Israel's military strategy in Lebanon involves creating buffer zones through systematic depopulation, with over 7,500 air violations and 2,500 ground violations documented since the ceasefire, including the destruction of 139,000 acres of agricultural land and displacement orders for 80 villages, aiming to push over a million Lebanese people northward and prevent Hezbollah resistance.
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204: We Didn’t Cease The Fire, with Rania KhalekAdded:
[ __ ] to we invented the go and ways USB drives and iron Israeli salad stenc is orange rose micro chips us taco salad sauce all of darkness white us hey hello everyone and welcome to bad hasbara still the world's most moral podcast >> after all these years my name is Matt Leeb I will be your most moral co-host for this podcast I'm Daniel Matey and I'm still your other mostal co-host. You You would think that something might have changed in two and a half years.
But >> yeah, you could have less moral.
>> I could have gotten less moral. Someone else could have stepped up to try to take that number two spot. I mean, you're number one. You started this thing, right?
>> But you would think that there'd at least be competition for the silver medal, but no, I'm clearly far and away the world.
>> I think at this point, you've surpassed me in terms of moral. I think you are more moral. That's what I think. I think I'm slightly I think I'm slightly less moral than you. I'm not sure my head can fit that crown.
>> Yeah. I mean, >> heavy as the head.
>> Yeah. Heavy is the crown that wears the head. You know what I mean? Uh, if you love this podcast, give us five stars.
>> If you love opening banter as polished as this, >> if you love the way we just start and the way we just start going and we don't even know where we're going to go, we just start going. Uh, then give us five stars and a review on all of the podcast apps in which you, uh, listen to podcasts. If you are like many of our listeners actually a viewer uh then make sure that you are uh subscribing to the channel on which you are viewing this that is on YouTube at bad hazbara and if you are someone who uh wants to >> speaking of which if anyone wants to do a bad lip reading of us ever just based on the video alone >> and that would be that would be fun. I I think bad lip reading is a fun thing.
We, you know, YouTube is a is a wide platform with many different types of shows. If uh yeah, the bad lip reading people want to >> our mouths, put words in them.
>> Yeah, put words in them. And you know, you can even team up with Canary Mission and uh you know, really go bad faith with it.
Start >> They tried to own us this weekend.
>> They did. They did. This weekend they uh cut together a clip from our um episode with Susan um in which uh I open one of the questions I asked which uh I asked with a big old smile on my face if that's >> a big windup too like you wound your way to it.
>> Giant windup uh big smile on my face in which I ask uh are uh are all Jews parasites or just the bad ones? And then uh a cut to Susan saying um they're parasites and then tried to frame right tried to frame that as uh as her answering that question directly. Uh yeah, he smiled anti-semitically. Shout out to Adam on the ones and twos.
Producer Adam.
>> But what I was pleased about actually was when they when they included my part and then they quoted it in their tweets and Emily Emily, what the [ __ ] is her name? Not Shreder. No, it was Amelia Adams, the neurotic Jew gay woman.
>> Yeah, neurotic gay Jew is her handle.
Not I'm not calling her those things.
>> No, no, neurotic neurotic jug gay. She She leads with Jew.
>> Oh, really? Neurotic Jug Gay.
>> Neurotic.
>> Interesting. Uh >> I love that. I'm You know, she >> It's like the Kissinger quote. You know, I am an American first and a Jew second.
And then Gold Myers said, "Well, we read from from left to right or from right to left."
>> That's so clever.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Very clever. famous non-American golden mayor. Uh but uh someone was like, "Oh, Daniel, you think the synagogues should be cleaned out of Jews?" And I'm like, "Wow, that's horrible that I think that. I Please show me the clip where I said that so I can condemn my words."
>> And then they they and then Amelia Adams swoops in. Hope this helps. And she posts the Canary Mission video where I say, "And they included my followup.
They included my clarification which is yeah actually Susan I think you're being too modest about your tweet. I do think I said I do think our synagogue should be cleaned out not of Jews but of certain prayers certain flags and certain practices aka the sacriigious ethnist apartheid worshshiping [ __ ] golden calf ass >> garbage. I literally said not of Jews. I I I'm I'm always shocked when they like I mean, you've gone this far in editing it in order to make Susan look bad. Why not just go a little bit further? Edit it to make you look bad.
>> That's right. Just take out the word not.
>> I think our synagogue should be claimed out of Jews.
>> Of Jews.
>> Of Jews.
>> Because I hate Jews. I am bad.
>> It's so stupid. Just you're already lying. I get a hard on when I think about the Holocaust.
>> Yeah, it is my favorite Holocaust.
>> Not to tell you how to do your job.
Canary missionaries, but come on. Canary missionaries.
>> Yeah, Canary missionaries, you out here, you know, half there ain't no such thing as halfway crooks or halfway hasbara.
Don't don't don't halfway. Come on. Go way. Uh, more shirts are coming.
badbar.com.
Check that out. Also, yo, we're now on Substack. The show is on Substack. Uh, wow.
>> Does that mean we can be officially called Grifters?
>> I think so.
>> Anytime anyone wants to call someone a grifter, they they point to the fact that this person's making money on Substack.
>> Oh, they got a Substack.
>> Yeah. Which I don't, you know, I I don't really know much about Substack other than it's a place where usually people are writing newsletters. I guess people are also now posting videos. Uh, but badbar.substack.com substack.com. You can now be someone who is like, I'm a Substack guy. I watch all their stuff on Substack and I uh subscribe to them on that too. I think uh we're setting it up so that the Patreon can also be um you know, access to that or the bonus episodes rather. But if you're someone who is already like, "No, but I love using Patreon." Well, guess what? We have that too. patreon.com/baddisbar.
Please join. And if you join at the $10 or more tier, uh then you're going to see your name at the end of this episode and a little scrolly dole gonna have your name on it. That's uh you know, it's it's nice. It's nice to have people who uh support this show. And >> and for those of you who are not comfortable with Substack, we are working on DOM stack.
>> Yes, we are working for all of you out there who um don't want to be subbed but want to be domed. Uh you can always you can always do that. Um, a substack is now in my head. There's doing it in the canary mission position.
Very good. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
>> Uh, >> I like to be able to look in the eyes of the husbarist who's who's lying about me.
>> Yeah. Me, too. Me, too. Yeah. Just eye to eye. And I I would prefer it if we came at the same time. See, this is why I'm saying I'm less moral. Um, today's episode is brought to you by Palestine Red Crescent Society. Uh the uh Palestine Red Crescent Society is an officially uh recognized independent Palestinian National Society. It is part of the international red cross and red crescent movement and operates in Palestine and the diaspora. Uh PRCS is guided by the Geneva Conventions and the movement's fundamental principles, humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, volunteer service, uh unity, and universality. Uh if you have any money and you would like to support uh something good, go to palestinrcs.org or click the link in the description.
Please use your money for something good, not just us doing more come jokes.
Daniel spin.
>> Well, we just lost uh we just lost the legend of Hbara.
>> I know. All right.
>> Abraham Foxman kicked the bucket. That's right. He was the uh head of the ADL for I mean for a long time. Uh >> which for those of you who don't know it's called that's the association for dual loyalty.
>> That's right. Uh that is >> later rebranded as the Aparttheid Defense League.
>> That's right. Uh they uh you you know they used to be bad also. They are just worse. They're even worse now. Um this was Jonathan Greenblat's uh predecessor uh and Abe Foxman. you, you know, have seen him. He was interviewed for the Israel Israelism documentary. Um, >> a shockingly honest interview he gave.
>> Well, he would, there was a time, >> he was very candid about it.
>> There was a time where the ADL uh was a little bit more loose- lipped when it came to their Israel advocacy. He did another documentary uh in which he was it was a documentary about anti-semitism ostensibly but it was really about the ADL and about the uh conflation of Israel and Jews. Um and he uh it was done by an Israeli and he was just open with this guy about the fact that you know he was doing >> pro is the movie defamation was in that one.
>> Yes. Finkelestein was in that one as well.
>> Yeah. Uh, and yeah, he, you know, he's someone who actually, uh, for as, you know, horrible as Foxman is, he actually went on to go criticize uh, Jonathan Greenblat for doing what he did, but at least but but too insanely. He's like, you're going too far with the whole making every Israeli uh, you know, act of criticism into anti-semitism. So, well, yeah, he died. He did die.
>> He died. Exactly.
>> RP to him. So in honor of the the man we've lost and you know he's that that Foxman to Greenblat handoff is sort of emblematic of the good Hbara to bad Hbara trajectory that >> in a in a sense birthed his show. The idea that has completely gone so off the rails >> that it makes it makes Aba Iben and Abe Foxman >> look like reasonable intelligent people.
>> These are these guys are moderates.
>> That's right. So, Foxy Lady, >> Jimmyi Hendris. We're going to go all Fox today. It's all Fox today on the spin. All right. Foxy Lady.
>> Jimmyi Hendris. Are you experienced? The Fleet Foxes.
>> Okay. Those are >> Blues.
>> Mhm. Mhm. Yeah.
>> Yankee Hotel Fox Trot by Wilco.
>> Oh, I mean, beautiful. Beautiful. I should have guessed. I should have guessed we would have some Wilho on here eventually.
>> Yeah, but we we did. We had the Star Wars album.
>> Oh, yeah. We did. Yeah, that's true.
>> But what I find when I was thinking about this, the alpha numeric uh you know code like you know alpha, bravo, charlie, all this >> all the words they chose make sense. But then they went and chose foxtrot for elf for for f and foxtrot is what like a dance that was popular at the time. They really banked on that dance having staying power. It would be like R being running man or >> or you know >> or being the yin-yang twins.
>> Yeah. or the pee-wee, you know, like >> or you know, the L being the locomotion, you know, like macarina twist.
>> Just really hoping these dances stay around.
>> I just thought that was funny. Um, Living Color on their last album has a song called uh Freedom of Expression, FOX. So, >> okay, I love it.
>> Uh, about the media. Nas, his second album. It was written uh not his best album. It has a couple of great songs on it and it also features the debut of the firm which is this little mini superg groupoup with AZ uh and Foxy Brown on the song. Yeah.
>> Affirmative action.
>> And finally, >> uh Gangstar's album Moment of Truth has a great track called The Militia featuring Big Suge and Freddy Fox.
Freddy Fox being a very aka Bumpy Knuckles raspy voice rapper. And I once wrapped that song uh in its entirety by myself at Hip Hop Karaoke. People watching the show may not know this, but I'm going to send you down a little YouTube rabbit hole if you want to see your old pal Daniel Mate wrap your face off and his. I used to rap under the nickname RDJ aka Robert Downey Jr. at an event called Hip Hop Karaoke in New York City from about 2006 to about 2012. I was a two-time finalist for the championship. I was a crowd favorite and I have a little little video we can maybe play 10 seconds 20 seconds. This this this is a very difficult verse.
It's about a minute and 45 long.
>> Yeah. I lost my voice somewhere through it, but let's let's >> let's see how far we can get through it.
Let's do it first. Y'all, >> YOU THINK I GOT IT?
You know me from around I COME TO COLLECT for you dope and rap. I'm here in check check my silence spreading around when you brothers don't know how you [ __ ] on my sound. I get down in 89 the [ __ ] in the face of every MC who came with the place you never erase and she's the only recogniz >> that is fantastic Daniel >> Daniel I love it.
>> I love it. So, there's a lot more of that on YouTube. People can find if you just search RDJ Hip Hop Karaoke NYC.
>> There's a lot more. There's a lot more out there if you want to check it out.
Listen, I think hip-hop karaoke actually, the way it's been described by you in the past, I've been like, "Well, that seems like something I would never want to go to." And just watching it just then, I actually kind of like this idea.
>> Oh my god, it was the best time. We had it. It was a it was a shangerla of of of just hip-hop nerddom of all kinds of people, locals, non-locals like me, uh just getting together for uh the love of the art form and uh I love that and imitating our favorite MC's.
>> That's beautiful. And you know what? And you looked great doing it, too.
>> Thank you. I was a younger man. I had more more more voice, more wind.
>> I think you still have a lot of wind.
Well, we could see if I could do it sometime, but anyway, >> your your wind is quite quite long sometimes, >> but it is one.
>> That's so I've been told.
>> Um, >> anyway, that's the spin.
>> That is the spin. And now uh I am so excited to introduce our guest. First time on the pod. Uh she is uh currently in Beirut. So, this is our Bat Hazbara correspondent from Beirut in our Beirut office. Uh journalist for Breakthrough News. Uh, I imagine when it comes to this show, your this audience, you already know her. You already love her.
Uh, ladies and gentlemen, everyone else, welcome to the podcast. Raik, >> hello. It's so good to be on with you guys. Coming to you from Beirut from the Bad Hazbara Bureau.
>> Hell yes. How did I do with the last name?
>> That was fantastic. That was very well done. Yeah, well done. I like I like the I like the passion. Yeah, there was a lot of passion. I really I got the in there and then the lack, you know.
>> Yeah, you said you said it well. I gotta say, hearing you guys uh talk just now >> made you want to leave.
>> No, no, I was very I was very entertained and I also was um impressed with with Daniel's um talent, >> his MC's. Thank you.
>> And I got to say like you after you Robert Downey Jr. I was like, "Oh my god, you guys kind of look alike."
>> Oh yeah.
>> Have you heard that? Have you been told that? Oh, I've been tell I've been getting it since I was 15 years old. In fact, >> that's why you named your That's why it's your stage name. Okay. I was I mean, no, I didn't name myself that. I walked into Hip-Hop Karaoke the first time in fall of 2026 or 2006. And Jason, the signup guy, I said, "I want to do a De La Soul song. What's your What's your name, Daniel?" He said, "You kind of look like Robert Danny Jr." And he wrote down RDJ. That was that became my stage.
>> Wow.
>> Look at that.
>> I love that. I You know what? I have never noticed that until this very moment. You're right.
>> The comments have people mention it. Oh, I I don't read the comments because I don't like being yelled at.
>> Why would I Why would I ever read the comments? Some Sometimes they're nice.
Sometimes they're nice. I I love comments. I like In fact, commenters, just kidding. Keep commenting. We love you.
>> Tell Matt who he looks like.
>> No, don't. Cuz I already know Daniel Stern. Uh sometimes John Turo, I get it all. I understand. At least with John Turo, it's not like a a Jewish coded thing the way the way it is with Daniel St. >> You look like Jew.
>> Yeah, you look like >> one of those Jews from the Thing.
>> You look like one of those Italian actors who they sometimes cast as a Jew and they want the Jew to be really exaggerated like in Quiz.
>> He does. He does. He does. Um, shout out to John Tuturo, although he's definitely uh done Arab Face before. Uh to which I say shame on John Tuturo, but also shout out for the ones in which you know he does play at you very well. Um Rana, thank you for coming on. Uh really excited to have you on this podcast. Uh it is a hell of a time to be in Beirut.
How long how long have you uh been there?
>> So I've actually lived in Beirut for the last like eight and a half years, something like that. So I've been here for a while. I mean, I'm back and forth a lot, but this has like been my home base.
>> Yeah.
>> Um, so I know it well.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> And you're like through the your your family is from there, right? Like this is >> Yeah. So, my family my family is from Lebanon. My parents Well, my my dad actually passed away a few weeks ago here in >> I know. I wanted to send our condolences. Sorry about that.
>> I I appreciate that. It was It's been a It's been a really awful couple of months for a lot of reasons. Yeah.
>> Um, but yeah, it's so I I grew up coming to visit Lebanon. Um, and I I love it here even now, which sounds crazy, but it I think this is probably the worst time.
>> Yeah.
>> It's ever ever been >> ever been in my life.
>> Yeah. I mean, it seems like it at least in in um in your lifetime. I mean, >> and and for those who are and for those who were there and remember the bombing in ' 82 83, what are they saying in terms of how it compares? It's actually it's actually interesting you say that because I after what we call here Black Wednesday which was April 8th when the Israelis dropped you know bragged that they dropped 160 bombs in 10 minutes most of them concentrated on Beirut. It was absolutely terrifying. Um it was it just felt like there was like Russian roulette of bombs around you. Um and I don't think I've ever been that scared in my whole life. Um but the reason I bring that up is because I actually um a friend of mine messaged me to check on me uh who's who's who's older than me.
Um, and I was like, "Oh my god, it was the scariest day of my life. It was it was terrifying. They're they're such I said something like they're such demons or something about the Israelis." And he was like, "Yeah, I I know what you mean.
I was that when I was there in Beirut in 1981, they uh killed 400 people in one day in Beirut and it was so scary. It was terrifying." And I'm just sitting there thinking, "Oh my god, like they have done this before actually killing like hundreds of people in a single day with just like insane US bombs from the sky." Um, so generation after generation, like over and over again, it doesn't >> it's the most twisted inversion of our Passover thing.
>> Throughout the generations, and every generation, they rise up against us and, you know, in every generation, we drop bombs on them, and for some reason, they can't stop hating us.
>> Yeah.
>> Well, that's going to that's going to end up on Canary Mission.
>> Speaking of that, this feels like that's true. Please.
>> Uh, and and add this to Canary Mission because I want to talk about Ru Doll for a second just just because it it I saw this play recently on on Broadway with John Lithggo as Rald Dah the children's author and it's about his anti-semitism.
It's called uh Giant and in in many ways it's an interesting play. It's a great performance by Lithggo but it takes place in 1983 right around the time when he had just published a book review of a book about Israel's assault on Beirut and he got into all kinds of trouble for this review. Now, the play itself, I had all kinds of criticisms of it. Um, but I went back and read the review itself, and it's so interesting because you can tell from some of the tone and certainly from other things Rald Doll said throughout his lifetime and especially later in his life that yeah, he had some kind of weird he found Jews unsavory or distasteful or something like in addition to his Israel criticism. And at a certain point near his death, he said, "I am certainly against Israel and I have become an anti-semite because of how the Jews have supported Israel, that kind of thing, you know, and you know, Jews controlling the media and the banks." There's tropes all the way. The the guy was trope happy. At the same time, if you read that book review that he wrote, he said things like, "Never before has a race of people gone so quickly from being pied victims to being murderous uh, you know, barbarians or whatever. Never has uh people a race of people squandered the goodwill of of the whole world so quickly. I'm looking through the whole thing and line by line I'm like where's the lie? He was saying things that were and he was saying this while Israel was doing exactly what it's doing now. So here I am sitting in a Broadway theater full of Manhattanites taking in this play which has the pull quote outside the theater which is the most urgent play of the season. And I'm thinking to myself, yeah, it is probably the most urgent play of the season, but not for the reasons that the playwright or the producers or the audience thinks because this is still happening now and the conflations are still happening now by Zionists and then telling the world you're not allowed to conflate. So, it was really uncanny. Anyway, that's that that was what that that was just just looking at the the in every generationness of it. You know, it's interesting you say that too because like I I think about so I grew up in the US. I grew up in Northern Virginia. Um and my parents immigrated to the US in the 70s. Um but they were back and forth. All most of their siblings still lived in Lebanon. And you know, they understood is Israel to just be this really evil settler colony that was just constantly bombing them. Right.
>> Right. They didn't understand the nuances of why that's okay sometimes.
Yeah. So what you're saying is your family had read a whole bunch of advanced like >> uh you know graduate level postmodern academic work to call it a settler colony. That's what Adam teaches.
>> Well they actually interestingly enough my parents were really political so they did understand it actually as a settler colony.
>> Um I mean maybe all the decolonization language wasn't around it but they they understood what Israel was for sure. Um, but at the same time like I I like they always like they always differentiated and good for them that they did, right?
Like we had Jewish neighbors in Virginia and like they were really good friends with them and like my mom used to take me to bar mitzvah and bot mitzvah. Um, and like she would just get really annoyed when like people planted trees as gifts like in in Palestine, right?
>> Sure. What does she have what does she have against ve vegetation?
>> She hates vegetation. She just she hates greenery. Um to her the her the part of New York she hates the most is Central Park. This is just too a perfectly good apartment complex could go here.
>> Yes. Yes. Concrete. I want concrete.
>> But also don't forget we came from a desert that wasn't blooming. So we're not used to a greenery.
>> But no, but like I'm I'm being here now like in Lebanon. And I'm sitting here like throughout this the last couple months cuz I was here in 2024 and that was really scary too. But this was worse. This has been worse. It's still it's still scary. Um but it's like less intense but still very scary. But I I really have never felt the kind of terror that I experienced trying to navigate like my own security the last couple months here with this war with this this version of his like this worse version of Israel. Um, and I'm just sitting here thinking like, >> how did my mom ever let me go to >> kind of she did >> because like the Jewish state was like always bombing. They like actually entered her her home.
>> She wasn't there.
>> Some Israeli flags in the synagogues.
>> Mhm.
>> You must have one prayer for our soldiers.
>> Of course. Of course. And then also like I had like all all of my friends who a lot of them at least um they would get really not I mean I think a lot of them supported Israel. Um some of them vocally the ones who didn't I don't know if they did or not but I know one family in particular who I was like friends with their daughter. I remember one time I was at their house and their mom had this big like her the in my memory the Star of David necklace she had was like the size of my face. So it might have not been that big but I remember it being so big.
>> It was huge.
>> It was huge. It went around her entire face AND IT'S >> EVEN HOLD IT UP. She was hunchback because it was just so heavy.
>> You were smaller than Adam points out.
Probably. That's probably true.
>> But I just remember her being like her mom being like so like what what like what is your family's religion? You're Lebanese. Oh, what's your family's religion? And so my family's Lebanese Drews. And I'm like a kid. I don't know like I don't know this stuff, but like obviously we all know a lot of the the Drews in Palestine like serve in the Israeli military. They are like the Arabic speakers. Um they're some of the most vicious um in terms of the way they treat Palestinians and they don't consider themselves Palestinian. The Jews in Lebanon are not are not are not like that. Um and I'm not to say like we're so amazing. Oh my god. It's just different different situation, different geography, different context, but uh I was like, "Oh, my family's Drews." And she got so excited.
>> She was like, "We love the Drews." And I was like, "Oh my god." I felt really special. I didn't understand what she was saying. I don't know why, but I'm certain there's no nefarious reason as to why.
>> No, at all. At all. That's why like I look back on those kinds of things and I'm just like, "Wow." But I'm also just like amazed again like I think about now and I'm like, "How the hell are people supposed to differentiate here?" Like there's a Star of David plane, dropping bombs. There's like people entering homes and leaving graffiti. They're telling you they're doing it in the name of the Jews and the Jewish state and on and on and on.
>> And Jewish safety. That's the other thing, too. It's like, you know, so just in case you as an American Jew are feeling, um, you know, not represented by the, you know, reasons for this, they'll let you know. Oh, no. And we're doing it for Jews around the world to stop anti-semitism for happening. So it really, you know, when you said like uh it's uh it's wild that your mom even allowed you to go to a bar mitzvah. It's like I I I feel that in terms of uh the way in which um I think it's generally commendable how uh despite Israel's tireless work conflating the two um there are people who decide to not just use that as a blanket uh you know [ __ ] them all when it comes to uh Jewish people. Um, and and I think to me I'm like, and I say this to to other people, uh, you realize that's like something you yourself wouldn't probably do. like I don't think most people especially Americans especially people in the west >> would ever give the grace that uh people uh in the global south do um you know when it comes to uh uh you know the way Americans treat them or that the you know uh people in the Middle East do to the way that the Israelis treat them. It is. That's kind of a minor miracle when people are enlightened enough to be like, "Well, I don't mind someone and my daughter going to a bar mitzvah because I'm not a racist piece of [ __ ] the way these Israelis are doing." It's like to me that is it takes more strength than I don't think I could even have, you know?
I mean, it's impressive. Yeah.
>> Yeah. You often you often hear younger Arab people talking about how oh my auntie or my my mother or my grandmother or someone in my family from an older generation said to me no we remember when Jews lived among us where you know we have we have a we we know from our experience do do you feel like that the fading of that memory generationally is going to lead to less willingness to give that grace?
>> Sure.
>> I mean certainly. Yeah. There's no question. Come on. Like it's like it's it's nice. Like I'd love to sit here and say, "Oh my god, Arabs are so amazing and like we're just like special and like Like I mean there's definitely look like the Israel's existence in this region is the reason that like the protocols of the elders of Zion became a popular book at one point because people are like these people keep telling us they're Jews and they're bombing us. Something's wrong with them. Like that's the context you know that they're living in. And then I mean it's really interesting like you see the trajectory of some people like Rifat Alir is one of them for example who like got to leave Gaza came to the US and spent time as well but like even before he left Gaza like made a lot of friends outside of Gaza and became really educated about the Holocaust and was like oh okay like I because the only Israeli or the only Jews he'd met before that were people who were either stopping him at checkpoints killing or kidnapping his family members and telling them they were doing it in the name of the Jewish And when like but it's like you know it's their context is just different than the context of Western Europe or of like the US and the way we understand the Holocaust. So of course there's people here in this region who don't like Jews as a community because they you know just know Israel. That's all they know. They don't know anything else.
>> But something's not computing Ronnie.
who said that Rafad, you know, broadened his mind. He said he he learned about the Holocaust, but >> but it doesn't seem that that resulted in him >> not getting killed.
>> Feeling feeling that him being bombed would be just, >> you know, he didn't he clearly didn't observe absorb the lessons of the Holocaust.
>> Yeah. Which is why >> when he didn't cheer on his own death.
>> Yeah, exactly. When you know, clearly he didn't understand why. Yes, it's okay for Barry Weiss to put a >> I'm so sorry you guys. I've been meaning to ask you all this time. You guys are asking me how I'm doing. How are you guys? Do you feel okay?
>> Thank you. First of all, can I just say thank you because we've we haven't talked about our feelings in about 10 seconds.
>> Uh we're we're just getting by. You know, it just >> Well, I just hope like I just hope what's happening here is like making you guys feel more safe.
>> A little bit. A little bit. You know, every you know that my heart, you know, it gets warmer uh every time a bomb goes off. I I feel more safe, more serene.
Um, no.
>> But only because it brings us one bomb closer to the end of all bombings.
>> That's right.
>> I hope so. I genuinely hope so.
>> Yes. One bomb closer to the edge. And I'm about to break Lincoln Park. Um, >> well, you know, we were talking about the sort of uh the way it's almost generational uh in which, you know, Lebanon is uh bombed by uh Israel. Ivy, there's a video that's been circulating online recently showing an Israeli soldier from 1985 and it is uh it's wild because you uh you know you see so many videos like this now uh because everyone has like a camera phone and the entire uh Israeli occupation force decided it was like everyone would agree with them when they post something genocidal. Back then you didn't see it quite as much which is what makes this uh video kind of interesting. This is an Israeli soldier in 1985 uh talking about Lebanon.
>> Oh, I am not dealing here with human beings.
>> Hold on. Is that Bazalmotrich?
>> I don't think so.
>> That [ __ ] looks like him.
>> Like a 15-year-old.
>> But no, no, this guy speaks better English than Smootrich.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. They all do their not dealing with the human being.
all the terrorist and they don't have any human feelings. So I I cannot deal with this those manuh how I I would have dealed with other soldiers or something like this. Th those are not soldiers, they are terrorists. I mean, it is just the same goddamn talking points that, you know, we've been hearing for the last two and a half years. For anyone else who's been paying attention longer than that, same talking points uh in the last 20. Turns out it's just always the same talking points. I've I've never lived in a time in which they didn't uh consider any of their Arab neighbors human beings. Uh, you know. Yeah, it is.
>> Well, but Matt, I've heard a new talking point actually that's much more uh >> a new one >> much warmer and and kinder than it.
Yeah. Can you play the Isaac Hersog video?
>> Oh. Oh, yes.
>> Cuz he's he has some very warm, loving aspirations for his Lebanese neighbors.
He really wants to He'd love to visit, you know. So, play the You can play Actually, no. Play Show us the tweet, not the >> Yeah, it's Yeah, the video itself is not as interesting as what he tweeted.
>> Yeah, he tweeted with this video. on on Israeli so-called independence day.
He says, >> "My dream is to get into a car and drive straight to Beirut, visit that beautiful city, and befriend the good people of Lebanon who are not human beings." I I shared this message of hope and peace with ambassadors, diplomats, military attaches, and faith leaders as we celebrated Israel's 78th Independence Day at the president's residence here today. So he can't wait to get >> out of my dreams and into my country.
>> There's something especially about is when Israelis say they want to come here. I like it makes my blood like pressure go up.
>> Like I just the idea like it it actually hurts like it's a feeling I can't describe. It's like a mix of nausea and like >> and like just boiling blood. You know what I mean? I can I mean I I can imagine because the way in which Israelis especially you know the Israeli on the street and may maybe of course my you know thought about this is painted by the various man on the street videos that uh Israel likes to put out in which they ask >> shout out to shout out to Abby Martin too for doing >> that big shout out to Abby Martin. But the way in which they talk about Beirut or or or Lebanon in general is that it's a beautiful country and it sure is a shame it's not Israel.
>> Um yeah, >> I got that joke out of that was good.
Billy on the roof.
>> But yeah, they they talk about it uh you know as like this it's it's just such a shame that we can't get along with our our neighbors in Lebanon.
>> Yeah.
>> And but the way they talk about it is like because the land is so beautiful, >> not the people. Well, the people need to leave.
>> Well, the they have good parties and can you just imagine if those parties were filled with Israelis? Like the way the way they talk about it is is incredibly I mean >> there'd be more rapes. That's what would happen.
>> Well, it is but it's a very rap it's a very rapey way of talking about it. It's like >> very rapy that you know that that that beautiful >> woman across the bar. She's amazing. Why won't she Why won't she talk to me? I can't wait until I >> It's because of her her ugly her ugly uh fat [ __ ] blocking friend Hezbollah won't let me won't let me get up in there.
Yeah, straight up. That is how they they talk about it.
>> I'm also sure I'm sure that Herzog is also really looking forward to that drive from Jerusalem to Beirut, which on a Jewish only road would take about 45 minutes.
>> That's right. There'd be so much less traffic.
I mean there was there used to be a train actually. There was a train that went all the way from Beirut to Hifa and like I yeah like in the 40s my my dad remembers his dad would take that train oranges.
>> What happened? What happened?
>> I don't know. I don't The train just stopped going. I don't know what happened. It's weird. It's so It's so weird now. It's like nobody >> Yeah. Something probably started in the >> Yeah, it was the show. Yeah, showed up and [ __ ] blocked the train.
>> So just in terms of the ceasefire and and what's going on with that. So the the ceasefire at this point is somehow still holding on um as a concept while not holding on, you know, in terms of the realities of fire ceasing.
>> Matt, we really need to create a new bumper. We didn't cease the fire.
>> Yeah.
>> Oh, that's cute. That's catchy. That's catchy.
>> It's very Yeah, we love We love a good catchy bumper. Um, but there's been continuous violations of it. The uh UN interim force in Lebanon has documented over 7,500 uh air violations, 2500 ground violations, all by um Israeli forces. Uh and the casualties seem to just be mounting in ways that are like putting up numbers that make just the concept of a ceasefire sound completely meaningless. What what is the um what is the reality on the ground there? Um and what are you living through?
>> I actually didn't know the the number that you just put out, the 7500. That's pretty wild. And it's kind of like a record-breaking number because there was a ceasefire in place before this recent escalation that was for 15 months since the end of the last war in 2024. And the Israelis violated it 15,000 times. But it took them 15 months to violate the ceaseire 15,000 times. So now what you just said is they've done 7,500 violations in the course of what a month? Not even actually. I think it's three weeks.
>> Yeah, three weeks so far. And that's that's just air violations. Meanwhile, 2500 on top of that ground violations.
Matt surprised at you, Matt. Matt, you're a recovering addict. You don't just cease fire cold turkey.
>> That's true. That's true.
>> You got to taper off.
>> Yeah, but this is >> actually dangerous.
>> These guys are weaning up though. And >> yeah, >> they're like getting higher, >> right? Exactly. This >> because they want to hit they'll hit bottom fast. It'll it'll it'll be off a harder crash and then and then it'll really stick, you know.
>> Yeah. Yeah. So, maybe there's like a method to the madness, but no, no, in all in in all seriousness, um this has been a an ongoing war that it's shocking the word ceasefire is still being used.
It's mostly like the and the ceasefire was it was it was declared unilaterally by Donald Trump. And it's important to understand why. I just want to give a little context to that because the ceasefire in Lebanon came into place a week after the so the ceasefire between the Americans and the Iranians. And you might remember when that ceasefire went into place. Um the Iranians had entered that ceasefire with the Americans under the condition that Lebanon be included.
And then it was the following day after that um in which the Israelis dropped 160 bombs in 10 minutes, bragged about it, killed like 400 people in a day, mostly in Beirut, that very terrifying day I opened talking about to try to basically collapse that US Iranian ceasefire. Um and then the Americans came out and said, "Well, we never agreed Lebanon was going to be a part of this." And the Iranians were like, "Yes, you did." The Pakistanis were like, "Yeah, you did." Um, and then that became a whole thing. But all that's to say, a week later, Trump imposes this unilateral ceasefire on Lebanon. And he basically did that to take it out of Iran's hands to get to take the credit away from Iran because Iran has till now still been insisting on Lebanon being included in a broader regional settlement. and the Americans and I I could talk more about that in a bit, but the Americans are basically orchestrating all this theater between like the Israeli and Lebanese officials sitting together for direct negotiations to try to basically say Iran didn't do this, we did this. Um, but in terms of the ceasefire itself, okay, so you've got over 7,500 air violations, as you said, 200 I believe ground violations.
I'll just throw out a few more numbers.
Since that ceasefire that went into effect April 17th, the Israelis have killed somewhere between 340 people to I mean some people are putting out a number of 470, but I think there's just like a little bit of a miscalcul misunderstanding about where a few hundred people came from in terms of how the death count has been since April 16th. But at least 340 people have been killed in three weeks of a so-called ceasefire in Lebanon. Um and in that time, the Israelis have refused to withdraw. They're still occupying several villages at the border of Lebanon. They're blowing up villages with these controlled detonations um that you've seen probably very dramatic footage of >> just completely disgusting bragging about it. Not even pretending it's anything, but destroying villages so people can't return. They have issued displacement orders.
>> Oh, and by the way, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry to interrupt, but we we we joked about hating vegetation earlier.
>> Is really hate vegetation. I think it was Mary Regg or or one of these ghouls who said something about yeah we are destroying the towns we are displacing the people and of course we are destroying the vegetation so there's nothing to return >> 139,000 acre 139,000 acres of agricultural land has been destroyed has been destroyed by the Israelis intentionally they're doing that intentionally they are so indigenous to the land they love it so much they want to send it to hell right >> um so that you can't grow food on it because also the south of Lebanon is like the is where all the agriculture is grown. Right. Right. Um so that's like the agricultural heartland of Lebanon and they're intentionally destroying that because they don't want Lebanese to come back. And Mir Reg actually what she gave an interview and what what you were talking about just now. She actually said the purpose of what the Israelis are doing right now is to flatten um all of Lebanon south of the Latani so that Lebanese can never return. uh they have issued eva uh what they call evacuation orders, what we call displacement orders because that's what they are for um 14% of Lebanon at this point south of the Latani. Uh since the ceasefire, they've issued a displacement orders for 80 villages in the south uh that aren't even and that's not including the villages they're still occupying. So they are their their strategy here is to empty out the south of Lebanon of people. And they want to do this for a couple reasons. They want to do this to create what they call a buffer zone, but what is actually like a dead zone where just there are no Lebanese people living because the idea is Hisbala is the Lebanese people, right? Hisba is the people who live in the south. If you get rid of the people, you don't have resistance. Um, and that's that's Israel's strategy moving forward is to always create these buffer zones or these dead zones where nobody can live.
So they create distance between them and the population they're hostile against.
Um, so that they can't like fire rockets at them or something. So they're basically trying to push a huge portion of Lebanon's population, over a million people, into the north of the country, much like what they've done in Gaza, where they've take they've pushed everybody into like 40% of Gaza and the rest is taken over by the Israeli military. That's what they're trying to do.
>> And when these people get to the north, these displaced people, and by the way, thank you for the for for debunking yet another weasel word, uh, evacuation orders. Evacuation orders is when I say to you, "Hey, your house is on fire. you need to leave the displacement orders when I say I'm going to light your house on fire. Get the [ __ ] out.
>> But but do they not think that when the the people from the south get to the north like >> they're going to retain some memory of what was done to them and now the border will be somewhere else and they'll be like the rockets will come from like >> yes idea I mean of course they understand this. It's 100 years which is why history which is why which is why the Israelis are also in addition trying to depopulate the south of Lebanon essentially ethnically cleanse it. Um and and then you have Israelis like Visalmotrich who want to eventually settle the the annex that territory make the Latani River the new northern border of Israel and then settle the south of Lebanon with Israeli Jewish settlers who are actually already purchasing they're reclaiming like like the word [ __ ] they're reclaiming it.
They're they're already renaming villages to Jewish names. They've been doing it since 24. Um and they're like are they've got plans. They've got maps and plans, right? Um and in terms of what you were just talking about, Daniel, um yes. So the Israelis recognize that that doesn't get rid of Hisbala, right? They just pushes them into a different space and pushes their community, the people that support them into a different space. So that is why there's also this political war on Lebanon, this economic war on Lebanon that the Americans are pushing uh in sort of forcing the Israelis to be a part of uh which is to basically force the Lebanese government into a position where they actually join Israel's war on Hisbala. Um and they do Israel's dirty work for them. You've got Marco Rubio talking about uh training and arming units inside the Lebanese army specifically to attack Hzbollah, which would just be like death squads in the country because that's what the Americans are really good at creating.
>> We love to make a death squad. Yeah.
>> Yes. Yes. And the Israelis We love a good death squad. That's American pastime as American as apple pie, some might say. Um but you also have you also have um the uh the Americans basically like pushing this agenda through various political figures inside Lebanon, specifically through the presidency and the prime ministership. And so they're creating internal strife inside Lebanon and Israel's hoping for like a civil war because Israel, the Israeli military themselves have repeatedly said, "We cannot disarm Hisbala. Like we're not capable of doing it. We've tried. It's not working. We need the Lebanese to do it for us." The Lebanese also, by the way, can't disarm Hisbella because the Lebanese army depends on the Americans for their weapons. And the Americans will never ever arm the Lebanese army in a way where it could ever pose a challenge to Israel. Um, if you if you armed the Lebanese army enough to actually disarm Hezbollah and start like a real war inside the country, you would also be arming people who'd want to fight Israel. And the Americans know this. So it's every so it's just it leaves you between a rock and a hard place if you're like >> so you're saying that you're saying that even under because I really wanted to ask you about this this split in Lebanese society which you've been posting about and you know I would love to understand more even underneath the more uh appeasement or collaborationist or or whatever you'd want to call it the the the the faction of is of of excuse me Lebanese society in the north that is against Hisbala and more uh given towards negotiations with Israel or appeasement or whatever.
You're saying that even underneath that the Americans know that there's just a deep resentment of Israel and if they could they would strike back. What is this split and who like what are the forces like what is this what are the fault lines?
>> So I would say I would put it more like this with the Lebanese army because the Lebanese army represents all of Lebanon, right? So it's got Christians, it's got Drews, it's got Shia, it's got Sunnis.
Um, so the Lebanese army is an institution that's quite patriotic. Um, and if it came down I mean if they a lot of them if they could fight Israel they would. They literally cannot fire it back at Israel. Like they are not able to. Lebanon doesn't have an army. That's why Hezbollah exists because Lebanon does not have an army that can properly defend it. Um, and so I there's an understanding among the not like simpleton kind of American politicians that that yes, the Lebanese army some some elements of it would not turn on his bulla because they'd see it as turning against their own people, which is exactly what it would be. And then there are probably elements of the Lebanese army that would um and so but by by forcing the Lebanese army into position where they have to actually confront Hezbollah for real for real that would start a civil war inside of the country and it would cause the army to split as well and that's very dangerous for a place like Lebanon for that's like so sectbased where there's a history of sectarian civil war. There's I would say with the with the people who are like um appeasement-minded when it comes to Israel and Lebanon and I don't believe it to be the majority only because there was a poll done late last year that showed that 89% of Lebanese are against normalization with Israel.
So that's a huge chunk of the country.
It doesn't necessarily mean those people all support his um but it does mean that they obviously see Israel as an enemy.
Um with the political class that's appeasement-minded, I would put them into two camps. I think there's one camp of them that really believe that armed resistance doesn't work and that the only way to end the this this cycle of wars to is to actually just like you know do negotiations with Israel and become like Jordan or become like Egypt.
I think this is really misguided because I don't think you can become like Jordan or Egypt um for for for a few reasons but like one of which is you're just too weak of a country. you have too weak of a government and Israel will just eat you up. Like they actually will. They have no reason not to. You have no leverage. Um if especially if you're disarming the only part of your country that's capable of fighting them, right?
Um and especially if you are removing yourself from the one piece of leverage you really have, which is to be a part of the negotiations between the Americans and the Iranians. That's Lebanon's actual leverage. There's another smaller part of Lebanon. And I would call this a ve I would call this a tiny minority, but they're very loud and they have a lot of money. Um, and it's not because they're Jews. I'm just joking.
This is like this like sort of oligarchic right-wing MAGA class in Lebanon that's like close to the Trump administration. Um, that actually are kind of like Lebanese Zionists, right?
Like these people these people uh want to, you know, be they don't care about the South, give it away. They're very sectarian against the Shia. Um, and they think that they are like of an upper like upper class hierarchal like human being that's above the Palestinians and above the disgusting Lebanese Muslims.
Like that's actually how they think or le you know or Lebanese Shia. Um, because some of them are they mainly Christian. Um I think it's actually a bit multi most Christian and Sunni but not only there's there's every there's even Shia there's look we even have self-hating Shia like like so I would actually say they're quite multis sect that these particular people I'm talking about >> um and they have maybe they all have different reasons why they think the way they do but they are basically kind of like of a they just they've thrown their lot in with the imperialist they they're so pro-western um and they want Lebanon they they think Lebanon can just be like Dubai if We just get rid of his bulla and who cares about the Shia of the south? They're gross.
>> Is it a class? Is it a class thing then?
So is definitely what unites them is that they're the ruling class that they have the money. Uh >> they're the ruling class of the money and they also have a really right-wing ideology. Like these people are actually close to like Lindsey Graham. They're like buddies with Marco Rubio. They think Morgan Ortus is really great. One of them's even dating her. This guy called Antonawi. He is a Lebanese banker who actually stole a ton of money from Lebanon during the economic collapse here and played a role in it. Uh like actually because people still can't take their money out of the banks. They lost their life savings. This guy gained from that. He's literally dating the woman who Trump appointed to um be in charge of the Lebanon file when he first came into office. Her name is Morgan Ortiz.
She's a horrible right-wing Zionist. Um and he calls himself a Lebanese Zionist.
and he funds all these media outlets in Lebanon, these right-wing sectarian media outlets that are pushing, you know, peace with Israel. Um, so there this class of people is the malicious class. Um, and they want to see a civil war in Lebanon and and and they have dinner with people like Lindsey Graham and totally agree with them. And also I would argue this particular class of people in Lebanon, they Hisba is a part of the largest political block in parliament because they have a huge community they represent. Um, and so they democratically win elections. Um, and these other people don't win as many seats. And so they love the Israelis bombing, you know, the South and weakening Hisbala because they're just weakening their political opponents >> in a way that they can't because they just can't win democratically. So they let Israel, they want Israel to do their dirty work. And in fact, this same political class of people in the war between Lebanon and Israel in 2006 were exposed in the Wikileaks documents as telling the Americans, "Please let Israel's war continue for longer to weaken Hisba further because they hated Hisba more than they hate Israel." And you know, and and and listen, there's a lot of people who don't like Hisba domestically for all kinds of reasons, but they would never be like, "Oh, but Israel's like they're, you know, they're worse than Israel." Like at the end of the day, once Israel invades the country, forget about the domestic stuff. This is like existential now.
>> Yeah, that's it's interesting the the the strategy there of like not being able to weaken Hezbollah uh democratically because they have uh you know um actual support of people. Um and so what you're describing is like well they just uh allow the South to be decimated and and occupied. It's like a uh it's like a really brutal form of gerrymandering in which you can actually stop, you know, well, what if we just bomb the counties that go, you know, towards >> Don't Don't give them ideas, Matt.
>> They already got the idea. That's what they're doing.
It's I will say you know one thing that has been I mean I don't want to say you know like a a bright spot because you know in you know war and especially in the way Israel wages war there are very few bright spots but one of them has been uh Israel's inability uh despite all their blustering to stop Hezbollah from uh affecting them >> and despite all their mispronouncing of all in the lexicon of mispronounced Arabic >> wordbala.
>> Yeah.
>> Bala. Yeah. It's like it's like they're like there's something stuck in your there's like a piece of hair in my mouth or something.
>> Uh uh despite everything, despite their constant, you know, hey, look at the terrorist action we did with the pagers, they haven't been able to stop um you know, Hezbollah from continuing to offer resistance. And and one of the ways is really worrying them is these new um they're not new but this type of drone warfare uh that we saw a lot uh in uh Ukraine and uh Russia um which is this fiber optic connected um drone that they uh they use to uh they've been using it to stop and blow up uh Iron Dome batteries which has been um pretty amazing to watch.
>> Is a Is AOC okay with that? Cuz I know she felt like the Iron Dome was uh >> That's right. Yeah.
>> Like a defensive mechanism.
>> Yeah. AOC is like, I don't know. What do I do?
>> I'll vote against this or against it.
>> Uh we'll get into AOC discourse very soon. But first, I just want to show this video uh of these uh of these drones hitting this uh this battery here. Now, Hisbella uh also has a social media team. They, I believe, put the music behind it.
>> I was going to say those drones have a bumping uh you know, >> boomer, you know, the their their speaker system is >> it's a pretty good speaker system. Yeah.
And uh there you see that's it's either Iron Dome or David Sling or one of the like uh you know, quote defensive weapons that uh Israel uses. Uh, here's here's this and then kabang.
>> Now, the reason it stops >> Yeah. The reason it stops and rewinds is cuz the video ends there because it explodes uh and uh and ends up uh doing severe damage to these batteries. Um these uh these missile systems are incredibly expensive uh and and effective. They do work, you know, at intercepting um you know, missile especially, you know, like Kusha rockets like they they know how to intercept these, but these particular types of drones have been um really uh a struggle for the Israelis to uh to stop. I I don't know if it's a if I if I'm like this is a bright spot or whatnot, but when I see stuff like that, there is something about the um the way in which resistance continues that uh gives me some hope that that there's at the very least the there's not this um you know, Israel often paints itself as like this enemy that is undefeable, so why even try? You know, it's like resistance is futile. They're basically the Borg, you know. Um, Daniel will get that because he likes Star Trek.
>> Um, uh, but >> I give it I give it a year before Congress is passing a bill that we must fund a new defense system to protect the Iron Dome.
>> God, they already have like 12 layers, guys.
>> The plat the platinum roof, the the titanium shield.
>> Everybody hates you that much. Like, you clearly did something at that point.
Like, I mean, >> you know what I mean? He's like, "It's not just one of your exes. It's all >> It's all exes. All of them." Yeah. No, but it's it is it is wild to see um you know, this kind of tactic uh working out. Is is there uh what are your feelings about the this kind?
>> Yeah. I mean, look, I I'm always happy to see Israeli military equipment be hit. Um, and also by the way, notice like Israelis are like, "Haha, we hit a paramedic." And then like his mother is like, "Well, we hit a military target."
>> I hate the I hate the way you're dehumanizing uh Israeli weapon systems.
>> You're So, you're absolutely right. I really hope that family Did you send condolences to the family of that?
>> The family of missiles that are inside that battery.
>> That's their home. You bombed a home.
>> What do you mean? And it's their land.
Mommy missile and papa missile and like three three different generations of missiles.
>> All all just taken out by that dr. >> There's more to that video that I want to show. Uh, you know, you talk about the way in which the the Israelis like when they're doing this kind of uh propaganda. It's like, yeah, they're celebrating a [ __ ] uh a hospital being hit or um you know uh civilians being massacred and then they'll just try to explain it away. Meanwhile, you're seeing these uh you know, video after video of these drones in particular, at least coming out of Lebanon, in which they are striking uh military equipment and soldiers very specifically.
And you know, this is like and these are the soldiers and another battery of missiles. And here he goes. Boom.
I mean, again, this is this is not me.
uh you know uh doing anti-ionist Jewish hand ringing going, "Oh yes, blood or whatever." This is this is me showing this um you know for all of the might of the Israeli military. These are the types of tactics that they are ending ending up having to deal with. And in asymmetrical warfare, what what can I say that you look at the amount of equipment the Israelis have versus this [ __ ] you know, cheap drone that is connected by a wire. Not >> it cost like a few hundred to make. Like it's literally a few hundred to make and that's it.
>> It's like a [ __ ] Ewok contraption with big logs like crushing an ad.
>> Exactly.
>> You guys are such boys.
>> Yes, we are. But I I app I appreciate that.
But no, no, I mean I think look it does I think that that is um there's a few ways that that serves like our like our side of the war. And by our side I mean the people who are like against like this like army of rapists just like invading and destroying everything around them. Um and that's I think it's like it's definitely a a boost like in terms of um mood to see that like this because it's like you're watching this big bully just smash everything around them with complete impunity. And so when you see when you see like the weaker side hitting back, it feels good because like there's like okay like there's some there there's there's some fight back, right? You want to see that. You want to see and and Hisbella is capable. I think after 2024 and I would include myself um as one of these people. Uh I think a lot of us thought like Hisbala had been really weakened. You had their their entire senior leadership completely eliminated. They the paged attacks were a horrific disgusting act of terror, but it did leave Hisba disoriented for like at least five days is what I've been told because they were also using those devices to communicate and now their entire communication system is like totally down. Um so that that war was devastating for them as an organization.
And so and then there was 15 months of you know quote unquote ceasefire when the Israelis kept violating and Hisba didn't fire a single bullet at Israel.
And a lot of people including me started thinking maybe they're not able to, maybe they're not capable of it. And what we've seen in this war um in this next round is they have been able to basically push back another Israeli invasion. Though the Israelis are still in Lebanon, but they had to the Israelis walk into the same trap every time because, you know, they try to invade in the same way and they always kind of fail.
>> Um >> they get slaughtered. I mean, Isra Is Israelis don't die in as big numbers ever as when they're trying to like Lebanon like >> Yeah, >> but you got Smokeress's son getting, you know, smoked. I don't know if did he die or did he recover? Yeah, but >> disappointed everyone.
>> I know, right? South of >> I have no opinion on the matter. South of the Latin is >> I want everyone to live.
>> I want everyone I don't want anyone to die. I don't It would really be nice if everybody just stopped the war and they stopped blowing up the >> villages. Right. Exactly. I would like that.
>> Actually, actually. But yeah, I mean I I think that Hisba, no matter what happens, Hisbala is going to still have a fighting capability. Um Hisbala is different than Hamas in a few ways in terms of their power because they're not operating in this like tiny little besieged coastal strip. They're operating inside of a country that has a lot of geographic depth. Um, and they also have the backing of the Iranians, um, in a pretty direct way that makes it so they're still able to like, you know, I mean, the Americans are always trying to stop it, but, you know, they're not able to plug in every hole obviously because they were re rebuilding over 15 months. Um, and that was helping with that was happening with Iran's help. Um, but at the end of the day, is Hisbella going to be able to force an Israeli withdrawal or force the Israelis to make concessions? I don't know. And the reason I say that is because I think we're this we're dealing with a different Israel than before because this version of Israel >> is willing to take losses like of their soldiers, right? Like they have an entire doctrine, the Hannibal doctrine where they'll even kill their own soldiers soldiers to prevent the other side from taking them as as as prisoners of war as leverage.
>> They'll kill their own civilians for it.
>> Exactly. Which it's now included in in the way they did that on October 7th.
So, um, so I think that, you know, the the reason the occupation of Lebanon ended in the year 2000 is because Israel couldn't take the losses anymore. It was too painful. Perhaps if this ends up being an extended occupation in that way, perhaps we would get to that point.
But that, let's not forget that took 18 years. It took 18 years to kick the Israelis out of Lebanon. Um, I think what I think the more immediate leverage that Hezbollah has is Iran pushing for Lebanon to be a part of a broader regional settlement between the Americans and the Iranians because what the Iranians are demanding is Israeli withdrawal. Um, and they're also and they're also demanding that the Israelis stop the bombing. And I'm not I don't you know we can sit here and talk about the ideological connection between Iran and Hezbollah and all that and like there is something to that for sure but there's also a material reason why Iran wants that. It's because Iran does not want Israel's borders to grow. Like they don't want a bigger Israel. Israel occupying Lebanon. And also it's a test.
If the Americans can't like force the Israelis to stop in Lebanon, that might signal that the Americans can't stop the Israelis from bombing Iran again because Iran wants this to be the war that ends all wars. So Lebanon's also a little bit of a test in terms of its inclusion. Um, but again, if this if if if that falls apart, let's say Iran stops demanding Lebanon be included, let's say it doesn't get included, let's say for some reason Israel is able to just keep occupying and bombing, Hisbella is going to make it very difficult and painful for them.
>> Yeah. Yeah. And uh, you know, we've already seen lots of signs of at least Israeli society cracking uh, under that uh, continued pressure. Uh, and uh, >> crack faster, guys.
>> Crack more.
But the Israeli soldiers are fighting back. You know, they're trying to get Mother Mary hooked on cigarettes.
>> That's right.
>> Which is causing which is causing real which is causing real problems for Israel's Department of Outreach to the Christian world.
>> This is the bad husb that statue to St. George, >> right? Like, >> yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Let's do it on video and then boast about it.
>> Crazy.
>> Did you hear that? They appoint Israel appointed a special envoy to the Christian world.
>> No.
>> Who I think was a Drews guy, I think, didn't we say?
>> Oh, that make that sounds about right.
>> There we go.
>> Oh, maybe he maybe he was Christian. I I don't know. But yeah. Yeah, maybe he was Christian. He was from from somewhere in in 48 Israel. Yeah. Like the as in the aftermath of the toppling of the statue of Jesus, they responded to that of like, okay, but and since then, yeah, the statue of St. George, the mother, the mother Mary video, like >> he's going to fix everything. The guy who kicked the nun isn't going to kick any more nuns, >> right? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's it.
Yeah. He's gonna make sure no more making the statue smoke. Uh >> Jesus Christ. I mean, it's like >> the [ __ ] that they have to to do in order to get these their own army to just not make a PR blender for them.
It's It's just wild. Uh and it almost makes you feel like they don't actually give a [ __ ] >> which they don't. Um >> I don't think they do.
>> I don't think they do either. Uh we need to uh take a quick break. Uh but everyone, please stick around. Don't join the CIA. um you know, buy whatever fertilizer or whatever they're selling.
I don't know what our ads will be. Uh but don't join the CIA. We'll be right back.
And we're back. This badass bar, the world's most moral podcast here with Rana Khalik.
>> Did I do it as good this time?
>> Beautiful. Beautiful. What is it? You you do it just so I can hear it.
>> Well, okay. So, actually my my last name is actually Abdul Kik.
>> Oh, but but like we all kind of just dropped the Abdul >> after 911 cuz people kept asking if we were related to Osama bin Laden >> because >> that's crazy.
>> I'm not joking.
>> There's not even an Abdul in his name.
>> Yeah. You know what? I I don't know.
Maybe one of the hijackers's first names was Abdul. I don't even know like what >> I don't even know any of that. All right, let me there's uh what you've got what you had the what was it not MBS that's Muhammad bin Salman what is >> who is the the guy with the hairy chest >> Abdul is like a it's like a it's like son of or descendant of right is that what >> so Abdul is basically Yeah it's like servant servant of so actually my last name of God >> could you could have just you could have just anglicized it tore to Mick you know Mik >> that's right you know I had thought of that >> orized it to Ben.
>> I can't undo it. So now it's I guess you'd say like >> but it's like it's like >> I got it. I I feel like I did it pretty good. You did great.
>> You did. You did. Yeah. Yeah. No, I was impressed because you did the I mean the is like a hard sound to say. So >> you know I I >> It's hard to say without making it sound Hebrew. Well, >> yeah. And then also like and also like they love to add like the Israelis love to add I think they do it actually on purpose to be condescending.
>> Yeah. The whole like kamas like they they know how to say >> they know how to say and that's true because when they talk about hummus they still say hummus. They say hummus >> hummus >> but they don't hum.
>> They're just they're just being [ __ ] Everything >> they're just being racist.
>> They're just being racist [ __ ] >> That's crazy. You're so That's so >> It's very on brand. It's very on brand.
>> They don't say they don't.
>> They can say they can say it. They can say it. They're just being [ __ ] >> They can Oh, wow. You know, I'm start I'm starting to turn on this whole Israel thing.
>> Yeah, this Zionism thing is dumb guys.
>> I kind of think they're I I think they might be racist. Well, speaking of suddenly turning on completely innocent uh figures, let's let's get into some discourse that'll piss everybody off.
>> Yeah. All right. It's time for discourse, guys. Uh unfortunately, uh uh >> discourse has happened and we have to talk about it because >> for anyone who didn't spend the entire weekend on Twitter, boy, are we about to fill you in on some exciting stuff.
>> Yeah. Welcome to hell. Um, so AOC Alexandria Kaziocortez uh did an event uh at the University of Chicago with David Axelrod. You'll remember him from uh the Obama administration.
And uh during this event, >> noted leftist >> noted um socialist, you know, Marxist.
>> I heard I heard he's a Mauist.
>> Yeah. Marxist Mauist. David Axelrod.
noted noted apologizer for past mistakes and past associations.
>> Absolutely. You know, um he uh hosted her at this event and she gave an answer that uh has been going viral. First, I'm going to play you sort of the clip that uh was taken um from this event and and I'm going to give you the full context of it right after. But this is the clip that's been going viral. It is AOC talking about Marjgerie Taylor Green. I personally do not trust someone like Marjorie Taylor Green, a proven bigot and anti-semite on the issues of what is good for Gazins and Israelis.
I don't I don't think that it benefits our movement in that instance to align the left with white nationalists.
>> So, um that is the clip that went viral and caused a lot of discourse. the discourse has uh been flowing not unlike spice in dune and the uh the discourse kind of like split into two camps I would say one is a camp that is filled with people who are ostensibly pro Palestine um who you know some are anonymous accounts some are you know prominent pro Palestine voices on the internet talking about how it's kind of rich for you AOC to go after Marjorie Taylor Green um when you know you have not uh not so much been a leader on this particular issue since October 7th. Uh seems >> that's not true. She she has been a leader. She >> Well, she's been an elected leader, >> right? And and she did some leadership at the DNC when she led people towards a lie called >> the people we want you to vote for are working tirelessly for a ceasefire.
That's leadership, >> right? Right. Strong consequential leadership. It is >> kind of leadership. Yeah.
>> I mean sheep dog sheep dogs are leaders.
>> Sure. That's true. They are leading >> leading the you're the dog leading the sheep into the slaughter house.
>> The other part uh the other camp in the discourse are people who you know I would say some are also ostensibly pro Palestine uh you know people and accounts. Um many of them are I would say more so just um you know online progressives uh and also people who support more I would say some of them are centrists some of them are uh near attendant level centrists. someone from the Atlant Atlantic was very protective of of >> AOC who are going after uh people for criticizing AOC for saying um you know that hey you know kind of rich for you to be the one to attack Margie Taylor Green when at the very least she kind of broke with uh her party to be against this. Now here are some of the uh the tweets that uh came out. The big one that was getting a lot of play and a lot of criticism was from Ryan Grim who said, "MGT sacrificed her political career to stand against genocide, against Trump, against the Epstein class, and to defend the survivors of Epstein's trafficking. If that doesn't earn credibility, I don't know what possibly could." to which uh Arash Aziz of The Atlantic, famously Socialist Magazine The Atlantic, wrote, "It's fitting for Ryan Grim to support NGT.
That's his politics and that of drop site after all. I admire the honesty, but those of us on the socialist left >> should naturally pick AOC. It shouldn't be hard." Again, this guy is >> He also, by the way, supports the bombing of Iran, if I'm not.
>> No, he's an Iranian pro regime regime change. Yeah, >> he's a pro- regime change uh >> the social the socialist pro regime.
Yeah. Okay. you know, the uh you know, that whole faction of the left-wing socialists movement that says, "Yeah, kill uh kill Iran and kill kill my own family members in service of this imperial war."
>> And hey, and dear Jeffrey Epste, please edit my article about it.
>> Right.
Uh so you know those are some of the the camps that were coming out but I I think it's important that I play the full context of the uh both the question that was asked and how she answered because it really to me makes the entire discourse seem completely in bad faith. specifically the part where everyone is accusing anyone who says, "Hey, uh, why are you attacking Marjorie Taylor Green when on this particular issue, AOC? You have not been uh you certainly have not been a leader on this issue. Uh, and you have not been great on this issue at all. So, in fact, why would you put yourself in this position?" You got to watch the full context of it here. Here it is. uh for for everyone.
>> In 2021, you stated that there were quote legitimate white supremacist sympathizers at the core of the House of Representatives caucus. Yet since then, in efforts to ban congressional insider trading of securities, you've worked across the aisle with representatives such as Representative Tim Burchett, a Republican from the state of Tennessee.
Do you stand by those former comments?
And do you think that they make bipartisanship harder?
>> Um I do stand by those comments. It's just true.
And for his part, you know, Congressman Burchett has called me a communist and a witch. And I But you know what?
We got to ban insider trading in Congress.
I I care about results. I care about results. Now, there are certain places where certain areas where I don't think that >> Oh my god.
that we should ignore some folks record on some of these issues, right? It's about where we we trust intent, where we trust where those outcomes are going. I personally do not trust someone like Marjorie Taylor Green, a proven bigot and anti-semite on the issues of what is good for Gazins and Israelis.
I know >> I don't think that it benefits our movement in that instance with white national >> in this so much.
>> I hadn't seen that. I didn't know. I had not seen that initial question.
>> You would think the question was like >> what do you think of Marjgery Taylor Green? Right.
>> She's also totally undermining She's also completely undermining her own argument. Like on the one hand, yeah, totally. Like I care about results. I hate this man. He's disgusting, but I will work with him to ban insider trading. However, I won't work with the same bigots to to stop a genocide. Also, like what? So, banning insider trading, we can totally go across party lines, which you should in that instance. I actually agree with that.
>> And also sanctioning and condemning China. I'll sign on to Ted Cruz. You know, >> this is the step too far for me. This is on Gaza. It's too far. [ __ ] I'm sorry.
[ __ ] you. Like that's just, oh, I didn't know that. I didn't know that.
>> And you can feel And you can feel the [ __ ] coming when she says some folks. The minute that Barack Obama little, >> you hear that? She's like just you know some some folks.
>> What a disappointment. What a disappointment of a person. like I was so excited when she was elected and I've always felt, you know, like I've criticized her a ton, but I've also always felt >> like I still agree with her on most things.
>> Right.
>> Right. Like more than I do obviously, like even Marjorie Taylor Green, by the way, >> that's the thing. the the the problem with this the way that this discourse is being framed is that the critics of AOC are being put into this camp of oh so what you want Marjorie Taylor Green to be president oh so you're a big you're a big Marjorie Taylor Green fan it's like no that is not what no one is saying I believe in now everything Marjgery Taylor Green has uh ever stood for no one's even saying that she's not a a racist or >> or white nationalist >> or or a white nationalist what they're saying is that uh you know it's it's a ridiculous claim to make about someone doing a legit criticism of AOC when it is very clear that one the racist person maybe racistly uh put an amendment to deny weapon sales ban weapon sales to Israel. Um, >> also you know what real quick like why is why is Marjorie Taylor Green she is by the way she is basically like a Christian white nationalist.
>> She is she is a racist. She's >> she's totally in support of like deportation. I mean the stuff she was very much in support of the entire like all that the ICE in Minneapolis, right?
>> No. And she used to be viciously anti-Palestinian too. She posted a thing about the of the uh you know the the Statue of Liberty in a burka. She voted to censure uh Rashida Talib, you know, she was, you know, why is it okay? Why is it okay? Why is it okay >> to do things with Zionists >> and then not with her? Like why why are we not looking at Zionists the same way we look at the white Christian national that's another double standard doesn't AOC appeases Zionists all the freaking time? She acts like they are somehow their feelings matter and she'll like meet like she did remember how many times she would like meet with some of the worst of them to make them feel better after she'd said something like even me like that had like a little bit of like Palestinians or human sentiment to it >> which is by way also why she needs to use the word anti-semite as a standalone uh addition to bigot many you hear bigot and anti-semite that entire phrase I don't think we need to ally with a bigot and an anti semi when it comes to I don't think she knows I don't trust her on what on what gazins and Israelis need. Did you hear that phrasing by gazins? Now >> some people on on the internet were like oh gazins rafafir used that term lots of people. Yes, people use the term. It is the term from people from Gaza.
>> But AOC is talking about the broader conflict and and what Gazins and Israelis need.
And I don't trust Marjgerie Taylor Green on this. People are being like, "Oh, well, you want AOC to apologize for what she's done. When are you going to ask Marjgerie Taylor Green to apologize for her Islamophobic comments?" The answer, as everyone is saying, is I'll ask her to apologize the minute you keep telling me I need to vote for her in 2028.
Marjgerie Taylor Green is not being set up as the darling of, you know, the the great whatever colored hope of of the Democratic party in 2028. You know, we're not we're we're being asked to go with this person and trust her and it's totally valid.
>> And it comes on top of it comes on top of several instances of AOC pissing us all off on this issue.
>> Like just Yeah. No. On this issue. Yeah.
Yeah, I >> I think this is this is what what makes me uh you know more mad about this uh is that AOC it's not that she hasn't done uh and and that her politics like holistically if you were to look at her politics I agree with her on most probably most things. The problem is that she's very clearly on this run for the, you know, she she may be uh announcing a a candidacy for president, right? And since October 7th, uh she has been not good on this issue. She has been noticeably not good on this issue.
The fact that she would bring Marjorie Taylor Green up >> in this moment unprompted >> and and worse than unprompted it, it's like this is her as opposed to Marjgerie Taylor Green. I will work with this one white nationalist for this issue, but not for that. To me, it speaks to her pretty shitty political instincts. And I think this is the problem I have is like we're already, you know, being told to not criticize AOC for things uh because hey, she, you know, what if she runs for president? She's she's got to be our person. I'm like, no, [ __ ] that. I am worried about her political instincts.
>> This is called vetting, folks. This is called properly. It doesn't mean I like Marjgerie Taylor Green. It means that she herself is putting herself in a position to be criticized for an issue where she deserves criticism.
>> Well, also also if you think about it this way too, this issue, if you look at the polling of the Democratic base, it's like overwhelming majority. This is a genocide. We hate Israel. Disarm Israel basically, right? So, like it's kind of a no-brainer. And if you are if it's actually a canary in a coal mine issue because if you are willing to piss off your base this much on what should be a no-brainer issue this early on what else are you going to sell out on? That's also what I think about.
>> Like seriously, what else are you going to sell out on?
>> And then and then there's other tells.
There's other signs, right? People are like Marjorie Taylor Green hasn't apologized for this and that. Well, she's apologized for a few things. She said at least I got it wrong. I got some things wrong. She's spoken she's spoken to p I I I'm not talking about sincerity.
>> I don't know if I believe that, you know, I'm not talking about belief.
>> Of course, that's not at all what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the willingness to say it publicly to put even a performance of humility.
And I I I don't completely disbelieve it in entirely entirety.
>> Yeah.
>> But but whatever. That's that's irrelevant.
>> Have you ever seen AOC ever say, you know what, I was wrong. I got that wrong. What you get from her when there's any push back literally on anything is this kind of performative Instagram selfie ready.
>> Yes.
>> You see her little body language. She's like >> I just don't this kind of this this this this pissy how dare you.
>> You don't know what I'm dealing with.
You don't understand the ins and outs of politics. It bodess very badly.
>> It bodess badly. Like this is actually the moment to criticize because she needs a backlash because if she doesn't get a backlash, she's not going to shift. She needs to respond to the base.
Like these politicians need to be forced to respond to the base that they are like demanding support them. Like okay, if you want our support, >> then be good on this issue or no. That's right. Like that's and this is the most important issue.
>> At the very least, apologize to me for saying apologize to us. sorry for saying that >> that Biden and Harris were tireless.
Like you should be ashamed of you should literally be so ashamed of that you said that that and and and Jasper Nathaniel and my brother Aaron both said similar things on Twitter that I thought were smart. You don't even need to come out and do the full Monty apology. You don't need to be like, "Yeah, I was a cynical craven liar covering for powerful war criminals cuz I wanted power in their administration or I wanted to see them or I wanted to be apology. You could lie in your apology. You could say, "You know what? It was an aspirational comment. I wanted that to be true.
>> I I even thought it was true. It turns out it wasn't. I found out quickly it wasn't.
>> It was a really good tweet.
>> I know the tweet. It was a great tweet.
>> It was a really good tweet." And it's true. But she can't even do that. Well, this is the thing. When it comes to this particular like criticism where AOC is going after Margie Taylor Green, it's it bodess well or it does not bode well for her political instincts because there is such a direct line of counter criticism uh which is that Marjgerie Marjgery Taylor Green introduced an amendment uh to the 2026 Department of Defense Appropriations Act uh aimed specifically at cutting$500 million dollars in Israeli defense funding. Uh this is for the missile defense systems. Uh she AOC voted against it while Rashidita Talib and uh Ilhan Omar voted for it. So you're already put putting herself in that position where you have to be like well now I have to explain. And she at the time she did have to explain and her explanation was something along the lines of well it wasn't going to pass anyways. uh didn't want to, you know, it wasn't even going to get done, so who cares?
>> And also, I don't want to see any innocent people dying, which is why I don't want to defund Iron Dome because Iron Dome and it was a defense of Iron Dome. She is protect Israelis.
>> She is now backed away from that position and she is now uh once again she moved with J Street on this issue in which it was all defense uh you know weapons uh to Israel should be cut uh which is also something that Netanyahu is saying too. So that can kind of showing a little bit what the new Emanuel.
>> Yeah. The new liberal Zionist line is going to be okay with the defense. It's not that radical. But you know the fact is is she's whether or not she moved independently to that uh after uh you know or or did it because of J Street?
Doesn't really matter. The point is is that Marjorie Taylor Green tried something and you you can say oh well it wasn't going to pass anyways. You know what else hasn't passed is her anti- insider trading bill with Tim Burchett of Tennessee >> stop her from Yeah. didn't stop her from voting with him on it. It >> it is still >> It shouldn't and it shouldn't it shouldn't stop her from >> It shouldn't and and and she's not wrong to be like, "Hey, in Congress you have to work with some, you know, people whose on certain things their views are pretty abhorent. The point of being white nationalist, you can't then also have a cutout." Uh well, not Marjgery Taylor Green because she's, you know, uh she's she is beyond the pale white nationalism during this, you know, during a genocide. It just it reads to me like she is completely out of touch with uh the base, you know, >> seeing the context of like the question that was asked, it's like why did you why did you bring this up? Like for who was that for? And then also, if you don't want the Marjorie Taylor Greens and the Tucker Carlson's getting the attention and credit for saying what everybody should be saying, then don't let them own that.
>> Yes. Lead. Lead.
>> Like, lead on it. Like, it doesn't I don't want it to be [ __ ] Tucker.
Excuse my language. I don't know if I'm allowed to say that F.
>> No, PLEASE. BUT IT'S TRUE. BE BETTER than them. AND IT'S NOT HARD. IT'S NOT ACTUALLY hard because at the very least >> AOC can be as good as Rashida Talib or as Ilhan Omar >> or she could at least be an like she she could she could be in solidarity with them.
>> I mean them not leading on this issue is also there's a danger to it in a different way that I just want to really quickly point out because like I don't I you know I know you have feelings about the how genuine MTG is. I don't know with her. I really don't. With Tucker Carlson, I don't know how genuine he is on the Palestine issue, but I do see some craven opportunism in the sense that he is gaining a huge following of people who might be progressive-minded, who might have politics similar to us because of how what he's saying about Palestine. But are you guys seeing what he's saying on shows in between the Palestine stuff, >> right? It's [ __ ] horrific [ __ ] Somali Americans are destroying American culture and that's why we have to deport Africans. It's like he's literally he's going to be radicalizing people into like right-wing MAGA [ __ ] who are coming for the Palestine stuff. I'm not saying every person who watches him for the Palestine stuff is suddenly going to be a raging MAGA. But that guy's got presidential ambitions, too. And it's like that is literally going to be an entryway into right-wing politics if you let those people own it.
>> Yes. 100%. Okay. Well, maybe if we if we chide leftists more to cut AOC some slack rather than demanding that she [ __ ] step off and and do what he should be doing. Literally every defense of her I've seen has been absolutely absurd on this. Some people are like, um, excuse me, you want AOC to speak nicely about someone who who who has incited racist hatred against her, tried to get her killed, supported January 6 in number one. No. But we've never said we need to be nice to her. She's the one who brought the woman's name up unprompted. Okay. Number number one.
Number two, you know who has been able to show some grace to to MTG >> Omar.
>> I had a conversation with Ilhan Omar when I met her backstage at a or at an afterparty when Miko Pel had uh Eric Clapton come and do a big fundraiser for Palestine for Gaza in in I was very lucky enough to to to >> brag >> get a ticket.
>> I heard about that. How awesome that was. Yeah, >> it was an incredible >> I totally was going to go, but I I was busy.
>> You're busy yet.
Uh, it was a >> invitation must have gotten lost.
>> It got lost in the mail. Yeah, that's what happened.
>> It was a truly beautiful night of music.
I had this I mean I just and I developed a whole new appreciation. Got to >> I spoke easy easy Matt.
>> Wow. The party that you were at that we were not at sound sounds >> amazing. I'm so happy you had the best time of your life. I'm openly a jealous man.
>> You could live in New York if you wanted.
>> Anyway, I talked to Elan briefly or Representative Omar briefly and and she she spoke about and she's also spoken about this publicly like she approached Marjorie Taylor Green to thank her for advocacy and and she told me that that that Green had, you know, tears in her eyes and really warmly appreciated and was almost bewildered by her kindness and her grace like you're supposed to hate me cuz I incited hatred against you. And that is actually possible if you make something more important than I don't know your brand. Like that's that's that's possible if you stand on principle.
>> I don't even think you have to take the extra step of going up to her personally and thanking her for you know changing her tune on this. You don't have to do any of that [ __ ] But if we're talking about wielding power, if we're talking about what's the type of concessions that you're making, don't put uh insider trading up against genocide funding. To me, I'm like, that is is stupid because everyone here on this pro Palestine podcast absolutely wants a bill to pass that stops congressional insider trading.
>> I don't I love insider trading.
>> I love a GOOD INSIDER. I DID NOT SIGN UP for this.
>> But it's like we have to sit there and and and watch as you say, well, this of course is an important thing to, you know, ally with white nationalists, but this other thing isn't.
Instead, you can wield your power and say, "You know what? I'm gonna [ __ ] bite my tongue and [ __ ] vote on this thing, even though I know it's not going to pass because at the very least, I understand that the uh me voting against that is going to look bad." you know, at the it's just I I I I see the criticism that people have of Marjgery uh of of people who are not defending Marjgery Taylor Green, by the way, of people who are uh criticizing AOC. That's what they're doing. It's not a defensive and it's like people are essentially just like you have to understand when she uh proposed the bill to stop uh the funding of the Israeli uh genocide machine, she did it racistly, whereas AOC voted against defunding the Israeli genocide machine, but did it anti-racistly. She woke said, >> "I will not I will not cut aid to Israel while they are massacring a people." I mean, our friends in Gaza, our friends in Gaza did actually differentiate those two votes and much more appreciated the AOC vote because we don't want to we don't want a racist vote to stop our genocide.
>> Right. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Our friends in Gaza were snapping and going, "Yas, queen, keep the funding going." Like to me it is I it's such a bad faith uh reading of people I in general to even bring up Marjgery Taylor Green I think is is is part of this thing that I see it's it's this new meta in which um when you on the left when a pro Palestine person does something like say hey say what you will you have to hand it to Tucker Carlson on this particular video clip. Uh, he owned that liberal Zionist by pointing out the hypocrisy in their stance.
People immediately are going, "So now you want you want him to be the Tucker for president.
>> Now you love Nick Fuentes. Now you love, NO." I had to say it to someone again today when they're like, "You do not have to hand it to her." I'm like, "What do you think having to hand it to someone means? It means you don't want to. you'd rather not have to. You'd rather the circumstances. We'd rather be living in a world in which that's not the nearest available person who's doing the thing that ought to be done. But it happens to be the case. So, it's not about praising them to the heavens or or claiming that everything about them is great, much less endorsing them for some office.
>> Well, I was just going to say like again like to go back to the fact that she is absolutely willing to like take people like Jonathan Greenblat seriously, >> right?
>> Like who again I see I actually see him as vic. He's more vicious in my opinion.
by >> because he basically agrees with her on most things on top of being pro genocide, >> right?
>> I mean, and he has much more power actually.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah. Yes.
>> He's much more connected to the institutional levels of also Taylor Green is literally not in Congress. And you know what? It's actually clear why she brought Marjgerie Taylor Green up because she has a guilty conscience and because she wants to score points with the people that she thinks she needs to like she it's it she's made a calculation somewhere in her whether it's conscious or unconscious that she's going to get this presidency or whatever it is that she wants by pushing the same buttons that Kamla pushed that Hillary pushed you know you know by by pointing at the alt-right or whatever. and blah blah blah. And someone who Oh, yeah. Adam Carlson on Twitter said the craziest thing. Let me actually read this tweet.
He says, "The the weird tiny but loud need to get some fresh air online left, continuing down the path of disowning AOC over basically nothing for the next year is only going to further endear her to mainstream progressives and liberals, thus making her more likely to win the nomination in 2028." To which I say, if that's true, then what are you complaining about? Shut the [ __ ] up.
That's what you >> Actually, actually. But also, what >> what does that mean?
>> Well, what he's saying is if you keep accusing her of being a sellout, it's only going to make her sell out even harder.
>> That's going to make her more likable.
>> Yeah. Who's that? Don't >> more likable to the more likable to people to the right of us. to the people who would never vote for her even if if they were on fire. Like this is this is just >> Listen, I >> Wow.
>> Wow.
>> I don't I I I I don't I'm not as pessimistic about it to to think that she is all part of like a a general pivot to the right. I I think more likely than not that what she is is incredibly incredibly easy to lobby on this issue.
She has been uh lobbyed to [ __ ] by J Street, right? and she after uh October 7th, I believe she decided to sort of go in the Bernie direction when it came to talking about this issue, which was to essentially not lead at all. Wait until the moments were right to say something and then offer at least a little bit of something to say, but >> and I'm sorry, Matt. And along the way, say some outright lies, some lies with murderous consequences. Like when you're not saying anything, you're and I know you're not, but I think it's important to say It's because it's not but it's but I'm not talking about silence. I'm talking about words like Hamas raped people on October 7th or I don't think we should have a ceasefire which Bernie said. If you're going to take Bernie's lead, you're going to end up speaking some >> exactly >> some things that are true and and and a few very very consequential lies that should never be forgotten. And I agree and it's not it's not me saying it should forgive her for it, but I think what it is uh this is and this is me at my most optimistic when it comes to AOC because I I've never um been a big AOC pessimist when it came to I I I think she does get a lot of bad faith attacks.
That does happen. Um but uh you know when it comes to this issue, those the attacks are they are correct. I mean they are right. It is people rightfully pointing out uh that she has been pretty shitty on this particular issue. I think she is someone who needs this pressure.
If you if you are too gunshy to pressure someone like AOC um then uh you really then politics isn't for you. I think I think then what you really want is uh I think I mean I don't know what you want if you're someone who's like no no no no we can't we can't go after AOC uh it's unfair uh she's you know close enough on all these other things. She is so lobbyable. She is someone who will literally if you yell at her enough and I'm not saying be mean to her but I'm saying point out these moments in which she is [ __ ] up. I guarantee you she will not do the thing where she doubles down. I truly believe that she's >> There's only one way to find out. That's only one way to find out.
>> Exactly. There's only one way to find out, which is you keep it up. You keep up the pressure. And if you're someone who doesn't believe in that type of pressure or whatnot, uh then I'm sorry to say that you're going to end up being pretty mad online about it.
>> Someone with a very large someone with a very very large following. I don't want to I don't want to name them because I whatever had the the gall to use the phrase taint and please no scatological puns here Matt I'm not in the mood >> I didn't and I didn't >> good >> but I've thought of it >> these online leftists trying to who are who are who are tainting our the most prominent and promising uh far-left uh candidate for 2028. We're not tainting her. We're pointing out that there's [ __ ] on her face.
>> You didn't put it there. I just like No, I think it's a really good point. Like Matt, the way you're putting it, it's like you don't belong in politics if you think this is the way to go because it's like there are massive lobbying groups that have so much funding and can put so much pressure and you just want to sit back and be like don't criticize her while all they're doing is like putting so much pressure.
>> That's all they're doing is calling her office, calling her anti-semite and >> you're handing them the policy that they want.
>> Yes. Exactly.
>> That's what's going to end up happening.
this what I I loved about, you know, sort of, you know, there's this anti-electoral uh, you know, faction, I think, of people on the left in general who uh, and I understand sort of I I'm I'm a pessimist when it comes to electoral politics most of the time. Um, but if you're someone who does vote or does at the very least is holding on to the idea that maybe uh, you know, it is possible for things to get better, I I I look at the pressure as like part of it.
It's like you want people who you can yell at. You want people who you can convince of stuff. And if you're not willing to do that for this issue, then you're not allowed to complain when other people are doing it because you're just like you you you can't be like, "Yes, I care a lot about the Palestinians and about ending um you know uh Zionism and ending the uh the genocide, but don't yell at at AOC. All she's doing is is uh you know trying to attack Marjorie Taylor Green for out of spite." Well, well, also historically in this country, like there's politicians that get elected and even if you hate electoralism and hate the parties, like some some of those politicians, you will have their ear a little bit and historically speaking, you have to put pressure on them to push the policies that even they promise to enact. Like whether we're talking about Zoron Mandani, who I actually think is better at politics and has better politics than AOC, but like he still needs to be pressured because he's like you're sitting in the room with really powerful people who have a lot of pressure points that they can put on him. And if you're in the streets making demands or as groups making demands, he can point to you and say, "Well, I have to do what they're saying or they'll have my head."
>> The New Deal The New Deal was not the result of the sheer force of FDR's will, >> right? or not criticizing him or not criticizing him.
>> It was it was a result of his will being t pushed over the you know over the top by pressure from below >> right >> pressure from the people that those policies would benefit.
>> Yes. Uh, and it just I people I think we there's a little bit of me that kind of mourns where our how focused our politics were on the left uh in the past couple of years and how they're slowly once again falling apart. Um because I see people who are deciding to to just go full bad faith and say like, "Hey, anyone who criticizes AOC for criticizing Marjorie Taylor Green is is just believing in the same things that Marjgerie Taylor Green does and is a racist and you should be ashamed of yourself." And it's like this is the type of [ __ ] that I feel like even just a year ago uh people who were I don't know rad libs or whatever would avoid trying to push because they knew they were going to get [ __ ] for it. people weren't buying this like constant uh constant like oh I'm going to use sort of standpoint uh you know politics or identity politics in order to um to water down the pro Palestine movement to water down criticism welldeserved criticism of someone who was acting pro- genocide essentially um and now people are are starting to back away from that as like well Palestine just one of the issues that you can put up against congressional insider trading And it's like >> that's so crazy. That's so crazy.
>> Is it because it's become like normalized? Like is it because it's just been happening for so long? It's like everyone's just like, "Well, that's background noise now."
>> Yeah. And it's because people I think you know who are I I think a lot of are well-meaning. Uh, I think a lot of people are they are weary or they're wary of people um putting them in the camp of oh, so you're pro-white nationalists and they're they're trying >> to not >> there's also there's also possible that like AOC like she's look she's I don't think she's dumb. I think sometimes she's word salad about things where you're just like what did you just say? But I think she she's pretty calculating and she's quite ambitious and perhaps that's a fiser she would like to create in me in in some ways. Like it's like it's like it's useful. It's like anyone who's going to criticize me in this, you're going to get called a white nationalist because I'm making it about MTG now instead of about genocide, >> right? Like I'm going to I'm going to create my own basket of deplorables and this time it'll work.
>> Yeah. I mean because I'm younger and more media savvy than Hillary and like like I basically liked I basically liked your approach but we need to revamp it for the Instagram era.
>> And maybe I'm just uh naive. Um, but after 2 and 1/2 years and a lost national election, um, I just can't believe I just cannot believe that someone would be, uh, just so illinformed enough, have such bad political instincts that they think that the right move is to pivot right on Palestine. And I just I don't think that's the case because I because I I can't I can't believe it. But you know what? I'm sure the comments section has a lot of things to tell me about my optimism.
>> And now it's their And now it's their turn cuz I think that's about all we've got for >> Yeah, I guess that's a show. Guys, thank you. Uh Rana, thank you so much for coming on to the We Love Marjorie Taylor Green show cuz because we're racist.
>> It's the white nationalist power hour.
>> Yeah, exactly.
>> Two Jews and an Arab.
>> That's right. Two Jews and an Arab just going Marjory. Yeah. I like them big.
I'm like them larger.
>> I like them with big crosses and a Jesus and a and more white people. Less of us.
>> More white. Um >> Rana, thank you so much for coming on.
Where can uh people find your work and support you?
>> Well, I really I had so much fun. This was like a this was almost as fun as that Eric Eric Clapton concert we didn't get invited to.
>> All right. I'm a smuck.
>> No, this was this was a really really fun episode to get to do. I really appreciate you guys uh inviting me. Such an honor. Um and uh people they can follow my work. I host a show called Dispatches at Breakthrough News. Um, and you can follow me on on Twitter on X, what's it called? X, and Instagram, Raa Cali.
>> The one. Uh, and when we'll have all the >> And I'm a grifter, too. I have a Substack.
>> Oh, check out the Substack. We're going to have We're going to have links to all of that uh in the show notes. So, everyone, please, as soon as you can follow Rana, follow her work, uh, support her on Substack, all of those things. Rana Khalik, so great talking to you.
>> Thanks, guys. You are awesome.
>> You are. And so are you out there, everyone in the world. Uh, thank you so much for listening everyone. Oh, uh, patreon.com/badisbara.
Uh, [email protected] for all your questions, comments, and concerns. All right. Thanks so much for listening.
Until next time, from the river to the sea.
>> Um, you know who else likes bodies of water? MTG.
>> God.
>> Okay. Bodies of water are cancelled.
>> That's right. That's right.
>> I guess. Yeah. Jumping jacks was us.
Push-ups was us. Garmaga us. All karate us. Taking molly us. Michael Jackson us.
Yamaha keyboards us. Charger us. Andor was us. Heath Ledger joker us. Endless bread us.
Happy meals was us. McDonald's was us.
Being happy us. Be yoga us. Eating food.
Us. Breathing air. Us. Drinking water.
Us.
We invented all that [ __ ]
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