Honestly with Bari Weiss

Is Israel's War Just? Eli Lake and Michael Moynihan v Briahna Joy Gray and Jake Klein

May 26, 2024

In a fiery discussion, Eli Lake, a foreign affairs columnist, and Michael Moynihan, a veteran journalist, defend Israel's military actions against Hamas. Facing them are Briahna Joy Gray, former Bernie Sanders press secretary, and Jake Klein, a content creator challenging the justness of the war. The debate probes ethical implications, casualty figures, and the impact of AI in warfare. Political dynamics and historical grievances are examined, raising pressing questions about accountability and peace in the region.

01:04:58

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Quick takeaways

Targeted strikes aimed at minimizing civilian casualties were highlighted as a key aspect of Israel's response to the conflict with Hamas.

Emphasizing the right of return for Palestinians, immediate actions recognizing displacement and suffering were deemed crucial for addressing historical grievances and aspirations for statehood.

Concerns surrounding civilian casualties, the proportion of fighters to civilians, and the ethical implications of targeting civilian areas sparked discussions on the need for accountability and protection of innocent lives.

Deep dives

Critique on Israel's Response to Conflict

Israel's response to the conflict included targeted strikes on Hamas targets with the aim to minimize civilian casualties. There was a focus on initiating targeted strikes against junior militants without harming civilians to avert casualties. Resurrecting the peace process was underscored as critical, as historical instances show that a genuine path to peace leads to reduced violence and moderates Palestinian sentiments.

Intro

2min

A Heated Debate on Israel's War Justification

4min

Debating the Justness of War

7min

Ethics of AI in Warfare

9min

The Casualty Conundrum: War and Accountability

12min

Debating Israel's Military Response

11min

Under the Surface: Politics and Aid in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

9min

Navigating Historical Grievances in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

10min

Debate on the Justification of Israel's War Against Hamas

4min

A few weeks ago, there was an awesome event in Brooklyn in partnership with UnHerd called Dissident Dialogues. It was exactly what it sounds like: debates and discussions on the most pressing questions facing our society today. Questions like: Have we reached peak woke? Can universities be saved? Can liberalism be saved? Is government censorship justified? Is this the end of mainstream media? and What is the future of feminism? So basically, just the light stuff.

But probably the most contentious debate of the weekend was: Is Israel’s war on Hamas a just war?

This is not an easy debate. Emotions run hot, the stakes are high, people’s morality is called into question, and there are a lot of competing narratives. Which is all the more reason to debate the topic in public, something we always advocate for at The Free Press.

Arguing no, that Israel’s war on Hamas is not a just war, are Briahna Joy Gray and Jake Klein. Briahna was the national press secretary for Bernie Sanders’ 2020 campaign, and is host of the Bad Faith podcast. Arguing alongside Briahna is Jake Klein. Jake is a content creator for the Foundation for Economic Education, and he is a co-founder and editor at The Black Sheep.

Arguing yes, that Israel’s war on Hamas is a just war, are two of our very own Free Pressers, Eli Lake and Michael Moynihan. Eli is a columnist at The Free Press and a longtime journalist covering foreign affairs and national security. And Michael Moynihan, who you’ve heard guest-host Honestly, is a veteran journalist, having spent years at Vice, The Daily Beast, and Reason magazine. He is also a host of The Fifth Column podcast.

The debate is moderated by the one and only Russian British satirist, co-host of the Triggernometry podcast, and Free Press contributor, Konstantin Kisin.

Facebook: Dissident Dialogues

Instagram: @dissident_dialogues

X: @diss_dialogues

YouTube: @dissidentdialogues-qm3gm?si=f-hldBmIK9CnGqRn

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Honestly with Bari Weiss

Is Israel's War Just? Eli Lake and Michael Moynihan v Briahna Joy Gray and Jake Klein

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Critique on Israel's Response to Conflict

Complexity of Palestinian Rights

Impact of Civilian Casualties and Infrastructure Destruction

Past Events Shaping the Conflict

Challenges to Peace and Reconciliation

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts