Decision Time In The North - with Matti Friedman

14 snips

Jul 29, 2024

Matti Friedman, a keen observer of the Middle East and a columnist for The Free Press, joins to discuss the escalated tensions in Israel and Hezbollah. He delves into the heartbreaking attack in Majd al-Shams, the impact on the Druze community, and their intricate identity amid conflict. Friedman explores Israel's complex relations with Lebanon, shedding light on Hezbollah's ongoing threat and the evolving strategies required to confront it. His insights reveal the troubling transition of northern Israel from vibrant communities to desolation.

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Intro

00:00 • 5min

Civilian Tragedy in Northern Israel: The Majd al-Shams Attack

05:16 • 2min

Druze Identity Amid Conflict

07:14 • 5min

The Complexities of Israel-Lebanon Relations

12:43 • 24min

Hezbollah's Threat to Israel: Strategy and Implications

36:47 • 8min

Northern Israel: From Vibrancy to Desolation

44:27 • 6min

The Surprising Appeal of Educational Content

50:38 • 2min

*** Share episode on X: https://tinyurl.com/43epx79k *** This past weekend we saw a major and brazen escalation against Israel by Hezbollah. This war front is not new, but it will now come into much sharper focus. And with the slaughter of Druze children, we have received a number of questions about Israel’s Druze community in Israel’s North, as well as questions about the options for Israeli decision-makers now. To help us unpack all of this, we are joined by Matti Friedman, who is one of the most thoughtful writers when it comes to all matters related to Israel, the broader Middle East, and also trends in the world of journalism. He is a columnist for The Free Press: https://www.thefp.com/ Matti’s most recent book is called “Who by Fire: Leonard Cohen in the Sinai.” Before that he published "Spies of No Country: Secret Lives at the Birth of Israel," and before that "Pumpkinflowers: A Soldier’s Story of a Forgotten War.” Matti’s army service included tours in Lebanon. His work as a reporter has taken him from Israel to Lebanon, and other hotspots across the Middle East and around the world. He is a former Associated Press correspondent and essayist for the New York Times opinion section. Matti Friedman's published works that are relevant to this episode: -“The Wisdom of Hamas” — The Free Press — https://www.thefp.com/p/matti-friedman-the-wisdom-of-hamas -“What if the Real War in Israel Hasn’t Even Started?” — The Free Press — https://www.thefp.com/p/matti-friedman-israel-hezbollah-war -"There Is No 'Israeli-Palestinian Conflict'" -- The New York Times -- https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/16/opinion/israeli-palestinian-conflict-matti-friedman.htm -"An Insider’s Guide to the Most Important Story on Earth" -- Tablet Magazine -- https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/israel-middle-east/articles/israel-insider-guide -"What The Media Gets Wrong About Israel" -- The Atlantic -- https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/11/how-the-media-makes-the-israel-story/383262/ -“Pumpkinflowers: A Soldier’s Story of a Forgotten War” — https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pumpkinflowers-matti-friedman/1122279367?ean=9781616206918