PEACE TALK Episode 13 Jonathan Sacerdoti and Moataz Khalil interview TIMOR AKLIN, the Arab Israeli Muslim who became Jewish. Timor has been influential online as he tells the story of his own journey from growing up as an Arab Israeli in Jaffa to becoming a Jewish activist online.

Music: Daniel Green

Artwork: Amir Levy

PEACE TALK Episode 12 Jonathan Sacerdoti and Moataz Khalil interview LOAY ALSHAREEF, the Arab peace activist and Internet influencer. Following a strict Muslim upbringing, during which he was taught to hate Israel and Jews, Loay went to France and ended up staying with a Jewish family. He soon learnt to appreciate Judaism, learning Hebrew along the way. 14 years later, he is a leading voice in the new effort to build lasting and meaningful relations between Arab countries and the state of Israel.

PEACE TALK

Episode 11

Jonathan Sacerdoti and Moataz Khalil interview MORDECHAI KEDAR, the Israeli expert in Arabic culture who famously schooled Al Jazeera on the Quran.

Prof Kedar learnt Arabic as a schoolboy and has worked in intelligence and academia since, using his expert knowledge of the Quran, Arabic texts and the Arabic language to better understand the complexities and realities of the Middle East.

In a searingly honest interview he discusses the differences between Western and Arab news stations, the idea of creating a Palestinian Emirates instead of a single Palestinian state and the true war doctrine of Hamas.

00:00 Coming up…

02:22 Introduction to Mordechai Kedar

02:40 How to speak to the Arab media (in Arabic)

05:46 Speaking Hebrew and being Israeli in the Middle East

08:45 How did you come to learn Arabic?

11:20 The Eight State Solution

12:40 Failed Arab states and successful ones

14:33 Can democracy work in the Arab world?

17:13 Islam and war

21:08 How to ensure a Palestinian state doesn't fail

23:14 Gaza and its administrative structure

26:00 Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood and Egypt

29:00 Causing offence as a communications strategy

31:09 'Al-Aqsa' is not Jerusalem: the history of the Islamic connection to Jerusalem

34:00 Palestinian and wider Islamic attitude to Jerusalem, Israel and Jews

PEACE TALK Episode 10 Jonathan Sacerdoti and Moataz Khalil interview NAOMI PETEL, a nurse who lived in Kibbutz Nahal Oz and survived the October 7th attack by Palestinian terrorists. Now living, sleeping and eating in a single room with her three children and her husband, Naomi tells of how the attack changed the course of her life for ever, and how her husband who previously employed and worked alongside 20-40 Palestinian workers from Gaza will never do so again.

Jonathan and Moataz interview Itamar Marcus, Director of Palestinian Media Watch. Itamar Marcus is a researcher and the founder and director of Palestinian Media Watch, which studies Palestinian society by monitoring and analysing the Palestinian Authority (PA) through its media and schoolbooks.

British-born journalist and international affairs Tom Gross shares his vision predictions for the future of Israel and the Middle East, as well as discussing rising antisemitism around the world, and how the Arab world sees Jews and Israel. Formerly Jerusalem correspondent for the Sunday Telegraph (UK) and the New York Daily News, Tom has spent decades traveling and observing the Middle East, bringing a wealth of knowledge and information to the discussion.

Discussing the malign influence of Qatar in the Middle East and wider world, the complications of ceasefires and hostage deals, and the warning signs missed by Israeli intelligence and politicians before October 7th, Jonathan and Moataz interview Yigal Carmon, the President and founder of the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI). His organisation conducts deep research and translation of media material from multiple languages to help explain the Middle East (and beyond) to English speaking audiences. Born in Romania in 1946, Yigal immigrated to Israel at the age of four. Achieving native-level fluency in Arabic, he earned a degree in Orientalism from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and joined the IDF in 1968, serving in the Intelligence Corps until 1988, reaching the rank of Colonel. He served as an adviser on counterterrorism to Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir and also for one year to Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. From 1991 to 1992 he was also a part of the Israeli delegation in the peace negotiations with Syria in Washington.

PEACE TALK Episode 6 Moataz and Jonathan interview Madees Khoury from the Taybeh brewery in the West Bank. She is the Middle East's only female beer maker, and tells her story of growing up as part of the dwindling Christian minority in the Palestinian population. She explains what life is like post the 7th October attack. Plus: discussion of Tony Blair's rumoured return to 'fix' the Middle East, Moataz's first beer, and the first hand revelation video of terrorists in Gaza's Al Shifa hospital. Music: Daniel Green Producer: Amir Levy 00:00 Welcome 01:22 Moataz's first beer – Islam and alcohol 03:22 A look ahead to 2024, and American pressure on Israel 05:10 Arab countries want rid of Hamas 06:21 Tony Blair rumoured to considering a role in the Middle East 09:26 "What they say about it" look at Arab media this week. Did Israel's harvest Palestinian organs?! 11:58 Investigation video reveals first hand account of terrorists in Gaza's Al Shifa Hospital 12:56 Moataz's request to NHS and Ghassan Abu Sitta 15:27 Interview with Taybeh Brewery manager Madees Khoury

Jonathan and Moataz discuss the New York Times' op-ed by the mayor of Gaza City, BBC Arabic's treatment of Israel, and Kanye West's 'apology' to Jews. They interview Dor Shachar, the Palestinian Gazan who escaped to Israel and became a Jewish Israeli.

Jonathan and Moataz talk Israel, conflict and peace. Plus an exclusive interview with Fauda creator Avi Issacharoff.

Jonathan and Moataz interview the influencer, commentator and famous detransitioner, Oli London, who has just returned from a fact finding trip to Israel to see the aftermath of the Hamas 7 October massacres. They also discuss the BBC's drop in internet traffic compared to the massive rise in visits to other sites.

Theme music by Daniel Green

Cover art by Amir Levy

Moataz criticises Owen Jones for saying there was no evidence of rape in the Israeli compilation video showing Hamas’ own footage of its atrocities carried out on 7th October. Moataz gives context from his own upbringing as a an Egyptian Muslim.

Jonathan and Moataz interview Mohammad Darawshe, an Israeli politician who has spent his career working for coexistence. His cousin, Awad Darawshe was killed by Hamas terrorists on 7th October as he worked in the Nova Festival trying to treat the injured. He had assumed that as a fellow Arab, the Palestinian terrorists would spare his life as he heroically tended to those in need.

[Theme tune by Daniel Green]