The Honest Report

Anti-Israel and antisemitic hate mongers have rarely sought to hide their true feelings, a reality that has been readily apparent for the last 6.5 months around the world. But the response to it by Jewish and pro-Israel organizations have left much to be desired; beyond social media condemnations, little more has been done. Fortunately, there are many options available. Howard Levitt is a senior partner at Levitt Sheikh LLP, and a prominent media commentator on issues of combating antisemitism and anti-Israel hate using legal means, and he joins us on this week's podcast to discuss his template for creating a muscular, assertive and successful campaign, and why it's long overdue to be implemented. Welcome to The Honest Report podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thehonestreport/message

It's a claim that is taken almost as an unassailable truth by a huge number of news media outlets around the world: that some 33,000 people died in Gaza, and that two-thirds of them are women and children. While the source of that claim is Hamas, and its "Gaza Ministry of Health," which doesn't distinguish between civilians and combatants, or those killed by Israel or by errant Palestinian rockets, there is an even more fundamental way to recognize the data is unreliable: by statistics. Abraham Wyner, a professor of Statistics and Data Science at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, recently penned a report where he pointed out that Hamas' casualty numbers don't add up, just from a statistical perspective, rendering them extraordinarily unlikely to be true. Professor Wyner joins us as a guest to walk us through his research showing how statistics have shown Hamas' claims to be propaganda. Welcome to The Honest Report podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thehonestreport/message

For years, Israel has accused UNRWA, the disgraced United Nations agency, of ties to Palestinian terrorism and incitement and glorification of violence. But only after the massacres of October 7 did the UN agency, officially tasked with providing aid to Palestinians, get into the larger spotlight. Israel has accused - and provided evidence for - UNRWA staff of participating in Hamas' massacre, and has pointed to a huge Hamas data centre built directly underneath the agency's Gaza City headquarters, as well as satellite photos of schools built on top of Hamas bunkers, and much more. Every year, UNRWA receives funding from international donors, including Canada, meaning Ottawa effectively is funding Hamas terrorism. As a result, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) recently announced it was taking legal action against the Trudeau government, saying funding UNRWA contravenes Canadian anti-terrorism legislation. Richard Marceau, CIJA's VP and General Counsel, joins us as a guest. Welcome to The Honest Report podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thehonestreport/message

Ian Ward is a Councillor in Colwood, British Columbia, on Vancouver Island, a suburb of Victoria, population just under 20,000 people. He has also become a leading voice of moral clarity, advocating for both Israel and the Jewish People, even though as an elected official in a municipality with a relatively small Jewish community, there is little electoral benefit in doing so. Ian joins us as a guest on this week's podcast to discuss what prompted him to become so vocal, the feedback he has been getting from constituents, and why he thinks more municipal politicians need to stand up and make their voices heard. Welcome to The Honest Report podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thehonestreport/message

In the immediate aftermath of Hamas' invasion of southern Israel on October 7, it became evident that Israel lacked the ability to scale up its procurement of military and civilian gear, both for the IDF in its operations, and for Israeli civilians forced from their homes and displaced refugees in their own country. In the face of fast-changing events, one Israeli man, Michael Freedman, saw an opportunity to help. The Israel-based businessman quickly launched what became known as Project Shushan, a complex effort to deliver much-needed gear to Israel, working faster than official channels could provide. Michael joins us as our guest this week. Welcome to The Honest Report podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thehonestreport/message

It's a fact largely ignored by anti-Israel activists: that 20 percent of Israel's population are Arabs, largely Muslim. They enjoy the same democratic rights as Israeli Jews, can vote and stand for election, and hold citizenship as Israelis. The Bedouin of Israel's south are part of this population, and they are unique in their own right, distinct from the Bedouin in Israel's north, the Druze community in Israel, and the Jewish majority. In this week's podcast, we are joined by Ariel Viesel, the CO-CEO of Desert Stars, an Israeli organization that works to provide educational, vocational and other opportunities to members of Israel's Bedouin population in the country's south, and in so doing, help further integrate them into Israeli society, benefiting them, and Israel at large. Welcome to The Honest Report podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thehonestreport/message

It is very easy to consume news in a bubble. Human nature is to read, listen and watch information that fits our preconceived ideologies and ideas. Breaking out of that bubble is easier said than done, and when it comes to the hundreds of millions of Arabic-speakers around the world, getting accurate information about Israel can be next to impossible. Rawan Osman is looking to change that. Following October 7, the Syrian-born, Lebanese-raised commentator, now based in Germany, became an outspoken advocate for Israel and the Jewish people. Through her active social media presence, including her accounts, Arabs Ask, Osman has used her native Arabic language to share the truth about Israel to audiences who rarely had the opportunity to get that perspective. Osman joins us as our guest this week. Welcome to The Honest Report podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thehonestreport/message

October 7 was more than just a terrorist attack, or even the biggest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. It represented, perhaps more than any other event, the truest opportunity to see the real face of Hamas, not just its rhetoric, but its actions. Not only the rapes, murders, tortures, and kidnappings, but the gleeful manner in which they were carried out, filming it all for posterity and out of pride. But October 7, now more than five months ago, seems like ancient history, certainly to much of the news media, which now has widely lost interest, including in the Israeli hostages still in Gaza. Seeing the sites of Hamas' massacres first-hand help to bring the reality home, not just of what happened that day, but of the moral necessity in fighting Hamas. In late January, Toronto businessman Larry Maher brought a group of Canadian journalists to Israel for a short visit, where they bore witness to what Hamas carried out, and he joins us to discuss why he brought these individuals, and what he wants such a visit to achieve. Welcome to The Honest Report podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thehonestreport/message

Over the last five months, Rahim Mohamed has become one of Canada's most recognizable opinion columnists. The Calgary-based commentator, writing in The National Post, has also made a name for himself as a vocal advocate for Israel and a harsh critic of the moral turpitude that has allowed disinformation to fester. While commentators are entitled to their own views, but not their own facts, that simple yet profound difference has been nevertheless been lost by so many reporters and columnists alike, regardless of the platform. In this week's podcast, Rahim joins us to discuss his perspective on the state of the news media when it comes to covering the Hamas-Israel war, how he would rate their coverage, and what his predictions for the news media in the near future look like. Welcome to The Honest Report podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thehonestreport/message

As the war rages in the Middle East between Hamas and Israel, following the simple narrative is easy. And that narrative, that Israel is a murderous state hell-bent on genocide, may be a simpler message to understand, but it is an inversion of reality. While some politicians take the easy path, others put facts before ideology. In recent weeks, Kevin Vuong, an independent Member of Parliament for Spadina-Fort York, located in downtown Toronto, has become one of the country's most vocal supporters, both of Israel, and of Canada's Jewish community at large. He joins us as our guest this week to discuss what prompted him to become such a stalwart ally, his message for other politicians, and what the feedback from his constituents has been like. Welcome to The Honest Report podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thehonestreport/message

Egypt plays a towering role in the Middle East. Not only is the country the most populous in the region, home to more than 100 million people, it is also the first Arab state to make peace with Israel, in 1979. Egypt also plays a critical role in the current war between Israel and Hamas, bordering Gaza. What is Cairo looking for in its relationship with Israel, with Hamas, and what role is it trying to play in the Middle East at large? To share his expertise in the area, we are joined by Dr Ofir Winter. Dr. Winter is a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) in Tel Aviv, where he specializes in Arab-Israeli relations and contemporary Egypt. Welcome to The Honest Report podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thehonestreport/message

In the current Hamas-Israel war, things are very different than before. In previous conflicts, Israel practiced what was called "mowing the lawn," which meant degrading Hamas' capabilities, but avoiding all-out war. That is no longer the case. But in an asymmetric war, how does that look long-term, and what power vacuum will take hold if and when Hamas is no longer in charge in the Gaza Strip? To provide insight, we interview Efraim Inbar, President of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security. Welcome to The Honest Report podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thehonestreport/message

In the current Hamas-Israel war, things are very different than before. In previous conflicts, Israel practiced what was called "mowing the lawn," which meant degrading Hamas' capabilities, but avoiding all-out war. That is no longer the case. But in an asymmetric war, how does that look long-term, and what power vacuum will take hold if and when Hamas is no longer in charge in the Gaza Strip? To provide insight, we interview Efraim Inbar, President of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security. Welcome to The Honest Report podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thehonestreport/message

For scores of Israelis, the horrors of Hamas' genocidal October 7 massacre didn't end four months ago; it continues every single day. Not just for the Israelis who continue to endure rocket fire, or who lost loved ones fighting the terror group in Gaza, but also for the families of the remaining 136 hostages in Gaza. There are now negotiations for a possible release of this last group of hostages being coordinated by Qatar, the oil-rich Persian Gulf kingdom, which is playing a central role. Qatar, while being home to senior Hamas leadership, is also working to secure the release of these kidnapped Israelis. This past Friday, at Qatar's Embassy in Ottawa, a gathering took place to show support for these efforts and to apply some pressure on Qatar to ensure the hostages are released. Jodi Green, Communications and Advocacy Specialist at the Jewish Federation of Ottawa, who helped organize the gathering, joins us as our guest this week. Welcome to The Honest Report podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thehonestreport/message

Since October 7, posters showing the faces and names of the Israeli hostages kidnapped by Hamas have become ubiquitous around the world, reminding the public about the true nature of the terrorist group and showing the reality of Israel's suffering. Grotesquely, these same posters are also being widely torn down by anti-Israel activists, who oppose the humanization of Israelis, and beyond publicly naming and shaming these vandals, there wasn't much that could be done. One Canadian mayor thought otherwise. In early November, Mayor Jeremy Levi of Hampstead, Quebec, a suburb of Montreal, announced that his town would adopt a by-law penalizing the removal of the posters with a $1,000 fine. He also added that the monies raised would be donated to Israeli charities. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thehonestreport/message

What exactly is the explanation for antisemitism? No matter what excuse is cited by those seeking to demonize Jews, it fails to explain the pervasiveness and intensity of Jew-hatred, both from the extreme right and the extreme left. But despite the inherent illogic in antisemitism, there remains a tendency to attempt to explain it and categorize it. Our guest this week is attempting to put all that to rest. Alex Ryvchin is co-Chief Executive Officer of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, and an author whose recent book, The 7 Deadly Myths: Antisemitism from the time of Christ to Kanye West, seeks to guide readers through the specific myths underlining antisemitism, and in turn, help offer Jews & their allies, the news media, and the public at large the tools to understand and combat it. Welcome to The Honest Report podcast. Please subscribe to our podcast, leave a review, and share our show. If you are interested in sponsoring a podcast, please click here. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thehonestreport/message

Amongst Israel's enemies, there are many fronts in war: In addition to the physical threats marshalled against the Jewish State such as terrorism, there are others, such as the attempts to delegitimize and demonize the country in the eyes of the world, namely in the form of the BDS movement. But there is yet another front, often unknown to the general public: cyber warfare, where state and non-state actors attempt to cause harm to Israel via cyber attacks against important targets. And while these threats are very real to Israel, the country has become a pioneer in addressing them. That's according to Chuck Freilich, Israel's former deputy national security adviser, who is also co-author of the book, "Israel and the Cyber Threat: How the Startup Nation Became a Global Cyber Power." Freilich joins us on this week's podcast, and provides a deep dive into the reality of cyber warfare beyond the headlines, how Israel has responded so far, and the storm clouds on the horizon. Welcome to The Honest Report podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thehonestreport/message

The social media platform X, formerly called Twitter, has often been criticized by Jewish leaders and human rights organizations for what critics say is its failure to act on addressing widespread antisemitism, particularly since coming under the ownership of Elon Musk in the fall of 2022. But for some, simply speaking out against the social media giant isn't good enough. In January 2023, the European Union of Jewish Students, alongside HateAid, a German non-profit organization, commenced legal action against Twitter for neglecting to remove reported hateful content from its platform, saying that its failure represents a violation of its own Terms and Conditions, as well as running afoul of German hate legislation. Avital Grinberg, the former president of the European Union of Jewish Students who initiated the lawsuit, joined us as a guest to discuss the legal action, its chances of success, and what they are looking to achieve. Welcome to The Honest Report podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thehonestreport/message

The judicial overhaul being proposed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has united countless Israelis in at least one way: their strong opinions on the matter. To its supporters, the legislation represents a critical need to stand in the way of an activist and unelected judiciary. To its opponents, it is an unforgivable assault on democracy. But is there room for compromise between the two sides, and what is taking place behind the scenes that may be missed by the international news media? In this week's podcast, we are joined by one of Israel's most foremost public intellectuals and a senior fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem, Yossi Klein Halevi. He is a prominent opponent of the legislation but has also sought to close the gap between Israelis to ensure that disagreement can remain civil and with Israel's best interests always in mind. Welcome to The Honest Report podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thehonestreport/message

Thirty years ago, on September 13, 1993, Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) signed a Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements, which were more commonly known as part of the Oslo Accords, called because they were secretly negotiated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. What are the significance of these accords three decades later, and do they help provide any hope for any future peace between Israel and the Palestinians? And what exactly caused the Oslo Accords, once seen as a promising roadmap towards negotiations, to fail? To help share the in-depth details behind Oslo, we are joined by Maurice Hirsch. He previously served as Director of the Military Prosecution for Judea and Samaria. He is currently the Director of PA Accountability and Reform Initiative at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. Welcome to The Honest Report podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thehonestreport/message