October 23, 2024 • 40 mins
Jason Greenberg was able to escape from Israel a year ago when Hamas first invaded. Some of his family members were not as lucky. Some were killed and others remain hostage. Greenberg just returned from Israel and he shares his journey.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
It's Nightside with Dan Ray. I'm telling you easy Boston's Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
All right, Welcome back everybody. Thank you all very much
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(00:29):
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Speaker 3 (00:30):
Rie.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Can join us any night right after the show, and
I tell you what I honestly think about the show.
I think we had a really good show. I'll tell you.
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and listen to all our hours every hour, like the
hour that I'm about to do with Jason Greenberg talking
here about what's going on in Israel. That will be
(00:51):
available probably by I don't know, two o'clock, three o'clock
this morning. Dan and Rob get it posted at Nightside
on demand dot com. So put us on your playlist
or whatever. I want to. Welcome back to the program.
He's been with me now two or three times. Jason Greenberg,
he's an attorney here in Boston, and he was in
Israel on the night of the morning of October seventh,
(01:15):
a year ago, when that horrific terrorist attack occurred. He
was to meet with five family members that very day. Jason,
let's just go back to October seventh. Briefly, tell us
how you figured out what was going on. You're in Israel,
You've gone to bed the night before, you were over
(01:35):
there with your dad to meet relatives the next day.
Just laying out so we know what your experience was
back then, and then why you went back earlier this month.
Welcome back to night side, and thank God you're back home,
safe and sound.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
Thanks a lot, Dannis, talk to you again. Well, I
learned what was happening last year because I was woken
up by irons and had to go to the bomb
shelter and in the ensuing hours had to read and
just I just had to witness the texts and what's
(02:14):
that message is going on? The frantic messages going on
from my relatives who lived in the south of Israel,
abudding Gaza as they were being victimized by the attack
on October seventh. As you mentioned, five of them, my
cousins were either killed or taken. I I'll get to
(02:35):
that when we discuss it. But my cousins Carmela don
and Noya, her granddaughter, were killed. They were burned alive
in their house at the Kidboots. Neros and my cousin's
Opher and his two children, Sah and Ares, who also
lived at Nero's, stayed in their bomb shelter as long
(02:59):
as they could, and once it got too hot, literally
they escaped through a window Hayden bushes and then when
they tried to make a run for it, they were
all captured. They were kept in Gaza Alfair remains there.
His two children were released in November as part of
the third round of the ceasefire exchanges last year.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Two many children, if I recalled, they were like thirteen, fourteen,
and ten. They were young. I mean they were quite young.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
Turned thirteen in Captain Hicks sixteen. She turned sixteen shortly
after being released, okay.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
And then the grandmother, she was about eighty and she
died horribly. And she's an older woman, right.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
She was one of the She and her husband were
or were two of the founding members of the kibbutz Neros,
which is now scheduled to beat them. Yeah, nobody lives
there anymore.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
And she she was she she was killed along with
another of her granddaughters, Is that correct, with.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
One of her granddaughters, Noya, who was on the autism
spectrum but was spending shabas at her grandma's as she did,
like two or three times a month.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
And your cousin, Olpher I think was his name, Yep, Okay,
he's probably close to your age. I mean, he's a
he's a gentleman who's probably somewhere in his forties. If
I had to guess.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
He's he would be fifty four now. He and for context,
you know, one of the one of the most painful
things to live with is that he is the least
prioritized if there were to be any type of hostage
deal because he's not a military he's not not a
military age, he's not elderly, he's not you know, physically impaired,
(05:00):
so there's really no there's no leverage to get him.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Yeah, and of course our hope is that he, like
he and the other hostages, are alive. But it's been
over year it's been over year, so we can think
of him and try to send positive thoughts, but it's
impossible to imagine what he must have adored in this
last now going on thirteen months.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
So you would well as I said to you last time,
and yeah, sorry, I only to interrupt you every but
with him last time too. I mean, just like for
every other hostages family, his children saharan eras you know,
both tender age minors. They every day live with the
uncertainty and the horror of not knowing the fate of
(05:46):
their father, you know, one way or another, and they
just the one thing that they want more than anything
is to be able to move on with their lives,
either with or without him, but to find closure either way.
And that they represent every their hostage who gathers in
Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, every other osage's family who
gathers in Haustig Square in Tel Aviv every single night.
(06:08):
You know, they they at this point it's not even
necessarily about getting their loved ones back alive. It's just
about getting them back.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Yeah, yeah, horrible. So so you went back earlier this month?
How long were you back in Israel? If I could
ask further, two weeks two weeks.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
So.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Maybe the answer should be obvious to me, But why
did you go back?
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Because my I mean, I go every year anyway, and
more time or not in my family. You know, I
have a lot of family there, and they all were
asking me to come, even you know, given the circumstances.
They they wanted me to be there with them. I
wanted to be there with them, And I think they
also wanted me to see what life is like there
(06:56):
right now, because because I was there last year and
it was exception an anomalous event and stringing events ever since.
But they wanted to see what it is like on
the ground in Israel right now and to kind of,
it's the lack of a better word, educate me as
to what they're living through every single day, as as
(07:17):
well as you know, the rest of the population.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Okay, we're going to take a break and we come back.
We're going to talk about what you did see and
how life has changed or how it hasn't changed, and
all the circumstances. So you were there from just refresh
my record life. You left on a Thursday, if I'm
not mistaken.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
Correct, Yeah, I left on Thursday at the tenth and
I returned on Tuesday.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
So yeah, so you went from Thursday to tenth, and
you returned.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
From Monday, Monday night.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Monday night. Okay, so you're there from the tenth to
the twenty first. So you were there for a week
and a half and you got out. You just got
out because your plane was one of the last planes
to leave before l L I believe said they were
not flying any more planes out because.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
Of what was shut downport, the whole airport until we leave,
shut down to the terrorist.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
That's okay, we'll get to all of that. We'll get
to all of that. I guess, is Jason Greenberg. If
you'd like to talk to Jason, ask a question six
one seven, two five four ten thirty six one seven
nine six one seven nine three one ten thirty. We'll
be right back on Nightside.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World
nights Side Studios on WBZ News Radio with me.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Is Jason Greenberg, just back from Israel in the year
that you were away from October seventh, from a year
ago until this on this October. How's it different? How's
it changed? How's it that's how is it the same?
You know?
Speaker 3 (08:57):
I would describe to you as as really people as
a whole, as intense driven, have a verb for life.
And you know what I noticed really palpably this time.
There is the the end has gone from the intense.
(09:18):
It's just there's a real tension in the air everywhere
you go. You know, the these people are living in
a constant state of high alert and that is that
care that results in a real fatigue. You know, it's
there's uncertainty. You know, the wars, the war has gone
(09:40):
on for a year now. There's no clear end in sight,
especially with the inculcation of everything that's going on with
Hesbola and the you know, seem seemingly impending confrontation with Iran.
You know, things are coming to a boil, but it's it's, uh,
it's a slow boil, if anything, So you can feel that.
(10:04):
I mean, I can't speak for everybody there, obviously, but
you know I interacted with a lot of people. I
met with the Hostage Family Forum a number of times,
and you know, there's it's Israel is definitely one word
you could never use to describe it as cut and
dry or simple, and it's certainly true now it's very
(10:26):
complex and complicated, and you have everything from people walking
around in true despair who are personally affected by the
events of October seventh, easily family to those who are
as I said, just that there's a real sense of
uncertain to the uncertainty.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
In the air.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
People go about their daily lives as best as possible.
But as I told you earlier, you know, virtually every
day there's at least one siren, and these sirens are blaring,
and you've just got to stop what you're doing and
run to the closest bomb shelter. I mean one of
the uh, one of the first things that I was
told was just do what the Israelis do, you know,
(11:05):
And when these sirens go off, they all go to
a cement to room, no matter whose building it is
or whatever. There were two times I was in a
grocery store and literally had to drop the basket and
just run to a bomb shelter, not necessarily afraid, but
uncertain as to you know, was a was a rocket
gonna fall, you know, in in dangerously close proximity.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Uh. It's a way of life that, uh that I
don't understand how people can can maintain their their composure.
Let's let's in the time you were there, Israel has
had some battlefield successes and I know that you and
I see this a little differently. So I just want
to ask the question, uh as as well as I
(11:53):
can as A as you and I and we spoke early,
say you have family in the game. You have you
have family who are there. You have a cousin who's
currently hostage. Hopefully he's still alive. But it would appear
that the momentum in this situation has has really shifted
(12:14):
dramatically in the last couple of months, beginning with the
uh the electronics that exploded, the cell phones and the
pagers that were on the peep the persons of the
Hesbela actions. Israel has been successful and effective in taking
out Hesbelah leadership that they took out last week. Yeah,
(12:36):
Yah Simwah, the head of Hamas. It's it's been an
incredible turn of events. They they they now have the
opportunity to punch back in Iran should they choose and
and and I'm I you know, I root for Israel
(12:59):
because I feel that there are people who are under
siege and they've they've they've lived under bombardment for years
almost from the time the country was born in May
of nineteen forty eight. What is the feeling over there?
Is there a feeling of hey, this might actually lead
to a lasting piece or is this just another stop
(13:20):
along the way? Uh and and Jmas and Hezbollah will
come at them again, maybe another time, but there will
be other there will be other assaults. Is there is there?
Is it despair? Is it hope? What's what's the feeling
on the ground? And I'm sure that different people have
a different attitude, but what what is? What are you
picking up?
Speaker 3 (13:41):
Sure? And I mean I would never presume to speak
on a for a population as a whole. I can
speak to I can speak to my experience, and that
is that. You know, I think that most Israelis do
not share the anti war sentiment that we experience here
in the US and some other West turned countries because
(14:02):
they are reluctant combatants. They were drawn into this, but
you know, they the Israelis have the motto, you know,
if you're gonna shoot, shoot and don't talk, and that
kind of pervades the thinking there. And there's a job
to be done. Whether you know, a majority of Israelis
don't like not yagu but they he's he's riding a
(14:26):
wave of policies that most Israelis can get in bed with,
and Israeli is winning on a number of fronts. It
has strategic and tactical advantages that if you ask any
Israeli on the street, I would say, they would agree
need to be pressed. And you know, I think you
you said it right in the latter portion of what
(14:47):
you said is that you're not going to eradicate terror.
You're not going to eradicate hamaso Hezmala. But the fact
that there have been such resounding successes has shown has
led to a sense of resilience and purpose that the
job does need to be finished. And I think using
(15:09):
the example of the pagers and the two way radios
is a good one because it is representative of the
targeted nature of how the Israeli military is carrying out
its missions. And I would even argue that that applies
to Gaza because it's meeting its enemy where it is
(15:33):
and where its enemy is is hiding underneath women, children, hospitals,
and Israel's would never choose, you know what, my cousins
who have served, and my brother in law who served
and you know, my thirteen year old nephew who you know,
he'll get his draft carded in two and a half years.
(15:55):
They all know that. They all say, you know, we
would never want to go after people in a hospital
or civilians. That's just not how we do things. But
we have to meet our enemy where they are. We
have to fight our enemy as they present themselves. And
that's the that's the horrible reality that I think, you
(16:15):
know that they're confronted with every day.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
My guess is, Jason Greenberg, he is back. What is
your what's your future plans here? Are you going to
go back at any point? Is this an annual visit?
Speaker 3 (16:34):
What?
Speaker 2 (16:34):
You know, just on a personal level, how tough was
it to leave there? And also how tough was it
to go back?
Speaker 3 (16:41):
It was tougher to leave than to go. You know,
I I have a very strong sense of national identification
with Israel. I have a lot of family who are
part of its founding movements, you know, forming some of
the nation's largest kid we've seen and working some of
the largest private sector companies, you know, part of the
(17:05):
startup nation, so to speak. And so I have a
lot of ties there, and you know, I also have.
You know, I have had the opportunity to meet with
some of the people who are kind of really spearheading
the movement to get the hostages out, and I'm taking
what I was able to glean from that to continue
the advocacy here from the US to figure out a
(17:28):
way to get the remaining hostages out while not sacrificing
the strategic objectives that ISTRO has to accomplish and in
defeating its adversaries.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
It's such a you know, I told you today that
I think of net Yell, you know, as true I
think similarly, you know, and again I known everybody. I
know everyone would not agree with me, and I don't
know that you agree with me, So I'm gonna I'm
not going to ask that question. I just look at
this as I believe he's the right person at the
(18:01):
right time, and I guess history will will make that judgment.
I know that he has had a controversial career and
he is not universally loved loved in in Israel. But
when I saw the video of the his home, his
personal home was attacked by a drone and damage was
(18:22):
done to the home. He neither he nor his wife
were at home at the time, but it would be
the equivalent of a drone attacking the White House.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
In my opinion, because it was his beach house.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
But yes, yes, okay, sure, yeah, but that's uh, it's
it's extraordinary. It's just an extraordinary story. Let's do this, Jason.
I want to invite people to call and share their thoughts,
and I just think this is an important story. And
here in America we're in the midst of a presidential election.
(18:53):
All of us have concern about our own lives, and
we can put Israel on the back burner every once
in a while, except these horrific days like October seventh,
when it comes back to the forefront of our mind.
And I don't want us ever to forget Israel. So
I'm hoping that some of our callers might have some
questions to you as to what you saw, what you
(19:15):
experienced in the last ten days. It certainly was an
interesting period of time to be in Israel, for better
or for worse. The number six one, seven, two, five,
four to ten thirty or six month, seven nine three
one ten thirty. I could talk to Jason Greenberg all night,
but I would much refer to hear your comments and
your observations. Feel free to join this conversation. My name
(19:35):
is Dan Ray. This is Nightside in WBZ, Boston's News
radio ten thirty on your AM dial.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
You're on night Side with Dan Ray. I'm w BZY,
Boston's News Radio.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
My guess is Jason Greenberg. He's just back from Israel,
and I'd like to give you an opportunity to talk
to someone who has had on the ground experience. They
both on the day, the horrific day of a year ago,
October seventh, and who still lives with it every day
because he lost two family members in the attack and
(20:10):
one cousin remains a hostage, hopefully still alive in somewhere
in Gossam. But I just kind of imagine. The one
comment I wanted to make is I can remember as
a young boy when we were concerned about nuclear war
in this country, and I think you know that we
were told at some point if there was ever a
(20:32):
nuclear you know, assault, that if you were at school,
you would hide unto your desk. Was in retrospect, It's
like I wasn't going to do a lot of good
in Israel because of the dome and the defense systems
that Israel has a lot of the rockets ballistic missiles
(20:55):
that have been launched from Iran were knocked down, but
some of them did get through. How terrifying is it
to be you're in a war zone at that point
when you hear the sirens and you know that that
rockets are on the way, it's a war zone, Jason.
Maybe it may be a civilian population, but you're in
(21:16):
a war zone. What is the feeling like?
Speaker 3 (21:19):
It feels like you're in a war zone. I mean,
within hours of landing in Israel, I was with my
family and virtually a mile and a half away we
heard loud booms. They were rockets which were not shot
down and landed just outside population centers, and we saw
eighteen armed choppers scrambling to go about or to go
(21:45):
assess the situations. It's a constant thrum of a war
that is around on all sides, you know. And at
the same time, I also, you know, I toward Nero's
which is where my family was either killed or abducted
from Mahalo's and and some other which is as well
(22:12):
as the Nova Music festival site. And so you know,
if there's a real despair he on the one hand,
you know you have Daza less than a kilometer away
from these places. And on the other hand, you have
people who are having a run to shelters. That can't
tell you the number of children under ten years old
who were just screaming and crying every time these sirens
(22:32):
were going off in hysteria, their parents trying to keep
them calm. But similar to telling to telling kids to
get under a desk onder the threat of a nuclear bomb.
It's like it's you have the same chance of being
in proximity to a rocket being fired by Hasbo as
you do is hitting a red light in Newton. You know,
(22:52):
it's it's just that, It's just that that wheels like it's.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
The luck of the draw. Yeah, simple is that. And
this is again a group of people who have endured
this now for decades. That is what is really extraordinary. Okay,
got some calls. I'd love to have more. Six one, seven,
two four ten thirty, six seven, nine, three, one ten thirty.
I want people to understand in our country what it's like, Okay,
(23:20):
because Israel is an ally of this country. Without Israel,
the whole Middle East gets turned on its head. And
for those of you out there who are listening and
are thinking, well, this fight doesn't impact me or my kids.
I'd like to tell you are dead wrong. You are
dead wrong that without Israel standing in the breach, we
(23:43):
would all be at much greater risk. You've been there.
Am I overstating that that's that reality? Jason? If I'm wrong,
tell me please?
Speaker 3 (23:55):
I mean I think you know by now I agree
with you on that. And you know Israel is the
only food democracy in the region, and is you know
you could make the argument, and the argument has been
made pretty forcefully by some pretty smart scholars, media, you know,
(24:15):
politicians who have you that Israel's fighting our fight for US.
I mean, these are terrorists anyway you look at it,
who also want to harm America's interests wherever they lie.
Don't forget, not mute Dan. But it's forty one years
today today, forty one years ago two hundred Marines were killed,
you know, guarding Lebanon in Beirut and two thousand, yeah,
(24:40):
who drove two thousand pounds of explosives into the marine
base Tesblah. These are not people. These are not America's friends,
you know, and America or excuse me, Israel fans alone physically,
at least with the backing of its allies, but to
fight this fight with some very unfriendly neighbors in a
(25:01):
rough neighborhood.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
It was the worst intelligence failing of the Reagan administration without.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
As arguably as as was October seventh.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
I think conversely, Yeah, yeah, I mean we should have
known a little bit about it. Obviously that was a
failure of the Netanyahu government, which I will acknowledge.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
But let's hope it it went maybe beyond night and yell.
It was. It was from the upper echelons of the
IDF that, honestly, they were too arrogant, and that this
has been well documented by the WSJ. At the very
least is that you know, there were clear alarm bells
being wrung from rank and file soldiers for a long time.
(25:47):
And then the enunciated strategy was, well, hamask could really
only attack from the air, so we're just going to
focus on rocket fire and missile attacks. They would never
have the gall to or the organization to attack us
for lander seed, and they were getting wrong.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
Yeah, let's get to some phone calls here, and again
I invite you to call folks, whether you're you can
ask a question of experience, or you can argue a
point with either Jason or me. I think it's an
important conversation. Some of you might not think it's important.
You are so wrong. Mike and west Roxbury. Mike, next
on nice side first, this are a nice side with
Jason Greenberg. Go right ahead, Mike.
Speaker 4 (26:22):
Hey, hey, mister Greenberg, how I do. Thanks Mike for
you So I'm fine. Before before I get to the
top to my car. The reason for my calling into
a tunnel. So if we start getting a little shaky
with the reception, that's the reason why. Okay, Uh, it's
a very pos My question to you is this, there
(26:46):
was an offering, and my facts might be a little
in the gray here, if you will. Okay, many years
ago there was a meeting with an Israeli colonel and
his adjective which which at the time was a major
at the time. I don't know if it wasnt Yahoo
that was in charge, or Zech Ravine or Chermone Perez
(27:06):
I no, I don't remember it was. It was several
years ago, but there was an offering of a land,
if I recall perfectly to the Palestinians, Okay, and basically
they're Basically, they were trying to say, hey, listen, you know,
we want to try to get along with you, guys,
we may not like you, we want to try to
get along with everybody. So here is X amount of land.
(27:28):
Let's let's let's try to be cool to each other
for for a little while. Okay, do you recall this
situation and how much of that plays until what's going
on with the present situation right now? If if at all,
what do you recall this period?
Speaker 3 (27:45):
Sure, and it's it's a really I think it's a
really good description of as basically saying you know, you
do you will do us, you know, we can live
side by sign. And the offer was the same offer
that's been given to the Palestinians at at least five
times since like nineteen forty seven, and that was let's
split Jerusalem and the Palestinians at the Palestine Authority for people.
(28:08):
But the Palestine Authority has rejected that every single time
by and said we either get all of it or
none of it. And so that deal was reject Yeah,
according to the Oslo Accords, which was walked away from
the Clinton efforts. Every time the partition planned by the
(28:31):
UN back in the forties, Like every time it has
been how to create two tracks of land that can
coexist and make a path for Palestinian statehood, you know,
but there it has been rejected outright, even the most
recently and I think two thousand and again the Abraham
(28:52):
Accords were rejected by a boss saying without even looking
at it and said we get And it was a.
Speaker 2 (28:59):
Boss is sor yesified who who rejected it as well,
And yeah, and right on the money. He's right in
the money. They've been in five at least five separate
times where Israel offered a legitimate peace offer and the leadership,
the leadership of the Palatine, the Palestinian people had no vote,
(29:20):
but the leadership said no whole time.
Speaker 4 (29:24):
I'm just curious who at the time was tech beIN
h Perez that was in charge at the time. I
don't think it was that Yao wasn't.
Speaker 3 (29:31):
Well, it wasn't that yo who The most recent well
yell was in twenty twenty one for the Abraham Accords,
but Ariel Sharon was the uh YEP and then hud
Barak was the prime minister during the Clinton era. However,
you know, it's it's worth noting. I think that not
(29:52):
Yah who actually you know, for as much as he
loves to be in power, but nobody, I don't be
hard pressed to argue that he was designed from government
in two thousand and five when Israel unilaterally pulled out
of the Gaza Strip, and the reason he stated was,
he said, if we do it this way and we
leave them without a functioning authority that can work with Israel,
(30:16):
we are going we're essentially fertilizing terror and it's going
to come back to haunt us. And he resigned from
the government. I mean he came back. He came back
in two thousand and nine and was subsequently re elected.
But he made you know, he made that statement then,
and it is It's come true. You know that Israel
pulled out for the reason that it did at the time.
(30:38):
But it has not been in Gaza ever since Hamas
took power in two thousand and six and has only
grown to it to what it became last year, and
now it's depleted into a basically a guerrilla team.
Speaker 2 (30:52):
But yes, it was prophetic. What time was prophetic? Mike?
I'm up break, I loved you call man, you got
to call the station. We got to call my show
more often.
Speaker 4 (31:04):
Okay today, take care that guys.
Speaker 2 (31:08):
Thanks Michael, I have a great night. More calls for
my guest Jason Greenberg. On the other side, we're talking
about life in Israel today. He was there on October seventh,
a year ago, twenty twenty three, and he's been back
there this month for eleven days while some of the
really the intense rocket fire of this month has been
(31:29):
going on. I want to ask when we get back,
what he feels Israel's next move is. I think Iran
is going to pay a price. I have no clue
as to what Netanyahu is likely to do. I'd love
to know what Israeli people think. And we have a
couple of callers lined up, and next up is Z
(31:50):
from North Wisconsin. And I know I have never spoken
a Z from North Wisconsin, but I look forward to
the conversation and we'll be back. And the only lines
that we're open right now the six, one, seven, in, two, five, four, ten, thirty.
Join the conversation. Coming back on Nightside.
Speaker 1 (32:05):
Now back to Dan ray Mine from the Window World
Nightside Studios on WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 2 (32:12):
Okay, let's go next to Z, a caller from North Wisconsin. Z.
Welcome to Nightside. How's our signal tonight?
Speaker 5 (32:21):
I actually from.
Speaker 4 (32:25):
Or whatever it is here.
Speaker 5 (32:28):
Thank you joining yourself. Thank you for putting me on
and appreciate that.
Speaker 2 (32:31):
Sure, I'm gonna have you if Z do me a favor.
I'm losing you a little bit. If you could get
to a spot in your house. I assume you're on
a cell phone.
Speaker 4 (32:41):
I am.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
Yeah. Just make sure you speak right into that microphone
so we can hear you. Where about northern Wisconsin. I
have listeners in Wisconsin. How far up north? Are you.
Speaker 5 (32:52):
Almost too late? Superior?
Speaker 2 (32:55):
Good for you? Okay, has winter arrived yet?
Speaker 3 (32:58):
Ze?
Speaker 2 (32:59):
Has winter arrived? Okay?
Speaker 5 (33:01):
We've had tidyloss seventy three in the sunny weather, a
little bit like living in southern California.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
Yeah, well that's that's what we've had the last few
days as well. Zee. I know you've never called before,
so welcome to night Side. You're my guest. I'm Jason
Greenberg UH, an attorney here in Boston who was in
Israel on the morning of October seventh, a year ago,
and he lost two family members, UH and one is
still in captivity hopefully, and he has just returned from
(33:30):
eleven days there this month, Go right ahead. What's your
question of comment?
Speaker 5 (33:33):
Well, sure, thank you, and I appreciate what can and
did say your intra that we were dead wrong. We
don't understand over there, but I guess first of all,
my uh uh loss of uh family and friends. What
a what a horrible day to have to go through that.
But anyway, you're welcome, uh and as a gentile interested
(33:59):
guy and whatever may have a different prospect or perspective. Yeah,
that's the question simply is what do you think the
target or limit that mister net Yak is going to
Achiet with his stuff?
Speaker 4 (34:17):
What are they up to?
Speaker 5 (34:18):
Forty thousand?
Speaker 3 (34:19):
Now?
Speaker 5 (34:19):
At what point in your AI do you think it
will be a thousand?
Speaker 3 (34:25):
I'm just you breaking up a kind of just tiny,
but I just want to make sure I understand the
question that I.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
Think what he's saying, Yeah, I think what I heard was, Yeah,
he's asking what at what point will well? I think
he's saying, see if I'm wrong, help me out. I
think he's saying, at what point will will net and
Yahoo stop?
Speaker 5 (34:45):
Yeah, that's well said. Right now, it's roughly over forty thousands,
depending on who you use a source or is he committed.
Speaker 2 (34:54):
To Okay, he's got the question, Go ahead, Jason.
Speaker 3 (34:59):
I you know, I think that's the million dollar question.
And I you know, if you ask manyau the refrain
he goes to his total victory, I think that is
an illusion. There is no such thing as as total
victory in this in this scenario, but there is uh
the real tangible goal of setting back the forces that
(35:24):
would try to annihilate Israel by decades, and that's a
huge win. I think that that is at the very
least what nan Yah who wants to accomplish. You know,
Hamas has been uh severely degraded in the past year.
It's gone from a very very potent finding force too.
(35:44):
As I just said, like basically a set of guerrilla
teams on the underground tunnels have been largely uh estimated
or or or at least taken care of. And you know,
when there's not one Israeli that I've spoken to at
(36:05):
least that is happy about all of the people in
Gaza that have been killed. But they all realize that
it's a necessary part of rooting out Camas because as
I said, they have to fight their enemy where their
enemy is and Hamas isn't gone yet, and you know
their ability to reorganize it and attack again is still
(36:29):
very very real for the Israelis. So I don't know
how to answer your question. I do know at least
some perspective maybe is you know Netnya, who was Prime
Minister when Sinwar was part of a hostage swap for
one Israeli soldier. In twenty eleven, over one thousand Palestinian
(36:51):
prisoners were released from Israeli jails, most of whom were
serving life sentences for murder, and Sinwar was one of those.
So I do think that it's manifests for ned Yahoo
that he felt personally responsible in some respect, although he'll
never admit it for what happened on October seventh because
(37:11):
he okayed the deal to release Sinowar. But now that
sine War is dead, I think you're asking the question
that a lot of Israelis and the Israeli media and
the you know around the world is being asked to
is when's enough enough and and what else do you
need to accomplish? But at the same time, you know,
Dan pointed out there have been some real some real successes,
(37:35):
some real victories over the past couple of months, and
for Israel to lay down to stop now would be
I'm not a military expert, but it would seem to
be a real strategic disadvantage to not press, to not
press the advantage that it has right now, and that, unfortunately,
I think comes at the cost of you know, what
(37:58):
we've seen over the past year. I hope that's response
to the question, but I don't short the short.
Speaker 5 (38:02):
Answer very well, very well sets to think and oh,
I appreciate that. Maybe just one follow up question to that,
you or somebody had mentioned that Iran is going to
pay a price or or that type of thing. But
actually I actually have more of a concern of Turkey,
meaning at some point they're going to and get involved
(38:24):
or do you think that's not a risk?
Speaker 2 (38:27):
Then who's going to get I think you say, I
think you say Turkey. I disagree with the zie. I
think Turkey's nut doesn't want to be in this fight.
Go ahead, Jason, You're we got less than them in left.
Speaker 3 (38:38):
Sure, So I think that you know, if you look
at what what has happened over the past couple of months,
you know Iran has has uh the hooties and Hasbola
and Hamas. These are puppets on their strings and Israel
has been cutting the strings and in you know, I'm
not I'm not very smart on this, but you know
what it looks like to me is that Israel is
(39:01):
kind of forcing Iran into a corner. It's either got
to step up or shut up. And that's kind of
the game that's being played right now. You want to
see what Iran really is going to do. If it's
going to launch about a bunch of you know, impotent
missiles that get shot down, that's not really doing anything
except you know, making a symbolic statement. But as to
(39:23):
what Israel is going to do in response to what
Aaron's done, I think that, Yeah, who's waiting the CD
outcome of the election. I don't think it's necessarily going
to come in the next week or two, you know,
like we come when he has a good tenor who's
going to be the next president?
Speaker 2 (39:37):
All right, gentlemen, I'm flat at a time. Zee are
you listening to just on the radio or on the internet?
Speaker 3 (39:43):
Radio? Driving radio?
Speaker 2 (39:46):
That is great? Do me a favorite? Come come on
back often? Will I love hearing from folks in different
parts of the country. Thank you so much.
Speaker 5 (39:54):
No problem, We'll talk about the Packers next time.
Speaker 2 (39:57):
I'm a bart star guy. I want to get our starback. Okay,
thank you much, have a great one again. Let me
just thank you Jason for spending time with my audience tonight,
and thank you for your courage. And long live the
State of Israel.
Speaker 3 (40:13):
App shire the time.
Speaker 2 (40:15):
All right, we'll talk soon. For those of you on
the line, stay there. I will talk about this into
the next hour. I mean, I think it's a fascinating topic.
It impacts all of us, whether we realize it or not.
It's as simple as that. Coming back right after the
eleven o'clock news here on night Side,
It's Nightside with Dan Ray. I'm telling you easy Boston's Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
All right, Welcome back everybody. Thank you all very much
for joining us. And by the way, any hour on
Nightside that you miss, or any hour you know, we
do this Nightside pregame every day at four thirty. It
was a little short today because I had actually was
running out of power in my cellphone. But that's the
story for another time. And we do postgame on Facebook.
(00:29):
It's just Nightside with Dan.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Rie.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Can join us any night right after the show, and
I tell you what I honestly think about the show.
I think we had a really good show. I'll tell you.
If I thought the show was kind of flat, I'll
tell you that as well. But during the day or
during the night, you can go to Nightside and demand
and listen to all our hours every hour, like the
hour that I'm about to do with Jason Greenberg talking
here about what's going on in Israel. That will be
(00:51):
available probably by I don't know, two o'clock, three o'clock
this morning. Dan and Rob get it posted at Nightside
on demand dot com. So put us on your playlist
or whatever. I want to. Welcome back to the program.
He's been with me now two or three times. Jason Greenberg,
he's an attorney here in Boston, and he was in
Israel on the night of the morning of October seventh,
(01:15):
a year ago, when that horrific terrorist attack occurred. He
was to meet with five family members that very day. Jason,
let's just go back to October seventh. Briefly, tell us
how you figured out what was going on. You're in Israel,
You've gone to bed the night before, you were over
(01:35):
there with your dad to meet relatives the next day.
Just laying out so we know what your experience was
back then, and then why you went back earlier this month.
Welcome back to night side, and thank God you're back home,
safe and sound.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
Thanks a lot, Dannis, talk to you again. Well, I
learned what was happening last year because I was woken
up by irons and had to go to the bomb
shelter and in the ensuing hours had to read and
just I just had to witness the texts and what's
(02:14):
that message is going on? The frantic messages going on
from my relatives who lived in the south of Israel,
abudding Gaza as they were being victimized by the attack
on October seventh. As you mentioned, five of them, my
cousins were either killed or taken. I I'll get to
(02:35):
that when we discuss it. But my cousins Carmela don
and Noya, her granddaughter, were killed. They were burned alive
in their house at the Kidboots. Neros and my cousin's
Opher and his two children, Sah and Ares, who also
lived at Nero's, stayed in their bomb shelter as long
(02:59):
as they could, and once it got too hot, literally
they escaped through a window Hayden bushes and then when
they tried to make a run for it, they were
all captured. They were kept in Gaza Alfair remains there.
His two children were released in November as part of
the third round of the ceasefire exchanges last year.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Two many children, if I recalled, they were like thirteen, fourteen,
and ten. They were young. I mean they were quite young.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
Turned thirteen in Captain Hicks sixteen. She turned sixteen shortly
after being released, okay.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
And then the grandmother, she was about eighty and she
died horribly. And she's an older woman, right.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
She was one of the She and her husband were
or were two of the founding members of the kibbutz Neros,
which is now scheduled to beat them. Yeah, nobody lives
there anymore.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
And she she was she she was killed along with
another of her granddaughters, Is that correct, with.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
One of her granddaughters, Noya, who was on the autism
spectrum but was spending shabas at her grandma's as she did,
like two or three times a month.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
And your cousin, Olpher I think was his name, Yep, Okay,
he's probably close to your age. I mean, he's a
he's a gentleman who's probably somewhere in his forties. If
I had to guess.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
He's he would be fifty four now. He and for context,
you know, one of the one of the most painful
things to live with is that he is the least
prioritized if there were to be any type of hostage
deal because he's not a military he's not not a
military age, he's not elderly, he's not you know, physically impaired,
(05:00):
so there's really no there's no leverage to get him.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Yeah, and of course our hope is that he, like
he and the other hostages, are alive. But it's been
over year it's been over year, so we can think
of him and try to send positive thoughts, but it's
impossible to imagine what he must have adored in this
last now going on thirteen months.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
So you would well as I said to you last time,
and yeah, sorry, I only to interrupt you every but
with him last time too. I mean, just like for
every other hostages family, his children saharan eras you know,
both tender age minors. They every day live with the
uncertainty and the horror of not knowing the fate of
(05:46):
their father, you know, one way or another, and they
just the one thing that they want more than anything
is to be able to move on with their lives,
either with or without him, but to find closure either way.
And that they represent every their hostage who gathers in
Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, every other osage's family who
gathers in Haustig Square in Tel Aviv every single night.
(06:08):
You know, they they at this point it's not even
necessarily about getting their loved ones back alive. It's just
about getting them back.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Yeah, yeah, horrible. So so you went back earlier this month?
How long were you back in Israel? If I could
ask further, two weeks two weeks.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
So.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Maybe the answer should be obvious to me, But why
did you go back?
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Because my I mean, I go every year anyway, and
more time or not in my family. You know, I
have a lot of family there, and they all were
asking me to come, even you know, given the circumstances.
They they wanted me to be there with them. I
wanted to be there with them, And I think they
also wanted me to see what life is like there
(06:56):
right now, because because I was there last year and
it was exception an anomalous event and stringing events ever since.
But they wanted to see what it is like on
the ground in Israel right now and to kind of,
it's the lack of a better word, educate me as
to what they're living through every single day, as as
(07:17):
well as you know, the rest of the population.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Okay, we're going to take a break and we come back.
We're going to talk about what you did see and
how life has changed or how it hasn't changed, and
all the circumstances. So you were there from just refresh
my record life. You left on a Thursday, if I'm
not mistaken.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
Correct, Yeah, I left on Thursday at the tenth and
I returned on Tuesday.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
So yeah, so you went from Thursday to tenth, and
you returned.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
From Monday, Monday night.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Monday night. Okay, so you're there from the tenth to
the twenty first. So you were there for a week
and a half and you got out. You just got
out because your plane was one of the last planes
to leave before l L I believe said they were
not flying any more planes out because.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
Of what was shut downport, the whole airport until we leave,
shut down to the terrorist.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
That's okay, we'll get to all of that. We'll get
to all of that. I guess, is Jason Greenberg. If
you'd like to talk to Jason, ask a question six
one seven, two five four ten thirty six one seven
nine six one seven nine three one ten thirty. We'll
be right back on Nightside.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World
nights Side Studios on WBZ News Radio with me.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Is Jason Greenberg, just back from Israel in the year
that you were away from October seventh, from a year
ago until this on this October. How's it different? How's
it changed? How's it that's how is it the same?
You know?
Speaker 3 (08:57):
I would describe to you as as really people as
a whole, as intense driven, have a verb for life.
And you know what I noticed really palpably this time.
There is the the end has gone from the intense.
(09:18):
It's just there's a real tension in the air everywhere
you go. You know, the these people are living in
a constant state of high alert and that is that
care that results in a real fatigue. You know, it's
there's uncertainty. You know, the wars, the war has gone
(09:40):
on for a year now. There's no clear end in sight,
especially with the inculcation of everything that's going on with
Hesbola and the you know, seem seemingly impending confrontation with Iran.
You know, things are coming to a boil, but it's it's, uh,
it's a slow boil, if anything, So you can feel that.
(10:04):
I mean, I can't speak for everybody there, obviously, but
you know I interacted with a lot of people. I
met with the Hostage Family Forum a number of times,
and you know, there's it's Israel is definitely one word
you could never use to describe it as cut and
dry or simple, and it's certainly true now it's very
(10:26):
complex and complicated, and you have everything from people walking
around in true despair who are personally affected by the
events of October seventh, easily family to those who are
as I said, just that there's a real sense of
uncertain to the uncertainty.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
In the air.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
People go about their daily lives as best as possible.
But as I told you earlier, you know, virtually every
day there's at least one siren, and these sirens are blaring,
and you've just got to stop what you're doing and
run to the closest bomb shelter. I mean one of
the uh, one of the first things that I was
told was just do what the Israelis do, you know,
(11:05):
And when these sirens go off, they all go to
a cement to room, no matter whose building it is
or whatever. There were two times I was in a
grocery store and literally had to drop the basket and
just run to a bomb shelter, not necessarily afraid, but
uncertain as to you know, was a was a rocket
gonna fall, you know, in in dangerously close proximity.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Uh. It's a way of life that, uh that I
don't understand how people can can maintain their their composure.
Let's let's in the time you were there, Israel has
had some battlefield successes and I know that you and
I see this a little differently. So I just want
to ask the question, uh as as well as I
(11:53):
can as A as you and I and we spoke early,
say you have family in the game. You have you
have family who are there. You have a cousin who's
currently hostage. Hopefully he's still alive. But it would appear
that the momentum in this situation has has really shifted
(12:14):
dramatically in the last couple of months, beginning with the
uh the electronics that exploded, the cell phones and the
pagers that were on the peep the persons of the
Hesbela actions. Israel has been successful and effective in taking
out Hesbelah leadership that they took out last week. Yeah,
(12:36):
Yah Simwah, the head of Hamas. It's it's been an
incredible turn of events. They they they now have the
opportunity to punch back in Iran should they choose and
and and I'm I you know, I root for Israel
(12:59):
because I feel that there are people who are under
siege and they've they've they've lived under bombardment for years
almost from the time the country was born in May
of nineteen forty eight. What is the feeling over there?
Is there a feeling of hey, this might actually lead
to a lasting piece or is this just another stop
(13:20):
along the way? Uh and and Jmas and Hezbollah will
come at them again, maybe another time, but there will
be other there will be other assaults. Is there is there?
Is it despair? Is it hope? What's what's the feeling
on the ground? And I'm sure that different people have
a different attitude, but what what is? What are you
picking up?
Speaker 3 (13:41):
Sure? And I mean I would never presume to speak
on a for a population as a whole. I can
speak to I can speak to my experience, and that
is that. You know, I think that most Israelis do
not share the anti war sentiment that we experience here
in the US and some other West turned countries because
(14:02):
they are reluctant combatants. They were drawn into this, but
you know, they the Israelis have the motto, you know,
if you're gonna shoot, shoot and don't talk, and that
kind of pervades the thinking there. And there's a job
to be done. Whether you know, a majority of Israelis
don't like not yagu but they he's he's riding a
(14:26):
wave of policies that most Israelis can get in bed with,
and Israeli is winning on a number of fronts. It
has strategic and tactical advantages that if you ask any
Israeli on the street, I would say, they would agree
need to be pressed. And you know, I think you
you said it right in the latter portion of what
(14:47):
you said is that you're not going to eradicate terror.
You're not going to eradicate hamaso Hezmala. But the fact
that there have been such resounding successes has shown has
led to a sense of resilience and purpose that the
job does need to be finished. And I think using
(15:09):
the example of the pagers and the two way radios
is a good one because it is representative of the
targeted nature of how the Israeli military is carrying out
its missions. And I would even argue that that applies
to Gaza because it's meeting its enemy where it is
(15:33):
and where its enemy is is hiding underneath women, children, hospitals,
and Israel's would never choose, you know what, my cousins
who have served, and my brother in law who served
and you know, my thirteen year old nephew who you know,
he'll get his draft carded in two and a half years.
(15:55):
They all know that. They all say, you know, we
would never want to go after people in a hospital
or civilians. That's just not how we do things. But
we have to meet our enemy where they are. We
have to fight our enemy as they present themselves. And
that's the that's the horrible reality that I think, you
(16:15):
know that they're confronted with every day.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
My guess is, Jason Greenberg, he is back. What is
your what's your future plans here? Are you going to
go back at any point? Is this an annual visit?
Speaker 3 (16:34):
What?
Speaker 2 (16:34):
You know, just on a personal level, how tough was
it to leave there? And also how tough was it
to go back?
Speaker 3 (16:41):
It was tougher to leave than to go. You know,
I I have a very strong sense of national identification
with Israel. I have a lot of family who are
part of its founding movements, you know, forming some of
the nation's largest kid we've seen and working some of
the largest private sector companies, you know, part of the
(17:05):
startup nation, so to speak. And so I have a
lot of ties there, and you know, I also have.
You know, I have had the opportunity to meet with
some of the people who are kind of really spearheading
the movement to get the hostages out, and I'm taking
what I was able to glean from that to continue
the advocacy here from the US to figure out a
(17:28):
way to get the remaining hostages out while not sacrificing
the strategic objectives that ISTRO has to accomplish and in
defeating its adversaries.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
It's such a you know, I told you today that
I think of net Yell, you know, as true I
think similarly, you know, and again I known everybody. I
know everyone would not agree with me, and I don't
know that you agree with me, So I'm gonna I'm
not going to ask that question. I just look at
this as I believe he's the right person at the
(18:01):
right time, and I guess history will will make that judgment.
I know that he has had a controversial career and
he is not universally loved loved in in Israel. But
when I saw the video of the his home, his
personal home was attacked by a drone and damage was
(18:22):
done to the home. He neither he nor his wife
were at home at the time, but it would be
the equivalent of a drone attacking the White House.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
In my opinion, because it was his beach house.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
But yes, yes, okay, sure, yeah, but that's uh, it's
it's extraordinary. It's just an extraordinary story. Let's do this, Jason.
I want to invite people to call and share their thoughts,
and I just think this is an important story. And
here in America we're in the midst of a presidential election.
(18:53):
All of us have concern about our own lives, and
we can put Israel on the back burner every once
in a while, except these horrific days like October seventh,
when it comes back to the forefront of our mind.
And I don't want us ever to forget Israel. So
I'm hoping that some of our callers might have some
questions to you as to what you saw, what you
(19:15):
experienced in the last ten days. It certainly was an
interesting period of time to be in Israel, for better
or for worse. The number six one, seven, two, five,
four to ten thirty or six month, seven nine three
one ten thirty. I could talk to Jason Greenberg all night,
but I would much refer to hear your comments and
your observations. Feel free to join this conversation. My name
(19:35):
is Dan Ray. This is Nightside in WBZ, Boston's News
radio ten thirty on your AM dial.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
You're on night Side with Dan Ray. I'm w BZY,
Boston's News Radio.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
My guess is Jason Greenberg. He's just back from Israel,
and I'd like to give you an opportunity to talk
to someone who has had on the ground experience. They
both on the day, the horrific day of a year ago,
October seventh, and who still lives with it every day
because he lost two family members in the attack and
(20:10):
one cousin remains a hostage, hopefully still alive in somewhere
in Gossam. But I just kind of imagine. The one
comment I wanted to make is I can remember as
a young boy when we were concerned about nuclear war
in this country, and I think you know that we
were told at some point if there was ever a
(20:32):
nuclear you know, assault, that if you were at school,
you would hide unto your desk. Was in retrospect, It's
like I wasn't going to do a lot of good
in Israel because of the dome and the defense systems
that Israel has a lot of the rockets ballistic missiles
(20:55):
that have been launched from Iran were knocked down, but
some of them did get through. How terrifying is it
to be you're in a war zone at that point
when you hear the sirens and you know that that
rockets are on the way, it's a war zone, Jason.
Maybe it may be a civilian population, but you're in
(21:16):
a war zone. What is the feeling like?
Speaker 3 (21:19):
It feels like you're in a war zone. I mean,
within hours of landing in Israel, I was with my
family and virtually a mile and a half away we
heard loud booms. They were rockets which were not shot
down and landed just outside population centers, and we saw
eighteen armed choppers scrambling to go about or to go
(21:45):
assess the situations. It's a constant thrum of a war
that is around on all sides, you know. And at
the same time, I also, you know, I toward Nero's
which is where my family was either killed or abducted
from Mahalo's and and some other which is as well
(22:12):
as the Nova Music festival site. And so you know,
if there's a real despair he on the one hand,
you know you have Daza less than a kilometer away
from these places. And on the other hand, you have
people who are having a run to shelters. That can't
tell you the number of children under ten years old
who were just screaming and crying every time these sirens
(22:32):
were going off in hysteria, their parents trying to keep
them calm. But similar to telling to telling kids to
get under a desk onder the threat of a nuclear bomb.
It's like it's you have the same chance of being
in proximity to a rocket being fired by Hasbo as
you do is hitting a red light in Newton. You know,
(22:52):
it's it's just that, It's just that that wheels like it's.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
The luck of the draw. Yeah, simple is that. And
this is again a group of people who have endured
this now for decades. That is what is really extraordinary. Okay,
got some calls. I'd love to have more. Six one, seven,
two four ten thirty, six seven, nine, three, one ten thirty.
I want people to understand in our country what it's like, Okay,
(23:20):
because Israel is an ally of this country. Without Israel,
the whole Middle East gets turned on its head. And
for those of you out there who are listening and
are thinking, well, this fight doesn't impact me or my kids.
I'd like to tell you are dead wrong. You are
dead wrong that without Israel standing in the breach, we
(23:43):
would all be at much greater risk. You've been there.
Am I overstating that that's that reality? Jason? If I'm wrong,
tell me please?
Speaker 3 (23:55):
I mean I think you know by now I agree
with you on that. And you know Israel is the
only food democracy in the region, and is you know
you could make the argument, and the argument has been
made pretty forcefully by some pretty smart scholars, media, you know,
(24:15):
politicians who have you that Israel's fighting our fight for US.
I mean, these are terrorists anyway you look at it,
who also want to harm America's interests wherever they lie.
Don't forget, not mute Dan. But it's forty one years
today today, forty one years ago two hundred Marines were killed,
you know, guarding Lebanon in Beirut and two thousand, yeah,
(24:40):
who drove two thousand pounds of explosives into the marine
base Tesblah. These are not people. These are not America's friends,
you know, and America or excuse me, Israel fans alone physically,
at least with the backing of its allies, but to
fight this fight with some very unfriendly neighbors in a
(25:01):
rough neighborhood.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
It was the worst intelligence failing of the Reagan administration without.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
As arguably as as was October seventh.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
I think conversely, Yeah, yeah, I mean we should have
known a little bit about it. Obviously that was a
failure of the Netanyahu government, which I will acknowledge.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
But let's hope it it went maybe beyond night and yell.
It was. It was from the upper echelons of the
IDF that, honestly, they were too arrogant, and that this
has been well documented by the WSJ. At the very
least is that you know, there were clear alarm bells
being wrung from rank and file soldiers for a long time.
(25:47):
And then the enunciated strategy was, well, hamask could really
only attack from the air, so we're just going to
focus on rocket fire and missile attacks. They would never
have the gall to or the organization to attack us
for lander seed, and they were getting wrong.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
Yeah, let's get to some phone calls here, and again
I invite you to call folks, whether you're you can
ask a question of experience, or you can argue a
point with either Jason or me. I think it's an
important conversation. Some of you might not think it's important.
You are so wrong. Mike and west Roxbury. Mike, next
on nice side first, this are a nice side with
Jason Greenberg. Go right ahead, Mike.
Speaker 4 (26:22):
Hey, hey, mister Greenberg, how I do. Thanks Mike for
you So I'm fine. Before before I get to the
top to my car. The reason for my calling into
a tunnel. So if we start getting a little shaky
with the reception, that's the reason why. Okay, Uh, it's
a very pos My question to you is this, there
(26:46):
was an offering, and my facts might be a little
in the gray here, if you will. Okay, many years
ago there was a meeting with an Israeli colonel and
his adjective which which at the time was a major
at the time. I don't know if it wasnt Yahoo
that was in charge, or Zech Ravine or Chermone Perez
(27:06):
I no, I don't remember it was. It was several
years ago, but there was an offering of a land,
if I recall perfectly to the Palestinians, Okay, and basically
they're Basically, they were trying to say, hey, listen, you know,
we want to try to get along with you, guys,
we may not like you, we want to try to
get along with everybody. So here is X amount of land.
(27:28):
Let's let's let's try to be cool to each other
for for a little while. Okay, do you recall this
situation and how much of that plays until what's going
on with the present situation right now? If if at all,
what do you recall this period?
Speaker 3 (27:45):
Sure, and it's it's a really I think it's a
really good description of as basically saying you know, you
do you will do us, you know, we can live
side by sign. And the offer was the same offer
that's been given to the Palestinians at at least five
times since like nineteen forty seven, and that was let's
split Jerusalem and the Palestinians at the Palestine Authority for people.
(28:08):
But the Palestine Authority has rejected that every single time
by and said we either get all of it or
none of it. And so that deal was reject Yeah,
according to the Oslo Accords, which was walked away from
the Clinton efforts. Every time the partition planned by the
(28:31):
UN back in the forties, Like every time it has
been how to create two tracks of land that can
coexist and make a path for Palestinian statehood, you know,
but there it has been rejected outright, even the most
recently and I think two thousand and again the Abraham
(28:52):
Accords were rejected by a boss saying without even looking
at it and said we get And it was a.
Speaker 2 (28:59):
Boss is sor yesified who who rejected it as well,
And yeah, and right on the money. He's right in
the money. They've been in five at least five separate
times where Israel offered a legitimate peace offer and the leadership,
the leadership of the Palatine, the Palestinian people had no vote,
(29:20):
but the leadership said no whole time.
Speaker 4 (29:24):
I'm just curious who at the time was tech beIN
h Perez that was in charge at the time. I
don't think it was that Yao wasn't.
Speaker 3 (29:31):
Well, it wasn't that yo who The most recent well
yell was in twenty twenty one for the Abraham Accords,
but Ariel Sharon was the uh YEP and then hud
Barak was the prime minister during the Clinton era. However,
you know, it's it's worth noting. I think that not
(29:52):
Yah who actually you know, for as much as he
loves to be in power, but nobody, I don't be
hard pressed to argue that he was designed from government
in two thousand and five when Israel unilaterally pulled out
of the Gaza Strip, and the reason he stated was,
he said, if we do it this way and we
leave them without a functioning authority that can work with Israel,
(30:16):
we are going we're essentially fertilizing terror and it's going
to come back to haunt us. And he resigned from
the government. I mean he came back. He came back
in two thousand and nine and was subsequently re elected.
But he made you know, he made that statement then,
and it is It's come true. You know that Israel
pulled out for the reason that it did at the time.
(30:38):
But it has not been in Gaza ever since Hamas
took power in two thousand and six and has only
grown to it to what it became last year, and
now it's depleted into a basically a guerrilla team.
Speaker 2 (30:52):
But yes, it was prophetic. What time was prophetic? Mike?
I'm up break, I loved you call man, you got
to call the station. We got to call my show
more often.
Speaker 4 (31:04):
Okay today, take care that guys.
Speaker 2 (31:08):
Thanks Michael, I have a great night. More calls for
my guest Jason Greenberg. On the other side, we're talking
about life in Israel today. He was there on October seventh,
a year ago, twenty twenty three, and he's been back
there this month for eleven days while some of the
really the intense rocket fire of this month has been
(31:29):
going on. I want to ask when we get back,
what he feels Israel's next move is. I think Iran
is going to pay a price. I have no clue
as to what Netanyahu is likely to do. I'd love
to know what Israeli people think. And we have a
couple of callers lined up, and next up is Z
(31:50):
from North Wisconsin. And I know I have never spoken
a Z from North Wisconsin, but I look forward to
the conversation and we'll be back. And the only lines
that we're open right now the six, one, seven, in, two, five, four, ten, thirty.
Join the conversation. Coming back on Nightside.
Speaker 1 (32:05):
Now back to Dan ray Mine from the Window World
Nightside Studios on WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 2 (32:12):
Okay, let's go next to Z, a caller from North Wisconsin. Z.
Welcome to Nightside. How's our signal tonight?
Speaker 5 (32:21):
I actually from.
Speaker 4 (32:25):
Or whatever it is here.
Speaker 5 (32:28):
Thank you joining yourself. Thank you for putting me on
and appreciate that.
Speaker 2 (32:31):
Sure, I'm gonna have you if Z do me a favor.
I'm losing you a little bit. If you could get
to a spot in your house. I assume you're on
a cell phone.
Speaker 4 (32:41):
I am.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
Yeah. Just make sure you speak right into that microphone
so we can hear you. Where about northern Wisconsin. I
have listeners in Wisconsin. How far up north? Are you.
Speaker 5 (32:52):
Almost too late? Superior?
Speaker 2 (32:55):
Good for you? Okay, has winter arrived yet?
Speaker 3 (32:58):
Ze?
Speaker 2 (32:59):
Has winter arrived? Okay?
Speaker 5 (33:01):
We've had tidyloss seventy three in the sunny weather, a
little bit like living in southern California.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
Yeah, well that's that's what we've had the last few
days as well. Zee. I know you've never called before,
so welcome to night Side. You're my guest. I'm Jason
Greenberg UH, an attorney here in Boston who was in
Israel on the morning of October seventh, a year ago,
and he lost two family members, UH and one is
still in captivity hopefully, and he has just returned from
(33:30):
eleven days there this month, Go right ahead. What's your
question of comment?
Speaker 5 (33:33):
Well, sure, thank you, and I appreciate what can and
did say your intra that we were dead wrong. We
don't understand over there, but I guess first of all,
my uh uh loss of uh family and friends. What
a what a horrible day to have to go through that.
But anyway, you're welcome, uh and as a gentile interested
(33:59):
guy and whatever may have a different prospect or perspective. Yeah,
that's the question simply is what do you think the
target or limit that mister net Yak is going to
Achiet with his stuff?
Speaker 4 (34:17):
What are they up to?
Speaker 5 (34:18):
Forty thousand?
Speaker 3 (34:19):
Now?
Speaker 5 (34:19):
At what point in your AI do you think it
will be a thousand?
Speaker 3 (34:25):
I'm just you breaking up a kind of just tiny,
but I just want to make sure I understand the
question that I.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
Think what he's saying, Yeah, I think what I heard was, Yeah,
he's asking what at what point will well? I think
he's saying, see if I'm wrong, help me out. I
think he's saying, at what point will will net and
Yahoo stop?
Speaker 5 (34:45):
Yeah, that's well said. Right now, it's roughly over forty thousands,
depending on who you use a source or is he committed.
Speaker 2 (34:54):
To Okay, he's got the question, Go ahead, Jason.
Speaker 3 (34:59):
I you know, I think that's the million dollar question.
And I you know, if you ask manyau the refrain
he goes to his total victory, I think that is
an illusion. There is no such thing as as total
victory in this in this scenario, but there is uh
the real tangible goal of setting back the forces that
(35:24):
would try to annihilate Israel by decades, and that's a
huge win. I think that that is at the very
least what nan Yah who wants to accomplish. You know,
Hamas has been uh severely degraded in the past year.
It's gone from a very very potent finding force too.
(35:44):
As I just said, like basically a set of guerrilla
teams on the underground tunnels have been largely uh estimated
or or or at least taken care of. And you know,
when there's not one Israeli that I've spoken to at
(36:05):
least that is happy about all of the people in
Gaza that have been killed. But they all realize that
it's a necessary part of rooting out Camas because as
I said, they have to fight their enemy where their
enemy is and Hamas isn't gone yet, and you know
their ability to reorganize it and attack again is still
(36:29):
very very real for the Israelis. So I don't know
how to answer your question. I do know at least
some perspective maybe is you know Netnya, who was Prime
Minister when Sinwar was part of a hostage swap for
one Israeli soldier. In twenty eleven, over one thousand Palestinian
(36:51):
prisoners were released from Israeli jails, most of whom were
serving life sentences for murder, and Sinwar was one of those.
So I do think that it's manifests for ned Yahoo
that he felt personally responsible in some respect, although he'll
never admit it for what happened on October seventh because
(37:11):
he okayed the deal to release Sinowar. But now that
sine War is dead, I think you're asking the question
that a lot of Israelis and the Israeli media and
the you know around the world is being asked to
is when's enough enough and and what else do you
need to accomplish? But at the same time, you know,
Dan pointed out there have been some real some real successes,
(37:35):
some real victories over the past couple of months, and
for Israel to lay down to stop now would be
I'm not a military expert, but it would seem to
be a real strategic disadvantage to not press, to not
press the advantage that it has right now, and that, unfortunately,
I think comes at the cost of you know, what
(37:58):
we've seen over the past year. I hope that's response
to the question, but I don't short the short.
Speaker 5 (38:02):
Answer very well, very well sets to think and oh,
I appreciate that. Maybe just one follow up question to that,
you or somebody had mentioned that Iran is going to
pay a price or or that type of thing. But
actually I actually have more of a concern of Turkey,
meaning at some point they're going to and get involved
(38:24):
or do you think that's not a risk?
Speaker 2 (38:27):
Then who's going to get I think you say, I
think you say Turkey. I disagree with the zie. I
think Turkey's nut doesn't want to be in this fight.
Go ahead, Jason, You're we got less than them in left.
Speaker 3 (38:38):
Sure, So I think that you know, if you look
at what what has happened over the past couple of months,
you know Iran has has uh the hooties and Hasbola
and Hamas. These are puppets on their strings and Israel
has been cutting the strings and in you know, I'm
not I'm not very smart on this, but you know
what it looks like to me is that Israel is
(39:01):
kind of forcing Iran into a corner. It's either got
to step up or shut up. And that's kind of
the game that's being played right now. You want to
see what Iran really is going to do. If it's
going to launch about a bunch of you know, impotent
missiles that get shot down, that's not really doing anything
except you know, making a symbolic statement. But as to
(39:23):
what Israel is going to do in response to what
Aaron's done, I think that, Yeah, who's waiting the CD
outcome of the election. I don't think it's necessarily going
to come in the next week or two, you know,
like we come when he has a good tenor who's
going to be the next president?
Speaker 2 (39:37):
All right, gentlemen, I'm flat at a time. Zee are
you listening to just on the radio or on the internet?
Speaker 3 (39:43):
Radio? Driving radio?
Speaker 2 (39:46):
That is great? Do me a favorite? Come come on
back often? Will I love hearing from folks in different
parts of the country. Thank you so much.
Speaker 5 (39:54):
No problem, We'll talk about the Packers next time.
Speaker 2 (39:57):
I'm a bart star guy. I want to get our starback. Okay,
thank you much, have a great one again. Let me
just thank you Jason for spending time with my audience tonight,
and thank you for your courage. And long live the
State of Israel.
Speaker 3 (40:13):
App shire the time.
Speaker 2 (40:15):
All right, we'll talk soon. For those of you on
the line, stay there. I will talk about this into
the next hour. I mean, I think it's a fascinating topic.
It impacts all of us, whether we realize it or not.
It's as simple as that. Coming back right after the
eleven o'clock news here on night Side,
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