Host Simon Spungin is joined by Haaretz's Amira Hass to discuss the recent demonstrations in the Palestinian territories and the Palestinian Authority's violent repression of those protests. We ask: What role does the Israeli occupation play in Mahmoud Abbas' ability to crush dissent? How is the Palestinian national struggle also a struggle for democracy? And why are Palestinian security forces targeting women?

Host Simon Spungin is joined by Haaretz's <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/misc/writers/WRITER-1.4968114">Amira Hass</a> to discuss the<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/palestinians/.premium.HIGHLIGHT-confident-of-support-from-the-west-the-pa-suppresses-protests-violently-1.9946744"> recent demonstrations</a> in the Palestinian territories and the Palestinian Authority's <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/palestinians/.premium-death-of-an-abbas-opponent-in-palestinian-detention-stokes-revulsion-toward-his-rule-1.9941098">violent repression</a> of those protests. We ask: What role does the Israeli occupation play in Mahmoud Abbas' ability to crush dissent? How is the Palestinian national struggle also a struggle for democracy? And why are Palestinian security forces <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/palestinians/.premium.HIGHLIGHT-as-palestinians-protest-death-of-an-abbas-opponent-women-are-assaulted-in-response-1.9966244">targeting women</a>?

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – a weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer.

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – a weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer.

Your audio guide to Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World.

Haaretz Podcast

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – the Haaretz weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer. 

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – the Haaretz weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer.

How Israel, Fatah and the PA join forces to silence Palestinian protest: LISTEN to Amira Hass

Jews in the United Kingdom watched voters in their country gravitate to parties on the extreme right and left in the country’s local elections – following a campaign where antisemitism was used as a political football, and controversies over the government’s relationship with Israel, pro-Palestinian protests and free speech factored into voting. 

On the Haaretz Podcast, London-based correspondent Hagar Shezaf and senior analyst Esther Solomon discuss the impact of the results, which have been described as an “earthquake” for its rejection of the Labour Party led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

While covering the campaign, Shezaf said, she encountered a voter who told her “I voted for Labour my whole life. I won't be doing that anymore because of Gaza and Iran.”

The surge in support for the far-right anti-immigrant Reform U.K. party, Solomon observed, “leaves Jews in a very, very difficult position” as the party and its leader, Brexit architect Nigel Farage, made multiple bids for Jewish support during the campaign – including in the aftermath of the stabbing attacks in the Jewish neighborhood of Golders Green on April 29.

“Reform really wanted to put over the message that it was there to ‘look after’ the Jews – by cracking down on what it calls an invasion of migrants … and on the Muslim community of the U.K. … but it’s not just about protecting the Jews. It's putting them up on a pedestal in order to stamp on all sorts of other minorities.” 

On the left, Solomon said the newly resurgent Green Party – led by leader Zack Polanski – “were not willing to really confront the issue of antisemitism, and constantly tried and deflect to the idea that is all about their criticism of Israel, and that they refuse to be silenced.”

Read more:

Analysis by Esther Solomon on Britain's Nationalist Surge: It's Not Only Reform's Farage That Disunites the Kingdom

How Antisemitism Can Push British Jews Into the Arms of Farage and the Far Right

Cheers for Reform, Boos for Labour: 5,000 U.K. Jews and Allies Rally in London Against 'Poisonous' Antisemitism

'No Longer Safe to Be Visibly Jewish': After Stabbing Spree, Some British Jews Say It's a Matter of When They Leave, Not If

U.K. Greens' Zack Polanski Discourages 'Globalize the Intifada' Phrase but Opposes Policing It

U.K. Greens' Polanski Slams Starmer for 'Weaponizing' Antisemitism After PM's Rebuke

Jews in the United Kingdom watched voters in their country gravitate to parties on the extreme right and left in the country&rsquo;s local elections &ndash; following a campaign where antisemitism was used as a political football, and controversies over the government&rsquo;s relationship with Israel, pro-Palestinian protests and free speech factored into voting.&nbsp;
On the Haaretz Podcast, London-based correspondent Hagar Shezaf and senior analyst Esther Solomon discuss the impact of the results, which have been described as an &ldquo;earthquake&rdquo; for its rejection of the Labour Party led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
While covering the campaign, Shezaf said, she encountered a voter who told her &ldquo;I voted for Labour my whole life. I won't be doing that anymore because of Gaza and Iran.&rdquo;
The surge in support for the far-right anti-immigrant Reform U.K. party, Solomon observed, &ldquo;leaves Jews in a very, very difficult position&rdquo; as the party and its leader, Brexit architect Nigel Farage, made multiple bids for Jewish support during the campaign &ndash; including in the aftermath of the stabbing attacks in the Jewish neighborhood of Golders Green on April 29.
&ldquo;Reform really wanted to put over the message that it was there to &lsquo;look after&rsquo; the Jews &ndash; by cracking down on what it calls an invasion of migrants &hellip; and on the Muslim community of the U.K. &hellip; but it&rsquo;s not just about protecting the Jews. It's putting them up on a pedestal in order to stamp on all sorts of other minorities.&rdquo;&nbsp;
On the left, Solomon said the newly resurgent Green Party &ndash; led by leader Zack Polanski &ndash; &ldquo;were not willing to really confront the issue of antisemitism, and constantly tried and deflect to the idea that is all about their criticism of Israel, and that they refuse to be silenced.&rdquo;
Read more:
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/2026-05-10/ty-article-magazine/.premium/britains-nationalist-surge-its-not-just-farage-that-disunites-the-kingdom/0000019e-11a9-d73c-a99e-dffbb4a40000">Analysis by Esther Solomon on Britain's Nationalist Surge:&nbsp;It's Not Only Reform's Farage That Disunites the Kingdom</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/2026-05-07/ty-article-magazine/.premium/british-election-will-antisemitism-push-u-k-jews-to-the-arms-of-the-far-right/0000019e-019f-df19-af9e-07ffced60000">How Antisemitism Can Push British Jews Into the Arms of Farage and the Far Right</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/2026-05-11/ty-article-magazine/.premium/in-london-5-000-u-k-jews-and-allies-rally-against-recent-attacks/0000019e-161e-d9c5-a19e-965e0b850000">Cheers for Reform, Boos for Labour: 5,000 U.K. Jews and Allies Rally in London Against 'Poisonous' Antisemitism</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/2026-04-30/ty-article-magazine/.premium/after-stabbing-some-british-jews-say-its-a-matter-of-when-they-leave-not-if/0000019d-de45-d9bc-a5bf-de7f3fe70000">'No Longer Safe to Be Visibly Jewish': After Stabbing Spree, Some British Jews Say It's a Matter of When They Leave, Not If</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/world-news/europe/2026-05-03/ty-article/u-k-greens-polanski-discourages-globalize-the-intifada-opposes-policing-it/0000019d-eea8-de36-abfd-feaa300c0000">U.K. Greens' Zack Polanski Discourages 'Globalize the Intifada' Phrase but Opposes Policing It</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/world-news/europe/2026-04-25/ty-article/.premium/u-k-greens-polanski-slams-starmer-for-weaponizing-antisemitism-after-rebuke/0000019d-c136-ded5-abdd-f53e1ede0000">U.K. Greens' Polanski Slams Starmer for 'Weaponizing' Antisemitism After PM's Rebuke</a>

'Political football': How U.K. Jews are caught between Britain's racist far-right and the anti-Zionist far left 

October 7 and the Gaza war radically changed the way many people around the world, including Diaspora Jews, viewed Israel. 

For Toronto-based journalist Jesse Brown, the turning point came not with Hamas' massacre itself, but with the domestic backlash that followed.

“Canadians got angry with Jews after October 7, and the entire national discourse seemed to just turn against Jews in a way that I wouldn’t have imagined possible,” he told the Haaretz Podcast. 

Using police-reported hate crime statistics from Canada and the United States, Brown argues that a Jew in Canada is now about nine times more likely to be the victim of a hate crime than a Jew in the United States.

Ironically, he explained to podcast host Allison Kaplan Sommer, the progressive political atmosphere in Canada has made things worse for Jews, not better. 

Brown’s podcast series “What is Happening Here” documents the skyrocketing antisemitism targeting Jewish institutions and neighborhoods in Canada, including synagogues being shot at, firebombed or vandalized, and Jewish-owned businesses and individuals singled out for harassment campaigns.

Brown contends that debates over whether specific chants or actions are “anti-Israel,” “anti-Zionist” or “antisemitic” obscure the practical impact on Jewish communities. While he stops short of equating anti-Zionism with antisemitism, Brown said that contemporary anti-Zionism is “just as dangerous to Jews.” 

Read more:

Canadian Watchdog Reports Record Number of Antisemitic Incidents in 2025

Canadian-Jewish Groups Decry Efforts by pro-Palestinian Groups to Strip Jewish Schools of Their Charity Status

Toronto Police Arrest Suspect in Passover Shooting at Jewish-owned Restaurant

Campaign Targeting Jewish Children's Summer Camps in Canada Condemned as Antisemitic

October 7 and the Gaza war radically changed the way many people around the world, including Diaspora Jews, viewed Israel.&nbsp;
For Toronto-based journalist Jesse Brown, the turning point came not with Hamas' massacre itself, but with the domestic backlash that followed.
&ldquo;Canadians got angry with Jews after October 7, and the entire national discourse seemed to just turn against Jews in a way that I wouldn&rsquo;t have imagined possible,&rdquo; he told the Haaretz Podcast.&nbsp;
Using police-reported hate crime statistics from Canada and the United States, Brown argues that a Jew in Canada is now about nine times more likely to be the victim of a hate crime than a Jew in the United States.
Ironically, he explained to podcast host Allison Kaplan Sommer, the progressive political atmosphere in Canada has made things worse for Jews, not better.&nbsp;
Brown&rsquo;s podcast series &ldquo;What is Happening Here&rdquo; documents the skyrocketing antisemitism targeting Jewish institutions and neighborhoods in Canada, including synagogues being shot at, firebombed or vandalized, and Jewish-owned businesses and individuals singled out for harassment campaigns.
Brown contends that debates over whether specific chants or actions are &ldquo;anti-Israel,&rdquo; &ldquo;anti-Zionist&rdquo; or &ldquo;antisemitic&rdquo; obscure the practical impact on Jewish communities. While he stops short of equating anti-Zionism with antisemitism, Brown said that contemporary anti-Zionism is &ldquo;just as dangerous to Jews.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Read more:
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/2026-04-28/ty-article/.premium/canadian-watchdog-reports-record-number-of-antisemitic-incidents-in-2025/0000019d-d327-d95a-afbd-f36fbd600000">Canadian Watchdog Reports Record Number of Antisemitic Incidents in 2025</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/2026-04-29/ty-article/.premium/canadian-jewish-groups-decry-efforts-to-strip-jewish-schools-of-charity-status/0000019d-d939-d95a-afbd-f97b6a490000">Canadian-Jewish Groups Decry Efforts by pro-Palestinian Groups to Strip Jewish Schools of Their Charity Status</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/2026-04-09/ty-article/.premium/toronto-police-arrest-suspect-in-passover-shooting-at-jewish-owned-restaurant/0000019d-712d-de10-afdf-736f71020000">Toronto Police Arrest Suspect in Passover Shooting at Jewish-owned Restaurant</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/2026-02-16/ty-article/.premium/campaign-targeting-jewish-childrens-summer-camps-in-canada-condemned-as-antisemitic/0000019c-634c-de1a-a9df-6b7d990b0000">Campaign Targeting Jewish Children's Summer Camps in Canada Condemned as Antisemitic</a>

Jewish life in polite Canada has become 'a horror show of hatred'

War-weary Israelis have clearly tired of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership, but it is still uncertain as to whether opposition forces will be able to put aside their wide ideological differences to defeat him in the October election, Dr. Dahlia Scheindlin told the Haaretz Podcast. 

Scheindlin, a veteran political analyst and strategist, said the recent announcement that Netanyahu challenger and former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett will join with Yair Lapid – also a former prime minister – is a harbinger of an opposition seeking to run in a united bloc. 

What is unclear is whether this push for a united opposition is “an extremely sophisticated political strategy based on mathematical calculations, or it's absolutely an arbitrary guess – a finger in the wind.”

Lapid and Bennett are joining forces despite the fact that Bennett’s right-wing pro-occupation positions are firmly in line with Netanyahu’s, “minus the corruption and populism,” said Scheindlin, while Lapid supports a two-state solution. 

Asked if this election is indeed as fateful as it is being framed, Scheindlin replied that in her experience, every election in Israel’s history is expected to “change the course of the country. And every time it was true.”

The difference is, she said, that even if Netanyahu is defeated, “Israel has gone so far in the direction of an undemocratic transformation and becoming a permanent expansionist, occupying undemocratic state – it will be much harder to turn the clock back.”

Read more:

Explained | What to Know About Israel's 2026 Election

Analysis by Dahlia Scheindlin | The Problem With Naftali Bennett

Far-right Minister Smotrich Says Forming Government With Arab Party Chairman 'Worse Than October 7'

Top Israeli Elections Official Resigns, Risking Electoral Integrity

Despite the Cascade of Crises, Israeli Politics Remains Stuck

Analysis by Dahila Scheindlin | Israel's Biggest Existential Threat Isn't Iran

War-weary Israelis have clearly tired of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&rsquo;s leadership, but it is still uncertain as to whether opposition forces will be able to put aside their wide ideological differences to defeat him in the October election, Dr. Dahlia Scheindlin told the Haaretz Podcast.&nbsp;
Scheindlin, a veteran political analyst and strategist, said the recent announcement that Netanyahu challenger and former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett will join with Yair Lapid &ndash; also a former prime minister &ndash; is a harbinger of an opposition seeking to run in a united bloc.&nbsp;
What is unclear is whether this push for a united opposition is &ldquo;an extremely sophisticated political strategy based on mathematical calculations, or it's absolutely an arbitrary guess &ndash; a finger in the wind.&rdquo;
Lapid and Bennett are joining forces despite the fact that Bennett&rsquo;s right-wing pro-occupation positions are firmly in line with Netanyahu&rsquo;s, &ldquo;minus the corruption and populism,&rdquo; said Scheindlin, while Lapid supports a two-state solution.&nbsp;
Asked if this election is indeed as fateful as it is being framed, Scheindlin replied that in her experience, every election in Israel&rsquo;s history is expected to &ldquo;change the course of the country. And every time it was true.&rdquo;
The difference is, she said, that even if Netanyahu is defeated, &ldquo;Israel has gone so far in the direction of an undemocratic transformation and becoming a permanent expansionist, occupying undemocratic state &ndash; it will be much harder to turn the clock back.&rdquo;
Read more:
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/haaretz-explains/2026-04-30/ty-article-magazine/.premium/netanyahus-last-stand-what-to-know-about-israels-upcoming-election/0000019c-212c-d5b8-ad9c-f1af69370000">Explained | What to Know About Israel's 2026 Election</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-politics/2026-04-27/ty-article/.premium/the-problem-with-naftali-bennett/0000019d-cf15-d0b7-abdf-ff1527170000">Analysis by Dahlia Scheindlin | The Problem With Naftali Bennett</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-politics/2026-05-05/ty-article/.premium/far-right-minister-says-forming-govt-with-arab-party-more-grave-than-oct-7/0000019d-f6dc-df01-a3dd-f7fd7d4a0000">Far-right Minister Smotrich Says Forming Government With Arab Party Chairman 'Worse Than October 7'</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2026-05-01/ty-article/.premium/top-israeli-elections-official-resigns-risking-electoral-integrity/0000019d-e2e8-d4c0-a3dd-efebf5970000">Top Israeli Elections Official Resigns, Risking Electoral Integrity</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-politics/2026-05-01/ty-article/.premium/despite-the-cascade-of-crises-israeli-politics-remains-stuck/0000019d-dec9-db36-a1fd-fecf6a640000">Despite the Cascade of Crises, Israeli Politics Remains Stuck</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-politics/2026-05-01/ty-article/.premium/israels-biggest-existential-threat-isnt-iran/0000019d-de92-d709-ad9f-fe931dd80000">Analysis by Dahila Scheindlin | Israel's Biggest Existential Threat Isn't Iran</a>

How Israel, Fatah and the PA join forces to silence Palestinian protest: LISTEN to Amira Hass

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