Lara and Michael welcome Amanda Gelender; writer, activist, and Jewish-American anti-zionist. She eloquently breaks down zionism and speaks about its stark contrast to Judaism. Michael points out how the occupation is literally sacrificing Jews in order to ‘win this war’ against Palestinian civilians. Evangelical Christianity and its ties to zionism are explored along with the antisemitic roots of zionism; wanting to expel the Jewish population from Europe is at the core of the movement. Lara speaks about self-determination of Palestinians, and how this is often confused with antisemitism in the western media. She clarifies that Palestinians don’t hate their oppressor because of their religion, they hate them because of their treatment. Amanda explores how this could possible end; it’s not with a petition, as ‘Israel’ has said that they won’t put down their weapons even if a ceasefire deal is signed. It’s a week of ideology and exploring how vocabulary is weaponized to restrict the justice and freedom of Palestinians.

Lara and Michael both admit to sitting Netanyahu’s speech in congress out, even though America’s elected officials stood for him 58 times. They joke about the multiple suitcases of dirty laundry that he’s brought to the United States for years, and Michael points out that the west also supported the Nazi regime at its height. Lara dissects his claims regarding having killed almost no civilians, while doctors in Gaza testify to treating children with multiple sniper wounds to the head and chest; clearly by design. Lara emphasizes the importance of rebutting the narrative and she uses South Africa’s written narrative of apartheid to counter false claims as the example. Nearly eradicated diseases, such as polio, have begun to to spread throughout Palestine. It’s clear that this is part of Netanyahu’s plan to ‘finish the job’. In political news, Lara breaks down how and why the two main Palestinian factions, Hamas & Fatah, have joined together to present a united front. She goes on to point out how Mahmoud Abbass called off the 2021 elections, and how new, free and fair elections are vital for Palestine to establish a democracy. The duo also points out the hypocrisy of organizations like JNF (Jewish National Fund) and how they participate in greenwashing.

It’s day 227 of the genocide. The ICC judge, Karim Khan, has applied for arrest warrants for three Hamas members (Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri, & Ismail Hanieyh) as well as Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gollant and Benjamin Netanyahu. Lara points out that this list could have been (and should be) so much longer. She also clarifies that applying for these warrants is not the same as issuing them, and now it’s a waiting game to see if they’re issued. Lara also points out that Judge Khan did not file for genocide, rather for war crimes and crimes against humanity. In reality, the ICC remains a legislative body without any power to enforce; this is the first step among many to end the Israeli apartheid state. The duo discusses the recent attack on a Jenin refugee camp which killed a doctor and a journalist among children and other civilians. Michael compares Netanyahu’s directives to those of Hitler when he fled to his bunker. Lara reads out new legislation introduced in the House (H.R. 8445) providing IOF members visa free entry into the US and full Veteran’s Affairs hospital & healthcare access, including being put at the top of the organ transplant list. Michael reads out quotes from Knesset members who are admitting defeat.

The groundbreaking ICJ case proposed by South Africa against Israel has just closed, and Lara and Michael (mostly Lara) break down what it means. It’s important to remember that South Africa didn’t call for a ceasefire, as this is not legal terminology. All six counts brought against Israel were ruled in South Africa’s favor; these are 1) Israel must take all measures within it’s power to stop murdering & harming Palestinians and preventing their birth, 2) Israel must ensure that it’s military follow all measures from point 1, 3) Israel must prevent and punish all genocidal intent, 4) Israel shall ensure humanitarian aid to Gaza, 5) Israel must not destroy evidence related to these allegations, and 6) Israel must report back to the court in one month’s time. Lara does an excellent job of summarizing the court’s findings, and highlighting the myriad wins that stem from this case. This is among the first legal decisions to attempt to hold Israel accountable for their actions. Michael and Lara speak about how legislation + activism + boycotting as a unified force is the only way to ensure the Palestinian right of return and the end of apartheid and violence against Palestinians.

Michael and Lara talk in depth about zionist propaganda in mainstream media, and how brainwashing and specific victim branding is built into their messaging. Looking at a recent attach in Jenin, the two point out how the West Bank has been occupied since 1967, and how an occupying power cannot claim self-defense against the entity they’re occupying. They then turn to US propaganda, and look at how Aipac controls congress person messaging. Jenin is threatened with ‘Gazafication’, which translates to the increased Israeli policing, drone bombs, and security checkpoints. In the news, Gaza was bombed, but the coverage of it was overlooked. The occupation continues to claim that drones are targeting Hamas when civilian refugees pay the price. Netanyahu promised that the raids will not stop, lending to his genocidal intents. Finally, Lara addresses the murder of 17-year old Nahel in the suburbs of Paris, and how his death has stoked the flame of colonial oppression everywhere in the world. France, like other colonial entities, continues to collect taxes from the countries it once colonized. Most famously, it took Haiti more than a century to pay France reparation debts, greatly contributing to its economic woes.