Israel: State of a Nation with Eylon Levy

Send us a textOctober 7 was the moment the music died. Rockets in the sky, death squads on their way. Hamas’ invasion of Israel had begun. The partygoers at the Nova Music Festival, a trance party just five kilometers from the Gaza Strip, were sitting ducks. Terrorists gunned them down as they fled for their lives, burned people alive in their cars as they tried to escape, and lobbed grenades into concrete shelters to blow them limb from limb. Unknown numbers were r*ped, even gang r*ped in the most horrific of conditions. By the time the massacre was over, 379 people had been slaughtered including 15 police officers. And another forty-one were abducted, taken into the Gaza Strip — more than 33 are still trapped there, six months later. Lahav Deri escaped by the skin of his teeth. He was at the festival with his two younger brothers, who also survived — one of them, only just. And when he got home, battered and bruised, he did the most Israeli thing possible — he grabbed his gun and went to help his reserves unit, still battling terrorists committing massacres across the country’s south.Support the showStay up to date at:X: https://twitter.com/stateofapodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/stateofapod/

Send us a textSomewhat overshadowed by the Gaza war, Hezbollah has been consistently firing rockets at Israeli towns since October 7, forcing the mass evacuation of more than 60,000 Israeli civilians, and a no-man’s-land security perimeter inside Israeli territory.So far, Hezbollah’s aggression has not broken out into a larger war. But Israel now faces a strategic and moral problem. Will it be forced into a full-scale escalation in Lebanon before it can send its citizens home and its children to school? Or is there a chance of a diplomatic solution?Miri Eisin, a retired IDF colonel, expert in military intelligence, and government spokesperson during the Second Lebanon War answers this question. She’s spent the last few years mapping out this scenario and its consequences. In a difficult and frank conversation, Miri outlines the genuine dilemmas Israeli leadership faces in the days ahead, what ordinary Israelis should anticipate, and how they can prepare. Stay up to date at:https://www.stateofanationpodcast.com/X: https://twitter.com/stateofapodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/stateofapod/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?... LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/state-of-a-nationSupport the showStay up to date at:X: https://twitter.com/stateofapodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/stateofapod/

Send us a textWhy does the media seem so hostile to basic facts about Israel?UK journalist and author Melanie Phillips has spent decades among the top echelons of British Press, writing for The Guardian, The Times and the New Statesman, and she’s been calling out mainstream media bias against Israel long before October 7. But the PR war that Israel is battling isn’t just hurt by media bias; the onus is also on Israel to dispute a propagandist narrative, and call out lies when it hears them. Melanie Phillips makes the case that Israel and its supporters need to do far more to win the hearts and minds of ordinary, decent people who will otherwise support the side they’re being told is moral and just. Stay up to date at:https://www.stateofanationpodcast.com/X: https://twitter.com/stateofapodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/stateofapod/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?... LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/state-of-a-nationFollow Melanie Phillips’ work on Substack:https://melaniephillips.substack.com/Learn more about MEMRI:https://www.memri.org/Learn more about Palestinian Media Watch:https://palwatch.org/Support the showStay up to date at:X: https://twitter.com/stateofapodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/stateofapod/

Send us a textAt the Hillel International Israel Summit held this year in Atlanta, Georgia, 800 Jewish student leaders from across the United States and Canada gathered alongside prominent Israel community leaders and subject matter experts. Eylon was invited to give the keynote address, and while there, he took the opportunity to engage in a discussion with three distinguished student leaders—Charlie Covit from Harvard University, Talia Dror from Cornell, and Maya Makarovsky from MIT. Their conversation delved into the current state of Jewish life on campuses enthralled with identity politics, and the concerning associated trend: the demonization of Israel and Jews.Stay up to date at:www.stateofanationpodcast.comX: https://twitter.com/stateofapodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/stateofapodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556030695001 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/state-of-a-nationSupport the showStay up to date at:X: https://twitter.com/stateofapodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/stateofapod/

US Rep. Ritchie Torres, a vocal critic of the intersectional Left, discusses the perversion of the progressive cause by BDS and the challenges faced by progressive individuals who support Israel. He emphasizes the importance of standing up for beliefs despite intimidation and personal sacrifices. The podcast also explores legislative efforts to combat antisemitism and the growing issue of antisemitism on social media platforms, with a focus on TikTok. Additionally, Rep. Torres shares personal reflections on Jewish culture and identity.

Bestselling author and public intellectual Douglas Murray discusses the threats influencing media and policy. Topics include anti-Semitism, Gaza conflict, international law, and reflections on extremism. The conversation explores historical insights, contradictions in society, and the speaker's identity shaped by Judeo-Christian values.

Send us a textElon Gold: the Leonard Cohen of the October 7 war, a title he vehemently rejects and, well, we don’t disagree.In this special unfunny Purim episode, Eylon & Elon sit down for a cringey pre-game discussion (Elon had an actual comedy show to get to) about the Jewish ability to make jokes in dark times, the differences between Israeli humor and Jewish humor, and a competition on who can interrupt the other more: Eylon or his guest. Elon also test-drives his Douglas Murray impersonation alongside his seasoned Trump impression which needs no prompting. Stay up to date at:www.stateofanationpodcast.comX: https://twitter.com/stateofapodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/stateofapodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556030695001 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/state-of-a-nationFollow Elon Gold athttps://www.elongold.com/https://www.instagram.com/elongold/Support the showStay up to date at:X: https://twitter.com/stateofapodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/stateofapod/

Send us a textIn this episode, Eylon Levy is joined by Dr. Shany Mor to discuss a recurring pattern in Arab history, which sees the launching of a war against Israel accompanied by intense jubilation and excitement. The terrible defeat which then follows, time after time, prompts the immediate adoption of a victim narrative, and, most concerningly, a total re-writing of history: forgetting why there was a war in the first place, and clearing the slate for the next attack. Without lessons learned, can we ever break free of this vicious cycle of ecstasy and amnesia?Read "Ecstasy and Amnesia in the Gaza Strip" by Dr. Shany Mor:https://mosaicmagazine.com/essay/israel-zionism/2023/11/ecstasy-and-amnesia-in-the-gaza-strip/Stay up to date:https://www.stateofanationpodcast.com/X: https://twitter.com/stateofapodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/stateofapodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556030695001 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/state-of-a-nationSupport the showStay up to date at:X: https://twitter.com/stateofapodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/stateofapod/

Send us a textTRIGGER WARNING: Sensitive themes are discussed in this conversation including graphic descriptions of sexual violence. Viewer discretion is advised. Women’s Rights expert and advocate Ayelet Razin Bet Or has been razor-focused on a singular mission since the horrors of October 7 – fighting on behalf of the victims of gender-based violence.In this episode taped for International Women’s Day 2024, Ayelet sits down with Eylon to review evidence of Hamas’ sexual violence as a weapon of war on that day. We find out what’s known, what’s still unknown, and how we can bear witness to these crimes against humanity. If you have experienced or borne witness to rape or crimes of sexual violence, please make sure you contact the relevant authorities for professional assistance.  In Israel, you can contact the Association of Rape Crisis Center:https://www.1202.org.il/en/Stay up to date at:www.stateofanationpodcast.comX: https://twitter.com/stateofapodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/stateofapodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556030695001 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/state-of-a-nationSupport the showStay up to date at:X: https://twitter.com/stateofapodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/stateofapod/

Douglas Murray dissects the motivations of Israel's allies and enemies, the Islamist threat in the UK, and whether the West will fight for its existence. He addresses societal divides, critiques uninformed activism, delves into anti-Semitism, and highlights the importance of standing up against extremism. The discussion also explores differing attitudes towards military service in Western societies.