Behind The Headlines

Sarit Zehavi (Col ret), one of the architects of the IDF’s civilian-warning and collateral-damage procedures, delivers a powerful rebuttal to the documentary Naza. She argues that the filmmakers fundamentally misrepresented the meaning of a “collateral damage estimate”. It is not an authorisation to kill civilians, but a warning that triggers an extensive system of intelligence officers, lawyers, operational commanders and technology experts who issue evacuation notices, more precise weapons, higher-level approval, or cancellation of the strike altogether. We also explore how the situation in Lebanon and Syria is reshaping Israel military and diplomatic strategy.

In this concluding episode with Colonel (ret) and former Defence Materiel Minister Mike Kelly, we examine how the wars reshaping our world are not isolated conflicts: they are fronts in a widening contest between democratic societies and an increasingly coordinated axis of autocracy. We discuss Ukraine’s asymmetric ingenuity, Israel’s use of human–machine warfare, the ruinous economics of firing multimillion-dollar missiles at cheap drones, and the information campaigns corroding Western confidence from within. Mike's warning is stark: the West may still dominate the battlefield, but it risks losing the larger struggle if it cannot convert military advantage into political purpose, industrial strength and democratic resolve.

In Part Two of One Dangerous World, Three Wars, Colonel (Ret.) and former Defence Materiel Minister Dr Mike Kelly strips away the propaganda surrounding the US–Iran war. From the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s surviving nuclear ambitions to $4 million missiles chasing $50,000 drones, Kelly exposes a brutal strategic imbalance: overwhelming American firepower but with Iran sustained by China and Russia, America divided from its allies and regime change remaining elusive, the conflict has hardened into a deadly stalemate. The United States may own the airspace—but Iran believes it owns time.

In the opening episode of the three-part podcast triptych Three Wars, One Dangerous New World, Mike Kelly draws on his extraordinary experience as a soldier, strategist, parliamentarian and national-security adviser to expose the larger war hiding behind the daily headlines. He argues that China, Russia, Iran and North Korea are coordinating military force, economic coercion and information warfare to weaken the democratic world from within, while an unpredictable America, captured institutions and manipulated social media leave the West dangerously exposed. From Gaza and Hamas to the ABC, aid agencies, foreign influence and the political exploitation of tragedy, this is a blistering, unsettling conversation about a war Australia has barely acknowledged—and may already be losing.

In this powerful address and Q&A, historian and The Australian columnist Henry Ergas reaches back through his own Sephardic family history, the Holocaust and Hannah Arendt to ask two urgent questions: how did Australia get here, and how do we get out of it? His central warning is unsettling: the eruption of antisemitism after October 7 was not an aberration but the culmination of a longer trajectory, and today's relative quiet risks producing a dangerous complacency. Ergas challenges the comforting idea of Jews as merely the “canary in the coal mine”: history, he argues, shows that hatred can remain concentrated on a small minority while everyone else's life continues normally. His memorable formulation—“they came for the Jews, and then they came for the Jews again”—leads to an even harder question: whether Australian Jews can continue relying on governments and institutions to protect them, or whether a fundamentally different strategy is now required.

Israel has demonstrated that it can strike its enemies, but can it shape what comes next? In a wide-ranging and unusually candid conversation, former IDF spokesman Peter Lerner examines the violent settler rampages in the West Bank and a government he says has “empowered extremism”; the failure to turn military success in Gaza into a viable political endgame; the uncertain new realities confronting Hezbollah in Lebanon, Turkey in Syria and a rearming Iran; and the limits of military power without diplomacy and political strategy. Yet beneath it all is a bigger question: how is Israel itself surviving? Lerner describes a country exhausted by war, reserve duty and internal division, yet still driven by a remarkable national instinct to “get up and do.” With Israel approaching a potentially transformative election, this is ultimately a conversation about agency, democracy, leadership—and whether Israel can now summon the power not merely to change the Middle East, but to change itself.

Why would a successful lawyer, mother and long-time advocate for Israeli-Palestinian reconciliation choose now to enter politics and contest one of Victoria's most politically and emotionally charged electorates? Behind The Headlines sits down with Labor candidate for Caulfield Mikaela Stafrace for a remarkably personal conversation about growing up in a dysfunctional family, attending 35 schools, breaking barriers for women in the law, and as Chair of Rozana Australia we discuss the work bringing Israelis and Palestinians together through healthcare. We confront antisemitism and the Jewish community's growing sense of insecurity, and ask a larger question at a time of deep distrust in politics: can decency and the courage to step into the arena restore some of the hope we've lost?

When your own house is in flames, what are you going  to do about it. This compelling conversation with Colonel (ret) Michael Scott and co-interviewer Gary Max, explores antisemitism and its impact on our society. Because we each have agency, Michael asks, am I contributing to a better tomorrow, or am I part of a bad yesterday? 

The debate over Labor's National Conference has focused almost entirely on the Platform. But is that where the real story lies? In this special edition of Behind the Headlines, Adam Slonim sits down with Labor MP Josh Burns to explore the deeper questions confronting both Australia and the Labor Party: after two years of division and the demonisation of Australian Jews, Labor's National Conference sent an unexpected signal: that it is still possible to disagree deeply without denying each other's humanity. Josh Burns joins Behind the Headlines to discuss leadership, moral courage, and why Australia's social cohesion depends on rejecting the politics of moral absolutism.

Dr Cochav Elkayam-Levy, recipient of Israel's highest civilian honour and founder of the Civil Commission on the October 7 Crimes by Hamas Against Women and Children, takes us inside one of the most confronting investigations of our time. As her team examined thousands of images, videos and survivor testimonies, they discovered something so horrific that existing international law could not adequately describe it. They were forced to coin a new term: Kinocide—the deliberate torture and destruction of families as families. But this conversation is about far more than a new legal definition. It is about the collapse of compassion, the betrayal of victims, the weaponisation of denial, and the desperate race to preserve truth before it is buried beneath propaganda. This is not an interview about politics. It is about civilisation itself, about whether we are still capable of looking evil in the eye, calling it by its name, and refusing to let history be rewritten. This conversation will stay with you long after it ends. And as it moves you, share it. Because truth only survives when ordinary people are prepared to bear witness.

What happens to a society when truth becomes relative, empathy is replaced by outrage, and communities retreat into competing identities? In one of the most thoughtful Behind The Headlines interviews to date, Archbishop Peter Comensoli joins me and Rabbi Ralph Genende to discuss why the surge in antisemitism after October 7 is not simply a Jewish issue but a test of Australia's moral character. Together we examine the virtues that sustain a free society—truth, humility, justice, empathy and courage—and argue that social cohesion cannot be built through mere tolerance, but through the harder work of becoming genuine neighbours. Rich in wisdom, practical insight and shared humanity, this is a timely conversation about faith, leadership and the values that hold a diverse nation together.

What happens when a dictatorship reaches into Australia to silence its critics? Iranian-Australian activist Nos Hosseini shares a deeply personal story of courage, repression and the forgotten struggle of the Iranian people. Nos challenges the West to see beyond the headlines that dominate Western debate, exposing the human rights abuses, intimidation and transnational repression that continue to define the Islamic Republic.

In this startling episode, ReGrow's Danielle Abraham tells us of the little-known terrorism launched by Hamas and Hezbollah to purposely destroy Israel's agriculture, and ReGrow's work with Israeli farmers in replanting over 550,000 fruit trees & orchards and 260,000 vines. It is a powerful story of resilience and the super-charging of the Israeli agricultural sector

When the toll of war came to Israel, Lyana Rotstein could have retreated into grief. Instead, she and a growing network of more than 200 volunteers chose service. Every week they prepare and deliver meals to soldiers defending Israel in Gaza and along the northern border, transforming heartbreak into action and loss into purpose. In this deeply moving conversation, Lyana shares her family's personal tragedy, the emotional toll of a nation at war, and the extraordinary volunteer movement that has emerged across Israel since October 7. It is a story of sacrifice, community, resilience and the quiet acts of kindness that sustain a country under immense strain.

Jerusalem Post News Editor Alex Winston joins Behind The Headlines to discuss the gap between how Israel is portrayed internationally and the realities experienced on the ground. From war reporting and media narratives to regional politics and Israeli society, Winston offers a front-row perspective on one of the world's most contested stories.

On October 7, 2023, Amir Tibon was trapped with his family in their safe room at Kibbutz Nahal Oz as Hamas terrorists swept through southern Israel. In this compelling and deeply personal conversation, Tibon recounts the events of that day, the extraordinary rescue led by his father, retired IDF General Noam Tibon, and the broader story of a nation still grappling with trauma, war, and political division. This episode explores Israel's intelligence failures, the challenge of defeating Hamas, the resilience of Israeli society, and the difficult questions that will shape Israel's future long after the fighting ends. It is a conversation about courage, accountability, survival, and the enduring determination of a people tested as never before.

In this compelling conversation, Alessandra Steele - CEO of the Jewish Centre for Law and Justice - talks about the legal, cultural and institutional failures that have allowed antisemitism to flourish in Australia and what must happen next. Drawing on her work supporting victims, pursuing strategic litigation, and contributing to the Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion, Alessandra examines the growing gap between laws on the books and their enforcement in practice. We discuss university campuses, social media radicalisation, the normalisation of extremist slogans, media accountability, the role of the courts, and the challenge of balancing free speech with community safety. Most importantly, she argues that antisemitism is not merely a Jewish problem but a warning sign of broader social decay—one that threatens the foundations of liberal democracy itself. This is a thoughtful, rigorous and deeply important conversation about justice, accountability and the future of Australian society.

In one of the most powerful and revealing conversations yet on the Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion, ECAJ Co-CEO Peter Wertheim joins Adam Slonim and Gareth Narunsky to discuss what the Commission is uncovering about modern Australia. From searing testimony of fear, exclusion and trauma, to the role of universities, media, social media radicalisation, Islamist extremism and the anti-Israel far left, Wertheim argues that the country is confronting not isolated incidents, but a deeper cultural and institutional crisis. The discussion explores the emotional intelligence of the Commission itself, the struggle to explain Jewish peoplehood and Zionism to non-Jewish Australia, the contested boundaries between criticism of Israel and antisemitism, and whether Australia can push hatred back to the fringes before it becomes normalised in mainstream society.

In this wide-ranging and deeply provocative conversation, Adam Slonim speaks with British-Australian documentary filmmaker Hugh Kitson about his landmark film series Whose Land? an exploration of the historical and legal foundations of the modern State of Israel. From the 1917 Balfour Declaration and foundational 1920 San Remo Conference to the present, and the competing narratives surrounding Palestinian statehood, this interview probes the collision between history, law, religion, diplomacy and lived reality. 

In this deeply confronting and historically rich conversation, award-winning journalist and author Yardena Schwartz joins Behind The Headlines to unpack the 1929 Hebron Massacre — a largely forgotten atrocity that continues to cast a long shadow over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Drawing on years of archival research and firsthand reporting, Schwartz explores how disinformation, religious incitement, denial of history, and the weaponisation of Al-Aqsa helped turn centuries of fragile coexistence into unimaginable violence. From the Grand Mufti’s propaganda campaign to the chilling parallels with October 7, this episode examines not just what happened in Hebron, but why its echoes still reverberate through the modern Middle East — and what that means for any hope of reconciliation.

If you want to understand where the world is really heading and what it means for Australia, this is one of the most important conversations I’ve had. From Iran and China to social cohesion at home, Senator Raff Ciccone - Chair of the Australian Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence & Security - lays out the pressures building beneath the surface and why they matter more than we think.

In this gripping conversation, Ambassador Michael Oren reframes the Iran conflict in stark terms: Israel fights for victory, its enemies fight simply to survive—and that changes everything. We explore whether this is a war that can be won or only managed, why Iran sits at the centre of every battlefield from Gaza to Lebanon, the limits of American support, and the resilience—and strain—within Israeli society after years of conflict. A sobering, deeply strategic look at a war redefining power, endurance and what “winning” even means.

Is this a war that can be won—or only managed? Ambassador Dennis Ross and I explore Iran, Israel, the U.S. blockade, the fragility of the Iranian regime, and why this conflict may be reshaping the future of power, deterrence and order in the Middle East and beyond. 

A conversation with Professor Stephen Prawer on what rising antisemitism reveals about Australian universities — and what happens when institutions lose the ability to draw clear lines. A test not just of campuses, but of leadership itself.

We examine a case that goes far beyond the courtroom. When the phrase “All Zionists are terrorists” was amplified in a charged public setting, it forced a precise legal question: where does free speech end and incitement begin? But as this conversation with Menachem Vorchheimer unfolds, something deeper emerges. This is not only about law — it is about the power of language to shape emotion, behaviour, and ultimately action. In an era where slogans travel faster than thought, this case exposes how narratives are formed, how lines are crossed, and what happens when words move from expression to consequence. And in that sense, its lessons extend well beyond protest or politics — into leadership, decision-making, and the responsibility that comes with influence.

One of Australia's greatest raconteurs, Andrew Landeryou, delivers a blunt assessment of a political system in flux and the rise of a more volatile, fragmented electorate. urning to the global stage, he frames the Israel–US–Iran conflict as a genuine strategic turning point, with the potential to reshape regional power and test Australia’s alliances, warning that we may be entering a far more uncertain and consequential phase of both domestic and international politics.

As Israel moves rom managing the Iranian threat to removing it, former Australian Assistant Defence Minister and soldier Mike Kelly provides a hard-headed assessment of the escalating conflict involving Israel, Iran, Hezbollah and the United States. What are the real military and geopolitical stakes of this war, and how far could it spread? We examines the strategic objectives of Israel and the US, the role of Iran’s proxy forces across the region, and managing the risks of wider regional escalation including Iran's use of global terror. The conversation uncovers the strategic fiascos of Australia's National Security establishment and the "failure to appreciate the ecosystem of terror".

Israel is fighting a large scale war with Iran—the power that has spent decades trying to encircle it with proxy armies and missiles. In this episode I interview David Horovitz the founding editor of The Times of Israel, one of the world’s most widely read English-language publications covering Israel and the region. David tells us how the war is proceeding, how Israel is coping and what is happening across the region.

In this episode of Behind The Headlines, I interview Avital Shapira, International Director of the Histadrut, Israel’s national trade union federation representing over 800,000 workers. What follows is a conversation that decisively dismantles one of the loudest accusations made against Israel. We examine how collective bargaining agreements apply equally to Jewish and Arab workers, how Palestinian employees working under Israeli labour law receive the same wages and protections as their Israeli counterparts, and how workplace integration complicates — and in many cases collapses — the apartheid narrative. This is not a discussion of slogans, but of contracts, pay slips, safety standards and enforceable rights. If you want facts rather than theatre, this is an interview you should hear.

A speech I gave about the deep historical Jewish connection to the Australian Labor Party and reclaiming it for the future.

In a world where 'Globalise the Intifada' is considered radical chic, it is timely to recall what that actually looks like in practice. This episode reprises an interview with Captain M of IDF Intelligence whose story of what happened on Oct 7 tells us all we need to know about real courage and heroism in the face of an  actual Intifada.

In this episode of Behind The Headlines, I am joined by journalist Julie Szego for a clear-eyed examination of how Australia’s arts and cultural sector — once proudly liberal and pluralist — has become a breeding ground for antisemitism. We explore how activist politics, moral absolutism and managerial cowardice have reshaped cultural spaces, why Jewish voices are being marginalised or silenced, and how language meant to protect human rights is now being used to exclude Jews. This is a rigorous, unsettling conversation about power, conformity, and how we reached a point where hatred can wear the costume of virtue — and what it will take to reverse it.

A gripping, inside-the-storm conversation with Australian Jewish News editor Gareth Narunsky that exposes what has really been happening in Australia before and since the Bondi attack — including two revelations that left even us stunned.

In this episode of Behind The Headlines, I’m joined by Michael Oren — historian, former Israeli Ambassador to the United States, and one of the most thoughtful and experienced interpreters of Israel’s place in the world — for a wide-ranging and deeply honest conversation about war, diplomacy, October 7, the moral confusion of the West, and what it actually takes to pursue peace in a region that resists simple stories.

In this urgent and unflinching conversation, Peter Wertheim, one of Australia’s most experienced Jewish communal leaders, confronts a question many would rather avoid: why does antisemitism feel different now? From the chilling chants outside the Sydney Opera House to the terror of Bondi, from the failures of cultural institutions to the silence of political leaders, Wertheim dissects how hatred once confined to the margins has seeped into mainstream Australian life — often disguised as activism, moral righteousness or “free speech.” Calm, forensic and deeply human, this is a must-listen episode about fear, courage, and what it will take for Australia to face a problem it can no longer explain away.

Following the tragedy of Bondi, I interview Labor insider and podcaster, Stephen Donnelly on how the ALP has failed the Australian Jewish community and what can be done to repair the relationship.

Luke Walladge is a political operative, insightful observer, and raconteur. In this Episode, we tour widely across the political landscape to seek understanding of the forces of change shaping our world.

Dave Rich is the Policy Director at the UK's Community Security Trust. He discusses the disturbing experiences of the UK Jewish Community since Oct 7th, and how Antisemitism has changed the face of UK politics.

Mike Kelly has just spent a week with the Military Leadership Council on the ground inside Gaza and Israel and talks to us about what he saw and heard. This is a hard-headed assessment of the realities of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict

The Scalon Foundation has been mapping Australia's Social Cohesion for many years. Is it cracking or holding up in the last two years? I explore this with Scanlon Executive Director, Anthea Hancocks. The answers may well surprise us all.

The newly released Crossroads 2025 survey, led by Prof Andrew Markus of Monash University, is the most comprehensive portrait yet of what Australians really think about Jews, Israel, and the fault lines of social cohesion in a post–October 7 world. It reveals a nation that remains broadly tolerant but increasingly confused — where antisemitic attitudes are still rare, yet ignorance and polarisation are rising, especially among the young. We’ll ask what’s driving this moral drift: media, education, ideology, or fatigue — and what it means for Australian democracy when reason gives way to reflex.

I interview Michael Scott on his new book, A Light Still Burns: Israel and the Values Worth Defending, and review how the War against Israel has taken its toll on Western civilisation. 

"We are all one". Dr Rodayna Frij-Badir, an Arab Muslim citizen of Israel navigates multiple societies with intelligence and wisdom. She founded a number of Autism centres for the Arab community which have now spread throughout Israel. She has a remarkable career helping Arab and Jew live with understanding and peaceably together. 

Our captives are returned. A ceasefire is here. We pray for a lasting peace. But we know the toll that has been paid is very high. Ela Haimi has paid that price.