Kalam

Despite the political fascism in Israel, the daily abuses and ethnic cleansing on the West Bank, the genocide in Gaza and forever wars on Iran and Lebanon, there are those in Israel – both Jewish and Palestinian – who organise resistance. In fact, Standing Together recently launched a new Jewish-Arab political party.Standing Together describes itself as a force for equal rights, peace and justice. It is worth mentioning here, though, that Israeli human rights organisations like Standing Together, B’Tselem, Yesh Din and Breaking The Silence do not, in any way, represent the majority of Israelis. Not even close. In fact, Israelis opinion polls consistently show that a large majority of Jewish Israelis believe that the war in Gaza is justified, many even calling for a military escalation. Polling also shows widespread support among Israeli Jews for Netanyahu’s wars in Iran and Lebanon, as well as for the occupation of the West Bank. Despite this fact, however, Standing Together has actually grown in numbers since the 7th of October. So there are parallel processes at play – one Israeli reality is the fascist one, where the government reinstates the death penalty but only for Palestinians, where settler thugs shoot Palestinian children on the West Bank with impunity, where systematic rape is employed in Israeli prisons. Another reality consists of Jewish Israelis and Palestinian Arabs uniting around the most basic of objectives: End the wars, end the occupation, equal rights for all. The problem is that the fascist reality seems to be taking over. However, that does not mean you stop resisting.To listen to the episode ad-free subscribe to our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/kalampodcastFollow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kalampodcast/

Once again, Israel and Iran trade blows in the seemingly never ending war in the Middle East. As of now, however, tensions seem to have cooled slightly. Joining us to discuss the latest developments as well as some of the geopolitics of the USA, Israel and Iran is Borzou Daragahi, award-winning international journalist. To listen to the episode ad-free subscribe to our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/kalampodcastFollow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kalampodcast/

In a region defined by reactionary dictatorships and their Western allies as well as Islamist political movements, the left in the Middle East seem to be stuck in an impasse, with few good political options open. But might there still be meaningful way in which to be an Arab Marxist today? Samuel discusses these and other related topics, as well as the unfolding situation in Lebanon, Palestine and Iran with Nadim "Arab Marxist" Haidar.To listen to the episode ad-free subscribe to our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/kalampodcastFollow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kalampodcast/

The settler violence on the West Bank is increasingly resembling fascist terror. Violent thugs roam the Palestinian countryside, beating, robbing, burning and killing Palestinians. If this continues, Palestinians will be squeezed into six urban areas and 82% of the land will belong to Israel. Soon, there won't be a Palestine to save. To listen to the episode ad-free subscribe to our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/kalampodcastFollow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kalampodcast/

A ceasefire has taken effect for at least two weeks, between the US, Israel and Iran. Lebanon is, according to Israel, not included. Negotiations will now commence on a permanent end to the war. Sam and Edgar discuss the latest. To listen to the episode ad-free subscribe to our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/kalampodcastFollow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kalampodcast/

Molly Crabapple is an artist and author from New York. She’s the author of the forthcoming book "Here Where We Live is Our Country: The Story of the Jewish Bund". The Bund was a secular, progressive Jewish labour movement that existed in the first half of the 20th century in eastern and central Europe. The Bund, simply meaning organisation in Yiddish, was exactly the opposite of Zionism. They promoted the idea of hereness, which is to say that they did not need to go oppress Palestinians in a far off land to gain their freedom: They would stay and fight and liberate themselves. In the end, of course, the movement was destroyed by Hitler and Stalin. But today the movement serves as a powerful and important counterweight to the traditional Zionist narrative. Jews were not weak! They did not go like lamb to the slaughter! They fought back, and did everything they could to preserve Jewish dignity, Jewish life and Jewish progress, and their memory lives on. To listen to the episode ad-free subscribe to our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/kalampodcastFollow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kalampodcast/

Today's episode is a kind of theoretical journey through concepts like Homonationalism, Muscular Judaism and Power Gays. Our illustrious guest, Fredrik "Apollo" Asplund has spotted a similarity between the gays who were embraced by mainstream society in the early 2000's and the hardline Zionist conception of the strong and powerful Jew. Both archetypes exist as a kind of counterweight to less desirable gays, and less desirable Jews. These two concepts have today synthesised into the Tel Aviv Power Gay. To listen to the episode ad-free subscribe to our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/kalampodcastFollow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kalampodcast/

Sam and Edgar give you an update on the latest developments in the Iran War. The killing of Ali Larijani – amazingly a scholar of Immanuel Kant – could blow up in Israel's face as a more hardline figure may replace him. We also detail how Syria and Iraq are faring in the midst of this war. To listen to the episode ad-free subscribe to our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/kalampodcastFollow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kalampodcast/