March 19, 2025 • 41 mins
Earlier this week Israel launched “extensive” airstrikes in Gaza, reportedly killing hundreds of Palestinians and shattering a roughly two-month ceasefire with Hamas. The White House confirmed that the Trump Administration was consulted by the Israelis on their attacks in Gaza. Israeli Consul General to New England Benny Sharoni joined Dan to discuss the latest in the Israel/Hamas conflict.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
It's Nightside with Dan Ray. I'm Easy Boston News Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Welcome back everyone. There's a lot going on in the
world right now. Obviously we have the Russian Ukraine War
and the headlines whether or not there's going to be
a ceasefire, whether or not they're going to have a
limited ceasefire. All of that, we have USAir strikes against
the hoody rebels in Yemen, and also of course always
(00:30):
concerned about the nation of Iran, and now the hostilities
between Israel and Tamas have been renewed, with ing with
us tonight to talk about that. Delighted to have the
Israeli Consul General to New England, Benny Sharoni with US
Consul General. Welcome back to night Side. The war against
(00:54):
Tamas is continuing. How are you this evening?
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you Dan, good evening, giving
to you, good evening to the listener. So good to
be here once again. I really appreciate your opportunity to
have another chat with you, and the audience keeps on
reminding me why I enjoy radio so much, so I
really did your opportunity.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
Well.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
I think that the great part of BRO radio is
it's a much more intimate form of communication than television,
because most people realize that, Okay, you can sit in
front of a TV and listen to what the commentator says,
but and you can talk to the TV, but no
one else is going to hear you. People have an
opportunity to call and ask you questions, and you've been
great in the past. So we ask everybody, whatever their
(01:42):
point of view is, to be respectful and understand that
you represent the government of Israel. And I know that
Israel finds itself once again in this horrific place where
where they have to defend themselves, and there's a lot
of people around the world who want to criticize Israel
when Israel does try to defend themselves. And so let's
(02:03):
start off with just so people can understand what happened
Tuesday morning. Tuesday morning, I guess the peace talks are
so called potential peace talks were still underway, and Israel
struck coms and obviously made a decision that that they
(02:23):
had to do something to move this situation towards resolution.
Is the way I perceive it. Am I right or
wrong on that? And if I am wrong, feel free
to correct me.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
I think you are hundred person correct. I think this
is an a correct reflection of the situation. But before
we jump into that, I want to just share with
you that as we speak right now, the people in Israel,
in Jerusalem, in many other cities are running again to
the shelters because Israel is again in the last couple
of minutes under attack. This time Missie is coming again
(02:55):
from the hoodies in Iran. And this is you know,
it's another demonstration of the work of Iran and its
proxies in the Middle East. Just another demonstration and either
reminder or the frat and the challenges and the bad
intentions of so many actors around Israel.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
So so that is it. That is let me just
make sure I understand that. So even as we are speaking,
obviously it's uh it's now Thursday morning, uh in in
the Middle East.
Speaker 5 (03:26):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
And as Israel Israelis are sleeping tonight, Uh, there are
there are rockets being fired from Iran by sorry from Yemen,
sorry from Yemen. Oh. I didn't realize that the hoodies
could reach is So there I always thought of there.
I know that they're supplied by Iran, but how long
(03:51):
it is that that's that's a longer distance, or maybe
I don't know the map of the Middle East as
well as I should. How long does it take to
fire a missile from from Yemen, which obviously is a
failed state at this point, into Israel.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
It depends on the missiles. Those you know, varies in
in in range and in power. Some of them it's
a matter of vowels, some of them it's a matter
of minutes. But again, you know, we are witnessing another
another attack in Israel as we speak. But but I
want to I want to come back to the thing
that you currently ask and you started with, and this
(04:25):
is the ongoing situation with Hamas in Gaza. What happened
earlier this week was the war actually was never seized.
We had a cease fire, and we speccessfully completed the
first phase of the release of some of the hostages
based on the agreement that was achieved earlier. Now, during
(04:47):
the last two weeks or more than two weeks, there
have been new attempts to negotiate and try to come
to an understanding about the release of further hostages. Those
are attempts mainly by the United States and new special envoys.
Now two different offers put on the table by the
(05:10):
United States were denied were not accepted by Hamas. Two
offers that Israel did accept Once I think we reached
an understanding that Hamas has no intention, no intention of
moving further. With release of more hostages, we had no
other option to resume the military campaign. I we need
(05:30):
an ad on top of that. During the time the
last couple of weeks where there was a cease file,
Hamas actually continued on the basis to rebuild its terrapictabilities,
to rebuild depots of arms and ammunitions, to recruit new people,
to train new people, to prepare for another round of
(05:52):
violence and escalation Israel. Now, since that is the issue,
we have no other alternative but to go active fighting
and make sure that we do whatever can be done
to bring back the Israeli hostages. Fifty nine of them
still being held in captivity in Gaza, at least half
(06:12):
of them alive. They are held in horrible, horrible conditions,
subjects to starvation, mental abuse, physical abuse, will in black
valolation of the international rogue. This resuming the military campaign
fully coordinated with the United States, and I think it
reflects a joint understanding of what needs to be done
(06:34):
at this stage in order to make sure that the
hostages will come back and we can take care once
and for all with Hamas and Gaza.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
The hostage has now been held more than I'm guessing
it's more than five hundred days at this point, it's
been a year almost. Yeah, And as the best estimate,
I think that the number that I've seen is that
they believe that there are fifty nine people still in captivity,
(07:09):
either dead or alive. Is that the number that Israel works.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
With that is correct, That is correct and a coordinating
to our knowledge, at least half of them I'll steal alive.
Half of them are dead, and unfortunately some of them
were taken alive and well melded by Hamas during their captivity.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Yeah. And I know that you at this point have
debriefed the hostages who have come home, and I can
imagine the stories that they have told. And I also
assume that a lot of the atrocities that have been
committed against the hostages who have been released and the
hostages who are still there has not been made public,
and understandably so, because as long as there are hostages
(07:53):
in captivity, you do not want to endanger them, which
shows the desperation that Israel must field to renew this
assault on Hamas. Let me ask you this, if I could,
how badly is Hamas as a military organization? I have
to assume that it's been badly degraded at this point,
(08:17):
that maybe it's using it some time here in the
ceasefire to rebuild itself. But is there a public judgment
given by Israel. Has fifty percent of Hamas's military capability
been degraded or is it even more than that number
(08:38):
at this point.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
I don't want to speak about numbers, but I think
it is fair to say that the vast majority of
the military capabilities have seriously downgraded due to the successful
military Israeli campaigned. But having said that, they still maintain
some capabilities. And we know from previous experience that if
(09:01):
we are not going to do anything, then Hamas is
going to take its time in order to rearm, regroup,
gain some new ammunitions, and just prepare for another round
of escalation, another round of violence with the people of Israel.
We know that for sure, we can see that happening
(09:22):
as we speak. We cannot allow that situation to continue.
Hamas must be taken completely off. Hamas Regen cannot continue
in any way in Gaza, neither its military capabilities. There
is no hope. There is no future for the people
(09:42):
of Gaza with the continuation of Hamas in Gaza. That
Hamas must be taken out of the equation.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
My guess is the Israeli Console General to New England
Council General Benny SHARONI will continue with our conversation. Be
happy to take some phone calls if you like. Six one, seven, two,
four to ten thirty six one seven, nine three one
ten thirty. When we get back, we can talk about
where the negotiations go from here. We know what has happened.
(10:14):
There was a ceasefire UH and it had held relatively well.
There are still negotiators. I assume that if there is,
if there are not negotiations going on, there are still
negotiators who are in contact and well, we'll ask the
Console General about that and what we can expect in
(10:38):
the days and the weeks ahead. We'll be back on
nightside with my guest, Israeli Console General Benny Charoni to
New England. He's the Consul general to New England, not
just to Boston, not just the Massachusetts, but to all
of New England right here on Nightside.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
Right after this, now back to Dan Ray live from
the Window World Nightside Studios on WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
I'm delighted to be joined by the Israeli Consul General
to New England, mister Benny Sharoni, Mister Consul General, is
it fair to say, for most of our lives, certainly
yours as an Israeli and me as an interested American,
we have heard politicians talk about a two state solution.
(11:21):
It seems to me that any hope for a two
state solution has now finally over. Is that fair to say?
Speaker 3 (11:31):
I think looking at what is happening around Israel in
the last couple of years, looking at what Israel has
to deal with it, looking at the threats around US,
I can understand why there was hardly any appetite from
the Israeli side to engage in something that is far
(11:51):
from you know, bringing a promise of safety and stability
for the people of Israel in the future. We all
witnessed what happened. We will disengage from Gaza more than
twenty years ago, and instead of you know, utilizing that
that opportunity, we ended up instead of the other side
(12:13):
utilizing that opportunity in order to build something substantial. Though
we ended up from you know, suffering the worst attack
ever in Israel coming from Gaza. So I hard for
me to see how in the near future we will
be in a place where we can move toward something
(12:36):
unless unless you know, Israel can feel one hundred percent
safe in secure, which is really not the case.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
Is there any estimate as to how many residence citizens
of Gaza are still in Gaza? Have any of them left?
I mean, you look at the pictures of the rubble.
Gaza has been destroyed. There's no question about that. It's
been a very effective military campaign. Where are these people
(13:07):
going in the short run of the long run and
where does the Israeli government feel they should go? How
can they live there under these circumstances.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
Most of the people are still there. There are some
people who left during the last year and a half,
that the vast majority of the people in Guds are
still there. And the most important, the most problematic element,
is that Hamas is still there. And this is this
is what needs to be addressed. This, this is this
is the top priority. This is the most urgent thing
(13:36):
from an Israeli perspective, Hamas cannot stay there. We have
a responsibility to do whatever can be done in order
to make sure that October seven will never happen again.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
And that means Hamas has to the leadership at least,
and its leadership structure has to leave. Is it is
it possible to rebuild Gaza? If if if Hamas leadership left,
is it even possible to rebuild Gaza while an entire
population of a million people or whatever the number is
(14:17):
are trying to live there. I don't see how that
can be done, even if Hamas leadership left, How can
how can that area be reconstructed with with people living there?
I'm looking at pictures. I mean, I don't understand how
that could even happen.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
It's true, it's a big challenge and it's a complicated
uh and there's no quick solution to that situation. There
are a couple of ideas. One of them, or the
leading idea, was one that was presented recently by the
President of the United States. Israeli is in a position
that this a person is interested in meeting Gaza. You
(15:01):
know that person can do that. But I don't think
that we are in the phase already of looking at
the solution of the future Gaza. We are still now
in the active phase where we have to deal with
the situation where Hamas continues to control Gaza. So there
cannot be no rehabilitation, no rebuilding of Gaza. As long
(15:25):
as Hamas there, we cannot move, none of us to
the next phase. As long as the current situation in
Gaza is the way it is now, well.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
I totally understand. I don't even understand how it can
be rebuilt if once once Gaza, once Hamas leaves and
they just seem to want to sacrifice themselves and the
people of Gaza, who are probably suffering as much as anyone.
(15:55):
The amount of damage that has been been done to Gaza,
to the physical structure of Gaza is immense. Is I
don't want to open up another front here, but I'm
but I don't get an opportunity to talk with someone
who is his knowledge of this as you what is
going on in the West Bank at this point? Is
(16:17):
that situation quieted down a little bit? I know there
was some activity a few weeks ago which bothered me
when I saw what was going on. Has that is
that a situation under control.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
Yes, it's it's it's a bit better than than the
last couple of weeks. But this is that is not
a guarantee that that you know, this is going to
be a situation. And we we know how from us
continue from its presidence in uh in Gaza, and we
know how he ran from each place. Are trying to
(16:55):
exert its influence in the West Bank, you know, the
mobile people to fight against Israel, and we are doing
our utmost to make sure that that is not going
to happen. I think the last is really the last
thing that the Israeli needs and the last thing that
the people of the West Bank need is to see
(17:16):
the West Bank turns into another arena for for a
fight like what we witness Congaza.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
No question, there's no question about that. What I what
I'd like to do, mister consent General, is take a
break and invite callers to join us. And it is
such a dilemma. I hope that the Israeli people will
stay strong. I know that there's a lot of concern
about the lives of the hostages, and it seems to
(17:47):
me to be it is it's truly a Rubik's cube
about how much military uh activity can be conducted to
one to simultaneously destroy hamas while at the same time
free the hostages. I know it's an incredibly difficult circumstance
(18:11):
for the government of Israel. I'm going to open up
phone lines and invite people to join the conversation. We're
going to take a very quick Newsbreaker'll be about two
or three minutes, and we'll be back with phone calls.
My guest is the Israeli Consul General to New England,
Benny SHARONI. He describes to us tonight what is going
on in Israel. There are rockets being fired on Israel
(18:36):
from hoodie rebels in Yemen. I hope the United States
can deal with that pretty effectively from offshore and take
that threat out in its entirety. That I think would
be a very proper tactical thing for our military to do,
and to do it effectively. Your comments are welcome, Your
(18:59):
questions are well. I have a couple of lines, one
at six one seven thirty and one at six one
seven ninety. We're going to take calls as they come in.
Feel free to join the conversation. The Console General will
entertain your questions and comments back on Nightside. Right after this.
Speaker 1 (19:19):
Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ, Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (19:26):
My guest is the Israeli Console General to New England,
mister Benny SHARONI we have full lines, mister Console General,
so let's let's have that and see what people have
to say or ask. Let's start off with Jeff in Newton. Jeff,
you are first on Nightside with Console General SHARONI go
right ahead, Jeff.
Speaker 6 (19:44):
Hey, Dan, I was on your show a couple of
times last year. I'm the guy with the hostage fence
that wanted to call in to say hi.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
And oh, absolutely, as absolutely, I hope that fence has
not been bothered. I was at the the big rally
in front of your house, Jeff, so great to hear
your voice.
Speaker 6 (20:03):
No, thank Kadam. Hasn't we put up some orange balloons
for the b buses a couple of weeks ago to
keep the story alive? But just wanted to comment a
bid on my perspective on what's going on with the
gods of war.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
And I said, by the way, Jeff, Jeff, before you do,
have you met have you met the Consul general?
Speaker 6 (20:20):
And O yes, he came turned the day of the rally,
he came by our house and spent a couple of
months with us.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
Say hi to him, go and say hello, and and
then whatever question of comments you want to make.
Speaker 6 (20:34):
Yeah, hi, mister mister Herney, thank you for the amazing
job you're doing representing forces of good in the world
and in the Middle East.
Speaker 5 (20:42):
You know, the comment is just.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
And thank you for calling for you. I just visited
using over the weekend.
Speaker 6 (20:50):
Oh wonderful, wonderful. Yeah, I just you know, my comment
is kind of sort of as an amateur American student
of history, and you know, wars can end in three ways.
Side A can win, side B can win, or can
go on forever. And I don't think anyone wants a
terrorist to win. And the going on forever wars just
(21:11):
belongs to suffering. So you know, hopefully what ISRA will
have the power to do now is to create a winner,
because both sides lose, or civilians of both sides lose
when you prolong it when one when one player has
to fight with their hands behind their back, and it's
kind of the sad reality of the world. But I
think everyone will be better off if for once and
(21:34):
for all, the terrorists can be rooted out, and then
you know, whether it's Trump's plant, I don't know how
we list it, is there something else or or whatever
it is. You know, then hopefully, you know, Hamas can
be replaced and one one has a chance for a
better future. But so long as you know, we allow Hamas,
or the world sympathizes and allows Hamas to stay alive,
(21:56):
no one's going to have peace, at least of all
the Palestinians that people claim to care about. So I
just think people need to think about this. I'm taking
World War two. You know, imagine if we try to
have fight to a tie there, no one would have won.
And at the end of the day, the world picked
it set up after World War Two is a much
It was a much better world, at least up the
last couple of years. Maybe. So hopefully Israel will be
(22:17):
able to do the right thing. Hopefully the United States
will continue to support and the forces that claim to
be for peace that but just prolong war. You know,
hopefully they'll wake up one day and just see, sometimes
wars have you know, the good side has to win.
It's not pretty, but that's you know, that's how you
have progress in the world. You know, I just want
to make sure it gets that point across, because sometimes that,
(22:38):
you know, that sort of calculus is not discussed when
everyone focuses on feelings and pictures rather than on the
reality on the ground.
Speaker 2 (22:47):
God, so general, I'm sure that you agree with Jeff's comments.
Speaker 3 (22:50):
Sure, sure, Jeff, thank you very much, and thank you
for raising those important comments. I agree with so many
of the things you just said. I want to add
two points on my own perspective on that. The first
one is we learn from previous rounds of escalation with
Hamas that this is not just enough in order to
(23:12):
give Hamas a serious military blow. It needs much more
than that. It calls for a root can now it
calls for a deep treatment. The one that can we
all be one hundred percent show that Hamas will never
have the ability to take control of Gaza. There's no
There will be no Hamas government of the Gaza Strip
(23:35):
and its people. Hamas will not be in a position
to have military or terrorist power there and cannot continue
with making the life of the people of Gaza so miserable.
So this is a priority for us, and this is
exactly what we are trying to do right now. The
second thing that I would add is we must call
(23:57):
out whoever support Hamas. Let me repeat that, we must
call out whoever support Hamas, be those states, be those
organizations or entity. It's a global issue. It's not just
the concern of Israel, and I'm happy that Israel United
States are working closely on that. Hopefully the whole international
community will join forces, we join hands in order to
(24:21):
completely isolate Hamas and its supporters, to take the tour
from Iran for its support of Tamas and other destabilizing
acts that is doing in the Middle East. So we
must all join hands collectively condemn Hamas and make sure
that Hamas is taken out of the equation.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
Jeff, I appreciate you, Carl, thank you so much.
Speaker 6 (24:44):
Thank you, Dan, thank you, thank you, and have a
good night.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
Let me go to another Jeff, a friend of both
of us, Jeff Robins, who's been on this show. Jeff, normally,
here's a guest tonight. You here's a callie. You, of course,
are a good friend of the console general Jeff Robinson.
Speaker 7 (25:05):
Well, thank you to both of you. The question is
about cutter apropos of calling out Hamas's supporters. Americans don't
know very much about them as a city of the
country of three hundred or so actual citizens. It professes
to be a broker of peace, but it funds Hamas
and it also pours money into American universities for reasons
(25:26):
that are peculiar, to say the least. What should we know?
What should Americans know about the role of Cutter and
all this?
Speaker 3 (25:34):
I think you know Hamas, you know we must, we
must call out. As I said earlier, I think it
is a collective responsibility to call out everyone who's from US.
I think it is very clear that from US was
getting tons of support from Cutter for so many years.
And it's not just a supportful from US, it's also
(25:55):
its usage of media and Al Jazeera, you know, exciting
against Israel in so many accounts, and so that that
must need that must be addressed as well. At the
same time, I think we have to very in mind
that when it comes to the release of the hostages,
Kata was part of the negotiation access and they you
(26:19):
know that you should command their refforts in this regard
as well. But we I think we should all join hands,
you know, in calling out whoever supports from US, including Caractor.
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (26:34):
Thanks Jeff appreciate.
Speaker 4 (26:35):
You, thank you, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
Good night. Next up, let me go to Dave is
in Needham. Dave, I appreciate you, call you a Next on,
nice ie with the Israeli console generals in New England.
Many SHARONI go right ahead, Dave.
Speaker 8 (26:48):
Sol hold Dan, thank you for taking my call. I
need Dave need him the lie Shamaheva, but earlier day.
So far, so hopefully I'll be if God wills be
in BeSheva living there at the end of the year.
What I want to say to you, Consul General, is,
(27:09):
first of all, it is extremely important, as important as
winning the war against Hamas to stop what the Israeli
press euphemistically calls reforma. Those judicial reforms are are equally
a threat to to Israeli democracy as Hamas is. And secondly,
that not everybody, as you've heard tonight, not everybody in
(27:32):
Massachusetts is a crazy radical uh campus left wing alleged
peace activists. And by the way, if they were, they
would take to heart almost Osa's dictum that some that
the real enemy is not war, the real enemy is aggression,
and Hamas is the aggressor. And you know as Jeff
an acquaintance of mindset earlier. Yeah, you've got to do
(27:55):
everything you can and please you know, know that that
we will be here to support you. WIM there to
support you in some cases as much as we would
be UH in favor of wiping out the Nazis in
World War two. UH, the same means that there were
necessary then and even the same scale of civilian casualties
if necessary. It is totally justified because of the level
(28:17):
of guilt that even the UH released hostages, who you
know often oppose this offensive, but they but they agree
that that there's basically no civilian innocence. I think that
may be a little bit of an exaggeration, but they
basically never saw an innocent civilian all the time that
they were seeing civilians helping hold them in Gaza.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
Do you have a question your question for my guest.
I appreciate your commitment, but I also just want to
make sure if you will have a question, go ahead.
Speaker 8 (28:44):
Well, I suppose my question would be, first of all,
while you're beating Hamas, my question will be, will you
please tell your government to stop the judicial reform?
Speaker 3 (28:58):
Thank you, thank you the comments, and thank you for
calling and thank you for the support you expressed and
I hope your visit to Israel will go will go
fine and good. And as I'm sure you're aware, there
are different views within Israel with regards to what is
called the judicial reform, and this is currently being debated
(29:21):
in Israel. As you can see, the government has a
position on that, the people, some of the people have
different positions on that, and there's an ongoing discussion that
takes place as we speak in Israel about those issues.
Speaker 2 (29:32):
Which is one of the great things about it, which
is one of the great things about the democracy that
is Israel that different voices can be heard. Dave, I'm
up on my break and I got i gotta break
for a commercial. I thank you so much for calling,
and thank you for your support of Israel.
Speaker 8 (29:49):
Thanks.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
We'll be back.
Speaker 3 (29:49):
Thank you, thank you very much for that.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
We will be back on Night Side with my guest,
Israeli Console General to New England, Venny Sharoni, talking about
what is going on in Israel as dawn is approaching
quickly and the war against Tamas continues. In the war
against Israel by the Hoodies continues as missiles are falling
(30:17):
on Israeli cities and Israeli neighborhoods. Even as we speak,
We'll be back on Nightside. Join us now.
Speaker 1 (30:25):
Back to Dan way Li from the Window World nights
Side Studios on WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
Guy, you try to get everyone in. Let me go
to Joe and Weston first. Joe, you were on with
Israeli Consul General to New England, Benny SHARONI go ahead.
Speaker 4 (30:38):
Joe, Hi Consul General and Dan. We really appreciate I
really appreciate your support and you're having these conversations on
your program. I was visiting Israel and a Friends of
the IDEF mission with my good friend Jeff Robbins in
March twenty twenty twenty five before the withdrawal, and we
(31:05):
saw a beautiful sunset over the Mediterranean, and I thought,
all the Palestinians need to do is builth hotels along
that coast, and it would be a paradise. Everyone would
have jobs and there would be tremendous prosperity. I of
course also realized that would never happen. It seems clear
that Hamas cares more about killing Jews and destroying Israel
(31:29):
than the lives and welfare of their own people, your
thoughts of where what we can do about this and
where we can go with it.
Speaker 3 (31:39):
So, Joe, thank you for visiting Israel. Those visits to
Israel by f ideas Another spends such a strong message
of solidarity with the people of Israel, and they're so
appreciated by so many people. So thank you for going.
Hopefully you will go again. I think you're putting your
(32:01):
finger on the right issue. It is very clear that
Hamas is mainly interested in building the industry of death
rather than building life in Gaza. This is why from
from our perspective, there can be no decent future for
the for Gaza and its people as long as Hamas
(32:22):
is there. Whether Gaza can be rebuilt, I think it can.
It's not an easy issue, but we saw in other
parts of the world how the places will completely ruined
by by the outcomes of war and then they you know,
they completely rebuild and some places turned into flourishing cities.
(32:44):
Whether it can happen in Gaza, potentially it might. But
the first thing that we need to address, the first
thing that needs to be taken care of before we
can start to move towards that future, is that Hamas
must be taken out.
Speaker 2 (33:01):
Joe, I appreciate your call. I've got a bunch of callers.
We're going to try to get everyone in before we
wrap it up. Thank you so much for your kind words.
Speaker 5 (33:09):
Thank you, Joe, good night.
Speaker 2 (33:13):
Next up is Jeff in wal dam Jeffrey, you are
got to be a little tight for me here because
we got.
Speaker 9 (33:23):
Try to be brief. That's a challenge for me. First,
I want to I want to send my greetings in
great respect for the Console General and I you know,
I don't quite know the proper form of address your
excellency or.
Speaker 2 (33:37):
Console General find jeff go right ahead.
Speaker 5 (33:40):
Con okay, doc us who you.
Speaker 9 (33:45):
A little formal? But in any event, I did want
to pose a rhetorical question in rather blunt terms. Okay, now,
where the biggots going to acknowledge that if amask gave
a damn about the Paracenians, they could have ended this
war any minute after October in twenty three. Okay, good question.
Speaker 2 (34:08):
Let's let's get the reaction of the Console General. I
respect the answer is never. But go ahead, mister Console General.
Speaker 3 (34:16):
If I got correctly with if the question was whether
Hamas is actually interested in the people of Gaza, and no,
I think.
Speaker 9 (34:23):
It's quite evident they are not.
Speaker 5 (34:25):
Okay, No, I think they are not even shy about that, right.
Speaker 3 (34:32):
You know, they are very clear in their intentions, They
are very clear in their mandate. They are there first
and foremost in order to try to destroy Israel. They
were never even you know, trying to make any effort
to conceal that that has been their agenda all along
the way. This is unfortunate, but this is a thing
(34:54):
that we have to address.
Speaker 9 (34:57):
But the question really, what about this too? What are
the bigs cano acknowledge that Ama saysn't give a damn
about the Palestinians. Okay, uh, don't hold your.
Speaker 2 (35:09):
Breadth of that one, Jeff, Jeff, I got two other callers.
I'd like to accommodate them as well, my friend. Okay,
don't hold you Those are two good rhetorical questions. The
answers are there for everyone to see.
Speaker 5 (35:19):
Thanks, Jeff, Okay, thank you, Dan, thank you.
Speaker 2 (35:23):
Gotta get gotta get Will in Long Island on for
the console. General, will your next one?
Speaker 4 (35:27):
Night?
Speaker 2 (35:28):
Said you gotta be quick for me? Will I get
one more going?
Speaker 10 (35:30):
Mister SHARONI is mister Sharani's nice to speak with you.
I believe you will defeat Hamas. I believe with the
American leadership now in place, we will certainly support you
in defeating Hamas. But the real crux of the issue
I want to ask you, I think that you know
that needs to be addressed, is after you defeat Hamas.
If the people of Palestine really believed that Israel should
(35:53):
exist and an Israeli sovereignty and just in Judaism in general,
Hamas would have never existed to begin with. They never
would have had control of Palistine. The real crux of
the issue is after you get rid of Hamas, the
Islamic nations around you, including the people that will run Hamas,
including the Palestinians, don't believe in your right to exist
(36:16):
or to survive. What do you do after you get
rid of them? When the underlying sentiment of the Palestinian
people is for Israelis to no longer exist, and then
after you Christians like myself to no longer exist. If
you don't believe Allah is the prophet, and Mohammad and
Muhammad is the Prophet, and Allah is the one and
(36:36):
only true God, you must submit or be overrun. What
do you do then, because without addressing that, you will
never truly have peace there because someone else will fill
Hamas's shoes, like we've seen.
Speaker 2 (36:49):
Give him a chance before will the question is obvious.
Let's get give him a chance to respond. It's a
it's a tough question. Have to be optimistic ahead.
Speaker 3 (36:59):
When when we are looking and I'm looking at the
Middle List, I see a very clear distinction. I see
distinction between the long list of states, Arab state, Islamic states.
They have a genuine interest in the future of the
Middle List that willing to work closely with the United States,
with Israel in order to build the collective future of
the people of the Middle List. I was there on
(37:22):
the White House loan, the Theayd, the Abrama quotes. Will
signed a historical moment where Israel signed a peace agreement,
normalized this relation with the United Arab Emirs, where the
Kingdom of Bahrain, it is real, it is happening. It
offers a genuine better prospect for the people of the
(37:43):
Middle list. And at the same time we see a
list of countries headed by Iran that are trying to
do exactly the opposite. I think what we can do
is to work collectively together, Israel, the United States closely together,
I mean the other Arab states in the region. We
(38:04):
have shared the same interest, the same vision like we
do about the future, and to be the least and
try to work out the issues together.
Speaker 11 (38:11):
So then a quick follow up is this, basically, do
you think that even with Hamaskhan, even if you could
get around to make some concessions, do you ever think
that Israelis and Palestinians will ever coexist?
Speaker 3 (38:27):
I'm afraid that I do want to be a prophet
and that I can see that's sorry into the future.
Speaker 11 (38:36):
Thank you, sir, I would thank you.
Speaker 2 (38:39):
Will Uh Joni's in Pennsylvania. Joni, I got only about
a minute. Can you do anything with it?
Speaker 9 (38:46):
Yes?
Speaker 5 (38:47):
How is this affecting Israeli and Palestinian children?
Speaker 3 (38:53):
Suri? I didn't get the question.
Speaker 2 (38:55):
See the question is how is this affecting the Israeli
and the Palestinian children?
Speaker 4 (39:01):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (39:01):
I think this is unfortunate because children on both sides
are affected in a devastating manner. You know, I spend
October sevens together with my kids in Israel. They need
to run to shelter so many times a day. When
you woke up in the middle of the night because
of sirens. That leaves an effect, an emotional effect on people.
(39:23):
It has a devastating effect also also children in Gaza.
But the most important thing is we need to ask
ourselves why it is that that is the case, Why
it is that this is what is happening to children,
to Palestinian children, to israel children. Who is responsible it
is that makes this situation?
Speaker 2 (39:43):
Absolutely we know it is a mess. It is a mess. Johnny,
thank you, Council General, as always, thank you very much.
There are a lot of interesting questions. Again, we must
always continue to hope that the right or the good
will prevail at the end of the day. I so
appreciate you joining us tonight, and you're welcome back here anytime.
(40:06):
I hope you realize that.
Speaker 3 (40:08):
Dear Dan, thank you. Thank you for all the listeners
and so the people who called and express support and
all the people who ask questions. Always a pleasure to
be at your show, and I'm looking forward for another opportunity.
Hopefully at the certain point we can speak about the Celtics,
the Patriot and the Red Sox.
Speaker 2 (40:27):
I will look forward to that day too. But let
us deal with the important issues that are going on
right now, and thank you for please you know, let
the Israeli speak, the Israeli people know that they have
a lot of support here in New England. Thank thank you,
thank you, good night, good night. When we come back.
I'm going to take exception with the Trump administration on
(40:52):
a deportation based upon the facts that I am aware
of that has taken place in Texas, and I think
the administration and would be well advised to continue with
the deportation of criminals. But I think if there ever
was a case of an exception, we'll talk about it
on the other side of the eleven o'clock news here
on nightside
It's Nightside with Dan Ray. I'm Easy Boston News Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Welcome back everyone. There's a lot going on in the
world right now. Obviously we have the Russian Ukraine War
and the headlines whether or not there's going to be
a ceasefire, whether or not they're going to have a
limited ceasefire. All of that, we have USAir strikes against
the hoody rebels in Yemen, and also of course always
(00:30):
concerned about the nation of Iran, and now the hostilities
between Israel and Tamas have been renewed, with ing with
us tonight to talk about that. Delighted to have the
Israeli Consul General to New England, Benny Sharoni with US
Consul General. Welcome back to night Side. The war against
(00:54):
Tamas is continuing. How are you this evening?
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you Dan, good evening, giving
to you, good evening to the listener. So good to
be here once again. I really appreciate your opportunity to
have another chat with you, and the audience keeps on
reminding me why I enjoy radio so much, so I
really did your opportunity.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
Well.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
I think that the great part of BRO radio is
it's a much more intimate form of communication than television,
because most people realize that, Okay, you can sit in
front of a TV and listen to what the commentator says,
but and you can talk to the TV, but no
one else is going to hear you. People have an
opportunity to call and ask you questions, and you've been
great in the past. So we ask everybody, whatever their
(01:42):
point of view is, to be respectful and understand that
you represent the government of Israel. And I know that
Israel finds itself once again in this horrific place where
where they have to defend themselves, and there's a lot
of people around the world who want to criticize Israel
when Israel does try to defend themselves. And so let's
(02:03):
start off with just so people can understand what happened
Tuesday morning. Tuesday morning, I guess the peace talks are
so called potential peace talks were still underway, and Israel
struck coms and obviously made a decision that that they
(02:23):
had to do something to move this situation towards resolution.
Is the way I perceive it. Am I right or
wrong on that? And if I am wrong, feel free
to correct me.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
I think you are hundred person correct. I think this
is an a correct reflection of the situation. But before
we jump into that, I want to just share with
you that as we speak right now, the people in Israel,
in Jerusalem, in many other cities are running again to
the shelters because Israel is again in the last couple
of minutes under attack. This time Missie is coming again
(02:55):
from the hoodies in Iran. And this is you know,
it's another demonstration of the work of Iran and its
proxies in the Middle East. Just another demonstration and either
reminder or the frat and the challenges and the bad
intentions of so many actors around Israel.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
So so that is it. That is let me just
make sure I understand that. So even as we are speaking,
obviously it's uh it's now Thursday morning, uh in in
the Middle East.
Speaker 5 (03:26):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
And as Israel Israelis are sleeping tonight, Uh, there are
there are rockets being fired from Iran by sorry from Yemen,
sorry from Yemen. Oh. I didn't realize that the hoodies
could reach is So there I always thought of there.
I know that they're supplied by Iran, but how long
(03:51):
it is that that's that's a longer distance, or maybe
I don't know the map of the Middle East as
well as I should. How long does it take to
fire a missile from from Yemen, which obviously is a
failed state at this point, into Israel.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
It depends on the missiles. Those you know, varies in
in in range and in power. Some of them it's
a matter of vowels, some of them it's a matter
of minutes. But again, you know, we are witnessing another
another attack in Israel as we speak. But but I
want to I want to come back to the thing
that you currently ask and you started with, and this
(04:25):
is the ongoing situation with Hamas in Gaza. What happened
earlier this week was the war actually was never seized.
We had a cease fire, and we speccessfully completed the
first phase of the release of some of the hostages
based on the agreement that was achieved earlier. Now, during
(04:47):
the last two weeks or more than two weeks, there
have been new attempts to negotiate and try to come
to an understanding about the release of further hostages. Those
are attempts mainly by the United States and new special envoys.
Now two different offers put on the table by the
(05:10):
United States were denied were not accepted by Hamas. Two
offers that Israel did accept Once I think we reached
an understanding that Hamas has no intention, no intention of
moving further. With release of more hostages, we had no
other option to resume the military campaign. I we need
(05:30):
an ad on top of that. During the time the
last couple of weeks where there was a cease file,
Hamas actually continued on the basis to rebuild its terrapictabilities,
to rebuild depots of arms and ammunitions, to recruit new people,
to train new people, to prepare for another round of
(05:52):
violence and escalation Israel. Now, since that is the issue,
we have no other alternative but to go active fighting
and make sure that we do whatever can be done
to bring back the Israeli hostages. Fifty nine of them
still being held in captivity in Gaza, at least half
(06:12):
of them alive. They are held in horrible, horrible conditions,
subjects to starvation, mental abuse, physical abuse, will in black
valolation of the international rogue. This resuming the military campaign
fully coordinated with the United States, and I think it
reflects a joint understanding of what needs to be done
(06:34):
at this stage in order to make sure that the
hostages will come back and we can take care once
and for all with Hamas and Gaza.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
The hostage has now been held more than I'm guessing
it's more than five hundred days at this point, it's
been a year almost. Yeah, And as the best estimate,
I think that the number that I've seen is that
they believe that there are fifty nine people still in captivity,
(07:09):
either dead or alive. Is that the number that Israel works.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
With that is correct, That is correct and a coordinating
to our knowledge, at least half of them I'll steal alive.
Half of them are dead, and unfortunately some of them
were taken alive and well melded by Hamas during their captivity.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Yeah. And I know that you at this point have
debriefed the hostages who have come home, and I can
imagine the stories that they have told. And I also
assume that a lot of the atrocities that have been
committed against the hostages who have been released and the
hostages who are still there has not been made public,
and understandably so, because as long as there are hostages
(07:53):
in captivity, you do not want to endanger them, which
shows the desperation that Israel must field to renew this
assault on Hamas. Let me ask you this, if I could,
how badly is Hamas as a military organization? I have
to assume that it's been badly degraded at this point,
(08:17):
that maybe it's using it some time here in the
ceasefire to rebuild itself. But is there a public judgment
given by Israel. Has fifty percent of Hamas's military capability
been degraded or is it even more than that number
(08:38):
at this point.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
I don't want to speak about numbers, but I think
it is fair to say that the vast majority of
the military capabilities have seriously downgraded due to the successful
military Israeli campaigned. But having said that, they still maintain
some capabilities. And we know from previous experience that if
(09:01):
we are not going to do anything, then Hamas is
going to take its time in order to rearm, regroup,
gain some new ammunitions, and just prepare for another round
of escalation, another round of violence with the people of Israel.
We know that for sure, we can see that happening
(09:22):
as we speak. We cannot allow that situation to continue.
Hamas must be taken completely off. Hamas Regen cannot continue
in any way in Gaza, neither its military capabilities. There
is no hope. There is no future for the people
(09:42):
of Gaza with the continuation of Hamas in Gaza. That
Hamas must be taken out of the equation.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
My guess is the Israeli Console General to New England
Council General Benny SHARONI will continue with our conversation. Be
happy to take some phone calls if you like. Six one, seven, two,
four to ten thirty six one seven, nine three one
ten thirty. When we get back, we can talk about
where the negotiations go from here. We know what has happened.
(10:14):
There was a ceasefire UH and it had held relatively well.
There are still negotiators. I assume that if there is,
if there are not negotiations going on, there are still
negotiators who are in contact and well, we'll ask the
Console General about that and what we can expect in
(10:38):
the days and the weeks ahead. We'll be back on
nightside with my guest, Israeli Console General Benny Charoni to
New England. He's the Consul general to New England, not
just to Boston, not just the Massachusetts, but to all
of New England right here on Nightside.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
Right after this, now back to Dan Ray live from
the Window World Nightside Studios on WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
I'm delighted to be joined by the Israeli Consul General
to New England, mister Benny Sharoni, Mister Consul General, is
it fair to say, for most of our lives, certainly
yours as an Israeli and me as an interested American,
we have heard politicians talk about a two state solution.
(11:21):
It seems to me that any hope for a two
state solution has now finally over. Is that fair to say?
Speaker 3 (11:31):
I think looking at what is happening around Israel in
the last couple of years, looking at what Israel has
to deal with it, looking at the threats around US,
I can understand why there was hardly any appetite from
the Israeli side to engage in something that is far
(11:51):
from you know, bringing a promise of safety and stability
for the people of Israel in the future. We all
witnessed what happened. We will disengage from Gaza more than
twenty years ago, and instead of you know, utilizing that
that opportunity, we ended up instead of the other side
(12:13):
utilizing that opportunity in order to build something substantial. Though
we ended up from you know, suffering the worst attack
ever in Israel coming from Gaza. So I hard for
me to see how in the near future we will
be in a place where we can move toward something
(12:36):
unless unless you know, Israel can feel one hundred percent
safe in secure, which is really not the case.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
Is there any estimate as to how many residence citizens
of Gaza are still in Gaza? Have any of them left?
I mean, you look at the pictures of the rubble.
Gaza has been destroyed. There's no question about that. It's
been a very effective military campaign. Where are these people
(13:07):
going in the short run of the long run and
where does the Israeli government feel they should go? How
can they live there under these circumstances.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
Most of the people are still there. There are some
people who left during the last year and a half,
that the vast majority of the people in Guds are
still there. And the most important, the most problematic element,
is that Hamas is still there. And this is this
is what needs to be addressed. This, this is this
is the top priority. This is the most urgent thing
(13:36):
from an Israeli perspective, Hamas cannot stay there. We have
a responsibility to do whatever can be done in order
to make sure that October seven will never happen again.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
And that means Hamas has to the leadership at least,
and its leadership structure has to leave. Is it is
it possible to rebuild Gaza? If if if Hamas leadership left,
is it even possible to rebuild Gaza while an entire
population of a million people or whatever the number is
(14:17):
are trying to live there. I don't see how that
can be done, even if Hamas leadership left, How can
how can that area be reconstructed with with people living there?
I'm looking at pictures. I mean, I don't understand how
that could even happen.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
It's true, it's a big challenge and it's a complicated
uh and there's no quick solution to that situation. There
are a couple of ideas. One of them, or the
leading idea, was one that was presented recently by the
President of the United States. Israeli is in a position
that this a person is interested in meeting Gaza. You
(15:01):
know that person can do that. But I don't think
that we are in the phase already of looking at
the solution of the future Gaza. We are still now
in the active phase where we have to deal with
the situation where Hamas continues to control Gaza. So there
cannot be no rehabilitation, no rebuilding of Gaza. As long
(15:25):
as Hamas there, we cannot move, none of us to
the next phase. As long as the current situation in
Gaza is the way it is now, well.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
I totally understand. I don't even understand how it can
be rebuilt if once once Gaza, once Hamas leaves and
they just seem to want to sacrifice themselves and the
people of Gaza, who are probably suffering as much as anyone.
(15:55):
The amount of damage that has been been done to Gaza,
to the physical structure of Gaza is immense. Is I
don't want to open up another front here, but I'm
but I don't get an opportunity to talk with someone
who is his knowledge of this as you what is
going on in the West Bank at this point? Is
(16:17):
that situation quieted down a little bit? I know there
was some activity a few weeks ago which bothered me
when I saw what was going on. Has that is
that a situation under control.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
Yes, it's it's it's a bit better than than the
last couple of weeks. But this is that is not
a guarantee that that you know, this is going to
be a situation. And we we know how from us
continue from its presidence in uh in Gaza, and we
know how he ran from each place. Are trying to
(16:55):
exert its influence in the West Bank, you know, the
mobile people to fight against Israel, and we are doing
our utmost to make sure that that is not going
to happen. I think the last is really the last
thing that the Israeli needs and the last thing that
the people of the West Bank need is to see
(17:16):
the West Bank turns into another arena for for a
fight like what we witness Congaza.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
No question, there's no question about that. What I what
I'd like to do, mister consent General, is take a
break and invite callers to join us. And it is
such a dilemma. I hope that the Israeli people will
stay strong. I know that there's a lot of concern
about the lives of the hostages, and it seems to
(17:47):
me to be it is it's truly a Rubik's cube
about how much military uh activity can be conducted to
one to simultaneously destroy hamas while at the same time
free the hostages. I know it's an incredibly difficult circumstance
(18:11):
for the government of Israel. I'm going to open up
phone lines and invite people to join the conversation. We're
going to take a very quick Newsbreaker'll be about two
or three minutes, and we'll be back with phone calls.
My guest is the Israeli Consul General to New England,
Benny SHARONI. He describes to us tonight what is going
on in Israel. There are rockets being fired on Israel
(18:36):
from hoodie rebels in Yemen. I hope the United States
can deal with that pretty effectively from offshore and take
that threat out in its entirety. That I think would
be a very proper tactical thing for our military to do,
and to do it effectively. Your comments are welcome, Your
(18:59):
questions are well. I have a couple of lines, one
at six one seven thirty and one at six one
seven ninety. We're going to take calls as they come in.
Feel free to join the conversation. The Console General will
entertain your questions and comments back on Nightside. Right after this.
Speaker 1 (19:19):
Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ, Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (19:26):
My guest is the Israeli Console General to New England,
mister Benny SHARONI we have full lines, mister Console General,
so let's let's have that and see what people have
to say or ask. Let's start off with Jeff in Newton. Jeff,
you are first on Nightside with Console General SHARONI go
right ahead, Jeff.
Speaker 6 (19:44):
Hey, Dan, I was on your show a couple of
times last year. I'm the guy with the hostage fence
that wanted to call in to say hi.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
And oh, absolutely, as absolutely, I hope that fence has
not been bothered. I was at the the big rally
in front of your house, Jeff, so great to hear
your voice.
Speaker 6 (20:03):
No, thank Kadam. Hasn't we put up some orange balloons
for the b buses a couple of weeks ago to
keep the story alive? But just wanted to comment a
bid on my perspective on what's going on with the
gods of war.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
And I said, by the way, Jeff, Jeff, before you do,
have you met have you met the Consul general?
Speaker 6 (20:20):
And O yes, he came turned the day of the rally,
he came by our house and spent a couple of
months with us.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
Say hi to him, go and say hello, and and
then whatever question of comments you want to make.
Speaker 6 (20:34):
Yeah, hi, mister mister Herney, thank you for the amazing
job you're doing representing forces of good in the world
and in the Middle East.
Speaker 5 (20:42):
You know, the comment is just.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
And thank you for calling for you. I just visited
using over the weekend.
Speaker 6 (20:50):
Oh wonderful, wonderful. Yeah, I just you know, my comment
is kind of sort of as an amateur American student
of history, and you know, wars can end in three ways.
Side A can win, side B can win, or can
go on forever. And I don't think anyone wants a
terrorist to win. And the going on forever wars just
(21:11):
belongs to suffering. So you know, hopefully what ISRA will
have the power to do now is to create a winner,
because both sides lose, or civilians of both sides lose
when you prolong it when one when one player has
to fight with their hands behind their back, and it's
kind of the sad reality of the world. But I
think everyone will be better off if for once and
(21:34):
for all, the terrorists can be rooted out, and then
you know, whether it's Trump's plant, I don't know how
we list it, is there something else or or whatever
it is. You know, then hopefully, you know, Hamas can
be replaced and one one has a chance for a
better future. But so long as you know, we allow Hamas,
or the world sympathizes and allows Hamas to stay alive,
(21:56):
no one's going to have peace, at least of all
the Palestinians that people claim to care about. So I
just think people need to think about this. I'm taking
World War two. You know, imagine if we try to
have fight to a tie there, no one would have won.
And at the end of the day, the world picked
it set up after World War Two is a much
It was a much better world, at least up the
last couple of years. Maybe. So hopefully Israel will be
(22:17):
able to do the right thing. Hopefully the United States
will continue to support and the forces that claim to
be for peace that but just prolong war. You know,
hopefully they'll wake up one day and just see, sometimes
wars have you know, the good side has to win.
It's not pretty, but that's you know, that's how you
have progress in the world. You know, I just want
to make sure it gets that point across, because sometimes that,
(22:38):
you know, that sort of calculus is not discussed when
everyone focuses on feelings and pictures rather than on the
reality on the ground.
Speaker 2 (22:47):
God, so general, I'm sure that you agree with Jeff's comments.
Speaker 3 (22:50):
Sure, sure, Jeff, thank you very much, and thank you
for raising those important comments. I agree with so many
of the things you just said. I want to add
two points on my own perspective on that. The first
one is we learn from previous rounds of escalation with
Hamas that this is not just enough in order to
(23:12):
give Hamas a serious military blow. It needs much more
than that. It calls for a root can now it
calls for a deep treatment. The one that can we
all be one hundred percent show that Hamas will never
have the ability to take control of Gaza. There's no
There will be no Hamas government of the Gaza Strip
(23:35):
and its people. Hamas will not be in a position
to have military or terrorist power there and cannot continue
with making the life of the people of Gaza so miserable.
So this is a priority for us, and this is
exactly what we are trying to do right now. The
second thing that I would add is we must call
(23:57):
out whoever support Hamas. Let me repeat that, we must
call out whoever support Hamas, be those states, be those
organizations or entity. It's a global issue. It's not just
the concern of Israel, and I'm happy that Israel United
States are working closely on that. Hopefully the whole international
community will join forces, we join hands in order to
(24:21):
completely isolate Hamas and its supporters, to take the tour
from Iran for its support of Tamas and other destabilizing
acts that is doing in the Middle East. So we
must all join hands collectively condemn Hamas and make sure
that Hamas is taken out of the equation.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
Jeff, I appreciate you, Carl, thank you so much.
Speaker 6 (24:44):
Thank you, Dan, thank you, thank you, and have a
good night.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
Let me go to another Jeff, a friend of both
of us, Jeff Robins, who's been on this show. Jeff, normally,
here's a guest tonight. You here's a callie. You, of course,
are a good friend of the console general Jeff Robinson.
Speaker 7 (25:05):
Well, thank you to both of you. The question is
about cutter apropos of calling out Hamas's supporters. Americans don't
know very much about them as a city of the
country of three hundred or so actual citizens. It professes
to be a broker of peace, but it funds Hamas
and it also pours money into American universities for reasons
(25:26):
that are peculiar, to say the least. What should we know?
What should Americans know about the role of Cutter and
all this?
Speaker 3 (25:34):
I think you know Hamas, you know we must, we
must call out. As I said earlier, I think it
is a collective responsibility to call out everyone who's from US.
I think it is very clear that from US was
getting tons of support from Cutter for so many years.
And it's not just a supportful from US, it's also
(25:55):
its usage of media and Al Jazeera, you know, exciting
against Israel in so many accounts, and so that that
must need that must be addressed as well. At the
same time, I think we have to very in mind
that when it comes to the release of the hostages,
Kata was part of the negotiation access and they you
(26:19):
know that you should command their refforts in this regard
as well. But we I think we should all join hands,
you know, in calling out whoever supports from US, including Caractor.
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (26:34):
Thanks Jeff appreciate.
Speaker 4 (26:35):
You, thank you, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
Good night. Next up, let me go to Dave is
in Needham. Dave, I appreciate you, call you a Next on,
nice ie with the Israeli console generals in New England.
Many SHARONI go right ahead, Dave.
Speaker 8 (26:48):
Sol hold Dan, thank you for taking my call. I
need Dave need him the lie Shamaheva, but earlier day.
So far, so hopefully I'll be if God wills be
in BeSheva living there at the end of the year.
What I want to say to you, Consul General, is,
(27:09):
first of all, it is extremely important, as important as
winning the war against Hamas to stop what the Israeli
press euphemistically calls reforma. Those judicial reforms are are equally
a threat to to Israeli democracy as Hamas is. And secondly,
that not everybody, as you've heard tonight, not everybody in
(27:32):
Massachusetts is a crazy radical uh campus left wing alleged
peace activists. And by the way, if they were, they
would take to heart almost Osa's dictum that some that
the real enemy is not war, the real enemy is aggression,
and Hamas is the aggressor. And you know as Jeff
an acquaintance of mindset earlier. Yeah, you've got to do
(27:55):
everything you can and please you know, know that that
we will be here to support you. WIM there to
support you in some cases as much as we would
be UH in favor of wiping out the Nazis in
World War two. UH, the same means that there were
necessary then and even the same scale of civilian casualties
if necessary. It is totally justified because of the level
(28:17):
of guilt that even the UH released hostages, who you
know often oppose this offensive, but they but they agree
that that there's basically no civilian innocence. I think that
may be a little bit of an exaggeration, but they
basically never saw an innocent civilian all the time that
they were seeing civilians helping hold them in Gaza.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
Do you have a question your question for my guest.
I appreciate your commitment, but I also just want to
make sure if you will have a question, go ahead.
Speaker 8 (28:44):
Well, I suppose my question would be, first of all,
while you're beating Hamas, my question will be, will you
please tell your government to stop the judicial reform?
Speaker 3 (28:58):
Thank you, thank you the comments, and thank you for
calling and thank you for the support you expressed and
I hope your visit to Israel will go will go
fine and good. And as I'm sure you're aware, there
are different views within Israel with regards to what is
called the judicial reform, and this is currently being debated
(29:21):
in Israel. As you can see, the government has a
position on that, the people, some of the people have
different positions on that, and there's an ongoing discussion that
takes place as we speak in Israel about those issues.
Speaker 2 (29:32):
Which is one of the great things about it, which
is one of the great things about the democracy that
is Israel that different voices can be heard. Dave, I'm
up on my break and I got i gotta break
for a commercial. I thank you so much for calling,
and thank you for your support of Israel.
Speaker 8 (29:49):
Thanks.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
We'll be back.
Speaker 3 (29:49):
Thank you, thank you very much for that.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
We will be back on Night Side with my guest,
Israeli Console General to New England, Venny Sharoni, talking about
what is going on in Israel as dawn is approaching
quickly and the war against Tamas continues. In the war
against Israel by the Hoodies continues as missiles are falling
(30:17):
on Israeli cities and Israeli neighborhoods. Even as we speak,
We'll be back on Nightside. Join us now.
Speaker 1 (30:25):
Back to Dan way Li from the Window World nights
Side Studios on WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
Guy, you try to get everyone in. Let me go
to Joe and Weston first. Joe, you were on with
Israeli Consul General to New England, Benny SHARONI go ahead.
Speaker 4 (30:38):
Joe, Hi Consul General and Dan. We really appreciate I
really appreciate your support and you're having these conversations on
your program. I was visiting Israel and a Friends of
the IDEF mission with my good friend Jeff Robbins in
March twenty twenty twenty five before the withdrawal, and we
(31:05):
saw a beautiful sunset over the Mediterranean, and I thought,
all the Palestinians need to do is builth hotels along
that coast, and it would be a paradise. Everyone would
have jobs and there would be tremendous prosperity. I of
course also realized that would never happen. It seems clear
that Hamas cares more about killing Jews and destroying Israel
(31:29):
than the lives and welfare of their own people, your
thoughts of where what we can do about this and
where we can go with it.
Speaker 3 (31:39):
So, Joe, thank you for visiting Israel. Those visits to
Israel by f ideas Another spends such a strong message
of solidarity with the people of Israel, and they're so
appreciated by so many people. So thank you for going.
Hopefully you will go again. I think you're putting your
(32:01):
finger on the right issue. It is very clear that
Hamas is mainly interested in building the industry of death
rather than building life in Gaza. This is why from
from our perspective, there can be no decent future for
the for Gaza and its people as long as Hamas
(32:22):
is there. Whether Gaza can be rebuilt, I think it can.
It's not an easy issue, but we saw in other
parts of the world how the places will completely ruined
by by the outcomes of war and then they you know,
they completely rebuild and some places turned into flourishing cities.
(32:44):
Whether it can happen in Gaza, potentially it might. But
the first thing that we need to address, the first
thing that needs to be taken care of before we
can start to move towards that future, is that Hamas
must be taken out.
Speaker 2 (33:01):
Joe, I appreciate your call. I've got a bunch of callers.
We're going to try to get everyone in before we
wrap it up. Thank you so much for your kind words.
Speaker 5 (33:09):
Thank you, Joe, good night.
Speaker 2 (33:13):
Next up is Jeff in wal dam Jeffrey, you are
got to be a little tight for me here because
we got.
Speaker 9 (33:23):
Try to be brief. That's a challenge for me. First,
I want to I want to send my greetings in
great respect for the Console General and I you know,
I don't quite know the proper form of address your
excellency or.
Speaker 2 (33:37):
Console General find jeff go right ahead.
Speaker 5 (33:40):
Con okay, doc us who you.
Speaker 9 (33:45):
A little formal? But in any event, I did want
to pose a rhetorical question in rather blunt terms. Okay, now,
where the biggots going to acknowledge that if amask gave
a damn about the Paracenians, they could have ended this
war any minute after October in twenty three. Okay, good question.
Speaker 2 (34:08):
Let's let's get the reaction of the Console General. I
respect the answer is never. But go ahead, mister Console General.
Speaker 3 (34:16):
If I got correctly with if the question was whether
Hamas is actually interested in the people of Gaza, and no,
I think.
Speaker 9 (34:23):
It's quite evident they are not.
Speaker 5 (34:25):
Okay, No, I think they are not even shy about that, right.
Speaker 3 (34:32):
You know, they are very clear in their intentions, They
are very clear in their mandate. They are there first
and foremost in order to try to destroy Israel. They
were never even you know, trying to make any effort
to conceal that that has been their agenda all along
the way. This is unfortunate, but this is a thing
(34:54):
that we have to address.
Speaker 9 (34:57):
But the question really, what about this too? What are
the bigs cano acknowledge that Ama saysn't give a damn
about the Palestinians. Okay, uh, don't hold your.
Speaker 2 (35:09):
Breadth of that one, Jeff, Jeff, I got two other callers.
I'd like to accommodate them as well, my friend. Okay,
don't hold you Those are two good rhetorical questions. The
answers are there for everyone to see.
Speaker 5 (35:19):
Thanks, Jeff, Okay, thank you, Dan, thank you.
Speaker 2 (35:23):
Gotta get gotta get Will in Long Island on for
the console. General, will your next one?
Speaker 4 (35:27):
Night?
Speaker 2 (35:28):
Said you gotta be quick for me? Will I get
one more going?
Speaker 10 (35:30):
Mister SHARONI is mister Sharani's nice to speak with you.
I believe you will defeat Hamas. I believe with the
American leadership now in place, we will certainly support you
in defeating Hamas. But the real crux of the issue
I want to ask you, I think that you know
that needs to be addressed, is after you defeat Hamas.
If the people of Palestine really believed that Israel should
(35:53):
exist and an Israeli sovereignty and just in Judaism in general,
Hamas would have never existed to begin with. They never
would have had control of Palistine. The real crux of
the issue is after you get rid of Hamas, the
Islamic nations around you, including the people that will run Hamas,
including the Palestinians, don't believe in your right to exist
(36:16):
or to survive. What do you do after you get
rid of them? When the underlying sentiment of the Palestinian
people is for Israelis to no longer exist, and then
after you Christians like myself to no longer exist. If
you don't believe Allah is the prophet, and Mohammad and
Muhammad is the Prophet, and Allah is the one and
(36:36):
only true God, you must submit or be overrun. What
do you do then, because without addressing that, you will
never truly have peace there because someone else will fill
Hamas's shoes, like we've seen.
Speaker 2 (36:49):
Give him a chance before will the question is obvious.
Let's get give him a chance to respond. It's a
it's a tough question. Have to be optimistic ahead.
Speaker 3 (36:59):
When when we are looking and I'm looking at the
Middle List, I see a very clear distinction. I see
distinction between the long list of states, Arab state, Islamic states.
They have a genuine interest in the future of the
Middle List that willing to work closely with the United States,
with Israel in order to build the collective future of
the people of the Middle List. I was there on
(37:22):
the White House loan, the Theayd, the Abrama quotes. Will
signed a historical moment where Israel signed a peace agreement,
normalized this relation with the United Arab Emirs, where the
Kingdom of Bahrain, it is real, it is happening. It
offers a genuine better prospect for the people of the
(37:43):
Middle list. And at the same time we see a
list of countries headed by Iran that are trying to
do exactly the opposite. I think what we can do
is to work collectively together, Israel, the United States closely together,
I mean the other Arab states in the region. We
(38:04):
have shared the same interest, the same vision like we
do about the future, and to be the least and
try to work out the issues together.
Speaker 11 (38:11):
So then a quick follow up is this, basically, do
you think that even with Hamaskhan, even if you could
get around to make some concessions, do you ever think
that Israelis and Palestinians will ever coexist?
Speaker 3 (38:27):
I'm afraid that I do want to be a prophet
and that I can see that's sorry into the future.
Speaker 11 (38:36):
Thank you, sir, I would thank you.
Speaker 2 (38:39):
Will Uh Joni's in Pennsylvania. Joni, I got only about
a minute. Can you do anything with it?
Speaker 9 (38:46):
Yes?
Speaker 5 (38:47):
How is this affecting Israeli and Palestinian children?
Speaker 3 (38:53):
Suri? I didn't get the question.
Speaker 2 (38:55):
See the question is how is this affecting the Israeli
and the Palestinian children?
Speaker 4 (39:01):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (39:01):
I think this is unfortunate because children on both sides
are affected in a devastating manner. You know, I spend
October sevens together with my kids in Israel. They need
to run to shelter so many times a day. When
you woke up in the middle of the night because
of sirens. That leaves an effect, an emotional effect on people.
(39:23):
It has a devastating effect also also children in Gaza.
But the most important thing is we need to ask
ourselves why it is that that is the case, Why
it is that this is what is happening to children,
to Palestinian children, to israel children. Who is responsible it
is that makes this situation?
Speaker 2 (39:43):
Absolutely we know it is a mess. It is a mess. Johnny,
thank you, Council General, as always, thank you very much.
There are a lot of interesting questions. Again, we must
always continue to hope that the right or the good
will prevail at the end of the day. I so
appreciate you joining us tonight, and you're welcome back here anytime.
(40:06):
I hope you realize that.
Speaker 3 (40:08):
Dear Dan, thank you. Thank you for all the listeners
and so the people who called and express support and
all the people who ask questions. Always a pleasure to
be at your show, and I'm looking forward for another opportunity.
Hopefully at the certain point we can speak about the Celtics,
the Patriot and the Red Sox.
Speaker 2 (40:27):
I will look forward to that day too. But let
us deal with the important issues that are going on
right now, and thank you for please you know, let
the Israeli speak, the Israeli people know that they have
a lot of support here in New England. Thank thank you,
thank you, good night, good night. When we come back.
I'm going to take exception with the Trump administration on
(40:52):
a deportation based upon the facts that I am aware
of that has taken place in Texas, and I think
the administration and would be well advised to continue with
the deportation of criminals. But I think if there ever
was a case of an exception, we'll talk about it
on the other side of the eleven o'clock news here
on nightside
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