President Trump says the United States should take over the Gaza Strip and relocate its two million residents to neighbouring countries while we redevelop Gaza into the "Riviera of the Middle East." Josh has thoughts.
Tired point about social media ills incoming: The inflammation of the arm-chair international expert on either side is contributing in direct ways (doing exactly what Hamas wants). I don’t speak about Israel/Palestine, I don’t post about it, I rarely think about it. I follow the wise words of one of my generation, I ‘shut the fuck up’ about things that don’t concern me and that I have zero knowledge about.
I am glad I have Josh that does have knowledge and that should speak, who is searing to both sides.
While I don't agree with everything you say here - in particular, the idea that the Israelis were acting in good faith to actually give the Palestinians a real independent state - the evidence to me shows that while that was the official line, the real plan was never to really give it to them - the settlement rush of the early 2000s being the case in point. But your overall point about the Arab world using them as pawns and the delusional dreams of return stunting their advancement all rings true. I have spent a lot of time in the Middle East, including working directly with Palestinians in the West Bank, and I was always struck by how out of touch their aspirations were with the hard realities of Israeli (and American) policy. Essentially, the younger generation was sold a bill of goods by their revolutionary elders. And while it's pretty fucked up to see Trump sitting there calling Gaza a pile of rubble next to the smiling guy who made it a pile of rubble and not see the dark irony of it, I agree if the Arab World really cared they would offer at least some of them an options to start fresh in a new country –- as wrong and unfair as it is, it is a better future.
In a multi-party, pluralistic democracy like Israel, it's a bit rich to say "Israel" was never serious about a two-state solution. Many Israelis were serious - including senior ones. Rabin wasn't shot for being un-serious. Listen to how six former heads of Shin Bet characterise the dilemma in "The Gatekeepers". It has always been a tussle. -JS
Good point. My language is imprecise. What I meant in my clumsy way is it's my opinion that if you look at the arc of the state's actions over the decades - in particular, the near constant expansion of Settlements even as they were supposedly promising the Palestinians an 'independent' state – it didn't really look like there was a path to a contiguous state even if some Israeli politicians (and people like Clinton) may have believed they were offering one. The Greater Israel forces, right or wrong, were always going to win. https://apnews.com/a-look-at-how-settlements-have-grown-in-the-west-bank-over-the-years-0000019079d8d0f6a3da79dcbd0a0000
This isn't completely true, specifically the section on Camp David accords. Israel significantly increased its expansion in the West Banks during and after the peace process. The CD accords were for peace between Egypt and Israel, not so much the Palestinians. The Palestinians are certainly not innocent in this conflict but this seems to frame them as the sole belligerents.
Thanks for flagging this and keeping me in check. I'd meant to include settlement-building in my criticism of Israel and forgot, along with a few other points. I definitely don't see the Palestinians as the sole belligerents. -JS
Some comments of the incident last year where approximately 1200 people were murdered and approximately 250 abducted goes like this. Well that was an outrageous event ... followed by but we have to understand ..and hence a developemnt of a justification. This strategy diminishes what was completely unjustified. Similarly comments about Trump and Netanyahu, even the description of Hamas as a death jihadist death cult only introduce biases in what is the core idea that something new needs to be presented to "solve" this issue. What it does do, it implies that the people of Gaza have no agency. Both in responsibility for the consequences of what they did in supporting Hamas and what they could do to get a different result moving forward. An idea has been presented. Outrage from elites has predictably erupted. This is a good start. At some point a new concensous will emerge in Gaza by the people themselves .
This was so incredibly good. I sent it to everyone I've talked to about this conflict in the past few months with a note saying, 'this is what I would have said if I'd been as informed and articulate as the narrator. Pass it on.' At least a couple already have! Well done, and thanks.
This monologue is incandescent. Less a Safe Space for Dangerous Ideas than a sustained detonation against moral laziness, ideological rigidity, and the global indulgence of convenient illusions.
Szeps’ core moral engine is in full flight here—and what makes this episode devastating isn’t just his argumentation, but how deeply he cares about the cost of narratives that ignore the real suffering of real people. Especially when that suffering is cynically preserved by those claiming to fight for justice.
Why isn’t this the energy he always brings when interviewing folks like Loewenstein and Dajani who echo precisely the blind spots he tears to shreds here? Yes, he pushes back a little but always fails to fully lean into the moral asymmetries where this monologue shows that *he already knew better*.
What Josh represents in his monologues is the rarest thing in public discourse today: moral courage without tribal loyalty. And it’s painful to watch it dim in his conversations, even momentarily, in the name of balance or politeness.
I am grateful to you for cutting through this complex situation with such concision, even-handedness and clarity. Ta.
Tired point about social media ills incoming: The inflammation of the arm-chair international expert on either side is contributing in direct ways (doing exactly what Hamas wants). I don’t speak about Israel/Palestine, I don’t post about it, I rarely think about it. I follow the wise words of one of my generation, I ‘shut the fuck up’ about things that don’t concern me and that I have zero knowledge about.
I am glad I have Josh that does have knowledge and that should speak, who is searing to both sides.
Thanks, I too admire the shut-the-fuck-up policy -JS
Excellent analysis Josh
Brilliant!
You are spot on as always . Such clarity
Listened this morning after a robust Shabbat dinner conversation where I felt like a pariah for daring to express the same views. Every word is 💯
Great analysis of the desperate situation.
Ordinary people and lives served up as ideological fodder.
Just listened on YouTube. Really good to hear an intelligent, nuanced viewpoint when so many just rush to outrage.
Great build up at the beginning then bam!
Thanks you, Josh for your insightful and reasoned analysis that always challenges the accepted norms of our personal echo chambers.
While I don't agree with everything you say here - in particular, the idea that the Israelis were acting in good faith to actually give the Palestinians a real independent state - the evidence to me shows that while that was the official line, the real plan was never to really give it to them - the settlement rush of the early 2000s being the case in point. But your overall point about the Arab world using them as pawns and the delusional dreams of return stunting their advancement all rings true. I have spent a lot of time in the Middle East, including working directly with Palestinians in the West Bank, and I was always struck by how out of touch their aspirations were with the hard realities of Israeli (and American) policy. Essentially, the younger generation was sold a bill of goods by their revolutionary elders. And while it's pretty fucked up to see Trump sitting there calling Gaza a pile of rubble next to the smiling guy who made it a pile of rubble and not see the dark irony of it, I agree if the Arab World really cared they would offer at least some of them an options to start fresh in a new country –- as wrong and unfair as it is, it is a better future.
In a multi-party, pluralistic democracy like Israel, it's a bit rich to say "Israel" was never serious about a two-state solution. Many Israelis were serious - including senior ones. Rabin wasn't shot for being un-serious. Listen to how six former heads of Shin Bet characterise the dilemma in "The Gatekeepers". It has always been a tussle. -JS
Good point. My language is imprecise. What I meant in my clumsy way is it's my opinion that if you look at the arc of the state's actions over the decades - in particular, the near constant expansion of Settlements even as they were supposedly promising the Palestinians an 'independent' state – it didn't really look like there was a path to a contiguous state even if some Israeli politicians (and people like Clinton) may have believed they were offering one. The Greater Israel forces, right or wrong, were always going to win. https://apnews.com/a-look-at-how-settlements-have-grown-in-the-west-bank-over-the-years-0000019079d8d0f6a3da79dcbd0a0000
Excellent Historical Contextual backgrounding on what is a bizarre Policy proposal.
Thank You
This isn't completely true, specifically the section on Camp David accords. Israel significantly increased its expansion in the West Banks during and after the peace process. The CD accords were for peace between Egypt and Israel, not so much the Palestinians. The Palestinians are certainly not innocent in this conflict but this seems to frame them as the sole belligerents.
Thanks for flagging this and keeping me in check. I'd meant to include settlement-building in my criticism of Israel and forgot, along with a few other points. I definitely don't see the Palestinians as the sole belligerents. -JS
Some comments of the incident last year where approximately 1200 people were murdered and approximately 250 abducted goes like this. Well that was an outrageous event ... followed by but we have to understand ..and hence a developemnt of a justification. This strategy diminishes what was completely unjustified. Similarly comments about Trump and Netanyahu, even the description of Hamas as a death jihadist death cult only introduce biases in what is the core idea that something new needs to be presented to "solve" this issue. What it does do, it implies that the people of Gaza have no agency. Both in responsibility for the consequences of what they did in supporting Hamas and what they could do to get a different result moving forward. An idea has been presented. Outrage from elites has predictably erupted. This is a good start. At some point a new concensous will emerge in Gaza by the people themselves .
This was so incredibly good. I sent it to everyone I've talked to about this conflict in the past few months with a note saying, 'this is what I would have said if I'd been as informed and articulate as the narrator. Pass it on.' At least a couple already have! Well done, and thanks.
Aww thank you, Jenny -JS
This monologue is incandescent. Less a Safe Space for Dangerous Ideas than a sustained detonation against moral laziness, ideological rigidity, and the global indulgence of convenient illusions.
Szeps’ core moral engine is in full flight here—and what makes this episode devastating isn’t just his argumentation, but how deeply he cares about the cost of narratives that ignore the real suffering of real people. Especially when that suffering is cynically preserved by those claiming to fight for justice.
Why isn’t this the energy he always brings when interviewing folks like Loewenstein and Dajani who echo precisely the blind spots he tears to shreds here? Yes, he pushes back a little but always fails to fully lean into the moral asymmetries where this monologue shows that *he already knew better*.
What Josh represents in his monologues is the rarest thing in public discourse today: moral courage without tribal loyalty. And it’s painful to watch it dim in his conversations, even momentarily, in the name of balance or politeness.
You have a beautiful mind Josh. I truly hope you can keep your ability to not make yourself the centre. Much love.