October 17, 2024 • 38 mins
The Israeli military have confirmed that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar has been killed. Sinwar is believed to be the chief architect of Hamas’ deadly October 7, 2023, terror attack that sparked a war in Gaza. How does this change the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas? Is it over? Will Israel's successes calm the Middle East? Jeff Robbins joined Dan to discuss.
Ask Alexa to play WBZ NewsRadio on #iHeartRadio!
Ask Alexa to play WBZ NewsRadio on #iHeartRadio!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
With on Boston's.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Big news out of the Middle East. UH.
Speaker 3 (00:11):
In Israel today, the IDF, the Israeli Defense Forces have
killed yesterday apparently Yaya Sinoir. He's the head of the
Hamas military wing. For all intents and purposes, was the
ruler of Gaza, because Gaza is ruled by Hamas. Just
(00:36):
the latest in a string of military victories by the.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Forces, the military forces of Israel.
Speaker 4 (00:47):
UH.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
They're the list of names of individuals that have been
taken out and taken out almost an asurgical fashion.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
I think that that.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Israel may have been a little fortunate in getting sinhwar,
but we'll find out more about that with our guest.
But they took out the head of Hesbalah just recently,
Hassan Israla. He was at a meeting and if I'm
not mistaken, in a southern suburb of Beirut, Israel, just
(01:23):
a couple of weeks ago, had that brilliant plan to
have pages, pagers, UH and cell phones explode on members
of Hesbelah. That how Israel is able to do some
of this? Now they have Iran waiting waiting for poised
(01:49):
for the next attack with US as a friend of
this program for many years. Jeff robbins. He's a lawyer
with Saul Ewing in Boston. He has represented the Clinton
administration at the United Nations in New York. He has
been the head of the Anti Defamation League, and he's
been a guest in his program. He's also a syndicated
(02:10):
columnist that appears in the Boston Herald generally every Tuesday. Jeff,
welcome back to Night's Side. This is a night when
Israel is truly on a role here. This is all
good news for people who are looking to eliminate terrorism
and the leaders of terrorism in the Middle East.
Speaker 5 (02:32):
Well, Dan, first of all, thank you so much for
having me and once again for shining a light on
this really god awful situation that has been foisted on
Israel and also foisted on the people of Gaza by
some just wretched people. Remember it only ends up in
the nineteenth paragraph of the New York Times. But this
(02:52):
all started when six thousand Amas gunman organized masterminded by Sinwar,
breached the border, invaded Israel and deliberately set about slaughtering, raping,
burning to death, blowing apart as many Israelis as they could,
kidnapping two hundred and fifty massacring twelve hundred the proportional
(03:14):
equivalent by the way of about you know, I don't know,
forty thousand Americans within a couple of hours, and then
joined the next day by Hezbollah in the North. And
it's one hundred and fifty thousand rockets firing rockets at
Israeli civilians in support of that slaughter. That's where all
this began. And as you point out, it's a significant
(03:35):
day in the Middle East because the mastermind of all
this has now been brought to justice in the same
way that you know, we were eventually fortunate enough and
skilled enough to bring Osama bin Laden to an end.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Well, it was interesting.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
I saw the video tonight on one of the network newscasts,
the drone video of this guy sitting alone. It looked
like the third floor of a building in Gaza, and
he obviously had been wounded. The Israeli IDF went in.
I'm sure there was a firefight and they finished him off,
(04:13):
and they were able to positively identify him through DNA
and dental records as the mastermind. And I thought he
was correct me if I'm wrong, was he not the
lead negotiator through all of this for Hamas, and he
was the one who would always turn down any offers
of a settlement or any offers of a He kept
(04:37):
moving the goalpost on anything that Israel offered in terms
of a ceasefire.
Speaker 5 (04:41):
This is an evil, evil guy, completely evil. He called
the shots on September seventh, and he called the shots
ever since. And he calculated before October seventh and thereafter
that it was only a matter of time before the
international commit unity, the UN, the ed Marquis and Iana
(05:03):
Presleys of the world would pressure would succeed in bringing
pressure on the Israeli government to back down to withdraw.
Of course, Netnyahu was faced with huge pressure internally, justifiably
understandably by people who wanted the hostages brought back. The
calculation was that this day would never occur. The calculation was, frankly,
(05:27):
that probably November one of last year would never occur,
that by then Israel would have been forced to withdraw
and let Hamastri group as it had in the past.
But he was an evil man. I see that. You know,
our friends, the students and Justice for Justice in Palestine
leis at Boston University here in Boston, have just issued
(05:48):
a proclamation saying this is a declaration of war. So
it shows you is you and I have discussed so
many times that there has been a disease. There's a
disease that has spread in support of this kind of thing,
and God knows how we deal with that.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Well, I would like to see those students at Boston
University go over to Gaza UH and sign up for
Hamas UH and and become warriors for the cause and
let them deal with the IDEF on a one to
one basis and see how they go. It's real easy
for them to be over here signing petitions UH. And
(06:24):
you know, if they really believe in the cause, go
over and support.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
Them and deal with them.
Speaker 5 (06:31):
Yeah, sorry about that. Never mind dealing with the IDEF.
How about dealing with Hamas. Because one of the aspects
of this whole thing in the last year, which would
be laughable but for the fact that it's so serious,
is you have people who hold themselves out as progressives
embracing an organization that would throw them off a roof
in an at a second.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
Yes, well, we've talked about that, and I just thought
that if that, if that, if they're if they're shedding
tears tonight for Sinoa.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
Gee.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
You know, I don't know. It's it's so frustrating and maddening. Frankly, Jeff,
I want to continue to talk about this, and I
want to open up a couple of areas. One kudos
to Benjamin Yahoo. He has stood strong in this situation,
with with criticism from those on his left at home
(07:23):
and certainly criticism from some of the international community. And
I really think that this is a modern day Winston Churchill.
I know you're not a huge fan of net and
Yahoo on an on a number of issues, but he
has withstood the crucible here and it just may be
that he is going to take Israel to a place
(07:45):
that it that it has never been uh in the
in the next few months, where they may be able
to really I think UH play offense and and basically
put the bad guy back on the heels.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Do you buy that theory at all?
Speaker 6 (08:02):
I do.
Speaker 5 (08:03):
I have to agree with you. You're right. I have been
critical of him over the judicial overhaul thing and the
composition of some of his government, but by God, he
has withstood pressure in a way that you can't think
of anybody who would withstand that kind of pressure. From
our administration, from the un from people within Israel, from
(08:23):
all over the place, and you are right, he has
you know, prevailed, and of course his popularity in Israel
is going to skyrocket accordingly.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
Well, take a quick break. My guest is Jeff Robbins.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
If you'd like to join the conversation, ask a question,
make a comment. I truly believe that what has happened
in the last few weeks, when taken together, it is
an incredible step I believe towards peace. I think that
at this point, the only deal, the only way, that
(08:55):
the only option that who had had was to do
what has now been accomplished by the brilliance, frankly of
the the Israeli military. And maybe there's been some help
from the US along the way. We're never going to
probably acknowledge that publicly. But this, when I saw that
(09:17):
news today, I thought this was one of the I
thought Simwa was one of the guys who was hold
up in one of the top level hotels in one
of the wealthy Arab Emirate countries. I did not realize
that he was still in the tunnels of Gaza. We'll
(09:39):
get to all of that. Feel free to join the conversation.
This is a night to celebrate Israel. If you want
to be critical, if you want to ask a tough
question and can keep it civil, we can do that too.
Six one, seven, two, five, four, ten thirty, six, one, seven,
nine thirty Coming right back on night Side.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World
night Side Studios on wb SEE News Radio.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
My guest is Jeff Robbins.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
Jeff knows the Middle East as well as any American
that I know. Jeff, your opinion, what happens next? Obviously,
this this is not the end, but it does. It
does it put pressure on not only Hezbollah and Hamas,
but also Iran to recognize that Israel is not going
(10:30):
to back down. And Israel is at this point they
have the momentum with them. Uh, and and is the
time now for Iran to call off the dogs?
Speaker 5 (10:41):
So it's the it's the contest between rationality and even
self interest on one hand and insane genocidal jihadism on
the other. Uh, what what to take first? Well, in
Iran and its proxies you have in genocidal jihadism, that's
(11:03):
the fact, there's no point sugarcoating it. On other hand,
as you suggest, a rational view of the world would
suggest to Iran that the calculation that they and his
Bollah and Hamas, whom they of course control, that they
made that that Israel would be forced, coerced, pressed into
(11:23):
withdrawing and letting letting a win emerge in the in
the the bad Guy's column that that has not worked.
That Israel has decimated Hamas's military forces, it has decimated
his Bolah's leadership and to a considerable degree, its military forces. Apparently,
(11:45):
according to the reports, two thirds of his Bolah's missile supply,
which is pretty extensive, have been supplied. And now Iran
is just waiting to get hit. And it's a question
of where, where, and when. So rationality would dictate that
Iran would say, uh, this is not going well.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (12:04):
And and and Israel, far from being cowed is now
let's face it, really oxygenated and and and incentivized to
finish the job. Uh. So we'll see what happens over
the next couple of weeks.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
I believe that Netanya, who has has what's been reported,
has said to President Biden that he will not hit
Iran's oil industry.
Speaker 7 (12:31):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
And it seems as if the stock market here in
America has been somewhat relieved at that decision. But he
will hit their military assets, maybe maybe even strike at
their nuclear facilities. Do you think either of both of
those are on the table and that Israel has the
capacity to do significant damage to Iran in its backyard?
Speaker 5 (12:57):
Well, a, they absolutely have the capacity to do significant damage.
For one thing, Iran has no air force, and the
Israelis have a remarkable air force. For another thing, Israel's
intelligence capacity and technological capacity far exceeds anything the Iranians have.
(13:18):
Think about for example, what Israel was able to do
in April and then again this year, and of course
the attack that they pulled off in Tehran against a
Massa's leader. Whether or not, I'm sure that net Yahoo
is under withering pressure from the Biden administration to do
nothing which disturbs things so badly that it throws the
(13:42):
vice president's election prospects out of whack. And of course,
something which caused oil prices to go high or which
affected the stock market generally would fall in that category.
But Israel has this problem, right, I mean, this is
not what they asked for. They didn't ask for. October sixth,
They didn't ask for October rate or the last year.
They didn't ask for what Iran has done. They've been
(14:03):
warning about it and warning about it and warning about it.
And now you know, I'm sure there are a lot
of people in Israel's military establishment, not to speak of that.
Yahou himself were saying, why would we take our foot
off the gas?
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Now you know this is this is the time to finish,
finish it.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
And then the question is, look Iran, as I understand that,
and if I'm wrong, please correct me. Iran was was
very concerned, very concerned that Saudi Arabia was close to
becoming a signatory to the Abraham Accords UH, and and
that that is what has prompted in some part UH,
(14:47):
what Iran has done.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Here. Is it possible for.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
The Biden administration in the waning days of the waning
weeks of its administration, can be Abe pull Saudi Arabia
because of the success of Israeli or into some sort
of an agreement and basically extend the Abraham Accords beyond
where the Trump administration got them or is that not
likely a possibility?
Speaker 5 (15:15):
No, I think it's a very real possibility by all accounts.
Saudi Arabia was moving steadily in that direction before October seventh,
and that that was explicitly a consideration on the part
of Iran, Iran and its proxies to try to stop
that from happening. Now, you know, in the Middle East,
as in other places, but particularly in the Middle East,
(15:35):
power and success mean a very great deal if you're
Saudi Arabia and some of these other states. You see
Israel in the last couple of months, having wiped the
floor with Hamas and his ballah and having you know,
Donald putting Iran at risk, Well see what happens over
the next days and weeks of getting hit pretty badly.
(15:55):
So Saudi Arabia is going to be incentivized to move forward,
it seems to me in that direction, the direction that
you identify. It was there, it was going there anyway.
It now sees Israel as ascendant for the moment in
terms of this military effort which began as an act
of self defense. And so you could very well see
(16:18):
that kind of inducement to Saudi Arabia to say, okay,
let me move even further, to let us move even
further down the field toward that kind of reproach Mond
with formal reproach Mond with Israel.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
Now, I know that whenever you talk Saudi Arabia or
you talk about us being involved with Saudi Arabia, there's
a chorus and a legitimate course of people who will
remind us of what happened in October twenty eighteen, the
murder by Saudi government, whether or not it goes all
the way up to the head of the government of
Jamal Kashogi, and there was a lot of attention paid
(16:55):
to that and the response of of the Saudi Arabian
government what happened to him when he entered the embassy
in Turkey. Yet, on the other hand, if we can
somehow now by having a relationship of some sort with
Saudi Arabia which brings Israel into a relationship with Saudi
(17:20):
Arabia that is going to further isolate Iran, there will
be those who in the next few weeks are going
to say, no, no, no, we can't get to we
can't get involved with Saudi Arabia because of the memory
of Jamal Koshogi, which is which is a legitimate instinct.
But when you talk about the comparison evil of Saudi
Arabia and Iran, and what those two countries, the potential
(17:43):
for someone some good or the potential for nuclear annihilation.
It's not it's not a difficult call from where I'm sitting.
You probably look at it a little differently. I'd love
to make the argument, if you will, that that maybe
we want to stay away from Saudi Arabia.
Speaker 5 (18:02):
Now I look at it the same way that you do.
I mean, of course they're a parent, they're apart, But
as you point out, you know, when you weigh that
abhorrent regime and relationships with you know, with an apparrent
regime against the virtue, the good, the benefit of trying
to avoid an inferno in the Middle East, an inferno
(18:24):
which could easily consume the entire world given the alliance
among Iran, North Korea and Russia. I like you think
it's a no brainer.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
My guest is Jeff Robbins. We're going to go to
phone calls right after the break.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Your thoughts on what is going on and the possibilities
that now exist which maybe didn't exist a month ago,
maybe didn't even exist a week ago. I think there's
an opportunity here that should be seized. Karpe DM six
one seven, two, five four to ten thirty six one seven,
nine thirty.
Speaker 2 (18:59):
My name is Dan.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
This is Nightside. This is a night when good has
triumphed over evil. Despite what these students for Palestine for
Justice and Palistine want to.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
Believe, they're wrong.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
Israel has done what it needed to do and they
did not want to kill innocent civilians along the way.
Innocent civilians had been killed along the way, that is
as a consequence of the war that Hamas initiated on
October seventh, twenty twenty three.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
Back on Night's Side, right after the news break.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
It's Nightside with Dan Ray Boston's news Radio.
Speaker 3 (19:42):
My guess is Jeff Robbins unbelievable to think that October
seventh is now just about I guess what a year
and a few days ago in Israel, who was really
in tough shape a year and a few days ago,
has tonight now wiped out most, if not all, of
(20:02):
the leadership of Hamas and has Belah, and they now
have an opportunity to turn their sights on around. Let's
see what people have to say. If you agree, great,
If you disagree, that's fine too. Let's have a conversation
on nights side. Let me go first this hour to
Tom checking in for the Philippines. Tom, a Boston guy
(20:23):
who's located in the Philippines, what do you think of
what went on in the last twenty four hours in
Gaza in Israel.
Speaker 7 (20:31):
Tom, That's wonderful what the IDF did. And I have
no problem with them taking out leadership of Hamas and
has Blah, you know, and if they can do it
with one shot, one kill, even better because no collateral damage.
(20:53):
But Dan, you had this topic about a week ago
on your program and I called in. Young man spoke
earlier to me earlier in the program to me a
call of previous. His name is Tristan, and you asked
them the question on October seventh, would those Hamas terrorists
would they have gone if they had the ability to
(21:15):
go further on to Israel and continue slaughtering Israelis that
were jewsed in Israel. He refused to answer the question.
And he is one of those people that Okay, well,
I have a great memory too. And the point being
is that with these apologists for the Palestinians, they always
(21:37):
make it about Israel's trying to commit a genocide. I
don't believe that at all, and that the issue is
is that Hamas hides in schools, hospitals and they're using
human shields the same way Saddam Hussein did in the
First Gulf War. And at some point you just have
(21:58):
to take the horse blows off and understand that you
know something. This is not a black and white issue.
It's very gray. But the reality is with the people
in Israel as you have a huge percentage of people
that are their neighbors. Not all, but there's a significant
(22:19):
percentage that want Israel wiped off the face of the earth.
And the biggest threat is Iran. And I don't ever
understand why Obama allowed them to have a ten year
window to develop a nuclear weapon, because, as Maya Angelou
once said, when somebody tells you who they are, believe them,
(22:42):
and ever since the Iranian Revolution of seventy nine, that
every time they have a massive protest, it's death to America,
death to Israel. And I have no doubt that if
Iran ever detonates a nuclear weapon, they will launch one
into Israel. They're not going to launch one into the
(23:03):
United States, they know that suicide, but they will do
that to Israel and I would like to hear what
your guest has to say on that topic. I will listen.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
Stay right there, go ahead, Jess.
Speaker 5 (23:14):
Well, first of all, I mean I agree with virtually
everything that Tom said. The only nuance is on there's
plenty of gray in the history of the Middle East
and the history of the conflict on this on what
has happened in the last year. However, in my view,
there is something which is awfully close to black and white.
(23:34):
Not one of those Gozins had to die, not one
of the Israelis had to die, Not one of the
Palestinians in Gaza had to die. Everyone died as a
result of a deliberate decision to slaughter as many Jews
as possible. And the caller is right. Tom's right. This
wasn't just Sinowar. There were six thousand armed gunmen that
(23:59):
broke in to Israel, executing everybody in sight. Six thousand
and we all remember the calls back, the gleeful calls
back to their parents, mom, dad in Arabic, I killed
this many Jews, God bless you, my son, and all
the rest of it. We saw the sheers and the
throngs and the celebrations as Israeli bodies were carried back
(24:22):
into Gaza. There is a sickness, and it's really a
horrific situation. But I agree with the caller that blinders
have to come off. They have not come off in
certain quarters, which is a puzzlement. You would think that
(24:42):
the deliberate slaughter of people would be pretty clear, even
to students for Justice in Palestine on campuses, but unfortunately,
as Tom says, it's not clear everywhere, and so the
three of us on this call right now spend a
lot of time shaking our heads and worse.
Speaker 3 (25:03):
Yeah, Tom points, yep, thank you.
Speaker 7 (25:09):
I appreciate that, and he is right. October seventh was
a black and white issue. I stand corrected on that.
Thank you, Sir Shalom. Thanks to take care.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
Thank you much.
Speaker 3 (25:21):
Let me go to lou Is in West roxfor a
little closer to home. Lou Next on Nightside with Jeff
Robins Luga right ahead.
Speaker 6 (25:29):
Yeah, Jeff's good to talk to you. I don't agree
with your national politics here in America, but I i'd
like your take on the Middle East and the Boston Herald.
I wish more people would buy the Harald and read
what you have to say.
Speaker 5 (25:42):
Well, you've made my day.
Speaker 6 (25:43):
Thank you. Yeah, I'm I'm the only Irish cal the
graduate of Temple Beth Abraham School. So I have a
lot of always had a long interest in this conflict,
and I like the take that you have. And Caroline
Glick has another good analyst of the area that what
(26:06):
we're really up against here is Sharia supremacists that really
have no desire for peace anywhere, and then they're going
to keep rolling once they're done destroying in the Middle East.
But I just want to ask the obvious question when
you talk about Joe Biden hindering the Israeli government, why
(26:34):
why are you so down on Trump? I think he
was a great friend to Israel, and I just I
can't when I read you, I say, gee, this, this
guy should really take a little more time to understand
how much Trump loves Israel and loves the Israeli people.
Speaker 3 (26:53):
Well, he may he may look lou at other aspects
of the race, but he's going to speak for himself,
so let's see what he has to say.
Speaker 2 (27:01):
I think it's a good questions.
Speaker 5 (27:03):
A good question, and it's a question that I get
asked a lot for the same reason. Look, as Dan
says on issue after issue after issue, I couldn't possibly
bring myself to vote for Trump. But I absolutely acknowledge
that the Democratic Party has been often a moral failure
(27:29):
when it comes to Iran and its proxy's in Israel.
I think a lot of that has been illustrated this year.
I commend the President for a number of things, starting
with the trip to Israel right after October seventh. I
think that in his gut he feels huge allegiance and
sympathy for Israel. I think that on the moment after
moment after moment, he has provided military support, intelligence support,
(27:53):
and he's taken a beating look. He took a pasting
from the left and his Democratic Party Democratic Party, which
may very well have been the straw that broke the
camel's back and required him to get out of the
race given his pull numbers. But there are things like
the public threat to cut off weapons to Israel if
the IDF went into Rafa, a line which by the way,
(28:15):
was parroted by Vice President Harris, who said that she'd
studied the maps, whatever that means. And of course, where
was Sinwar caught and killed? It was Rafa? Where were
those eight hostages? That were murdered recently murdered. It was
in Rafa? Where are others of the hostages in Rafa?
That kind of thing consumed the news for two weeks
(28:36):
and undercut the credibility of the IDF when it was
trying to do a job, so that I put in
the category of incomprehensible moves. And I have been, you know,
critical at times, very critical of my own party when
it comes to Israel. And am I worried about what
(28:58):
Harris administration UH would look like? Who would be staffed
by Yeah, I am worried about his candidly gay I'm worried.
Speaker 6 (29:07):
So Louis you got you got be worried about her
foreign policy?
Speaker 2 (29:14):
All right, lou appreciate, appreciate your call. A honest question,
honest answer. Thanks, thank you.
Speaker 3 (29:21):
Quick break back with my guest, Jeff Robbins of the
Boston Herald of syndicated columnists, amongst other things. Again an attorney,
first amendment attorney with Saul Ewing, a very big law
firm here in Boston, and also served in the Clinton
administration as a representative on human rights to the United Nations.
Also as the former head of the Anti Defamation League
(29:42):
here in Massachusetts, and on this issue, you heard Jeff
many times in this program, and I think that he
has been a an incredibly strong supporter of Israel within
the Democratic Party. He is a Democrat, but he certainly
stands apart from many of the Democrats, including I think
(30:03):
both of our US senators, in terms of their inability
to understand what's going on in Israel from Israel's perspective.
It's easy for us to say to net Yahoo, hey,
why don't you stand down?
Speaker 2 (30:15):
Why don't you do this? And we got we got
more phone calls.
Speaker 3 (30:17):
I want to get to them, and I'm I feel
strongly about this, but I'm more interested in your points
of view and what Jeff has to say, because nobody
knows this issue that I know of here better than
Jeff Robbins. And I thought that last exchange between Lou
from West Roxbury and Jeff really did. It was a
great question and it was a really good answer. And
(30:39):
that's the quality conversation that I'm thrilled that we have
here on Nightside, particularly on a night like this. We'll
be back on Nightside right after this.
Speaker 1 (30:49):
Now back to Dan Ray Live from the Window World
to night Side studios. I'm WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 3 (30:56):
I'm going to try to get everybody in. It's going
to be tough, but let us see what we can do.
Gonna go to Frank in Boston. Frank, you are next
on Night Side with my guest Jeff Robbins.
Speaker 2 (31:05):
Go right ahead, Frank.
Speaker 8 (31:08):
I don't understand why we need why Israel has to
try to take this fight to Iran when number one,
the last encounter they had had minimum, minimal damage on Israel,
minimal damage on Israel. The only reason why Israel wants
to go into Iran is because of the nuclear bomb.
(31:31):
They did the same thing with Iraq. They took out
an Iraq because they thought Iraq was gonna have a bomb.
That I ran and it's not gonna end the next
The next Arab state down there who will try to
get a bomb will be Saudi Arabia and if not them,
gonna be a Qatar. This is an endless game of
(31:51):
trying to get these other Arabs, the Arab states, from
having a bomb. When Israel has a bomb, they have
a bomb.
Speaker 2 (32:00):
Let's get you. I think I know what just gonna say.
Let's see what he has to say to your question.
Speaker 5 (32:04):
Frank, Well, first of all, Israel does have nowkou weapons,
but nobody wants it to use them, and Israel doesn't
want it to use them.
Speaker 6 (32:13):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (32:14):
And the fact that they have them hasn't stopped Iran
from going after Israel, not just by the proxies, the
slaughter that Hamas promulgated, not just the thousands and thousands
of rockets that Hamas that has Belas fired, But they've fired,
you know, hundreds and hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel.
(32:36):
Now they're going to continue doing it unless they're disincentivized
from doing it. So what would want? Go ahead, Dan.
Speaker 2 (32:45):
Frank, Frank, let him, let him finish his answer?
Speaker 6 (32:48):
Please, oh what?
Speaker 7 (32:49):
What?
Speaker 5 (32:50):
What would you have Israel do? Just sit there and
let Iran fire hundreds waves of ballistic missiles at Israeli cities. Uh, undeterred.
You just can't do that. What would we do if
somebody fired hundreds of missiles at us? Would we say, well, gosh,
please please don't do it again.
Speaker 1 (33:09):
They did it.
Speaker 8 (33:10):
Already the last the last book. The missile strikes that
hit Israel before the last rounds didn't do anything Israel,
and Israel responded by going into a precision bombing, but
to start and to actually go into Iran and start
bombing Iran or something to that effect. I mean, you're
(33:32):
talking about taking this world to a third world. And
quite frankly, do you want your children to go fight
for Israel?
Speaker 5 (33:41):
Well, let me focus on the on the Iran.
Speaker 2 (33:44):
I don't think.
Speaker 3 (33:45):
I don't think that any of our children have to
go fight for Israel.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
I think does very well themselves.
Speaker 8 (33:50):
Happened, That's what happened, and.
Speaker 3 (33:53):
These I appreciate it. I appreciate the call. I got
two other callers. I'd like to get to you, ask
some questions. You got answers you particularly like them, but
I think I got to roll on.
Speaker 8 (34:02):
Okay, Well, I'm sorry, Conservative Conservatives is not going to
back you up.
Speaker 3 (34:07):
That's fine, Okay, thank you, Frank, appreciate your call. Let
me go next to real quickly. I'm gonna try to
get Mike and west Roxby and Jeff and Walty. Mike
and west Roxby go right ahead. You're on with Jeff Robbins.
Speaker 9 (34:19):
Gentlemen, here's a thing. The leader of the Moss has
been taken out. And I'm sure both of you already
considered this there's at least fifty guys that they're ready to.
Speaker 6 (34:30):
Take his place.
Speaker 9 (34:31):
Well, what about.
Speaker 2 (34:33):
That you take them up when they out the side
of my face there, Well.
Speaker 6 (34:40):
You're not wrong.
Speaker 5 (34:41):
It seems to me that there are going to be
the extent of the insane, genocidal jihadism that permeates uh,
you know, Gaza and particularly Hamas, which is the ruling enterprise,
is horrifying. And I think nobody thinks that, you know,
with the elimination of Sinwar, it's over. As I said before,
(35:04):
there were six thousand mini Sino Wars that invaded Israel
on October seventh. But on the other hand, the hope
is the hope is that by sort of decimating the
command structure, you can maybe create an environment where there
is the day after Hamas. Nobody in their right mind,
it seems to me, thinks that Hamas can be permitted
(35:25):
to rule Gaza. You have to be you have to
be sort of you know, on mes clin. It seems
to me to think that that's the and I'm not
talking about the lettuce to think that that's a viable outcome,
I'm not saying you do. So you're right, of course
that the problem is beyond sin sin war. The hope
is that you can kind of get people in Gaza
(35:47):
to say, you know, this is not working for us,
and it's not working for the Gazas they're suffering terribly
as a result of this. Yeah, hope somehow was that
my great?
Speaker 3 (35:57):
Great questions? I want to get one more end though,
man take Thank you very much, good question. It's something
we should be thinking about. But guess what, I don't
think Israel has a choice. I think, however, whenever the
next time you see that game, do you ever.
Speaker 2 (36:09):
See that game?
Speaker 9 (36:10):
Michael understands.
Speaker 3 (36:11):
Yeah, you ever see that game Whack a Mole? Where
you're you're using it? It's okay, simple as that. Thanks Mike,
gotta got go Jeff and Waldam. Jeff, I only got
about a minute for you, but I want to get
you in here.
Speaker 2 (36:26):
Go ahead. You're on with Jeff Robins.
Speaker 4 (36:28):
Hey, I'll try to leave beef loosen then you know, Jeff,
I'm I'm a peace loving person appalled at any civilian casualties. However,
I do look at the situation this way, and I
wonder if you do too, mister Robbins, is it not
true that in face of the Iranian attempted attack on Israel,
(36:54):
irrespective of the success of it. I mean that represents
a unprovoked for two of his aggressed Okay, uh, in
terms of intent whatever, Ye? Yeah, absolutely exactly exactly. Would
you agree that in faith of that kind of attack,
(37:18):
appeasement politics in the final analysis would be more escalatory. Okay?
Then then then, Jeff, I think I.
Speaker 2 (37:35):
Think we got you. I think we got the question.
Speaker 3 (37:37):
And Jeff Robbins only got about forty five seconds or
thirty seconds left to answer it. And I'm agreeing with Jeff,
and I'm sure you with both jeffs go ahead, Jeff,
I do too.
Speaker 5 (37:46):
Israel didn't ask for October seventh, they didn't ask for
the nine thousand, ten thousand rockets from Isabelah thereafter. But
as Dan said, they just don't have a choice. They
don't have the luxury of basically saying, I really do
hope this doesn't happen again, particularly when those in question
Amas and his Balla are saying, oh, yeah, it's going
to happen again. It's going to keep happening.
Speaker 4 (38:07):
So basically because in prospect appeasement serves that's relation.
Speaker 3 (38:12):
Yeah, I think you hit the nail right in the head,
Jeff and Waltam. I appreciate your call, but we're.
Speaker 1 (38:16):
Flat out of top Okay, Jeff Robin.
Speaker 3 (38:19):
You're welcome, Jeff, Jeff Robbins, thank you very much. Let's
see what happens next. But I think that Israel has
never had a better opportunity to settle this situation, and
it maybe not settle it forever, but settle it down
in the next few days.
Speaker 2 (38:35):
Let's see what happens.
Speaker 5 (38:37):
Dan, I agree, and thanks so much for having me on.
Speaker 3 (38:39):
Absolutely, we will talk sooner, my friend, when we come back,
we're going to talk about an interview that Vice President
Harris participated in yesterday.
Speaker 2 (38:48):
I watched it. I'd love to know your reaction too,
because I have some thoughts back after the eleven o'clock
news here on Nightside.
With on Boston's.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Big news out of the Middle East. UH.
Speaker 3 (00:11):
In Israel today, the IDF, the Israeli Defense Forces have
killed yesterday apparently Yaya Sinoir. He's the head of the
Hamas military wing. For all intents and purposes, was the
ruler of Gaza, because Gaza is ruled by Hamas. Just
(00:36):
the latest in a string of military victories by the.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Forces, the military forces of Israel.
Speaker 4 (00:47):
UH.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
They're the list of names of individuals that have been
taken out and taken out almost an asurgical fashion.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
I think that that.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Israel may have been a little fortunate in getting sinhwar,
but we'll find out more about that with our guest.
But they took out the head of Hesbalah just recently,
Hassan Israla. He was at a meeting and if I'm
not mistaken, in a southern suburb of Beirut, Israel, just
(01:23):
a couple of weeks ago, had that brilliant plan to
have pages, pagers, UH and cell phones explode on members
of Hesbelah. That how Israel is able to do some
of this? Now they have Iran waiting waiting for poised
(01:49):
for the next attack with US as a friend of
this program for many years. Jeff robbins. He's a lawyer
with Saul Ewing in Boston. He has represented the Clinton
administration at the United Nations in New York. He has
been the head of the Anti Defamation League, and he's
been a guest in his program. He's also a syndicated
(02:10):
columnist that appears in the Boston Herald generally every Tuesday. Jeff,
welcome back to Night's Side. This is a night when
Israel is truly on a role here. This is all
good news for people who are looking to eliminate terrorism
and the leaders of terrorism in the Middle East.
Speaker 5 (02:32):
Well, Dan, first of all, thank you so much for
having me and once again for shining a light on
this really god awful situation that has been foisted on
Israel and also foisted on the people of Gaza by
some just wretched people. Remember it only ends up in
the nineteenth paragraph of the New York Times. But this
(02:52):
all started when six thousand Amas gunman organized masterminded by Sinwar,
breached the border, invaded Israel and deliberately set about slaughtering, raping,
burning to death, blowing apart as many Israelis as they could,
kidnapping two hundred and fifty massacring twelve hundred the proportional
(03:14):
equivalent by the way of about you know, I don't know,
forty thousand Americans within a couple of hours, and then
joined the next day by Hezbollah in the North. And
it's one hundred and fifty thousand rockets firing rockets at
Israeli civilians in support of that slaughter. That's where all
this began. And as you point out, it's a significant
(03:35):
day in the Middle East because the mastermind of all
this has now been brought to justice in the same
way that you know, we were eventually fortunate enough and
skilled enough to bring Osama bin Laden to an end.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Well, it was interesting.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
I saw the video tonight on one of the network newscasts,
the drone video of this guy sitting alone. It looked
like the third floor of a building in Gaza, and
he obviously had been wounded. The Israeli IDF went in.
I'm sure there was a firefight and they finished him off,
(04:13):
and they were able to positively identify him through DNA
and dental records as the mastermind. And I thought he
was correct me if I'm wrong, was he not the
lead negotiator through all of this for Hamas, and he
was the one who would always turn down any offers
of a settlement or any offers of a He kept
(04:37):
moving the goalpost on anything that Israel offered in terms
of a ceasefire.
Speaker 5 (04:41):
This is an evil, evil guy, completely evil. He called
the shots on September seventh, and he called the shots
ever since. And he calculated before October seventh and thereafter
that it was only a matter of time before the
international commit unity, the UN, the ed Marquis and Iana
(05:03):
Presleys of the world would pressure would succeed in bringing
pressure on the Israeli government to back down to withdraw.
Of course, Netnyahu was faced with huge pressure internally, justifiably
understandably by people who wanted the hostages brought back. The
calculation was that this day would never occur. The calculation was, frankly,
(05:27):
that probably November one of last year would never occur,
that by then Israel would have been forced to withdraw
and let Hamastri group as it had in the past.
But he was an evil man. I see that. You know,
our friends, the students and Justice for Justice in Palestine
leis at Boston University here in Boston, have just issued
(05:48):
a proclamation saying this is a declaration of war. So
it shows you is you and I have discussed so
many times that there has been a disease. There's a
disease that has spread in support of this kind of thing,
and God knows how we deal with that.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Well, I would like to see those students at Boston
University go over to Gaza UH and sign up for
Hamas UH and and become warriors for the cause and
let them deal with the IDEF on a one to
one basis and see how they go. It's real easy
for them to be over here signing petitions UH. And
(06:24):
you know, if they really believe in the cause, go
over and support.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
Them and deal with them.
Speaker 5 (06:31):
Yeah, sorry about that. Never mind dealing with the IDEF.
How about dealing with Hamas. Because one of the aspects
of this whole thing in the last year, which would
be laughable but for the fact that it's so serious,
is you have people who hold themselves out as progressives
embracing an organization that would throw them off a roof
in an at a second.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
Yes, well, we've talked about that, and I just thought
that if that, if that, if they're if they're shedding
tears tonight for Sinoa.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
Gee.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
You know, I don't know. It's it's so frustrating and maddening. Frankly, Jeff,
I want to continue to talk about this, and I
want to open up a couple of areas. One kudos
to Benjamin Yahoo. He has stood strong in this situation,
with with criticism from those on his left at home
(07:23):
and certainly criticism from some of the international community. And
I really think that this is a modern day Winston Churchill.
I know you're not a huge fan of net and
Yahoo on an on a number of issues, but he
has withstood the crucible here and it just may be
that he is going to take Israel to a place
(07:45):
that it that it has never been uh in the
in the next few months, where they may be able
to really I think UH play offense and and basically
put the bad guy back on the heels.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Do you buy that theory at all?
Speaker 6 (08:02):
I do.
Speaker 5 (08:03):
I have to agree with you. You're right. I have been
critical of him over the judicial overhaul thing and the
composition of some of his government, but by God, he
has withstood pressure in a way that you can't think
of anybody who would withstand that kind of pressure. From
our administration, from the un from people within Israel, from
(08:23):
all over the place, and you are right, he has
you know, prevailed, and of course his popularity in Israel
is going to skyrocket accordingly.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
Well, take a quick break. My guest is Jeff Robbins.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
If you'd like to join the conversation, ask a question,
make a comment. I truly believe that what has happened
in the last few weeks, when taken together, it is
an incredible step I believe towards peace. I think that
at this point, the only deal, the only way, that
(08:55):
the only option that who had had was to do
what has now been accomplished by the brilliance, frankly of
the the Israeli military. And maybe there's been some help
from the US along the way. We're never going to
probably acknowledge that publicly. But this, when I saw that
(09:17):
news today, I thought this was one of the I
thought Simwa was one of the guys who was hold
up in one of the top level hotels in one
of the wealthy Arab Emirate countries. I did not realize
that he was still in the tunnels of Gaza. We'll
(09:39):
get to all of that. Feel free to join the conversation.
This is a night to celebrate Israel. If you want
to be critical, if you want to ask a tough
question and can keep it civil, we can do that too.
Six one, seven, two, five, four, ten thirty, six, one, seven,
nine thirty Coming right back on night Side.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World
night Side Studios on wb SEE News Radio.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
My guest is Jeff Robbins.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
Jeff knows the Middle East as well as any American
that I know. Jeff, your opinion, what happens next? Obviously,
this this is not the end, but it does. It
does it put pressure on not only Hezbollah and Hamas,
but also Iran to recognize that Israel is not going
(10:30):
to back down. And Israel is at this point they
have the momentum with them. Uh, and and is the
time now for Iran to call off the dogs?
Speaker 5 (10:41):
So it's the it's the contest between rationality and even
self interest on one hand and insane genocidal jihadism on
the other. Uh, what what to take first? Well, in
Iran and its proxies you have in genocidal jihadism, that's
(11:03):
the fact, there's no point sugarcoating it. On other hand,
as you suggest, a rational view of the world would
suggest to Iran that the calculation that they and his
Bollah and Hamas, whom they of course control, that they
made that that Israel would be forced, coerced, pressed into
(11:23):
withdrawing and letting letting a win emerge in the in
the the bad Guy's column that that has not worked.
That Israel has decimated Hamas's military forces, it has decimated
his Bolah's leadership and to a considerable degree, its military forces. Apparently,
(11:45):
according to the reports, two thirds of his Bolah's missile supply,
which is pretty extensive, have been supplied. And now Iran
is just waiting to get hit. And it's a question
of where, where, and when. So rationality would dictate that
Iran would say, uh, this is not going well.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (12:04):
And and and Israel, far from being cowed is now
let's face it, really oxygenated and and and incentivized to
finish the job. Uh. So we'll see what happens over
the next couple of weeks.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
I believe that Netanya, who has has what's been reported,
has said to President Biden that he will not hit
Iran's oil industry.
Speaker 7 (12:31):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
And it seems as if the stock market here in
America has been somewhat relieved at that decision. But he
will hit their military assets, maybe maybe even strike at
their nuclear facilities. Do you think either of both of
those are on the table and that Israel has the
capacity to do significant damage to Iran in its backyard?
Speaker 5 (12:57):
Well, a, they absolutely have the capacity to do significant damage.
For one thing, Iran has no air force, and the
Israelis have a remarkable air force. For another thing, Israel's
intelligence capacity and technological capacity far exceeds anything the Iranians have.
(13:18):
Think about for example, what Israel was able to do
in April and then again this year, and of course
the attack that they pulled off in Tehran against a
Massa's leader. Whether or not, I'm sure that net Yahoo
is under withering pressure from the Biden administration to do
nothing which disturbs things so badly that it throws the
(13:42):
vice president's election prospects out of whack. And of course,
something which caused oil prices to go high or which
affected the stock market generally would fall in that category.
But Israel has this problem, right, I mean, this is
not what they asked for. They didn't ask for. October sixth,
They didn't ask for October rate or the last year.
They didn't ask for what Iran has done. They've been
(14:03):
warning about it and warning about it and warning about it.
And now you know, I'm sure there are a lot
of people in Israel's military establishment, not to speak of that.
Yahou himself were saying, why would we take our foot
off the gas?
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Now you know this is this is the time to finish,
finish it.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
And then the question is, look Iran, as I understand that,
and if I'm wrong, please correct me. Iran was was
very concerned, very concerned that Saudi Arabia was close to
becoming a signatory to the Abraham Accords UH, and and
that that is what has prompted in some part UH,
(14:47):
what Iran has done.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Here. Is it possible for.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
The Biden administration in the waning days of the waning
weeks of its administration, can be Abe pull Saudi Arabia
because of the success of Israeli or into some sort
of an agreement and basically extend the Abraham Accords beyond
where the Trump administration got them or is that not
likely a possibility?
Speaker 5 (15:15):
No, I think it's a very real possibility by all accounts.
Saudi Arabia was moving steadily in that direction before October seventh,
and that that was explicitly a consideration on the part
of Iran, Iran and its proxies to try to stop
that from happening. Now, you know, in the Middle East,
as in other places, but particularly in the Middle East,
(15:35):
power and success mean a very great deal if you're
Saudi Arabia and some of these other states. You see
Israel in the last couple of months, having wiped the
floor with Hamas and his ballah and having you know,
Donald putting Iran at risk, Well see what happens over
the next days and weeks of getting hit pretty badly.
(15:55):
So Saudi Arabia is going to be incentivized to move forward,
it seems to me in that direction, the direction that
you identify. It was there, it was going there anyway.
It now sees Israel as ascendant for the moment in
terms of this military effort which began as an act
of self defense. And so you could very well see
(16:18):
that kind of inducement to Saudi Arabia to say, okay,
let me move even further, to let us move even
further down the field toward that kind of reproach Mond
with formal reproach Mond with Israel.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
Now, I know that whenever you talk Saudi Arabia or
you talk about us being involved with Saudi Arabia, there's
a chorus and a legitimate course of people who will
remind us of what happened in October twenty eighteen, the
murder by Saudi government, whether or not it goes all
the way up to the head of the government of
Jamal Kashogi, and there was a lot of attention paid
(16:55):
to that and the response of of the Saudi Arabian
government what happened to him when he entered the embassy
in Turkey. Yet, on the other hand, if we can
somehow now by having a relationship of some sort with
Saudi Arabia which brings Israel into a relationship with Saudi
(17:20):
Arabia that is going to further isolate Iran, there will
be those who in the next few weeks are going
to say, no, no, no, we can't get to we
can't get involved with Saudi Arabia because of the memory
of Jamal Koshogi, which is which is a legitimate instinct.
But when you talk about the comparison evil of Saudi
Arabia and Iran, and what those two countries, the potential
(17:43):
for someone some good or the potential for nuclear annihilation.
It's not it's not a difficult call from where I'm sitting.
You probably look at it a little differently. I'd love
to make the argument, if you will, that that maybe
we want to stay away from Saudi Arabia.
Speaker 5 (18:02):
Now I look at it the same way that you do.
I mean, of course they're a parent, they're apart, But
as you point out, you know, when you weigh that
abhorrent regime and relationships with you know, with an apparrent
regime against the virtue, the good, the benefit of trying
to avoid an inferno in the Middle East, an inferno
(18:24):
which could easily consume the entire world given the alliance
among Iran, North Korea and Russia. I like you think
it's a no brainer.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
My guest is Jeff Robbins. We're going to go to
phone calls right after the break.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Your thoughts on what is going on and the possibilities
that now exist which maybe didn't exist a month ago,
maybe didn't even exist a week ago. I think there's
an opportunity here that should be seized. Karpe DM six
one seven, two, five four to ten thirty six one seven,
nine thirty.
Speaker 2 (18:59):
My name is Dan.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
This is Nightside. This is a night when good has
triumphed over evil. Despite what these students for Palestine for
Justice and Palistine want to.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
Believe, they're wrong.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
Israel has done what it needed to do and they
did not want to kill innocent civilians along the way.
Innocent civilians had been killed along the way, that is
as a consequence of the war that Hamas initiated on
October seventh, twenty twenty three.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
Back on Night's Side, right after the news break.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
It's Nightside with Dan Ray Boston's news Radio.
Speaker 3 (19:42):
My guess is Jeff Robbins unbelievable to think that October
seventh is now just about I guess what a year
and a few days ago in Israel, who was really
in tough shape a year and a few days ago,
has tonight now wiped out most, if not all, of
(20:02):
the leadership of Hamas and has Belah, and they now
have an opportunity to turn their sights on around. Let's
see what people have to say. If you agree, great,
If you disagree, that's fine too. Let's have a conversation
on nights side. Let me go first this hour to
Tom checking in for the Philippines. Tom, a Boston guy
(20:23):
who's located in the Philippines, what do you think of
what went on in the last twenty four hours in
Gaza in Israel.
Speaker 7 (20:31):
Tom, That's wonderful what the IDF did. And I have
no problem with them taking out leadership of Hamas and
has Blah, you know, and if they can do it
with one shot, one kill, even better because no collateral damage.
(20:53):
But Dan, you had this topic about a week ago
on your program and I called in. Young man spoke
earlier to me earlier in the program to me a
call of previous. His name is Tristan, and you asked
them the question on October seventh, would those Hamas terrorists
would they have gone if they had the ability to
(21:15):
go further on to Israel and continue slaughtering Israelis that
were jewsed in Israel. He refused to answer the question.
And he is one of those people that Okay, well,
I have a great memory too. And the point being
is that with these apologists for the Palestinians, they always
(21:37):
make it about Israel's trying to commit a genocide. I
don't believe that at all, and that the issue is
is that Hamas hides in schools, hospitals and they're using
human shields the same way Saddam Hussein did in the
First Gulf War. And at some point you just have
(21:58):
to take the horse blows off and understand that you
know something. This is not a black and white issue.
It's very gray. But the reality is with the people
in Israel as you have a huge percentage of people
that are their neighbors. Not all, but there's a significant
(22:19):
percentage that want Israel wiped off the face of the earth.
And the biggest threat is Iran. And I don't ever
understand why Obama allowed them to have a ten year
window to develop a nuclear weapon, because, as Maya Angelou
once said, when somebody tells you who they are, believe them,
(22:42):
and ever since the Iranian Revolution of seventy nine, that
every time they have a massive protest, it's death to America,
death to Israel. And I have no doubt that if
Iran ever detonates a nuclear weapon, they will launch one
into Israel. They're not going to launch one into the
(23:03):
United States, they know that suicide, but they will do
that to Israel and I would like to hear what
your guest has to say on that topic. I will listen.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
Stay right there, go ahead, Jess.
Speaker 5 (23:14):
Well, first of all, I mean I agree with virtually
everything that Tom said. The only nuance is on there's
plenty of gray in the history of the Middle East
and the history of the conflict on this on what
has happened in the last year. However, in my view,
there is something which is awfully close to black and white.
(23:34):
Not one of those Gozins had to die, not one
of the Israelis had to die, Not one of the
Palestinians in Gaza had to die. Everyone died as a
result of a deliberate decision to slaughter as many Jews
as possible. And the caller is right. Tom's right. This
wasn't just Sinowar. There were six thousand armed gunmen that
(23:59):
broke in to Israel, executing everybody in sight. Six thousand
and we all remember the calls back, the gleeful calls
back to their parents, mom, dad in Arabic, I killed
this many Jews, God bless you, my son, and all
the rest of it. We saw the sheers and the
throngs and the celebrations as Israeli bodies were carried back
(24:22):
into Gaza. There is a sickness, and it's really a
horrific situation. But I agree with the caller that blinders
have to come off. They have not come off in
certain quarters, which is a puzzlement. You would think that
(24:42):
the deliberate slaughter of people would be pretty clear, even
to students for Justice in Palestine on campuses, but unfortunately,
as Tom says, it's not clear everywhere, and so the
three of us on this call right now spend a
lot of time shaking our heads and worse.
Speaker 3 (25:03):
Yeah, Tom points, yep, thank you.
Speaker 7 (25:09):
I appreciate that, and he is right. October seventh was
a black and white issue. I stand corrected on that.
Thank you, Sir Shalom. Thanks to take care.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
Thank you much.
Speaker 3 (25:21):
Let me go to lou Is in West roxfor a
little closer to home. Lou Next on Nightside with Jeff
Robins Luga right ahead.
Speaker 6 (25:29):
Yeah, Jeff's good to talk to you. I don't agree
with your national politics here in America, but I i'd
like your take on the Middle East and the Boston Herald.
I wish more people would buy the Harald and read
what you have to say.
Speaker 5 (25:42):
Well, you've made my day.
Speaker 6 (25:43):
Thank you. Yeah, I'm I'm the only Irish cal the
graduate of Temple Beth Abraham School. So I have a
lot of always had a long interest in this conflict,
and I like the take that you have. And Caroline
Glick has another good analyst of the area that what
(26:06):
we're really up against here is Sharia supremacists that really
have no desire for peace anywhere, and then they're going
to keep rolling once they're done destroying in the Middle East.
But I just want to ask the obvious question when
you talk about Joe Biden hindering the Israeli government, why
(26:34):
why are you so down on Trump? I think he
was a great friend to Israel, and I just I
can't when I read you, I say, gee, this, this
guy should really take a little more time to understand
how much Trump loves Israel and loves the Israeli people.
Speaker 3 (26:53):
Well, he may he may look lou at other aspects
of the race, but he's going to speak for himself,
so let's see what he has to say.
Speaker 2 (27:01):
I think it's a good questions.
Speaker 5 (27:03):
A good question, and it's a question that I get
asked a lot for the same reason. Look, as Dan
says on issue after issue after issue, I couldn't possibly
bring myself to vote for Trump. But I absolutely acknowledge
that the Democratic Party has been often a moral failure
(27:29):
when it comes to Iran and its proxy's in Israel.
I think a lot of that has been illustrated this year.
I commend the President for a number of things, starting
with the trip to Israel right after October seventh. I
think that in his gut he feels huge allegiance and
sympathy for Israel. I think that on the moment after
moment after moment, he has provided military support, intelligence support,
(27:53):
and he's taken a beating look. He took a pasting
from the left and his Democratic Party Democratic Party, which
may very well have been the straw that broke the
camel's back and required him to get out of the
race given his pull numbers. But there are things like
the public threat to cut off weapons to Israel if
the IDF went into Rafa, a line which by the way,
(28:15):
was parroted by Vice President Harris, who said that she'd
studied the maps, whatever that means. And of course, where
was Sinwar caught and killed? It was Rafa? Where were
those eight hostages? That were murdered recently murdered. It was
in Rafa? Where are others of the hostages in Rafa?
That kind of thing consumed the news for two weeks
(28:36):
and undercut the credibility of the IDF when it was
trying to do a job, so that I put in
the category of incomprehensible moves. And I have been, you know,
critical at times, very critical of my own party when
it comes to Israel. And am I worried about what
(28:58):
Harris administration UH would look like? Who would be staffed
by Yeah, I am worried about his candidly gay I'm worried.
Speaker 6 (29:07):
So Louis you got you got be worried about her
foreign policy?
Speaker 2 (29:14):
All right, lou appreciate, appreciate your call. A honest question,
honest answer. Thanks, thank you.
Speaker 3 (29:21):
Quick break back with my guest, Jeff Robbins of the
Boston Herald of syndicated columnists, amongst other things. Again an attorney,
first amendment attorney with Saul Ewing, a very big law
firm here in Boston, and also served in the Clinton
administration as a representative on human rights to the United Nations.
Also as the former head of the Anti Defamation League
(29:42):
here in Massachusetts, and on this issue, you heard Jeff
many times in this program, and I think that he
has been a an incredibly strong supporter of Israel within
the Democratic Party. He is a Democrat, but he certainly
stands apart from many of the Democrats, including I think
(30:03):
both of our US senators, in terms of their inability
to understand what's going on in Israel from Israel's perspective.
It's easy for us to say to net Yahoo, hey,
why don't you stand down?
Speaker 2 (30:15):
Why don't you do this? And we got we got
more phone calls.
Speaker 3 (30:17):
I want to get to them, and I'm I feel
strongly about this, but I'm more interested in your points
of view and what Jeff has to say, because nobody
knows this issue that I know of here better than
Jeff Robbins. And I thought that last exchange between Lou
from West Roxbury and Jeff really did. It was a
great question and it was a really good answer. And
(30:39):
that's the quality conversation that I'm thrilled that we have
here on Nightside, particularly on a night like this. We'll
be back on Nightside right after this.
Speaker 1 (30:49):
Now back to Dan Ray Live from the Window World
to night Side studios. I'm WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 3 (30:56):
I'm going to try to get everybody in. It's going
to be tough, but let us see what we can do.
Gonna go to Frank in Boston. Frank, you are next
on Night Side with my guest Jeff Robbins.
Speaker 2 (31:05):
Go right ahead, Frank.
Speaker 8 (31:08):
I don't understand why we need why Israel has to
try to take this fight to Iran when number one,
the last encounter they had had minimum, minimal damage on Israel,
minimal damage on Israel. The only reason why Israel wants
to go into Iran is because of the nuclear bomb.
(31:31):
They did the same thing with Iraq. They took out
an Iraq because they thought Iraq was gonna have a bomb.
That I ran and it's not gonna end the next
The next Arab state down there who will try to
get a bomb will be Saudi Arabia and if not them,
gonna be a Qatar. This is an endless game of
(31:51):
trying to get these other Arabs, the Arab states, from
having a bomb. When Israel has a bomb, they have
a bomb.
Speaker 2 (32:00):
Let's get you. I think I know what just gonna say.
Let's see what he has to say to your question.
Speaker 5 (32:04):
Frank, Well, first of all, Israel does have nowkou weapons,
but nobody wants it to use them, and Israel doesn't
want it to use them.
Speaker 6 (32:13):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (32:14):
And the fact that they have them hasn't stopped Iran
from going after Israel, not just by the proxies, the
slaughter that Hamas promulgated, not just the thousands and thousands
of rockets that Hamas that has Belas fired, But they've fired,
you know, hundreds and hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel.
(32:36):
Now they're going to continue doing it unless they're disincentivized
from doing it. So what would want? Go ahead, Dan.
Speaker 2 (32:45):
Frank, Frank, let him, let him finish his answer?
Speaker 6 (32:48):
Please, oh what?
Speaker 7 (32:49):
What?
Speaker 5 (32:50):
What would you have Israel do? Just sit there and
let Iran fire hundreds waves of ballistic missiles at Israeli cities. Uh, undeterred.
You just can't do that. What would we do if
somebody fired hundreds of missiles at us? Would we say, well, gosh,
please please don't do it again.
Speaker 1 (33:09):
They did it.
Speaker 8 (33:10):
Already the last the last book. The missile strikes that
hit Israel before the last rounds didn't do anything Israel,
and Israel responded by going into a precision bombing, but
to start and to actually go into Iran and start
bombing Iran or something to that effect. I mean, you're
(33:32):
talking about taking this world to a third world. And
quite frankly, do you want your children to go fight
for Israel?
Speaker 5 (33:41):
Well, let me focus on the on the Iran.
Speaker 2 (33:44):
I don't think.
Speaker 3 (33:45):
I don't think that any of our children have to
go fight for Israel.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
I think does very well themselves.
Speaker 8 (33:50):
Happened, That's what happened, and.
Speaker 3 (33:53):
These I appreciate it. I appreciate the call. I got
two other callers. I'd like to get to you, ask
some questions. You got answers you particularly like them, but
I think I got to roll on.
Speaker 8 (34:02):
Okay, Well, I'm sorry, Conservative Conservatives is not going to
back you up.
Speaker 3 (34:07):
That's fine, Okay, thank you, Frank, appreciate your call. Let
me go next to real quickly. I'm gonna try to
get Mike and west Roxby and Jeff and Walty. Mike
and west Roxby go right ahead. You're on with Jeff Robbins.
Speaker 9 (34:19):
Gentlemen, here's a thing. The leader of the Moss has
been taken out. And I'm sure both of you already
considered this there's at least fifty guys that they're ready to.
Speaker 6 (34:30):
Take his place.
Speaker 9 (34:31):
Well, what about.
Speaker 2 (34:33):
That you take them up when they out the side
of my face there, Well.
Speaker 6 (34:40):
You're not wrong.
Speaker 5 (34:41):
It seems to me that there are going to be
the extent of the insane, genocidal jihadism that permeates uh,
you know, Gaza and particularly Hamas, which is the ruling enterprise,
is horrifying. And I think nobody thinks that, you know,
with the elimination of Sinwar, it's over. As I said before,
(35:04):
there were six thousand mini Sino Wars that invaded Israel
on October seventh. But on the other hand, the hope
is the hope is that by sort of decimating the
command structure, you can maybe create an environment where there
is the day after Hamas. Nobody in their right mind,
it seems to me, thinks that Hamas can be permitted
(35:25):
to rule Gaza. You have to be you have to
be sort of you know, on mes clin. It seems
to me to think that that's the and I'm not
talking about the lettuce to think that that's a viable outcome,
I'm not saying you do. So you're right, of course
that the problem is beyond sin sin war. The hope
is that you can kind of get people in Gaza
(35:47):
to say, you know, this is not working for us,
and it's not working for the Gazas they're suffering terribly
as a result of this. Yeah, hope somehow was that
my great?
Speaker 3 (35:57):
Great questions? I want to get one more end though,
man take Thank you very much, good question. It's something
we should be thinking about. But guess what, I don't
think Israel has a choice. I think, however, whenever the
next time you see that game, do you ever.
Speaker 2 (36:09):
See that game?
Speaker 9 (36:10):
Michael understands.
Speaker 3 (36:11):
Yeah, you ever see that game Whack a Mole? Where
you're you're using it? It's okay, simple as that. Thanks Mike,
gotta got go Jeff and Waldam. Jeff, I only got
about a minute for you, but I want to get
you in here.
Speaker 2 (36:26):
Go ahead. You're on with Jeff Robins.
Speaker 4 (36:28):
Hey, I'll try to leave beef loosen then you know, Jeff,
I'm I'm a peace loving person appalled at any civilian casualties. However,
I do look at the situation this way, and I
wonder if you do too, mister Robbins, is it not
true that in face of the Iranian attempted attack on Israel,
(36:54):
irrespective of the success of it. I mean that represents
a unprovoked for two of his aggressed Okay, uh, in
terms of intent whatever, Ye? Yeah, absolutely exactly exactly. Would
you agree that in faith of that kind of attack,
(37:18):
appeasement politics in the final analysis would be more escalatory. Okay?
Then then then, Jeff, I think I.
Speaker 2 (37:35):
Think we got you. I think we got the question.
Speaker 3 (37:37):
And Jeff Robbins only got about forty five seconds or
thirty seconds left to answer it. And I'm agreeing with Jeff,
and I'm sure you with both jeffs go ahead, Jeff,
I do too.
Speaker 5 (37:46):
Israel didn't ask for October seventh, they didn't ask for
the nine thousand, ten thousand rockets from Isabelah thereafter. But
as Dan said, they just don't have a choice. They
don't have the luxury of basically saying, I really do
hope this doesn't happen again, particularly when those in question
Amas and his Balla are saying, oh, yeah, it's going
to happen again. It's going to keep happening.
Speaker 4 (38:07):
So basically because in prospect appeasement serves that's relation.
Speaker 3 (38:12):
Yeah, I think you hit the nail right in the head,
Jeff and Waltam. I appreciate your call, but we're.
Speaker 1 (38:16):
Flat out of top Okay, Jeff Robin.
Speaker 3 (38:19):
You're welcome, Jeff, Jeff Robbins, thank you very much. Let's
see what happens next. But I think that Israel has
never had a better opportunity to settle this situation, and
it maybe not settle it forever, but settle it down
in the next few days.
Speaker 2 (38:35):
Let's see what happens.
Speaker 5 (38:37):
Dan, I agree, and thanks so much for having me on.
Speaker 3 (38:39):
Absolutely, we will talk sooner, my friend, when we come back,
we're going to talk about an interview that Vice President
Harris participated in yesterday.
Speaker 2 (38:48):
I watched it. I'd love to know your reaction too,
because I have some thoughts back after the eleven o'clock
news here on Nightside.
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.