how Jewish faith and practices have been used (and abused!) to justify the war on Gaza.Peter Beinart is an American journalist, political commentator, and professor at CUNY. He is an editor-at-large for Jewish Currents, and author of Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza (2025). He frequently publishes his foreign policy analysis and political commentary through his personal newsletter, The Beinart Notebook: https://peterbeinart.substack.com/Become a monthly supporter of Across the Divide on Patreon hereFollow Across the Divide for more on ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠⁠⁠‪@AcrosstheDividePodcast‬⁠⁠⁠Across the Divide is a podcast of the Bethlehem Institute of Peace and Justice (BIPJ). Learn more about BIPJ at BIPJ.org.

Peter Beinart joins Derek to unpack a major shift inside the Democratic Party. As Democratic Socialist-backed candidates notch a string of surprising primary victories, one issue has emerged as a defining political litmus test: Israel and the war in Gaza. But it's difficult to hold two ideas at once … that the war in Gaza is a moral catastrophe, and that antisemitism is rising in some of the spaces where that catastrophe is being debated. Derek and Peter discuss why the conflict has become so central to Democratic primaries, how debates over anti-Zionism and antisemitism are reshaping public life, and what it all means for the future of the Democratic coalition. Subscribe to our YouTube channel here:https://www.youtube.com/@PlainEnglishwithDerekThompson If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email us at PlainEnglish@Spotify.com. Host: Derek ThompsonGuest: Peter BeinartProducer: Devon BaroldiAdditional Production Support: Ben Glicksman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Peter Beinart is a writer and author who has contributed to The New Republic, The Atlantic, and The New York Times. He grew up a committed Zionist and has spent the last decade publicly refuting that position, arriving at the view that Israel cannot be reconciled with the principle of equality under the law. His most recent book, Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza, caused shock waves in the Jewish world. In this conversation, Coleman and Peter debate the Palestinian right of return and whether it's comparable to Israel's Law of Return for diaspora Jews. They argue over whether a one-state solution would produce equality or civil war, and whether the idea of comparing Israel to South Africa holds up under scrutiny. They get into the role of jihadist ideology in the conflict, whether Iran constitutes an existential threat to Israel, and what it would actually mean for Israel to be a democracy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listen to the rest of this premium episode by subscribing at patreon.com/knowyourenemy. Author and Jewish Currents editor-at-large Peter Beinart returns to "Know Your Enemy" to discuss Tucker Carlson's newfound anti-Israel politics, their connection to his broader nationalist project, and how the left should think about right-wing anti-zionism. Sources: Peter Beinart, "What Tucker Carlson Means When He Talks About Israel," New York Times, April 28, 2026 — "Progressives Must Not Give Tucker Carlson a Pass," The Beinart Notebook, May 11, 2026 — Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning, (2025) Daniel G. Hummel, The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism (2023) "Tyler Oliveira: Exposing Somali Welfare Abuse, Republican Hypocrisy & the Group You Can't Criticize," The Tucker Carlson Show, May 8, 2026 Will Alden, "The Many Equivocations of Curt Mills," Jewish Currents, April 16, 2026.

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart speaks with Professor Dana El Kurd (University of Richmond) and Professor Nader Hashemi (Georgetown University) about how the current war increases Iran's “soft power," why Saudi Arabia and the UAE are reacting differently to Iran and Israel, and why American hegemony remains in the Middle East.  ​​Dana El Kurd is an associate professor at the University of Richmond in the Department of Political Science, and a senior nonresident fellow at the Arab Center Washington. Nader Hashemi is the Director of the Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, an Associate Professor of Middle East and Islamic Politics at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, and a non-resident fellow at Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN). Peter Beinart is a Non-Resident Fellow at the Foundation for Middle East Peace. He is also a Professor of Journalism and Political Science at the City University of New York, a Contributing opinion writer at the New York Times, an Editor-at-Large at Jewish Currents, and an MSNOW Political Commentator. His newest book (published 2025) is Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning. He publishes regularly on https://peterbeinart.substack.com/. Original music by Jalal Yaquoub.

For generations, many on the political right have claimed that major news media in the U.S. have a pronounced liberal bias. Is it true? And why does it matter? We take a fresh look. By John Biewen with co-host Chenjerai Kumanyika. Interviews with Michael Massing, Peter Beinart, and William Youmans. Story editor: Diane Hodson. Assistant Producer, Arlene Arevalo. Fact-checking by Anna Pujol Mazzini. Music by Brian Blade and the Fellowship Band, Michelle Osis, Lili Haydn, Alex Weston, James Nathan Jones, and Jason Hill. Music consulting by Joe Augustine of Narrative Music.   Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

In 2021, famed Irish author Sally Rooney declined to publish her book in Israel because there was no BDS-compliant publisher. At the time, she said she would be “pleased and proud” to have her books translated into Hebrew, as long as it was done in a way that respected the principles of the boycott. Last week, Rooney announced that she was publishing a Hebrew translation of her latest book, Intermezzo, with November Books and +972 Magazine. The publishers had been vetted by PACBI, the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel, and deemed BDS compliant. This means November Books does not operate in Israeli settlements, receives no state funding, and explicitly recognizes the Palestinian right of return. In The Guardian, Rooney said she “kept in touch with PACBI along the way to try to ensure that I was upholding both the letter and the spirit of the institutional boycott.”Immediately, there was backlash. Some Palestinian writers, including Mohammed El Kurd and Susan Abulhawa, questioned the decision to use this “loophole” in BDS guidelines to bring the book to Israeli audiences. Why now? And why this? Even if it adheres to the letter of the boycott, does it capture the spirit, as Rooney says? On this episode of On the Nose, Arielle Angel speaks with Ahmed Moor, a writer and fellow at the Foundation for Middle East Peace; Maya Rosen, assistant editor at Jewish Currents; and Muhammad Shehada, a writer from Gaza and a visiting fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, about this tempest in a teapot surrounding the Hebrew translation of Intermezzo. They discuss whether this action hit its strategic marks, and what the response says about the Palestine movement's relationship to both the Israeli left and the prospect of changing Israeli society.Thanks to Jesse Brenneman for editing and to Nathan Salsburg for the use of his song “VIII (All That Were Calculated Have Passed).”Media Mentioned and Further ReadingBDS Guidelines“On +972 Magazine, Sally Rooney, and the centering of Israelis in an anti-colonial movement,” Susan Abulhawa, MondoweissThe Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine by Ilan Pappé“Yuval Noah Harari on Donald Trump's Core Delusion,” The Ezra Klein ShowPerfect Victims by Mohammed El Kurd“We're publishing Sally Rooney in Hebrew, in line with BDS. Here's how and why,” Haggai Matar, +972 MagazineSalma Shawa discussing Hebrew on Instagram“In the Middle of Our Palestinian Neighborhood, My Daughter Started Yelling in Hebrew,” Sari Bashi, HaaretzPACBI's Position on No Other Land“Did Zionism Go Wrong or Was It Always Wrong?,” Peter Beinart with Omer Bartov and Gideon Levy on the Beinart Notebook on SubstackTranscript forthcoming.

00:08  Peter Beinart, editor at large of Jewish Currents, proprietor of the Beinart Notebook newsletter, and author most recently of Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: a reckoning, which recently won the PEN America literary award for nonfiction. The post Peter Beinart on Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza appeared first on KPFA.

08:08 — Peter Beinart is Editor-at-Large at Jewish Currents and writes “Beinart Notebook” on Substack. He is also a professor at the Newmark School of Journalism of the City University of New York. His latest book is “Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning.” The post Fund Drive Special: Peter Beinart on Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza appeared first on KPFA.

Amid Israel's ongoing destruction of Gaza, its illegal annexation of land in the Occupied West Bank, and belligerent warmaking in Iran and Lebanon, antisemitism around the globe is rising—but so is an international chorus of anti-Zionist Jews speaking out against Israel's crimes. In this episode of The Marc Steiner Show, Marc speaks with renowned author and commentator Peter Beinart about his new book, Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza, and about the “civil war” within the Jewish world over Israel.Guests:Peter Beinart is a renowned author, professor, and analyst whose commentary regularly appears in The New York Times and MSNBC. Beinart is a professor of journalism and political science at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY, and he is the editor at large of Jewish Currents. Beinart is the author of numerous books, including his most recent work, Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning. He lives with his family in New York City and writes regularly for his Substack, The Beinart Notebook.Credits:Producer: Rosette SewaliStudio Production: David HebdenAudio Post-Production: Stephen FrankBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support.Help us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Follow us on:Bluesky: @therealnews.comFacebook: The Real News NetworkTwitter: @TheRealNewsYouTube: @therealnewsInstagram: @therealnewsnetworkBecome a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!

Amid Israel's ongoing destruction of Gaza, its illegal annexation of land in the Occupied West Bank, and belligerent warmaking in Iran and Lebanon, antisemitism around the globe is rising—but so is an international chorus of anti-Zionist Jews speaking out against Israel's crimes. In this episode of The Marc Steiner Show, Marc speaks with renowned author and commentator Peter Beinart about his new book, Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza, and about the “civil war” within the Jewish world over Israel.Guests:Peter Beinart is a renowned author, professor, and analyst whose commentary regularly appears in The New York Times and MSNBC. Beinart is a professor of journalism and political science at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY, and he is the editor at large of Jewish Currents. Beinart is the author of numerous books, including his most recent work, Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning. He lives with his family in New York City and writes regularly for his Substack, The Beinart Notebook.Credits:Producer: Rosette SewaliStudio Production: David HebdenAudio Post-Production: Stephen FrankBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-marc-steiner-show--4661751/support.Follow The Marc Steiner Show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.Help us continue producing The Marc Steiner Show by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterFollow us on BlueskyLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcast

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart speaks with Bard College Professor Ziad Abu-Rish about the roots of Israel's aggression against Lebanon. They discuss why Israel has been attacking Lebanon since 1948, why Hezbollah continues to fight Israel, and why the Lebanese military can't disarm Hezbollah. They draw upon this article that Ziad recently published in The Public Source, “Sovereignty Without Defense: The Army, the State, and Hezbollah's Weapons." Peter Beinart is a Non-Resident Fellow at the Foundation for Middle East Peace. He is also a Professor of Journalism and Political Science at the City University of New York, a Contributing opinion writer at the New York Times, an Editor-at-Large at Jewish Currents, and an MSNOW Political Commentator. His newest book (published 2025) is Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning. He publishes regularly on https://peterbeinart.substack.com/. Ziad Abu-Rish is Associate Professor of Human Rights and Middle Eastern Studies and Director, MA Program in Human Rights and the Arts at Bard College. He is a scholar of the modern Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. His research centers around state formation, economic development, and popular mobilizations, particularly in Lebanon and Jordan. His teaching experience includes undergraduate and graduate courses in human rights; comparative state formation; various themes in Middle East studies; and research methodologies. Abu-Rish is the author of The State of Lebanon: Popular Politics and Institution Building in the Wake of Independence (Stanford University Press, 2026). He co-created (with artist Tania El Khoury) The Search for Power, a touring lecture performance and sound installation exploring the history of electricity in Beirut. Abu-Rish is also coeditor of The Dawn of the Arab Uprisings: End of an Old Order? (2012) and Critical Voices: A Collection of Interviews from and on the Middle East (2015). Abu-Rish has also authored several articles appearing in Middle East Report and Review of Middle East Studies and chapters in edited volumes on the political economy of the Middle East, the Arab uprisings, and teaching Middle East history. Abu-Rish also serves as coeditor of Arab Studies Journal and Jadaliyya e-zine, and codirector of the Lebanese Dissertation Summer Institute. Original music by Jalal Yaquoub.

On this episode of On the Nose, Jewish Currents editor-in-chief Arielle Angel, publisher Daniel May, editor-at-large Peter Beinart, and advisory board member Simone Zimmerman answered listener questions about what accountability looks like for US rabbinic leadership, how American Zionists will respond to Israel's plummeting popularity, and more. For the very first time, this episode of On the Nose was recorded live in front of an audience, which gathered at Littlefield in Brooklyn. Thanks to the Littlefield staff for hosting and recording the event. Thanks to Jesse Brenneman for editing and to Nathan Salsburg for the use of his song “VIII (All That Were Calculated Have Passed).”Media Mentioned and Further Reading“J Street says Israel should fund its own defense,” Jacob Kornbluh, The Forward“Democratic Senators Face Pressure on Israel Arms Sales Vote,” Josh Nathan-Kazis, Jewish Currents“Democratic Presidential Contenders Are Turning on Israel. Will They Convince Progressives?,” Alex Kane, Jewish Currents“A Majority of Voters Support Senate Resolutions To Block Bombs and Bulldozers To Israel,” Common Dreams“The Many Equivocations of Curt Mills,” Will Alden, Jewish CurrentsHere Where We Live Is Our Country by Molly CrabappleJFNA Survey of Jewish Life since October 7 – Zionism Findings“Rhetoric Without Reckoning,” Simone Zimmerman, Jewish Currents“At Synagogues, Tensions Are Boiling Over,” Eyal Press, The New Yorker“The Rabbinic Freak-Out About Zohran Mamdani,” On the Nose“Nostra Aetate” from the Second Vatican Council“MAGA Catholics in Revolt,” On the Nose“Do No Harm! Palestinian Call for Ethical Tourism/Pilgrimage” from the BDS movementEverything You Have Is Yours, film about Hadar Ahuvia“The Capitalist's Kibbutz,” Sam Adler-Bell, Jewish CurrentsTranscript forthcoming.

As right-wing streamers like Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens have become more outspoken against Israel and against Zionist influence in American politics, their content has found new audiences online, even in a Palestine movement traditionally more associated with the left. Though the fracture on the right around Israel is a welcome development, the anti-Israel right's racist, misogynist, anti-trans, anti-immigrant, and antisemitic views raise questions about how the left should relate to this development, and what it can offer instead.On this episode of On the Nose, Jewish Currents editor-in-chief Arielle Angel speaks with Izz al-Din Mustafa, co-executive director of the Palestinian-led advocacy organization Adalah Justice Project, and Stefanie Fox, executive director at Jewish Voice for Peace, about whether the ubiquity of right-wing anti-Israel voices online was showing up in their face-to-face organizing. They discuss the perils and opportunities created by the growing popularity of conservative anti-Israel voices, the importance of IRL organizing, and how the left might reclaim the conversation. Thanks to Jesse Brenneman for editing and to Nathan Salsburg for the use of his song “VIII (All That Were Calculated Have Passed).”Media Mentioned and Further ReadingAdalah Justice ProjectJewish Voice for Peace“The Bondi Memo's Quiet Rewriting of Domestic Terrorism Rules,” Thomas E. Brzozowski, Lawfare“Verified pro-Nazi X accounts flourish under Elon Musk,” David Ingram, NBC News“Meta's Broken Promises: Systemic Censorship of Palestine Content on Instagram and Facebook,” Human Rights Watch“Joe Kent's Resignation Was Brave. His Analysis Was Faulty,” Peter Beinart, Jewish Currents“American Evangelicals' Declining Support for Israel,” Jonathan Kuttab, Arab Center Washington DCChristians for a Free Palestine“We need an exodus from Zionism,” Naomi Klein, The Guardian“MAGA Catholics In Revolt,” On the Nose“The Democratic Party debate over Hasan Piker is really a fight over Palestine's new place in U.S. politics,” Walter Lucken IV, Mondoweiss“Why do elite Democrats fear Hasan Piker?” Bhaskar Sunkara, The GuardianTranscript forthcoming.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit wisdomofcrowds.liveLast week, Shadi wrote a controversial essay over at Wisdom of Crowds titled “Does Israel Have a Right to Exist?” This week, we had our friend Peter Beinart on to the show to unpack the question some more. Peter is, among many other things, a contributing writer for the New York Times and the author of Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza. And last year he pen…

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart speaks with Mara Kronenfeld, Executive Director of UNRWA USA. They discuss the role of UNRWA (the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East) in the lives of Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon and especially in the West Bank and Gaza. UNRWA has 12,000 staff on the ground in Gaza now and continues to offer essential humanitarian support as well as schooling, despite attacks from Israel, which has destroyed more than 90% of UNRWA schools, refused to allow UNRWA-designated aid into Gaza and refuses to permit international UNRWA staff from entering Gaza and the West Bank, and the challenge of lost funding from many funder states including the United States. Peter and Mara discuss the content and success of UNRWA schooling, including addressing the accusations of antisemitism in UNRWA curricula, as well as the unsubstantiated allegations that some UNRWA staff participated in the October 7th, 2023 attacks inside of Israel. Finally, they discuss the enormous growth in funding support for UNRWA via UNRWA USA, which has sent $83 million dollars of raised funds to Gaza over the past 2.5 years. For more on UNRWA and UNRWA USA, see Israel has crushed Unrwa in Gaza – and the rest of the world has done nothing by Phillipe Lazzarini in The Guardian 3/21/26 and UNRWA is Still In Gaza by Mara Kronenfeld in December 2025 in the Washington Post (an UNRWA USA ad and op-ed).  Mara Kronenfeld is the Executive Director of UNRWA USA, where she leads the strategic vision, operations, and fundraising efforts of the nonprofit organization that supports the humanitarian and human development work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the Middle East. With over 20 years of experience in international development, Mara is a Fulbright Scholar and an expert in designing, implementing, and leading public private partnerships supporting youth development programming in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Peter Beinart is a Non-Resident Fellow at the Foundation for Middle East Peace. He is also a Professor of Journalism and Political Science at the City University of New York, a Contributing opinion writer at the New York Times, an Editor-at-Large at Jewish Currents, and an MSNOW Political Commentator. His newest book (published 2025) is Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning. He publishes regularly on https://peterbeinart.substack.com/. Original music by Jalal Yaquoub.

The US and Israel began a joint strike on Iran on February 28th, with the US immediately striking a girls' elementary school, killing more than 180, the vast majority of them children. The Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, was assassinated the very same day, and later replaced by his son Mojtaba; the US and Israel have continued to kill high-ranking figures in Iranian leadership. The human toll of this war is already being felt in Iran. Almost 1,500 Iranians have been killed since the war's start, and more than three million have been displaced. On March 6th, Israel struck three oil depots around Tehran, destroying crucial infrastructure while sending noxious particulate into the sky that will do long-term damage to the health of the city's inhabitants. Meanwhile, Iranians on the ground and in the diaspora are fracturing over US and Israeli actions. This war was preceded, in early January, by a grassroots uprising against the regime, which may have killed tens of thousands in crackdowns on the protests. This crackdown has been cited by opponents of the Iranian state as a justification for the war, and many in the diaspora have expressed support instead for the return of the monarchy, led by Reza Pahlavi, who has been living in exile since 1979, when his father, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, was deposed. This argument between pro- and anti-war segments of the community has become deeply fraught—sometimes relationship-ending—as Iranians across the globe battle over the future of their community. On this episode of On the Nose, Jewish Currents editor-in-chief Arielle Angel speaks with Narges Bajoghli, a professor at Johns Hopkins and the author of How Sanctions Work and Iran Reframed, and Manijeh Moradian, a professor at Barnard College and the author This Flame Within: Iranian Revolutionaries in the United States about the fractures roiling the Iranian diaspora, the nuances of the anti-war position in the face of a repressive regime, and the need to build an anti-imperialism for the 21st century. Thanks to Jesse Brenneman for editing and to Nathan Salsburg for the use of his song “VIII (All That Were Calculated Have Passed).”Media Mentioned and Further Reading“Hard Feelings,” Narges Bajoghli, New York “All Modern Warfare Is Chemical Warfare,” Narges Bajoghli, New York How Sanctions Work by Narges BajoghliIntroduction to “Iran in Crisis: Seven Essays on the Obstacles to Freedom,” Manijeh Moradian and Ida Nikou, JadaliyyaThis Flame Within: Iranian Revolutionaries in the United States by Manijeh MoradianInternational Women's Day AI slop depicting Israeli fighter pilots “liberating” the women of Iran“Iran Is Not an Existential Threat,” Peter Beinart, Jewish CurrentsTranscript forthcoming.

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.comWhat happens when your faith tradition and your political reality collide? In this episode, we sit down with Peter Beinartto unpack the moral and theological tensions shaping the war in Gaza and the broader debate around Zionism. Beinart walks through his personal evolution from liberal Zionist to a critic of the current Israeli framework, grounded in both lived experience and Jewish theological reflection.The conversation moves beyond surface-level talking points. Beinart explains how Zionism developed historically, how it became tied to Jewish safety, and why he now believes that framework creates moral contradictions—especially when it requires unequal treatment of Palestinians. He makes a case that systems built on political supremacy tend to generate instability and violence, drawing comparisons to apartheid South Africa and Jim Crow America.We also dig into something your audience will recognize: the role of religious narratives in shaping political behavior. Beinart draws a clear parallel between Jewish nationalism and Christian nationalism, arguing that when a state becomes central to religious identity, it can displace core theological commitments like human dignity. He points to how scripture—both Jewish and Christian—can be interpreted either to justify violence or to challenge it, depending on the framework applied.The episode closes with a practical takeaway: if people want a more grounded and humane understanding of the conflict, they need to listen directly to Palestinian voices. Without that, the conversation stays abstract—and disconnected from the human cost.Book: Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9780593803899Guest Bio:Peter Beinart is a professor of journalism and political science at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. He is a contributing opinion writer for The New York Times and editor-at-large of Jewish Currents. Beinart previously served as editor of The New Republic (1999–2006) and has written extensively on U.S. foreign policy, Zionism, and Jewish identity. His latest book, Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning, examines the moral and theological challenges facing Jewish communities inSupport the show

FMEP non resident fellow Peter Beinart is joined by Sari Bashi (Executive Director, Public Committee Against Torture in Israeli) to discuss the dismissal of charges against five Israeli soldiers who were filmed violently abusing and raping Palestinian detainees in the Sde Teiman facility - as well as the torture of Palestinians in Israeli custody more generally. For resources please visit: https://fmep.org/resource/sde-teiman-permission-to-rape/ Music by Jalal Yaqoub

Teaser ... Will the Iran war supercharge antisemitism? ... Varieties of Israeli-Jewish conflation ... The Epstein effect ... Tucker v. Israel vs Fuentes v. Israel ... Does MSM have a pro-Israel bias? ... The ADL's counterproductive speech policing ... Heading to Overtime ...

Last weekend, the United States and Israel started a war with Iran. The Trump administration has offered no real or convincing reason why they have dragged the country into war except “Israel was going to do it anyway,” and the president has no discernible war plan. Many have commented that this war seems to be an expression of pure power, undertaken by Trump largely because he can. Have we entered a new phase in malignant American foreign policy or is this just a striking “mask off” moment? In this episode of On the Nose, Jewish Currents editor-at-large Peter Beinart speaks with Aslı Ü. Bâli, the Howard M. Holtzmann Professor of Law at Yale and a non-resident fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, about what the war in Iran signals about the kind of global power the US has become, whether it represents rupture or continuity in the history of US imperialism, and what it means for the stability of the Middle East and the world.This episode first appeared on the Beinart Notebook on Substack. Thanks to Daniel Kaufman for editing help and to Nathan Salsburg for the use of his song “VIII (All That Were Calculated Have Passed).”Further Reading“The Path to the Trump Doctrine,” Aslı Ü. Bâli and Aziz Rana, Boston ReviewTranscript forthcoming.

Professor Peter Beinart joins the Britain Palestine Project to discuss his latest book, Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza (Knopf, 2025), and to reflect on what this moment demands morally, politically and spiritually.Beinart describes Gaza not only as a humanitarian catastrophe, but as a moral and theological crisis for Jewish communities worldwide.A central theme of the conversation is Beinart's argument that systems of legal supremacy - whether in Israel/Palestine, apartheid South Africa, the segregated American South, or Northern Ireland - always frame equality as existential threat.Drawing on examples from South Africa and Northern Ireland, he argues that liberation must be mutual: both the oppressed and the oppressor are diminished by inequality.He reflects candidly on personal consequences, including the loss of friendships, and the unique backlash faced by dissenting Jewish voices.Beinart stresses that antisemitism is real and must be confronted - but warns against its weaponisation to silence Palestinians and critics of Israeli policy.He warns that without genuine political change, Gaza risks becoming permanently unliveable, reinforcing displacement rather than rebuilding.Peter Beinart is Professor of Journalism and Political Science at the Newmark School of Journalism, City University of New York.

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart speaks with Myssana Morany, a lawyer and coordinator of the Land and Planning Rights Unit of Adalah, the legal center for Arab minority rights in Israel, and Sarit Michaeli, the International Advocacy Director at the Israeli human rights organization B'Tselem. They discuss forcible transfer and ethnic cleansing in the West Bank and the Naqab/Negev, looking at shared patterns of policy and action that supports Jewish control over land, enacting and entrenching the regime of Jewish supremacy from the Jordan river to the Mediterranean sea. They look at specific mechanisms of displacement and dispossession of Palestinian communities, particularly rural herding and farming communities, and the dozens of communities - including tens of thousands of Palestinians - made homeless or vulnerable by this regime. Patterns include: increased home demolitions, segregationist urban planning processes, the refusal of the Supreme Court to protect or defend Palestinian land rights, and the increase in political support for crowding Palestinians into urban areas or removing them from their land altogether. Additionally, the last two-plus years has seen a massive acceleration of settler violence and terror against Palestinian communities in the West Bank, which is backed by every arm of the Israeli state. Speakers:  Myssana Morany joined Adalah as a lawyer in 2014. In 2019, she was appointed coordinator of the Land and Planning Rights Unit. Myssana's work in the Naqab includes representing several Bedouin communities facing displacement and challenging state intiatives and master plans that induce displacement. Sarit Michaeli is International Advocacy Director at B'Tselem. She joined B'Tselem in 2004 as its media spokesperson and director of public outreach. Sarit has an MA (Distinction) in Gender Studies from Birkbeck College, University of London, and a BA in graphic design from Camberwell College of Art, the London Institute. Peter Beinart is a Non-Resident Fellow at the Foundation for Middle East Peace. He is also a Professor of Journalism and Political Science at the City University of New York, a Contributing opinion writer at the New York Times, an Editor-at-Large at Jewish Currents, and an MSNBC Political Commentator. His newest book (published 2025) is Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning. Original music by Jalal Yaquoub.

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart speaks with Jaser Abu Mousa, a 2025 Yale Peace Fellow and past Program Officer working for the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in Gaza. The two discuss life and death in Gaza on personal and collective levels. They look at Hamas, which Jaser calls a "symptom" of the problem of occupation; at how the past two-plus years of war have destroyed not only all the infrastructure needed for life in Gaza but also the social fabric, as starvation and deprivation have broken human bonds and relationships; and the ways in which Israel works to make Gaza unlivable. On a personal level, Jaser speaks of his experiences in Gaza, from the violence he witnessed as a child during the second Intifada to the devastation he experienced on and since October 7, 2023: his wife, Heba, and two of his children were killed by Israeli missiles in mid-October 2023; after two years of starvation and deprivation, his mother, sister, and sister's children were killed in the war in July 2025; and his family suffered other losses, including the killing of a nephew in the beginning of the war, injuring of his father, and arrest, detention, and violence against his brother along with other medical workers. Navigating these unfathomable losses, Jaser points to his faith in God and religion as guides as he seeks to protect his living children and look towards the future. Finally, Jaser reflects on how he relates to Israelis and declares that "if I strip him from his right to tell his story, that does not make me more just, but will make me less human.” Jaser Abu Mousa is a Yale Peace Fellow examining how Gaza's postwar reconstruction can reflect Palestinians' priorities while repairing the social fabric of society. Most recently, he was a Program Officer working for the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in Gaza, Palestine until the breakout of the current war in October 2023. During the war, Jaser lost his wife, Heba, and two children, Hmaid (18) and Abdulrahman (8), and left Gaza with his remaining two children, Abdallah and Sham, for treatment in the United Arab Emirates. Prior to his work with Swiss, Jaser served in the UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS), working under immense pressure during the 2014 war to report incidents, coordinated and communicate movements and follow intense political developments. Prior to that, Jaser worked as a social worker for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in the aftermath of the 2009 war, including leading a team of 50 social workers to run the poverty survey for UNRWA in the area of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. He also led a team of engineers to verify the work of a European contribution 30 million Euros known as the Private Sector Reconstruction in Gaza (PSRG). Between 2006-2009, he worked extensively as a political researcher in a Gaza-based think tank; during this period he reported on and analyzed Hamas' rise to power in the Strip. Jaser holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the Islamic University of Gaza and a Master of Science degree in Project Management. In addition to his work as an analyst and a development/humanitarian practitioner, he has worked as a civil engineer at private construction companies and UN agencies. Peter Beinart is a Non-Resident Fellow at the Foundation for Middle East Peace. He is also a Professor of Journalism and Political Science at the City University of New York, a Contributing opinion writer at the New York Times, an Editor-at-Large at Jewish Currents, and an MSNBC Political Commentator. His newest book (published 2025) is Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning. Original music by Jalal Yaquoub.

If conspirituality names the ways religion and spirituality are weaponized to justify power, prospirituality points to religious traditions doing the opposite: grounding resistance, ethical clarity, and solidarity in moments of crisis.  So: is there a growing prospirituality response to fascism, genocide, climate collapse, and AI-driven labor precarity? Matthew argues that yeah, there's some good news.  In Israel, scripture has been mobilized by political and religious leaders to sacralize violence in Gaza. But there's also a surge of Jewish religious resistance among U.S. rabbis and Peter Beinart's On Being Jewish After Gaza sets a new landmark of reckoning. Mona Haydar's rapping and chaplaincy models a form of Muslim spirituality that is feminist, anti-genocide, and rooted in mutual aid, while resisting both Islamophobia and liberal domestication.  Then there's Pope Leo's escalating critiques of U.S. immigration policy and his renewed emphasis on liberation theology. Show Notes Dark Mirror: A Torah View of Revenge, and its Reflection in Israeli Media During Operation Iron Swords Peter Beinart, “I No Longer Believe in a Jewish State,” The New York Times Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza by Peter Beinart: 9780593803899 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books Even if you hate it- I still wrap my hijab — Haydar Mona Haydar: Ask a Muslim Program Fights Prejudice Conservative Muslims and Islamophobes Have One Thing in Common: Hating Mona Haydar  Pope Leo replaces New York's Cardinal Dolan in shake-up of US Church | Reuters  New archbishop ‘committed' to immigration issues, accountability on abuse — and staying a Cubs fan  Pope's naming of New York archbishop signals continued challenge to Trump on immigration Pope Leo's new US bishops are critics of Trump's migrant crackdown | Reuters   Pope Leo calls for Venezuela to remain an independent country | Reuters  Pope Leo says Trump administration 'extremely disrespectful' to migrants | Reuters  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Saturday, January 3rd, President Trump announced that a military raid on Caracas had captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, and brought him back to the US to face drug charges. The operation followed months of deadly US strikes against boats purportedly ferrying drugs from Venezuela and a military buildup off its coast. But even after Maduro was seized, the administration still could not, or would not, clearly explain its intense interest in Venezuela any more than it could explain its plans for the country. And beyond the practicalities of “running” Venezuela, as Trump said the US would be doing, are even more disturbing questions about what comes next under the “Donroe doctrine”—the administration's update of the 202-year-old Monroe Doctrine, which was used to justify generations of US interventions throughout the Western Hemisphere. This episode of On the Nose turns to a foremost expert on US interference in Latin America, Greg Grandin, to help us understand the historical context of Trump's surge—and what it may suggest about his military adventures going forward. A Pulitzer Prize-winning history professor at Yale, Grandin has written several books on the tangled history of the US and Latin America, including his sweeping 2025 chronicle, America, América: A New History of the New World. Jewish Currents editor-at-large Peter Beinart asks Grandin to break down the political situation in Venezuela and the history of its nationalized oil reserves—and to explain what Trump's new doctrine of pure power may hold in store for the US and the Americas. This episode originally appeared on The Beinart Notebook on Substack. Thanks to Daniel Kaufman for editing help and to Nathan Salsburg for the use of his song “VIII (All That Were Calculated Have Passed).” Books Mentioned and Further ReadingAmerica, América: A New History of the New World by Greg Grandin Empire's Workshop: Latin America, the United States, and the Making of an Imperial Republic by Greg Grandin The End of the Myth: From the Frontier to the Border Wall in the Mind of America by Greg Grandin “What the ‘Donroe Doctrine' is and where Trump could use it next,” Rebecca Falconer and Julianna Bragg, Axios “After Venezuela, Trump Offers Hints About What Could Be Next,” David E. Sanger, The New York Times “The Trump Doctrine,” Patrick Iber, DissentTranscript forthcoming.

Pablo Morán y Lourdes Lancho comentan el libro "Ser judío después de la destrucción de Gaza", de Peter Beinart. Nos acompaña también Esperanza Santos, coordinadora de Emergencias de Médicos Sin Fronteras, para hablar de la crisis humanitaria en Sudán. Para terminar, hacemos un repaso a las predicciones de The Economist para 2026.

Miriam and Noah talk about (1) the Prime Minister's request that the President pardon him, to put an end to our long, national downer, and (2) what to make of the movie, The Sea, which took all the important Israeli prizes this year, for its depiction of a kid living under occupation, trying to get a glimpse of the sea. For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: It's not easy being Peter Beinart. All that and a farewell to the general in charge of IDF intelligence who did not foresee the Yom Kippur War, a train ride to Bat Yam, and a celebration of America that says more still about Israel.

Chaya Leah is back from Vegas, and boy does she have some stories to tell (not the kind you think, though. They are much, much worse). Also, are orthodox Jews allowed to celebrate Thanksgiving? Was Yael disappointed when she met hostages in real life? And what did Chaya Leah say to make an Uber driver pull over because he was laughing so hard? If you love our show, please consider becoming a subscriber on askajew.substack.com. It's free! For now...EMBARRASSING - I confuse Chaim Herzog and Chaim Weizmann I guess, so ignore everything I said about him. Ireland still sucks though, that part has been fact-checked.We cover:* Slot machines are life.* Looking for a Minyan at The Venetian,* Chaya Leah loved the Michael Jackson Cirque du Soleil show, especially the part about Israel.* Two very special guests for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.* These hostages have some dark humor, and we're here for it.* The antisemites are sometimes right.* Netanyahu is asking for a pardon. We have nothing to add.* Ireland still sucks, but our listeners from there are the best.* I gets Chaim Herzog and Chaim Weizmann confused, SORRY.* The truth about the Hannibal Directive is that you're all idiots.* The IDF killed everyone on October 7th and also it was a good thing.* What's the most normal country?* The Australian World War 1 memorial in Israel.* Normalize Normalization.* Who is worse, Peter Beinart or Mandy Patinkin?* How do we fix Israel's image? By doing nothing.* Mamdani's transition team is just as bad as you think it is.Questions? Concerns? Want to tell Chaya Leah she is “lanky”? Email us at askajewpod@gmail.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit askajew.substack.com/subscribe

YouTube link: https://youtube.com/live/PQdwK3MPAkoSupport the show

Peter Beinart's new book "is about the story Jews tell ourselves to block out the screams. My hope is that we will one day see Gaza's obliteration as a turning point."

FMEP fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with Peter Beinart (also an FMEP fellow) about Peter's decision to speak at Tel Aviv University, his apology for doing so, and criticisms of both.

This episode isn't focused on a single topic or text, but rather just wanting to have a wide-ranging conversation with our guest, Peter Beinart, editor-at-large of Jewish Currents and author of the recent book, Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning. We start by discussing the appalling wave of Islamophobic attacks against Zohran Mamdani during the last weeks of his victorious mayoral campaign, the short-sighted embrace of such bigotry by too many American Jews and Jewish institutions, the current iterations of anti-semitism roiling the right, religious tradition and progressive politics, changing your mind, and more.Listen again: "Elon Musk, the Jews, and the ADL" (w/ Mari Cohen, Alex Kane, & Peter Beinart), Sept 26, 2023Sources:Zohran Mamdani, "My Message to Muslim New Yorkers—and Everyone Who Calls This City Home," YouTube, Oct 24, 2025Peter Beinart, Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning (2025)Mark Mazower, On Antisemitism: A Word in History, (2025)Arwa Mahdawi, "Mamdani's Mayoral Race was Marred by Unhinged Islamophobia. It's Not Going Away Soon," The Guardian, Nov 6, 2025Romanus Cessario, O.P., "Non Possumus," First Things, Feb 1, 2018George Washington, "To the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, Rhode Island," August 18, 1790...and don't forget to subscribe to Know Your Enemy on Patreon for access to all of our bonus episodes!

Last week, a group calling itself The Jewish Majority published a “Rabbinic Call to Action” aimed at New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani in the last weeks of the campaign. “We cannot remain silent in the face of rising anti-Zionism and its political normalization throughout our nation,” the letter reads. Signed by over 1,100 rabbis, the letter quotes New York rabbis Ammiel Hirsch and Elliot Cosgrove, who had each issued their own anti-Zohran sermons and videos, insisting that Mamdani poses a danger to the safety of the city's Jews and that Zionism is an inextricable part of Jewish identity.On this episode of On the Nose, Jewish Currents editor-in-chief Arielle Angel, editor-at-large Peter Beinart, senior reporter Alex Kane, and advisory board member Simone Zimmerman discuss this rabbinic campaign, what it means for the sizable Jewish minority who supports Mamdani, and what it says about the priorities of institutional Judaism at a moment of profound political instability.Thanks to Jesse Brenneman for producing and to Nathan Salsburg for the use of his song “VIII (All That Were Calculated Have Passed).”Articles and Media Mentioned and Further ReadingRabbi Cosgrove's sermon on MamdaniRabbi Ammiel Hirsch on Mamdani“Why Mamdani Frightens Jews Like Me,” Bret Stephens, The New York TimesThe Jewish Majority, “A Rabbinic Call to Action”“Brad Lander's Campaign of Solidarity,” On the Nose“Tax the Rich” post on X by Maria DanziloHalachic Left High Holidays reader“Zohran Mamdani is not antisemitic, Satmar's Brooklyn leadership says,” Jerusalem Post“Jewish New York's reckoning with Zohran Mamdani,” Noa Yachot, The Guardian“Many American Jews sharply critical on Gaza, Post poll finds,” Naftali Bendavid, Scott Clement, and Emily Guskin, The Washington Post“‘The Issue is Not the Issue' – The Free Speech Movement 1964 - The Anti-Mamdani Craze,” Shaul Magid on SubstackMamdani's video “My Message to Muslim New Yorkers—and Everyone Who Calls This City Home”“

Headlines for July 08, 2025; Hold GOP Accountable: Youngest Dem. Congresswoman on Medicaid, Climate Cuts & Her Visit to ICE Jail; “Freedom to Choose”?: Peter Beinart Slams Trump-Netanyahu Plan for Ethnic Cleansing of Gaza; Peter Beinart on Zohran Mamdani & Why Democratic Voters Are Increasingly Skeptical of Israel; What Is the Trump Doctrine? John Bellamy Foster on U.S. Foreign Policy & the “New MAGA Imperialism”