August 7, 2025 • 40 mins
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel intends to take military control of all of Gaza, despite ongoing criticism at home and abroad. Netanyahu went on to say they merely want a security perimeter, not to govern the region. Benny Sharoni, the Israeli Consul General to New England, joined us on NightSide to discuss the latest in the Israel-Hamas war.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
It's Night Side with Dan Ray on WBS Boston's News Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Welcome back everyone, Thank you Dan Watkins. As we move
into our nine o'clock hour, I am delighted to welcome
back to our program the Consul General of Israel to
New England, Console General Benny Sharoni Consul General, welcome back.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
How are you good evening? Dan, good evening to the listeners.
Thank you for this kind invitation and I'm okay, thank
you for asking.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Well. It was a it is an interesting day, of course,
it's it's now Friday morning in Israel. My first question
is that I've been trying to follow this. I watched
the interview today with on Fox with Prime Minister net
and Yahoo. Has the have his advisors at actually voted?
(01:01):
I'm not sure if it's a cabinet or a security council.
What is the group that the Prime Minister is attempting
to secure the support of to follow through on what
he clearly would like to do in terms of Gaza.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
So yes, as we speak, the Israeli Cabinet, which is
part of the Israeli government, and that you know, the
Prime Minister and some of the more senior ministers are discussing,
and as far as I can tell, they are still
in an ongoing discussion that started earlier today, and what
it is at stake at the moment is discussing what
(01:38):
is the best strategy and how to continue to go
about the current situation in Gaza. Now it has been
our sense that we are getting close to a potential
ceasefire in a deal, but it looks as if fromas
Is again toughened their demands and putting all kinds of
obstacle towards reaching a ceasfire and an agreement which will
bring to the release of the hostages. So we need
(02:02):
to think what it is that we can do now,
what it is that we can do next.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Okay, So just so I'm clear on this. In terms
of the timing, I believe that Israel is about seven
hours ahead of us, So it probably is if that's
the proper Is it seven hours true? Yeah, so it's
probably four am on Friday morning. Is the cabinet still
as far as you know, meeting or have they you know,
(02:28):
gone home for the night and to resume it sometime
tomorrow or so it use them for us tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
I hope it's not a surprise to anyone. But over
the last twenty one month we have become accustomed to
also working during the nights and engage in a lengthy
discussion because you know, the time calls for taking division
and yeah, you know, even if the prize is to
engage in discussion all over the night.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Yes, So is it your belief? And again I'm asking
I'm probably asking you news questions here which are a
little unfair, So pardon me, but is it your understanding
or your belief or your hope that out of this
meeting will come a decision or a plan that will
(03:16):
be announced. Obviously the strategic tactics that might be employed,
there's no reason for those to be announced in advance.
But do you believe there will be a conclusion of this?
I'm assuming that the Prime Minister, having done that interview,
has stated very clearly what he hopes to achieve, and
not getting a concurrence from his cabinet almost would be
(03:39):
a position that in a parliamentary democracy a vote of
this might be perceived almost as the equivalent of a
vote of confidence or am I overstating the drama that's
involved here?
Speaker 3 (03:51):
So you know, being thousands of miles from home at
the moment, I don't want to speculate about what's going
on now in the Israeli cabinet discussion. That that's something
I want to do, Okay. I tell you what I hope.
I hope, and I think many of these reds show
the same hopes as I have, is that we will
(04:13):
see a very clear path forward, by the path that
will allow us to end this whole work with tramile
Hamas laying down its arms and seeing the release of
the hostages and potentially paving the word the road to
where the future of Gaza will be demilitarized. Israel will
have its own security arrangements around Gaza, and Gaza will
(04:36):
be controlled by by not by Israel, but by you know,
by the civic government that is willing to leave at
peace with Israel. This is our hope, and I think
that's what have been advocating and pushing and fighting for
ever since October seventh.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
I'd like to just play one of the sound bites
and have you comment on it, because I think that
the sound bite from the Prime Minister very clearly encapsulates
what Israel's goal is, you know as well as I
do that Israel is often unfairly criticized by the media,
(05:13):
the national media here and elsewhere. We all know how
this started on October seventh, and we know that this
is a situation that Israel is unwilling to continue to
live with. But I just want to make sure people
here from the Prime Minister. This is Prime Minister Benjamin Netanya,
(05:33):
who this afternoon would have been properly about eight o'clock
Israeli time, in an interview with a Bill Hammer of
Fox News.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
In order to assure our security, remove Tramas there, enable
the population to be free of Gaza, and to pass
it to civilian governance that is not Tramas and not
anyone advocating the destruction of visual That's what we want
to do. We want to liberate ourselves and liberate the
people of Gaza from the awful terror of Ramas. And
(06:08):
you were in the Gaza script today you meant Palestinians
or fighting Hamas because finally they see that they have
a future, they can rid themselves of this awful tyranny
that not only holds our hostages, but holds two million
Palestinians in Gaza hostage. That's got to end.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
So that is. I'm not sure was that the third bite, Rob,
Can you tell me which one that was? Twenty? Okay? Fine, okay.
So that's the Prime Minister, and obviously you reflect that
belief and certainly I think much of the world understands.
(06:53):
But there are some in the world who say that
Israel has to stop. What do you say to them,
mister k So general the people who who are who want,
who do not want Israel to do what I think
Israel perceives it has to do for its own survival.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
So let's go back a bit to the history. In
two thousand and seven, Hamas took over in the military
coruit that the whole Gaza strip two years after Israeli
ter Israel completely disengage and left Guds and not in
order to come back again. The last twenty years since,
AMAS has been you know, using its train of terror
(07:33):
over Gaza in order to terrorize the life of both
Israelis and Palestinians living in Gaza alike. And that that
has to come to and that has to come to
an end. Now since Actober seven, we've been you know,
fighting and fighting out and and rightfully so, in order
to preserve our security, to release the hostages and to
(07:55):
make sure that Hamas is no longer the Haramas no
longer maintains me the capabilities, Hamas no longer control Gaza.
It is about our future about it is also about
the future of the people of Gaza. Now I've been
hearing those voices and you know kind of the message
there as well. If only Israel will send the order
(08:15):
to this Israel Defense force we completely get out of
Gaza tomorrow, then everything will be nice and fine, and
then they all the passages will be released and Famas
will independently leave Gaza, and you know, and and peace
will prevail from now until eternality comes. Unfortunately, the situation
is far from bringing from being back. What Hamas is
(08:37):
trying to do is remaining is tried to get out
out of this whole situation, which he is responsible for.
You know, we're all stuck in this situation because Octobo
sudden and Fromas with that, and Hamas is just trying
to you know, install the negotiations in order to end
up in the ability to stay in in Gaza like
(08:58):
after previous rounds of against Israel, to have the ability
to regroup, to rearm, to rebuild itself. To regain its
control over the people of Gaza and basically pays the
way towards the next Toktobo seven. Now, this is something
that we cannot allow and we know for sure if
a Israel will just leave Gaza tomorrow, the war will
(09:19):
not come to an end, the hostages will not be
released immediately, and Hamas definitely is not going to leave Gaza.
So we haven't paid the prices that we have been
paying in the last three years just in order to
get out and without knowing for sure that October seven
cannot happen again. That's my answer, no question.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
My guest is the Console General of the Government of
Israel to New England banishing. We'll get some phone calls.
I promised the Consul General, because he's had some very
long days and nights as well, that we would finish
our conversation by nine uh and I'd like to get
(10:02):
a couple of give you a couple of opportunities, folks,
if you would like to speak directly to the Consul General. I,
as you know, I have some very strong feelings about
this set of circumstances and I think that we have
to support Israel. But if you want to ask any question.
(10:23):
You can dial right now six one, seven, two, five
four to ten thirty six one seven, nine three one
ten thirty. After the Console General departs, we will talk
about the situation. And I think it's in the interest
of the world that Israel is able to eliminate this
cancer called Hamas from its territory. And if there ever
(10:47):
was a time when this might be possible, I believe
it is now. We'll be back right after a very
quick break with the Console General of Israel to New England,
Console General Benny Schorny six one seven, four, ten thirty,
six thirty Back on Nightside after.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
This, It's Night Side with Dan Ray Boston's News Radio.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
My guest is Israeli Console General to New England, Benny Sharoni,
Console General. Let's get some phone calls. Fair enough, here
we go. Let me go first off to Michael in Milton. Michael,
you were first this hour with Console General Benny Sharoni,
the Israeli Console General to New England. What's your comment
a question.
Speaker 5 (11:29):
Michael, Oh, mister Sharroni, thanks for coming on. Hi, Dan,
I might look at this a little bit differently than
new people. I think it's a lack of leadership. You know,
I'm pro ISRAELI, I'm pro Palestinian, I'm definitely pro American
and uh, you know, I just think it's been a
(11:49):
lack of leadership, you know, as far as uh you
know how to treat not just this situation, but say
over the last twenty years as.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Well, how would have you handled it if you were
the the prime Minister of Israel beginning on October eleventh, Michael, I.
Speaker 5 (12:05):
Would have done the same thing. You know, Hamas cannot
be the people in charge of Hamas for the destruction
of Israel.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
And I'm trying to understand why you see it.
Speaker 5 (12:18):
Differently well, because you know, I don't think Prime Minister Netanyah,
who has ever been far a Palestinian state. I think
the UK, France and Germany. I think they're going in
the right direction by doing that. I think the American
response has been really weak over that period of time.
(12:39):
I think about.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
What's the American response. Again, I'm not hit at debate
with you, Michael, I'm just trying to understand that you
tell me that that Yah who did you would have
done the same thing as Netanyah, who let me get
the Consul general to to engage with you here because
I just wanted to set that up. Obviously, you recognize
that that Hamas cannot cannot exist in that set of circumstances.
(13:04):
Consul General, what would you say to Michael.
Speaker 3 (13:07):
Michael, good evening. Thank you very much for calling, and
thank you for for the question.
Speaker 6 (13:12):
So I want to.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
Say, you mentioned the United Kingdom and insurance, and I
think others were announcing recently that thinking of recognizing a
Palestinian state in September, and I think if someone is
interested in really sabotaging the potential negotiation that will bring
to end to this war, this is exactly the right
path in order to announce unilaterally that you're about to
(13:35):
recognize a non existent Palestinian state, because it's just empowered Hamas.
Actually part of the toughening of negotiators of the positions
of Hamas and negotiation can definitely be attributed to what
they think is the support that they are getting. Actually,
one very senior HAMAS official came publicly the other day
and say, well, we are victorious and the fact that
(13:57):
European countries about to recognize last time, this is the
ultimate proof that we were right in our attack in
October seventh. So while I'll completely argue against such a move,
I think this is exactly the wrong kind of messaging.
This is rewarding Hamats and its terrorist act. And I
want also say, and I think if there is something
(14:18):
that you know, one of the things that Israel demonstrated
over the last twenty one months is leadership. Because we've
been attacked, we were taken by surprise, we were in
a programmatic situation in the morning of October seven, and
then right after the day after attacked by others and
had to simultaneously confront and fight seven different scene, seven
(14:40):
different forms with when the hooties in Yemen, with Iran,
with his Bola in Lebanon, with Syria, and with others.
And I think what with Israel has demonstrated thus far
is mainly leadership by taking a very active efforts in
order to address all kinds of those threats simultaneously. And
(15:02):
I think we're in a much better strategic situation, not
just Israel and its neighbors, but the entirety of the
Middle East after twenty one months since October seven. I
my perception, this is a leadership, this is the way forward.
Speaker 5 (15:20):
Well, Dan, I think you remember back in Northern Ireland.
In fact, you covered that war and you got to
meet a lot of the people participating. We had great
leadership done well.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Again you're talking about leadership. But you told me, and
you told Consul General SHARONI that the Prime Minister of
Israel you would have done the same thing.
Speaker 5 (15:49):
I would have done the same thing. And initially, but
looking at the way that I what.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
Would you do today? Let me ask let me ask you,
your prime minister, Now, what would you do tomorrow?
Speaker 5 (16:01):
Well, I think if he if he's doing what they're
talking about doing as far as finding responsible people to
administer what's going on in Gaza, I think that would
be I think that would be really good. But I mean,
I think the American leadership has been very weak since
Bill Clinton. I think he was heroic in what he
(16:21):
tried to do and it was just uh if the
Palestinian leadership.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
With success did he have?
Speaker 5 (16:29):
I mean, he tried, he tried, and it wasn't for
any It wasn't any It wasn't for any lack of
trying on his pot. It was the Palestinians just don't
know how to get out of their own way. I
think if yes, yes.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
Are intractable problem, Michael. It's an intractable problem. They're dealing
with a bunch of people who who who loved, who
loved death before life. Uh. And they they have hostages
who is as are Israeli and they have too million
Palestinian hostages. I think it's it's a situation where Israel
(17:06):
has gotten op off the mat. Uh. They have not
only taken out Hezballah, they have I think they will
take out Hamas. They've watched asad. The Middle East is
better off today certainly than it was on the morning
of October eighth, and I think that's big to the leadership.
Speaker 7 (17:25):
Pok.
Speaker 5 (17:25):
I think I think we can all agree that doing
away with Hamas is probably the best thing.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
Let's end the conversation and that positive note, Michael. I
appreciate your call. I really do well.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
Thank you, thank you very much, thank you.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
For Consul General. I think Michael's call does represent people's
you know, it's all frustrating to see if there's no
leadership and yet he thinks that everything that Prime Minister
net Yeah, who not only has not up until now,
but what he's doing now, How do you get through
(18:01):
to people?
Speaker 3 (18:03):
So I want to say one worry about you know, leadership,
lectal leadership, actually about leadership. You know, back in two
thousand and five, this is what took a very serious
step and actually answered so many of the calls in
the world in order to do something practical with the Palestinians.
These were disengage from Gaza. Stript left Gaza. Not single
Israeli settlement, village, town, or army based, not a single
(18:27):
Israeli was We left everything handed back to the Palestinian
to control their own destiny, their own future. That was
an act of leadership. It was a disputed back then,
it is disputed now within Israel, but that was definitely
an active of leadership. And you know what what did
we get in return?
Speaker 7 (18:46):
Right?
Speaker 2 (18:47):
And sometimes October seventh.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
Sometimes I'm getting this comments saying that, well, October seven
happened because Israel offered nothing to the Palestinians, you know,
And I can so with you know, with the counter
argument that what we witnessed on October seven came exactly
because you know, it's a staff that you know, Israel
took at a certain point, which was in order to
(19:11):
hand over something to the Palestinian and allow them to
control their own path, their own future. So I I
don't think that, you know, I completely reject all kinds
of you know, statements saying that it's it's lack of leadership,
and this is definitely.
Speaker 6 (19:25):
Not the case.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
And I think our worst problem is that, you know,
this is this is not negotiating now with with with Switzerland,
or with Canada or with reasonable the state organization that
is trying then this is you know, trying to negotiate
in good faith, agreeing about you know, the mutually agreed
(19:46):
outcome by all means. No, we are facing on the
other side or terrorist organization and the amount of cruelty
and barbari uh that that organization witnessed on October seven.
This is isis right, Those are you know, images who
are horrific images that the world haven't seen for many years.
(20:07):
This is not the you know, there's not a business
negotiation that you know, just sitting enough time in a
closed room and you can end up with something that
works for both sides. This is this is an extremist
organization with the extremist ideology whose main purpose is to
bring to the complete destruction state of Israel. And I
don't think Israel neither any country should accept a situation
(20:29):
was such a hostile or barri entity sits on it
border and contemplating on a daily basis how to destroy
us or anyone else.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
I mean, I can't imagine the United States of America,
let us say, after the Battle of the Bulge in
nineteen forty four, to have said, well, you know, we
we've damaged Germany, uh, and we're going to stop our
our war. It's that's that's we've damaged them enough. You
have to, you know, take out Hitler's government. You have
(21:00):
to free people who were in Auschwitz and the other
concentration camps. And it costs lives, but that was necessary,
and the same is true here. It's almost an identical situation.
Am I totally insane when I say that, Mister Council General.
Speaker 8 (21:19):
I think that in order to offer a viable path
for the future of Israelis and the future of the Gasen,
of the people of Gaza, you know, Hamas should be
completely taken out.
Speaker 3 (21:33):
Of the equation. There is no bright or bright or future.
There's no future at all for the people of Gaza
as long as Hamas is there, and as long as
it's Hamas and there in power with its military and
terror capabilities. The life of Israelis bordering Gaza are also
at a constant threat. This is something that we cannot
(21:54):
just cannot allow ourselves to let it, just let it go,
or let it continue to exist. The price that we've
been paying, and the price that we paid on October seven,
is too heavy. We have a very deep responsibility for
our people, for the region to do what ever it
takes in order to take Hamas out of this equation,
(22:16):
to free both us and the Palestini in Gaza from
the hands of Hamas, and now is the time to
do that.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
It certainly is. Misconsul General, Thank you. I told you
I would let you go at nine thirty. I'm sure
you have a busy schedule tomorrow. Love to have you
back sooner rather than later. I have other callers I'm
going to get to and I'm a man of my word.
I've kept you in an extra three or four minutes,
but I think it was well worth it. So thank
(22:44):
you as always for joining us.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
And definitely wealth worthit. And thank you Dan and all
the pleasure to be at your show and have the
opportunity to speak with the audience. Good evening everyone, Thank
you very much.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
The General Betty SHARONI of Consul General of Israel to
New England, those of you on the line, we're going
to talk about this until ten o'clock. I promise you
that six one, seven, two, five, four ten thirty six
one seven, nine three one ten thirty what else would
you have Israel do under the circumstances in which they
(23:20):
find themselves. I realize that there are hostage families and
relatives and friends of hostages who fear greatly the consequence
of Israel going in to finish the job. I don't
think Israel has an alternative under the circumstances. As the
(23:41):
Consul General said, how do you how do you negotiate
with an organization which has pledged the destruction of Israel?
Because that's exactly what Hamas has said from the river
to the sea, and we have supporters of that in
this country. We'll take a break. I got a couple
of lines six seven, two, four ten thirty, six one
(24:03):
seven nine three one ten thirty. I am not giving
that number out until after ten o'clock. That's my intention.
I have Lee, and I have Bernie, and I have Jeff,
and i'd love to have you back on Nightside. Right
after the new news break at nine thirty six, I apologize, Relate.
Speaker 1 (24:20):
It's night Side with Dan Ray on Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (24:25):
Let's go to the phones. We get Bernie. Bernie, welcome
next on Nightside the I'm sorry you don't have the
console General. You have me and you have the audience.
Go right ahead.
Speaker 9 (24:34):
Oh how are we doing?
Speaker 6 (24:36):
Dan?
Speaker 2 (24:36):
I'm doing fine, all right?
Speaker 7 (24:39):
Just uh.
Speaker 9 (24:39):
I have strong opinions on this.
Speaker 7 (24:41):
I wish the Consul general was still there so I.
Speaker 9 (24:43):
Could thank him.
Speaker 7 (24:44):
Bod he did the coverage that his people showed because
they October seventh, I believe was started so that they
could bring that Oldvsion into that conflict and try, as
you well said, they weren't a total annihilate of Israel.
And what happened. They came looking for flood and they
found blood, and unfortunately Tamas Hues is the palace sitting.
Speaker 9 (25:08):
People, as you send many times, with.
Speaker 7 (25:12):
Their tunnels are under hospital schools. They use them as
human shields. But then Israel systematically eliminated Hamas Habola sits
the downfalls of Syria, the attack on Iran. Now, people
in this country who believe that this is not our
conflict are very mistaken. They refer to Israel as little
(25:37):
Satan in the United States of America as the big Satan.
Speaker 9 (25:41):
If they think for one.
Speaker 7 (25:43):
Second that them people just want freedom for Palestine, and
they're sadly mistaken. They want Israel eradicated. That's what they want.
And you know what they did. They opened up the
door and Israel walked in and did what they should
have done.
Speaker 6 (25:59):
Leadership shown.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
You know, we don't have the Consul general here. But
I want to play a SoundBite from Prime Minister net
Yahoo and I want you to react to it. He
was pressed today about whether or not Israel has engaged
in genocide and his answer, in my opinion, was brilliant.
But I want to hear what you think. This is
(26:20):
cut number twenty eight.
Speaker 4 (26:23):
If we're practicing genocide, we're surely doing a very bad
job of it because we could have, you know, basically
eliminated the entire population of Gaza, but we went the
other direction. We did something that no army in history
ever did. We're supplying humanitarian food to the enemy's population
because we distinguished routine combatants and non combatants we're putting.
Speaker 2 (26:46):
In We put in two million tons of food.
Speaker 4 (26:50):
I mean, if we wanted to commit genocide, we wouldn't
give two million tons of food to the population.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
That is an extraordinary number. It's tough to get your
head around that, Bernie, two million tons of food and
people actors on the world stage. Will will you suggest
that Israel wants to commit genocide?
Speaker 9 (27:11):
And to hear that now?
Speaker 7 (27:14):
And while they're actively engaged in a war of survival,
they came out like a phoenix rising out of the
ashes Dan and thank god they did because they are
the base of democracy in the Middle East. And you
know what, look, nobody, there's no outprior about Putin's waters.
He's he's just attacking people, and he's doing the same
(27:38):
thing systematically of eradicating villages. But Israel wasn't doing that.
They were trying to get the Hamas and unfortunately Hamas
uses civility, ins and shales and they do it very well.
Speaker 2 (27:52):
So I will, I will say.
Speaker 7 (27:53):
There could be a lot of comments against what I say,
but I stand strong on what I say.
Speaker 2 (27:57):
Yeah, well here's I want to make this comment. I
truly believe that benjaminitt Yahoo will be remembered as the
Winston Churchill of Israel, because absolutely, when it was the
darkest in Britain in nineteen thirty nine and nineteen forty
while they were suffering out of the Blitzkrieg, it was
(28:20):
Churchill who rallied the spirit of the British people. I
am amazed that Israel was able to come back. It's
less than two years. It's about twenty months at this point,
or twenty one months. Maybe it's twenty two months now
between October seventh, twenty twenty three and tonight, and Hezbollah
(28:43):
has been eradicated or at least taken off the playing field.
Hamas is in big trouble. Iran, with the help of
the US, is a much weaker threat today. Israel has
also fought the Hoodies in Yemen ed and of course
they have they have watched Asad leave Syria. I think
(29:06):
that we may we may actually have finally the possibility
of real peace if some of the Arab states who
were not members of the Abraham Accords step up and
join with other members of the Arab States and form
and strengthened the Arab the the Abraham Accords.
Speaker 9 (29:29):
And I agree with you, and I think that President
Donald Trump is is trying to help that process along
because he came out and spoke against that evil and
people like him or not. And I don't like everything
he does, but I did like what he did with Israel.
Speaker 7 (29:45):
He placed his opinion, he said what we were going
to do, and we did it.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
Yep. And I would agree with you. I think that
if Trump had lost the election, uh, and there was
a President Harris, or if President Biden had run for reelection,
Israel would have been much more limited in what their
options would be. Bernie is always thank you, my friend.
We will talk soon.
Speaker 3 (30:06):
Yes, Iva, goodnight.
Speaker 9 (30:07):
Thank you for allowing me to place my opinion.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
You have everyone, and you're always welcome here. Coming right
back on Nightside quick break, we got Lee, Jeff and
Roger coming up. The only lines that are open. And
I'm not even gonna mention it because I mentioned I
told you I wouldn't mention it. So you should write
these numbers down so you have them available. Back on
Nightside after.
Speaker 1 (30:27):
This, you're on night Side with Dan Ray on w
b Z, Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (30:34):
Right to the calls, we go going to go to
Lee in Quincy. Lee, welcome to Nightside.
Speaker 6 (30:39):
Thank you, Dan, You're a great gentile. Okay, your friendship
means a lot, it really does. Fifty years ago, fifty
years ago, seventy three, seventy four, I was an English teacher.
I taught English as a foreign language to some of
the Israeli agricultural settlements in the Gaza. And I lived
(31:01):
in the Negiv. Yeah, I lived in the Negev Desert.
And I took a bus from Versheva to the Gaza Strip.
I't maybe fifty miles, and it was I'll never forget it. Really.
The bus had all these Arabs in it with the
long robes, you know, and they all had the knives.
They had those Damascus knives in their belt. And I
(31:22):
said to myself, I wish my friends could see me now,
you know, back in the moment. Well, it was, you know,
I don't even remember that much about it. But President Trump,
I'm a magnificent president. In the beginning, this whole thing,
this is what should happen. The Gaza Strip should become
(31:42):
a US territory, like Wam, like Samoa, like wherever the
Maranara islands. Let the people who want to stay in
Gaza stay, Let it have some type of administration and
grow oranges and app and pineapples in the Gaza strip.
(32:04):
It would seed all of a lot of people. They
make a lot of money, and that's what they would
you should do. When President Trump had the right idea,
well he did, he did say that.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
And of course it's also a beautiful, uh piece of
real estate right on the Mediterranean Ocean. UH. And look, Israel,
out of a desert has grown the most affluent country
uh in the Middle East. In my opinion, it doesn't
have any great natural resources. It doesn't have great oil
(32:37):
reserves like some of the other Middle Eastern countries. But yeah,
I think this is a moment in time, and I
I think that as I said, I think I think
Netanyahu is the Churchill of Israel.
Speaker 6 (32:53):
You talk about Russian disinformation, you've heard that expression, I'm sure. Yeah,
the biggest Russian disinformation of the Palestinians. That's a total
invention by the KHV. They started it, they came up
with a plo. Everybody bought into it. We never should
have recognized them fifty years ago, but we did. That's
(33:15):
the Jews are the Palestinians. I want the people to
understand that it's Palestine. My father's friends fought in the
Palestinian Brigade for England and they were stationed in Italy
and World War Two. There's no such thing as a Palestinian.
They're Arabs. They came to the area. Yes, they came
(33:36):
to the era because of the free enterprise that the
Jews brought there. They had a chance to live in peace.
They don't want to. If you interviewed the people in
Ramala and Janine and all those places, they don't want it.
They can't conceive it. They don't want it. They will.
Speaker 2 (33:57):
They can learn to live with it and appreciated and
maybe as human beings who have interested in the same
things that all of us are families doing better than
we did. Maybe over time they can understand that Israel
offers their greatest hope.
Speaker 6 (34:13):
For well, that's true the Arabs, the Arabs who lived
in Israel I remember ten fifteen years ago some of
the right wing Israelis wanted to get rid of is
a place called the Triangle. It's in the Galley, maybe
twenty five three thousand Arabs. They wanted to kind of
like get rid of them and give them back to
(34:34):
the West Bank or something. They were uproar. They want
to they value the Israeli citizenship, and the Arab citizens
of Israel are very good people. They're good citizens.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
Now there are Arabs who are who are in the Kanesse,
which is the Congress, right, but the leadership of the Palestinians.
Speaker 6 (34:55):
Now it's too late.
Speaker 2 (34:56):
Yeah, well they are. They the the philosophical offspring of
Yasir Arafat who addressed the United Nations with a gun
in his holster. Amazing, Willie, I got to run because
they want to get at least one other caller in.
Thank you so much for your words.
Speaker 6 (35:15):
You're welcome.
Speaker 2 (35:16):
I have a great night. Let me go to Jeff
in Abington. Jeff, next on nightside, go right ahead.
Speaker 10 (35:21):
Well, this is war against the West and it's always
been and it always will be. And it's disgraceful all
the anti Semites that are in the Democratic Party and
have it in Columbia, those great institutions that allowed the
people to run wild against the Jewish students and nothing
(35:44):
was done.
Speaker 2 (35:45):
Yep, well it has. Some things have been done now, Jeff,
as you know, Well, it.
Speaker 10 (35:49):
Took long enough, didn't it.
Speaker 11 (35:51):
And it took Trump to do it.
Speaker 2 (35:53):
Well, you needed to have a president in office who
wanted to address that issue, and I think that when
anyone looks at it objectively, President Trump has extracted several
concessions from I think there are three of the Ivy
League schools that have already agreed, Brown being I think
(36:15):
the latest brown A Columbia and the University of Pennsylvania.
And I think Harvard is in serious negotiations.
Speaker 10 (36:22):
You know that Haveard will let Alan Durschowitz on the campus.
Speaker 2 (36:28):
I don't know that that is true. I know Alan
very well, and I will ask him, want.
Speaker 10 (36:33):
To show why don't you have him on your show.
Speaker 2 (36:34):
And ask him, well, he's been on my show many times,
and as a matter of fact, I am more than
happy to follow through on that suggestion and I will
reach out to him tomorrow.
Speaker 11 (36:42):
Fair enough, it's the media, your crowd, the mainstream media
and the Democrats, and this is war against the West,
and it's it's it's a war against white people too.
Speaker 2 (36:56):
Well. I don't really think so, Jeff. And I'm a
member of the media. I guess I'm tech typically a member,
technically a member of the mainstream media. I think there
is a lot of people in the media who are
wrong in this issue, and I think there are a
lot of people in the media who I can point
to who are right on this issue. And I think
I'm correct in this issue. And if you listen to me,
(37:18):
and I know you do, you have no disagreement with
me on Israel. Jeff, I got to get one more
in before the break. I wish you called earlier. We'll
talk again. I enjoyed this conversation despite your backhanded compliment.
Thank you. Have a great night. Let me go to
Harry Topsfield. Harry, I'm going to get you in here
real quick under the wire because we're going to wrap
up this conversation.
Speaker 6 (37:39):
Go right ahead, Harry, think you would taking my call?
Speaker 2 (37:42):
Dan, Go right ahead.
Speaker 6 (37:46):
Any Benjamin Netanyahu is the ciritiell of Israel.
Speaker 2 (37:52):
Well, I think he's going to be remembered that way.
And I think that he's made it very clear that
he wants to go in and finish jimas he's not
looking to have Israel occupy Gaza, that he wants to
turn it over to Arab leadership and have some responsible
Arab leadership come in there and help that god forsaken
(38:17):
twenty six small slice of twenty six miles by seven
or eight miles recover from this disastrous near two years
that Hamas has inflicted on the Palestinian people. I mean,
the people whose homes were destroyed besides the Israelis on
October seventh, are Palestinians, and their homes were destroyed because
(38:40):
of the presence and the actions of Hamas. And I
agree with you totally, Harry.
Speaker 4 (38:48):
Dan.
Speaker 6 (38:49):
I really like him. He's something, no doubt.
Speaker 2 (38:53):
No doubt, Harry. I appreciate the call. Got a screwed
here because we're a little bit late coming up on
the ten o'clock news as always, appreciate your time. Thank
you so much. Talk to you later. Okay, when we
come back, we're going to change topics. I could talk
about Israel all night because I have strong beliefs, and
I'm more than happy to do that another night. But
(39:15):
I want to change topics, and I want to talk
because we like to be ahead of the curve here
on night side. I want to talk about what is
now perhaps being formulated and what may transpire within the
next week or two between President Trump and Vladimir Putin.
I think that we are reaching a critical point. I'll
(39:39):
explain my position on it. My question to you is,
do you trust President Trump and Putin that they can
work together to resolve the Ukraine situation. Obviously, Putin has
some very strong points of view on this. I'm not
sure that President Trump will be able to extract the
concession is that he needs and the Ukraine needs. It's complicated,
(40:04):
it's tough to talk about, but I believe you will
rise to the occasion. I said I'll give the numbers
after the ten o'clock news, back after this
It's Night Side with Dan Ray on WBS Boston's News Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Welcome back everyone, Thank you Dan Watkins. As we move
into our nine o'clock hour, I am delighted to welcome
back to our program the Consul General of Israel to
New England, Console General Benny Sharoni Consul General, welcome back.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
How are you good evening? Dan, good evening to the listeners.
Thank you for this kind invitation and I'm okay, thank
you for asking.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Well. It was a it is an interesting day, of course,
it's it's now Friday morning in Israel. My first question
is that I've been trying to follow this. I watched
the interview today with on Fox with Prime Minister net
and Yahoo. Has the have his advisors at actually voted?
(01:01):
I'm not sure if it's a cabinet or a security council.
What is the group that the Prime Minister is attempting
to secure the support of to follow through on what
he clearly would like to do in terms of Gaza.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
So yes, as we speak, the Israeli Cabinet, which is
part of the Israeli government, and that you know, the
Prime Minister and some of the more senior ministers are discussing,
and as far as I can tell, they are still
in an ongoing discussion that started earlier today, and what
it is at stake at the moment is discussing what
(01:38):
is the best strategy and how to continue to go
about the current situation in Gaza. Now it has been
our sense that we are getting close to a potential
ceasefire in a deal, but it looks as if fromas
Is again toughened their demands and putting all kinds of
obstacle towards reaching a ceasfire and an agreement which will
bring to the release of the hostages. So we need
(02:02):
to think what it is that we can do now,
what it is that we can do next.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Okay, So just so I'm clear on this. In terms
of the timing, I believe that Israel is about seven
hours ahead of us, So it probably is if that's
the proper Is it seven hours true? Yeah, so it's
probably four am on Friday morning. Is the cabinet still
as far as you know, meeting or have they you know,
(02:28):
gone home for the night and to resume it sometime
tomorrow or so it use them for us tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
I hope it's not a surprise to anyone. But over
the last twenty one month we have become accustomed to
also working during the nights and engage in a lengthy
discussion because you know, the time calls for taking division
and yeah, you know, even if the prize is to
engage in discussion all over the night.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Yes, So is it your belief? And again I'm asking
I'm probably asking you news questions here which are a
little unfair, So pardon me, but is it your understanding
or your belief or your hope that out of this
meeting will come a decision or a plan that will
(03:16):
be announced. Obviously the strategic tactics that might be employed,
there's no reason for those to be announced in advance.
But do you believe there will be a conclusion of this?
I'm assuming that the Prime Minister, having done that interview,
has stated very clearly what he hopes to achieve, and
not getting a concurrence from his cabinet almost would be
(03:39):
a position that in a parliamentary democracy a vote of
this might be perceived almost as the equivalent of a
vote of confidence or am I overstating the drama that's
involved here?
Speaker 3 (03:51):
So you know, being thousands of miles from home at
the moment, I don't want to speculate about what's going
on now in the Israeli cabinet discussion. That that's something
I want to do, Okay. I tell you what I hope.
I hope, and I think many of these reds show
the same hopes as I have, is that we will
(04:13):
see a very clear path forward, by the path that
will allow us to end this whole work with tramile
Hamas laying down its arms and seeing the release of
the hostages and potentially paving the word the road to
where the future of Gaza will be demilitarized. Israel will
have its own security arrangements around Gaza, and Gaza will
(04:36):
be controlled by by not by Israel, but by you know,
by the civic government that is willing to leave at
peace with Israel. This is our hope, and I think
that's what have been advocating and pushing and fighting for
ever since October seventh.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
I'd like to just play one of the sound bites
and have you comment on it, because I think that
the sound bite from the Prime Minister very clearly encapsulates
what Israel's goal is, you know as well as I
do that Israel is often unfairly criticized by the media,
(05:13):
the national media here and elsewhere. We all know how
this started on October seventh, and we know that this
is a situation that Israel is unwilling to continue to
live with. But I just want to make sure people
here from the Prime Minister. This is Prime Minister Benjamin Netanya,
(05:33):
who this afternoon would have been properly about eight o'clock
Israeli time, in an interview with a Bill Hammer of
Fox News.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
In order to assure our security, remove Tramas there, enable
the population to be free of Gaza, and to pass
it to civilian governance that is not Tramas and not
anyone advocating the destruction of visual That's what we want
to do. We want to liberate ourselves and liberate the
people of Gaza from the awful terror of Ramas. And
(06:08):
you were in the Gaza script today you meant Palestinians
or fighting Hamas because finally they see that they have
a future, they can rid themselves of this awful tyranny
that not only holds our hostages, but holds two million
Palestinians in Gaza hostage. That's got to end.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
So that is. I'm not sure was that the third bite, Rob,
Can you tell me which one that was? Twenty? Okay? Fine, okay.
So that's the Prime Minister, and obviously you reflect that
belief and certainly I think much of the world understands.
(06:53):
But there are some in the world who say that
Israel has to stop. What do you say to them,
mister k So general the people who who are who want,
who do not want Israel to do what I think
Israel perceives it has to do for its own survival.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
So let's go back a bit to the history. In
two thousand and seven, Hamas took over in the military
coruit that the whole Gaza strip two years after Israeli
ter Israel completely disengage and left Guds and not in
order to come back again. The last twenty years since,
AMAS has been you know, using its train of terror
(07:33):
over Gaza in order to terrorize the life of both
Israelis and Palestinians living in Gaza alike. And that that
has to come to and that has to come to
an end. Now since Actober seven, we've been you know,
fighting and fighting out and and rightfully so, in order
to preserve our security, to release the hostages and to
(07:55):
make sure that Hamas is no longer the Haramas no
longer maintains me the capabilities, Hamas no longer control Gaza.
It is about our future about it is also about
the future of the people of Gaza. Now I've been
hearing those voices and you know kind of the message
there as well. If only Israel will send the order
(08:15):
to this Israel Defense force we completely get out of
Gaza tomorrow, then everything will be nice and fine, and
then they all the passages will be released and Famas
will independently leave Gaza, and you know, and and peace
will prevail from now until eternality comes. Unfortunately, the situation
is far from bringing from being back. What Hamas is
(08:37):
trying to do is remaining is tried to get out
out of this whole situation, which he is responsible for.
You know, we're all stuck in this situation because Octobo
sudden and Fromas with that, and Hamas is just trying
to you know, install the negotiations in order to end
up in the ability to stay in in Gaza like
(08:58):
after previous rounds of against Israel, to have the ability
to regroup, to rearm, to rebuild itself. To regain its
control over the people of Gaza and basically pays the
way towards the next Toktobo seven. Now, this is something
that we cannot allow and we know for sure if
a Israel will just leave Gaza tomorrow, the war will
(09:19):
not come to an end, the hostages will not be
released immediately, and Hamas definitely is not going to leave Gaza.
So we haven't paid the prices that we have been
paying in the last three years just in order to
get out and without knowing for sure that October seven
cannot happen again. That's my answer, no question.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
My guest is the Console General of the Government of
Israel to New England banishing. We'll get some phone calls.
I promised the Consul General, because he's had some very
long days and nights as well, that we would finish
our conversation by nine uh and I'd like to get
(10:02):
a couple of give you a couple of opportunities, folks,
if you would like to speak directly to the Consul General. I,
as you know, I have some very strong feelings about
this set of circumstances and I think that we have
to support Israel. But if you want to ask any question.
(10:23):
You can dial right now six one, seven, two, five
four to ten thirty six one seven, nine three one
ten thirty. After the Console General departs, we will talk
about the situation. And I think it's in the interest
of the world that Israel is able to eliminate this
cancer called Hamas from its territory. And if there ever
(10:47):
was a time when this might be possible, I believe
it is now. We'll be back right after a very
quick break with the Console General of Israel to New England,
Console General Benny Schorny six one seven, four, ten thirty,
six thirty Back on Nightside after.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
This, It's Night Side with Dan Ray Boston's News Radio.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
My guest is Israeli Console General to New England, Benny Sharoni,
Console General. Let's get some phone calls. Fair enough, here
we go. Let me go first off to Michael in Milton. Michael,
you were first this hour with Console General Benny Sharoni,
the Israeli Console General to New England. What's your comment
a question.
Speaker 5 (11:29):
Michael, Oh, mister Sharroni, thanks for coming on. Hi, Dan,
I might look at this a little bit differently than
new people. I think it's a lack of leadership. You know,
I'm pro ISRAELI, I'm pro Palestinian, I'm definitely pro American
and uh, you know, I just think it's been a
(11:49):
lack of leadership, you know, as far as uh you
know how to treat not just this situation, but say
over the last twenty years as.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Well, how would have you handled it if you were
the the prime Minister of Israel beginning on October eleventh, Michael, I.
Speaker 5 (12:05):
Would have done the same thing. You know, Hamas cannot
be the people in charge of Hamas for the destruction
of Israel.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
And I'm trying to understand why you see it.
Speaker 5 (12:18):
Differently well, because you know, I don't think Prime Minister Netanyah,
who has ever been far a Palestinian state. I think
the UK, France and Germany. I think they're going in
the right direction by doing that. I think the American
response has been really weak over that period of time.
(12:39):
I think about.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
What's the American response. Again, I'm not hit at debate
with you, Michael, I'm just trying to understand that you
tell me that that Yah who did you would have
done the same thing as Netanyah, who let me get
the Consul general to to engage with you here because
I just wanted to set that up. Obviously, you recognize
that that Hamas cannot cannot exist in that set of circumstances.
(13:04):
Consul General, what would you say to Michael.
Speaker 3 (13:07):
Michael, good evening. Thank you very much for calling, and
thank you for for the question.
Speaker 6 (13:12):
So I want to.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
Say, you mentioned the United Kingdom and insurance, and I
think others were announcing recently that thinking of recognizing a
Palestinian state in September, and I think if someone is
interested in really sabotaging the potential negotiation that will bring
to end to this war, this is exactly the right
path in order to announce unilaterally that you're about to
(13:35):
recognize a non existent Palestinian state, because it's just empowered Hamas.
Actually part of the toughening of negotiators of the positions
of Hamas and negotiation can definitely be attributed to what
they think is the support that they are getting. Actually,
one very senior HAMAS official came publicly the other day
and say, well, we are victorious and the fact that
(13:57):
European countries about to recognize last time, this is the
ultimate proof that we were right in our attack in
October seventh. So while I'll completely argue against such a move,
I think this is exactly the wrong kind of messaging.
This is rewarding Hamats and its terrorist act. And I
want also say, and I think if there is something
(14:18):
that you know, one of the things that Israel demonstrated
over the last twenty one months is leadership. Because we've
been attacked, we were taken by surprise, we were in
a programmatic situation in the morning of October seven, and
then right after the day after attacked by others and
had to simultaneously confront and fight seven different scene, seven
(14:40):
different forms with when the hooties in Yemen, with Iran,
with his Bola in Lebanon, with Syria, and with others.
And I think what with Israel has demonstrated thus far
is mainly leadership by taking a very active efforts in
order to address all kinds of those threats simultaneously. And
(15:02):
I think we're in a much better strategic situation, not
just Israel and its neighbors, but the entirety of the
Middle East after twenty one months since October seven. I
my perception, this is a leadership, this is the way forward.
Speaker 5 (15:20):
Well, Dan, I think you remember back in Northern Ireland.
In fact, you covered that war and you got to
meet a lot of the people participating. We had great
leadership done well.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Again you're talking about leadership. But you told me, and
you told Consul General SHARONI that the Prime Minister of
Israel you would have done the same thing.
Speaker 5 (15:49):
I would have done the same thing. And initially, but
looking at the way that I what.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
Would you do today? Let me ask let me ask you,
your prime minister, Now, what would you do tomorrow?
Speaker 5 (16:01):
Well, I think if he if he's doing what they're
talking about doing as far as finding responsible people to
administer what's going on in Gaza, I think that would
be I think that would be really good. But I mean,
I think the American leadership has been very weak since
Bill Clinton. I think he was heroic in what he
(16:21):
tried to do and it was just uh if the
Palestinian leadership.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
With success did he have?
Speaker 5 (16:29):
I mean, he tried, he tried, and it wasn't for
any It wasn't any It wasn't for any lack of
trying on his pot. It was the Palestinians just don't
know how to get out of their own way. I
think if yes, yes.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
Are intractable problem, Michael. It's an intractable problem. They're dealing
with a bunch of people who who who loved, who
loved death before life. Uh. And they they have hostages
who is as are Israeli and they have too million
Palestinian hostages. I think it's it's a situation where Israel
(17:06):
has gotten op off the mat. Uh. They have not
only taken out Hezballah, they have I think they will
take out Hamas. They've watched asad. The Middle East is
better off today certainly than it was on the morning
of October eighth, and I think that's big to the leadership.
Speaker 7 (17:25):
Pok.
Speaker 5 (17:25):
I think I think we can all agree that doing
away with Hamas is probably the best thing.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
Let's end the conversation and that positive note, Michael. I
appreciate your call. I really do well.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
Thank you, thank you very much, thank you.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
For Consul General. I think Michael's call does represent people's
you know, it's all frustrating to see if there's no
leadership and yet he thinks that everything that Prime Minister
net Yeah, who not only has not up until now,
but what he's doing now, How do you get through
(18:01):
to people?
Speaker 3 (18:03):
So I want to say one worry about you know, leadership,
lectal leadership, actually about leadership. You know, back in two
thousand and five, this is what took a very serious
step and actually answered so many of the calls in
the world in order to do something practical with the Palestinians.
These were disengage from Gaza. Stript left Gaza. Not single
Israeli settlement, village, town, or army based, not a single
(18:27):
Israeli was We left everything handed back to the Palestinian
to control their own destiny, their own future. That was
an act of leadership. It was a disputed back then,
it is disputed now within Israel, but that was definitely
an active of leadership. And you know what what did
we get in return?
Speaker 7 (18:46):
Right?
Speaker 2 (18:47):
And sometimes October seventh.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
Sometimes I'm getting this comments saying that, well, October seven
happened because Israel offered nothing to the Palestinians, you know,
And I can so with you know, with the counter
argument that what we witnessed on October seven came exactly
because you know, it's a staff that you know, Israel
took at a certain point, which was in order to
(19:11):
hand over something to the Palestinian and allow them to
control their own path, their own future. So I I
don't think that, you know, I completely reject all kinds
of you know, statements saying that it's it's lack of leadership,
and this is definitely.
Speaker 6 (19:25):
Not the case.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
And I think our worst problem is that, you know,
this is this is not negotiating now with with with Switzerland,
or with Canada or with reasonable the state organization that
is trying then this is you know, trying to negotiate
in good faith, agreeing about you know, the mutually agreed
(19:46):
outcome by all means. No, we are facing on the
other side or terrorist organization and the amount of cruelty
and barbari uh that that organization witnessed on October seven.
This is isis right, Those are you know, images who
are horrific images that the world haven't seen for many years.
(20:07):
This is not the you know, there's not a business
negotiation that you know, just sitting enough time in a
closed room and you can end up with something that
works for both sides. This is this is an extremist
organization with the extremist ideology whose main purpose is to
bring to the complete destruction state of Israel. And I
don't think Israel neither any country should accept a situation
(20:29):
was such a hostile or barri entity sits on it
border and contemplating on a daily basis how to destroy
us or anyone else.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
I mean, I can't imagine the United States of America,
let us say, after the Battle of the Bulge in
nineteen forty four, to have said, well, you know, we
we've damaged Germany, uh, and we're going to stop our
our war. It's that's that's we've damaged them enough. You
have to, you know, take out Hitler's government. You have
(21:00):
to free people who were in Auschwitz and the other
concentration camps. And it costs lives, but that was necessary,
and the same is true here. It's almost an identical situation.
Am I totally insane when I say that, Mister Council General.
Speaker 8 (21:19):
I think that in order to offer a viable path
for the future of Israelis and the future of the Gasen,
of the people of Gaza, you know, Hamas should be
completely taken out.
Speaker 3 (21:33):
Of the equation. There is no bright or bright or future.
There's no future at all for the people of Gaza
as long as Hamas is there, and as long as
it's Hamas and there in power with its military and
terror capabilities. The life of Israelis bordering Gaza are also
at a constant threat. This is something that we cannot
(21:54):
just cannot allow ourselves to let it, just let it go,
or let it continue to exist. The price that we've
been paying, and the price that we paid on October seven,
is too heavy. We have a very deep responsibility for
our people, for the region to do what ever it
takes in order to take Hamas out of this equation,
(22:16):
to free both us and the Palestini in Gaza from
the hands of Hamas, and now is the time to
do that.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
It certainly is. Misconsul General, Thank you. I told you
I would let you go at nine thirty. I'm sure
you have a busy schedule tomorrow. Love to have you
back sooner rather than later. I have other callers I'm
going to get to and I'm a man of my word.
I've kept you in an extra three or four minutes,
but I think it was well worth it. So thank
(22:44):
you as always for joining us.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
And definitely wealth worthit. And thank you Dan and all
the pleasure to be at your show and have the
opportunity to speak with the audience. Good evening everyone, Thank
you very much.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
The General Betty SHARONI of Consul General of Israel to
New England, those of you on the line, we're going
to talk about this until ten o'clock. I promise you
that six one, seven, two, five, four ten thirty six
one seven, nine three one ten thirty what else would
you have Israel do under the circumstances in which they
(23:20):
find themselves. I realize that there are hostage families and
relatives and friends of hostages who fear greatly the consequence
of Israel going in to finish the job. I don't
think Israel has an alternative under the circumstances. As the
(23:41):
Consul General said, how do you how do you negotiate
with an organization which has pledged the destruction of Israel?
Because that's exactly what Hamas has said from the river
to the sea, and we have supporters of that in
this country. We'll take a break. I got a couple
of lines six seven, two, four ten thirty, six one
(24:03):
seven nine three one ten thirty. I am not giving
that number out until after ten o'clock. That's my intention.
I have Lee, and I have Bernie, and I have Jeff,
and i'd love to have you back on Nightside. Right
after the new news break at nine thirty six, I apologize, Relate.
Speaker 1 (24:20):
It's night Side with Dan Ray on Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (24:25):
Let's go to the phones. We get Bernie. Bernie, welcome
next on Nightside the I'm sorry you don't have the
console General. You have me and you have the audience.
Go right ahead.
Speaker 9 (24:34):
Oh how are we doing?
Speaker 6 (24:36):
Dan?
Speaker 2 (24:36):
I'm doing fine, all right?
Speaker 7 (24:39):
Just uh.
Speaker 9 (24:39):
I have strong opinions on this.
Speaker 7 (24:41):
I wish the Consul general was still there so I.
Speaker 9 (24:43):
Could thank him.
Speaker 7 (24:44):
Bod he did the coverage that his people showed because
they October seventh, I believe was started so that they
could bring that Oldvsion into that conflict and try, as
you well said, they weren't a total annihilate of Israel.
And what happened. They came looking for flood and they
found blood, and unfortunately Tamas Hues is the palace sitting.
Speaker 9 (25:08):
People, as you send many times, with.
Speaker 7 (25:12):
Their tunnels are under hospital schools. They use them as
human shields. But then Israel systematically eliminated Hamas Habola sits
the downfalls of Syria, the attack on Iran. Now, people
in this country who believe that this is not our
conflict are very mistaken. They refer to Israel as little
(25:37):
Satan in the United States of America as the big Satan.
Speaker 9 (25:41):
If they think for one.
Speaker 7 (25:43):
Second that them people just want freedom for Palestine, and
they're sadly mistaken. They want Israel eradicated. That's what they want.
And you know what they did. They opened up the
door and Israel walked in and did what they should
have done.
Speaker 6 (25:59):
Leadership shown.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
You know, we don't have the Consul general here. But
I want to play a SoundBite from Prime Minister net
Yahoo and I want you to react to it. He
was pressed today about whether or not Israel has engaged
in genocide and his answer, in my opinion, was brilliant.
But I want to hear what you think. This is
(26:20):
cut number twenty eight.
Speaker 4 (26:23):
If we're practicing genocide, we're surely doing a very bad
job of it because we could have, you know, basically
eliminated the entire population of Gaza, but we went the
other direction. We did something that no army in history
ever did. We're supplying humanitarian food to the enemy's population
because we distinguished routine combatants and non combatants we're putting.
Speaker 2 (26:46):
In We put in two million tons of food.
Speaker 4 (26:50):
I mean, if we wanted to commit genocide, we wouldn't
give two million tons of food to the population.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
That is an extraordinary number. It's tough to get your
head around that, Bernie, two million tons of food and
people actors on the world stage. Will will you suggest
that Israel wants to commit genocide?
Speaker 9 (27:11):
And to hear that now?
Speaker 7 (27:14):
And while they're actively engaged in a war of survival,
they came out like a phoenix rising out of the
ashes Dan and thank god they did because they are
the base of democracy in the Middle East. And you
know what, look, nobody, there's no outprior about Putin's waters.
He's he's just attacking people, and he's doing the same
(27:38):
thing systematically of eradicating villages. But Israel wasn't doing that.
They were trying to get the Hamas and unfortunately Hamas
uses civility, ins and shales and they do it very well.
Speaker 2 (27:52):
So I will, I will say.
Speaker 7 (27:53):
There could be a lot of comments against what I say,
but I stand strong on what I say.
Speaker 2 (27:57):
Yeah, well here's I want to make this comment. I
truly believe that benjaminitt Yahoo will be remembered as the
Winston Churchill of Israel, because absolutely, when it was the
darkest in Britain in nineteen thirty nine and nineteen forty
while they were suffering out of the Blitzkrieg, it was
(28:20):
Churchill who rallied the spirit of the British people. I
am amazed that Israel was able to come back. It's
less than two years. It's about twenty months at this point,
or twenty one months. Maybe it's twenty two months now
between October seventh, twenty twenty three and tonight, and Hezbollah
(28:43):
has been eradicated or at least taken off the playing field.
Hamas is in big trouble. Iran, with the help of
the US, is a much weaker threat today. Israel has
also fought the Hoodies in Yemen ed and of course
they have they have watched Asad leave Syria. I think
(29:06):
that we may we may actually have finally the possibility
of real peace if some of the Arab states who
were not members of the Abraham Accords step up and
join with other members of the Arab States and form
and strengthened the Arab the the Abraham Accords.
Speaker 9 (29:29):
And I agree with you, and I think that President
Donald Trump is is trying to help that process along
because he came out and spoke against that evil and
people like him or not. And I don't like everything
he does, but I did like what he did with Israel.
Speaker 7 (29:45):
He placed his opinion, he said what we were going
to do, and we did it.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
Yep. And I would agree with you. I think that
if Trump had lost the election, uh, and there was
a President Harris, or if President Biden had run for reelection,
Israel would have been much more limited in what their
options would be. Bernie is always thank you, my friend.
We will talk soon.
Speaker 3 (30:06):
Yes, Iva, goodnight.
Speaker 9 (30:07):
Thank you for allowing me to place my opinion.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
You have everyone, and you're always welcome here. Coming right
back on Nightside quick break, we got Lee, Jeff and
Roger coming up. The only lines that are open. And
I'm not even gonna mention it because I mentioned I
told you I wouldn't mention it. So you should write
these numbers down so you have them available. Back on
Nightside after.
Speaker 1 (30:27):
This, you're on night Side with Dan Ray on w
b Z, Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (30:34):
Right to the calls, we go going to go to
Lee in Quincy. Lee, welcome to Nightside.
Speaker 6 (30:39):
Thank you, Dan, You're a great gentile. Okay, your friendship
means a lot, it really does. Fifty years ago, fifty
years ago, seventy three, seventy four, I was an English teacher.
I taught English as a foreign language to some of
the Israeli agricultural settlements in the Gaza. And I lived
(31:01):
in the Negiv. Yeah, I lived in the Negev Desert.
And I took a bus from Versheva to the Gaza Strip.
I't maybe fifty miles, and it was I'll never forget it. Really.
The bus had all these Arabs in it with the
long robes, you know, and they all had the knives.
They had those Damascus knives in their belt. And I
(31:22):
said to myself, I wish my friends could see me now,
you know, back in the moment. Well, it was, you know,
I don't even remember that much about it. But President Trump,
I'm a magnificent president. In the beginning, this whole thing,
this is what should happen. The Gaza Strip should become
(31:42):
a US territory, like Wam, like Samoa, like wherever the
Maranara islands. Let the people who want to stay in
Gaza stay, Let it have some type of administration and
grow oranges and app and pineapples in the Gaza strip.
(32:04):
It would seed all of a lot of people. They
make a lot of money, and that's what they would
you should do. When President Trump had the right idea,
well he did, he did say that.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
And of course it's also a beautiful, uh piece of
real estate right on the Mediterranean Ocean. UH. And look, Israel,
out of a desert has grown the most affluent country
uh in the Middle East. In my opinion, it doesn't
have any great natural resources. It doesn't have great oil
(32:37):
reserves like some of the other Middle Eastern countries. But yeah,
I think this is a moment in time, and I
I think that as I said, I think I think
Netanyahu is the Churchill of Israel.
Speaker 6 (32:53):
You talk about Russian disinformation, you've heard that expression, I'm sure. Yeah,
the biggest Russian disinformation of the Palestinians. That's a total
invention by the KHV. They started it, they came up
with a plo. Everybody bought into it. We never should
have recognized them fifty years ago, but we did. That's
(33:15):
the Jews are the Palestinians. I want the people to
understand that it's Palestine. My father's friends fought in the
Palestinian Brigade for England and they were stationed in Italy
and World War Two. There's no such thing as a Palestinian.
They're Arabs. They came to the area. Yes, they came
(33:36):
to the era because of the free enterprise that the
Jews brought there. They had a chance to live in peace.
They don't want to. If you interviewed the people in
Ramala and Janine and all those places, they don't want it.
They can't conceive it. They don't want it. They will.
Speaker 2 (33:57):
They can learn to live with it and appreciated and
maybe as human beings who have interested in the same
things that all of us are families doing better than
we did. Maybe over time they can understand that Israel
offers their greatest hope.
Speaker 6 (34:13):
For well, that's true the Arabs, the Arabs who lived
in Israel I remember ten fifteen years ago some of
the right wing Israelis wanted to get rid of is
a place called the Triangle. It's in the Galley, maybe
twenty five three thousand Arabs. They wanted to kind of
like get rid of them and give them back to
(34:34):
the West Bank or something. They were uproar. They want
to they value the Israeli citizenship, and the Arab citizens
of Israel are very good people. They're good citizens.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
Now there are Arabs who are who are in the Kanesse,
which is the Congress, right, but the leadership of the Palestinians.
Speaker 6 (34:55):
Now it's too late.
Speaker 2 (34:56):
Yeah, well they are. They the the philosophical offspring of
Yasir Arafat who addressed the United Nations with a gun
in his holster. Amazing, Willie, I got to run because
they want to get at least one other caller in.
Thank you so much for your words.
Speaker 6 (35:15):
You're welcome.
Speaker 2 (35:16):
I have a great night. Let me go to Jeff
in Abington. Jeff, next on nightside, go right ahead.
Speaker 10 (35:21):
Well, this is war against the West and it's always
been and it always will be. And it's disgraceful all
the anti Semites that are in the Democratic Party and
have it in Columbia, those great institutions that allowed the
people to run wild against the Jewish students and nothing
(35:44):
was done.
Speaker 2 (35:45):
Yep, well it has. Some things have been done now, Jeff,
as you know, Well, it.
Speaker 10 (35:49):
Took long enough, didn't it.
Speaker 11 (35:51):
And it took Trump to do it.
Speaker 2 (35:53):
Well, you needed to have a president in office who
wanted to address that issue, and I think that when
anyone looks at it objectively, President Trump has extracted several
concessions from I think there are three of the Ivy
League schools that have already agreed, Brown being I think
(36:15):
the latest brown A Columbia and the University of Pennsylvania.
And I think Harvard is in serious negotiations.
Speaker 10 (36:22):
You know that Haveard will let Alan Durschowitz on the campus.
Speaker 2 (36:28):
I don't know that that is true. I know Alan
very well, and I will ask him, want.
Speaker 10 (36:33):
To show why don't you have him on your show.
Speaker 2 (36:34):
And ask him, well, he's been on my show many times,
and as a matter of fact, I am more than
happy to follow through on that suggestion and I will
reach out to him tomorrow.
Speaker 11 (36:42):
Fair enough, it's the media, your crowd, the mainstream media
and the Democrats, and this is war against the West,
and it's it's it's a war against white people too.
Speaker 2 (36:56):
Well. I don't really think so, Jeff. And I'm a
member of the media. I guess I'm tech typically a member,
technically a member of the mainstream media. I think there
is a lot of people in the media who are
wrong in this issue, and I think there are a
lot of people in the media who I can point
to who are right on this issue. And I think
I'm correct in this issue. And if you listen to me,
(37:18):
and I know you do, you have no disagreement with
me on Israel. Jeff, I got to get one more
in before the break. I wish you called earlier. We'll
talk again. I enjoyed this conversation despite your backhanded compliment.
Thank you. Have a great night. Let me go to
Harry Topsfield. Harry, I'm going to get you in here
real quick under the wire because we're going to wrap
up this conversation.
Speaker 6 (37:39):
Go right ahead, Harry, think you would taking my call?
Speaker 2 (37:42):
Dan, Go right ahead.
Speaker 6 (37:46):
Any Benjamin Netanyahu is the ciritiell of Israel.
Speaker 2 (37:52):
Well, I think he's going to be remembered that way.
And I think that he's made it very clear that
he wants to go in and finish jimas he's not
looking to have Israel occupy Gaza, that he wants to
turn it over to Arab leadership and have some responsible
Arab leadership come in there and help that god forsaken
(38:17):
twenty six small slice of twenty six miles by seven
or eight miles recover from this disastrous near two years
that Hamas has inflicted on the Palestinian people. I mean,
the people whose homes were destroyed besides the Israelis on
October seventh, are Palestinians, and their homes were destroyed because
(38:40):
of the presence and the actions of Hamas. And I
agree with you totally, Harry.
Speaker 4 (38:48):
Dan.
Speaker 6 (38:49):
I really like him. He's something, no doubt.
Speaker 2 (38:53):
No doubt, Harry. I appreciate the call. Got a screwed
here because we're a little bit late coming up on
the ten o'clock news as always, appreciate your time. Thank
you so much. Talk to you later. Okay, when we
come back, we're going to change topics. I could talk
about Israel all night because I have strong beliefs, and
I'm more than happy to do that another night. But
(39:15):
I want to change topics, and I want to talk
because we like to be ahead of the curve here
on night side. I want to talk about what is
now perhaps being formulated and what may transpire within the
next week or two between President Trump and Vladimir Putin.
I think that we are reaching a critical point. I'll
(39:39):
explain my position on it. My question to you is,
do you trust President Trump and Putin that they can
work together to resolve the Ukraine situation. Obviously, Putin has
some very strong points of view on this. I'm not
sure that President Trump will be able to extract the
concession is that he needs and the Ukraine needs. It's complicated,
(40:04):
it's tough to talk about, but I believe you will
rise to the occasion. I said I'll give the numbers
after the ten o'clock news, back after this
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