Balagan

Alef Ohel, Beit ze Ba’yit - the Tents Protest of 2011

On a hot day of July 14^th 2011, a small group of young Tel-Avivians left their overpriced rented apartments and set their new place in tents on Rothschild boulevard in Tel Aviv. This act made a huge wave and pushed hundreds of thousands of citizens to become activists and join them in tent “cities” within cities across the state, demanding the government to solve the high costs of housing in Israel. The pick of the protest was on September 3^rd when the “1 Million March” gathered hundreds of thousands of citizens to rally.

I am honored to be joined by Shir Nosatzki, a social activist and founder and CEO of “Have you seen the horizon recently”, who was one of the leaders of the largest protest ever seen in Israel to tell us more.

Ice cream, the BDS movement and Populism with Jeff Becker

A tale of Ice cream and strong hypocrisy – What is going on with Ben & Jerry’s decision around the West Bank and who benefits from it?

The Rally that started the change with Nitzan Waisberg

This week’s episode is a throwback to last years one of the most DEFINING EVENTS, which led to the political shift in Israel, later on.

The 1^st large scale rally, by the official residence of Israel’s Prime Minister in Jerusalem, occurred on July 14^th, and was called the Bibistillia, an homage to the French Bastille Day, named after the famous Prison in Paris, that has become a symbol to the French revolution.

Why were the people protesting, who was behind it and more was told by Nitzan Waisberg, an Israeli patriot and a social activist, who took part in the rallies against former PM Netanyahu. The episode was originally aired on July 19^th 2020. Enjoy!

"Bibism has ruined the Likud" with Binyamin Lachkar

Netanyahu's rule in the last couple of years was a roller coaster ride not just for his opposition but also to his allies and even to his own party - the Likud.   

Bibism, just like Trumpism, has become a term used often in Israel to explain the blind support Netanyahu got from many of his supporters.

BUT, not all Likudniks were big fans of his ways.

I am happy to host my friend Binyamin Lachkar. Binyamin made Aliyah from France in 1996 and he had been a Likud member for more than 20 years. He is a former member of the Likud central committee and leader of the « liberalim ba'likud » the free market caucus of the party. He lives in Jerusalem, married + 3, and is the owner of a branding and graphic design firm

Life in the south with Hila Fenlon

Darom Adom Festival was a spinoff for the name given by the IDF to the alarm system that alerts the residents of the Gaza border every time a rocket launches from Gaza, called Tzeva Adom (Red Color). First rocket, fired in 2001, and after 20 years of constant rockets fired from Gaza, it seems that the only thing changed is the Hamas capabilities and abilities.

How is it like to live in the Northern Negev, under ongoing rocket launches, without knowing when Hamas will fire next and where it will fall? Does the Iron Dome allow the residents to sleep in peace?

Hila Fenlon who lives in Netiv Ha’Asara, an Israeli Moshav located less than 300 meters from the northern border with Gaza, is a tough farmer who is here to tell us more about life in the south and how she sees the future.

30 years Operation Solomon - The Amazing story of the Aliyah from Ethiopia

Between May 24-25 of 1991, almost 15,000 Jews were airlifted to Israel in a military operation named Operation Solomon. In less than 36 hours a fleet of 35 Israeli Air Force, joined by El-Al planes and 1 Ethiopian Airways, fled 14,325 members of the Beita Yisrael community from Adis-Abba and brought them to Israel.

Avezu Fanta, who was 4 months old when she took off with her family on one of these planes is here to share her family memories from the days prior to the operation, and after arriving in Israel.

Congrats to the Bennett-Lapid Government, but what will be it’s lifespan?

80 days after the election, on Sunday night of June 13th, the new government was sworn in, after winning a razor thin vote of 60 to 59. That marks the end of a 12 year era of Benjamin Netanyahu as Prime Minister.

The newly formed coalition is very eclectic and fragile and we are here to discuss how long this coalition can last.

40 years to Operation Opera with Colonel Zevik Raz

If it wasn’t for Israel, the world would have faced a nuclear Iraq. But at 16:00 of Sunday, June 7th 1981, a squadron of 8 F-16A’s joined by 3 pairs of F-15 A's to provide fighter support took off from Etzion base near Eilat, on their way east, traveling a total distance of 2,200 kilometers (Roundtrip), below Radar at . 3 hours later all planes were back safe and the mission was accomplished - The Nuclear reactor named Osirak was destroyed.

The operation surprised the world, Israel was condemned by the international community, but in the long run was embraced for this bold move, as Saddam Housein’s Iraq was a threat to the area’s and the world stability.

Colonel Ze’ev (Zevik) Raz, who led the attack is here to share with us about the attack, the days before and the days after the attack, and what is the thing he is proud of the most (Surprise - NOT the attack!). Raz served as Squadron commander and the Israeli Air Force Flight School commander, and was decorated with Chief of Staff Citation (Ramatkal award) for his leadership leading the operation.

 

To watch a documentary on YouTube - Operation Opera - Israel's Raid on the Iraqi Reactor 1981

Ala Be'Yadi - Will the anti-Bibi alliance form a coalition?

“Ala Beyadi” (I have got it).On Wednesday night of June 2nd, with less than 30 minutes to spare until the end of the presidential mandate given to MK Yair Lapid, leader of the “Yesh Atid” party, Lapid advised the president he had enough support to form a government.

The future coalition is not unified ideologically at all. It spans from Hard right wing to the far left with the religious Muslim Arab party of Ra'am in the coalition as well. 

But, that was only the first major step Lapid and his allies needed to get. Now they need to make sure that they can survive a confidence vote in the Knesset and be sworn in. 

What may happen until then? That is what I will discuss with my good friend Jeff Becker.

The disengagement with Oren Magnezy

The israeli disengagement from Gaza was the unilateral dismantling of the 21 settlements in the Gaza strip and the evacuation of the approximately 8,600 settlers and Israeli army from inside the Gaza strip, in August 2005.

Even Though most Israelis supported the plan, it has been criticized from various viewpoints - By the Settlers and the Israeli right (Including a strong opposition within the Likud party), and by international organizations including the UN who still see the Gaza Strip as still under military occupation by Israel as Israel is still controlling Gaza’s air and maritime space, and 6 out of 7 land crossings, it also maintain a no-go buffer zone within the territory and Gaza is remains dependent on Israel for its water, electricity, telecommunications and other utilities.

Who came up with the idea back in 2003? Why was the plan executed the way it was executed, and what did the decision makers think will happen afterwards?

Oren Magnezy, my guest today, served as a senior advisor to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, and was the founding director of the Agency for Economic Development of the Arab sector in Israel, under Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Currently, he is helping Small and medium Israeli startups in accessing and succeeding in the US governmental and military marketplace