Weekly Update: Nachum Segal and Malcolm Hoenlein Discuss the Latest News

Malcolm Homeline is with us. We call this the weekly update conference of presidents of major American Jewish organizations. Mr. Homeline, welcome back to JM in the AM. >> Thank you. Good to be with you as always. >> You have all the Kanuka gifts lined up? Everything prepared for Sunday night? >> I'm certainly prepared for Kaneka. I'm especially prepared for some of the miracles of Kaneka. We need him today. Oh, one of my friends was joking with me last Friday if there's going to be a discovery by the archaeological institute now that we are now that we're getting set to celebrate Khan. I don't know if you ever noticed this, Malcolm, but it always seems that it's this time of the year that something is discovered to prove the existence of our holy temples. Did you ever notice that the timing of all this? >> Well, I am not as much of a skeptic as you are. I I believe in things being basher but but it could be the announcements to be tied so that it it has the full emphasis and coverage that is necessary so people appreciate the connection because if you did it just during the year people would say it's nice but then move on when they see the connection to and they see the connection to para that we read in the Torah that has a it has an added impact of people seeing the continuity of Jewish history, the relevance of Jewish history and the truth. And especially for young people and all the families here who listen should make sure talk to your kids about it. Tell them the story. Tell them about the new wall that they found from the time of the Makabs. Te tell them all of the other amazing excavations that are going on. All of which reinforce Tanakh. Every one of them consistent with Tanakh. 20,000 a year. that you can't argue with the bedrock of a mountain with a wall to tell you the history that what we read is not fiction and it's not made up and it's not all the things that people accuse, but it's fact and and it will reinforce their commitments and their belief. >> Oh, I totally agree with you. I'm still trying to get over the fact that you claim to be less skeptical than me, but I I totally agree with you when it comes to the modern Jewish discoveries that prove uh medieval or classical Jewish history. Um I mean, is it fair to say that the prime minister really want ba based on the news of the week, is it fair to say that the prime minister really does want to avoid any types of any type of uh commission of inquiry, any type of official government look into what happened on October 7th? Would it be fair to say that he's trying his best to avoid it? >> A lot of people say it and it would make sense if you just analyze it, but the demand of the people is so strong and there has to be accounting at least an explanation and you know as time goes on it becomes harder and harder I think to do it or on the other hand others argue that things clarify. I I think that uh you know he doesn't manipulate it so much. It's uh if he can, I'm sure he would like to to put it off. And you see with the trial what it what it how much how debilitating it is. And nobody would say, well, you don't try somebody because they are prime minister. Maybe yes, you do because it it it cripples the ability for government to function and you wait till afterwards. If you have a commission inquiry that starts pointing figure fingers and starts raising questions and and is will by by his very nature inevitably be divisive. Yes, I think it's necessary that we have a full understanding so it doesn't happen. Do you see already that there were some pictures showing that there were vulnerabilities on other borders that we have to learn from it? We have to understand why it happened, how it happened. uh mo mostly to prevent and we don't want to see Israel further divided and further um uh hurt by by revelations. But frankly, you got to confront these things to get past them. Aren't we Aren't we during afterward already? I mean, I know that, you know, certain aspects of this war continue and many people are hesitant to declare that it's over even though we've enjoyed uh, you know, some semblance of peace over the last couple of months. But I mean, at one point, at what point do we declare that we're afterward and we can actually legitimately start some type of inquiry? >> Well, the inquiries are going on. There have been the army's had, others have had it. There are a lot of other initiatives to try to um uh understand it and learn from it. But uh anybody who thinks that we're past this war, I think it is mistaken because there's just look at the the stories every single day. This is not to say we shouldn't do it. I'm not I believe we have to do it and that for the people's sake and for the sake of the families and to see the you know all the soldiers everybody else beyond just the the victims on October 7th we have a responsibility but also to everybody else so that people have more confidence in the future. There are still people hesitant to go to the northern border to go back to their homes there because they're afraid and they see what's going on with his attempts to rebuild on both fronts and the the stockpiling again of weapons and you know we don't see kamas being dismantled. We see Qatar and Turkey trying to even dissuade Hamas from uh from disarming and they they want a 2-year grace period during which Hamas could keep its weapons. an impossibility I think for Israel and Israel security. And this this will come up I think when the prime minister gets to Mara Lago when it comes on December 29th I think is the meeting and um to talk about the u you know the international force you saw what's happening with Blair that he got knocked out and the hesitancy of countries to contribute troops and one that wants to contribute obviously Israel does not want to see Turkish troops there and they and they shouldn't. So Hamas disarming is going to be at the top of the list in the discussions between Trump and Netanyahu. >> Well, Hamas disarming and the role of the United States. The United States will not put troops on the ground. They will give supervision to the president is supposed to chair the into the I think it's called ISF. Uh and you know they're citing statistics that the majority of Gaza residents don't support Hamas. >> Uh they blame them for for the things. But then you see other polls that um uh and and people would if they had an alternative maybe they would they would embrace it. But right now there is no alternative and we see that the the reports of infiltrated the Lebanese army. So that situations are still very complex and complicated and we see Houthis supposedly rearming. We see other reports which you could discuss this. You see the developments in Iraq, all of which are very troubling as Turkey seeks to assert itself uh more and more and Somalia becoming a a proxy for Turkey, other countries acting on their behalf and mostly uh seeing their their renewed push into Syria. So I and I say this all because people, you know, it's not always seeing a headline that god forbid somebody's wounded or there was an attack, but there's a lot of stuff that goes on daytoday that we're not yet at the stage of being post post the conflict. >> Oh, I get it. I'm just wondering when we in fact can can say or can describe the war as being over, but as you said, that's uh it's certainly not yet. That's for sure. Um, I had the privilege of speaking with Ron Gavil's parents this past Monday in a different forum, not JM and the AM. And they obviously are the parents of the last remaining hostage, so to speak, in uh in Gaza. Have you seen the videos that have been released about some of the activities that the hostages were involved with in the tunnels in Gaza? >> It's beyond belief. It's beyond belief. And you see the courage and the commitment that they singing inside the tunnel, lighting the candles and and and marking Hanukkah. It's it's almost superhuman to to believe it. I find it very difficult to watch cuz cuz you know what we lost. Most of those people were were did not survive uh in that in that particular film. But I I've I see everything. I have a hard time watching it still because it evokes the memories of what I saw that day in in Ber and in the south. But the the but it has to be told and you have to see what these people did and where real amun anybody who doesn't draw inspiration from their example I think is missing it. >> Oh totally agree with you. I also wonder about the route that these videos took to become public. I mean, I I assume obviously that the enemy took these videos. What What do you think of the timing? What do you think of the, you know, the whole practice of releasing them to the world at this point? >> Honestly, I have the same questions and um but you know, the families have to give permission. Sometimes they they don't want the films to get out because some of them you know show things that are are could be you know perceived as detrimental not to the people but you know to the person embarrassing pictures but the fact that they they want it out because it is a message to the people of Israel and and and they need this reinforcement and you see the excitement that it generates and how this has proliferated. I I mean I must have gotten it 30 times in the first few hours after it came out from different people sending it which which tells you a lot that um >> yeah it certainly went viral. Well, I just wonder about the root. >> I mean, is this something that the families have seen and have been aware of for months at this point? Like, >> no. when after the war when Israel went into some of the t they captured a lot of these films and then you know they don't even know what at the beginning what they have and then it is the families have a I would say a veto over the public release of them and um it's it it is um it's the proper thing to do but I think them wanting to see this get get out and to see to listen to some of the testimonies where people reveal the abuse they suffered and one could easily argue that you know why would you subject yourself to that and they say no it needs to be told people need to know and I think that that is such an a heroic uh message and maybe somehow it's it helps them uh if they if they get it off their chest that they have to I mean I've seen interviews with uh psychologists and psychiatrists about it and they say that there are people some who who want to bottle it all up and not expose it and others who need to tell the story so that others will understand what they went through. >> Wow. Um, as I said, uh, when I spoke to the Gile family, obviously they're not ready to discuss remains. They speak about Ron as if he's, you know, still being held hostage. Who could blame them? But a week later, because we I did ask you last week, are we closer now? Because there are rumors that Israeli authorities and IDF sources actually know where his remains are. Are we closer, you think, to in fact having the last hostage home? >> Well, I certainly hope so. And uh you know, it was all along asserted by many that uh they would stretch out the last one because it's the leverage they have. They think I think that that's been expended already. Um but uh I think it's inevitable that there are people digging, they're doing excavations, Red Cross, others are involved in in uh looking for uh the body. Uh I I'm optimistic that they will be able to get it and people that I've spoken to in Israel believe that they they will be able to on this side of the world. I got to ask you what you think of this and and I'm being serious. I'm not uh uh leaning one way or the other, but I'm curious. You're you're you're in a position for all these decades where you've seen it all, so to speak, on the American Jewish scene. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer spoke on the Senate floor and the concerning rise of anti-semitism and white supremacy. And there's a resolution which is supported by every Democratic member of the Senate that condemns such hate and those who spread it, specifically mentioning Nick Quentes and Tucker Carlson for giving these views a platform. I am curious what your reaction is to this resolution. >> You know, I I think we have to think the strategies we engage in as as someone a very famous media person pointed out to me, you know, that some people are strengthened by the accusations. the fact that you're the subject of a congressional resolution by name and that you know there's metal that the more you bang it the stronger it becomes. It's true of politicians when President Trump was out of office the more the more attacks grew MAGA didn't diminish MAGA and people say the same thing about the mayor in New York that the more the attacks the bigger he he reinforced his base broadened it and he directed it. Uh so Fuentes I think that the thing that helped the most was the revelation by the network contagion research institute studying his things showing that the vast majority had nothing to do with the United States of the mass majority of the reaction that he always cited about the followers there they were either bots or people stationed in Pakistan Cambodia I mean all sorts of foreign places and and it it shows was the majority in fact of uh of reactions that they that he boasted. I think it's important to expose the lies that they spread. I think it's important to tell the truth. I don't know that we should name them. I don't know that that doesn't isn't what they want at this point and especially to be the subject of a congressional resolution. The fact it came from Democrats, not Republicans, is probably better in terms of its impact. But that's not what's going to change the mind of the anti-semites. Now, we see the growth that it continues. we see what's happening while the campus is still you saw the study of Columbia University. I mean it's almost pathetic and ridiculous and has been ridiculed by members of the Congress and senators you know saying that they're admitting to the to the problem with really uh admitting that they didn't protect the students that they don't have the resources for the students Columbia University in New York City and they don't have the resources to properly address the issue. So there has to be much deeper reach. I know there's some studies show that some of the messaging really has a negative impact that the that in terms of fighting uh Jew hatred, it's not anti-semitism. Um that sometimes the messages reinforce negative stereotypes and negative messaging. So we have to become more sophisticated in dealing with it. But it it is I want to see Democrats on record. I want to see uh people call it I want to see adoption of the IRA definition but we're seeing that that at times things are moving backwards not forwards on it. You saw the governor of Maryland that is Hanukkah party uh talked about support for the Israeli people but he didn't talk about support for Israel. He didn't talk about the state. The very fact that you redefine it in that way is is a message as well. and he has a very mixed message um um record as it is. But you know, it's not a nuance. It's an important distinction that you would not have heard people make before and certainly not the a state like Maryland uh to to not be able to come out and support the government the the state of Israel and uh you know their right to live the people's right to live in freedom etc. It's uh so I'm saying to you that we have to become much more sophisticated and we're trying to work on it. Um but you know the uh we see still the attempts to to re uh rewrite the facts uh and to u I saw this professor at Fletcher and as toughs who been there for 36 years and he said he felt unwelcome as a Jew and he heard the audience compare Jews who oppose Hamas to Nazis and suggest Jews appointed to post State Department, the Bureau of New Affairs are biased by their very nature. And and we have this all over the lines of that the Arabs are indigenous to Israel by Jews who preceded them by a thousand years by several thousand years are not. All of this is part of of the need for us to shake up the whole system to acknowledge that we have very generous people giving lots of money for projects that are not producing the results and that we we ought to be able to answer a question like yours based on research, based on facts, based on, you know, real expert testimony. >> Some very, very important points. I'm glad I asked. Some very, very important points. It's America's one and only Jewish moments in the morning radio program and a listener sponsored digital radio around the world web.com and the alam single network and of course on the beloved NSN app. If you like what you hear every single week with a weekly update and all of our great programming all through the week. Um make sure to support our year-end campaign at fjbunity.org. Did you see that Amnesty International actually uh um uh labeled Hamas as guilty of war crimes? >> Yes, I did. They still they still make accusations against Israel, >> right? Uh Amnesty has a long history of bias and u distortion because it has this reputation uh being Amnesty International and they do some good work in rescuing people or pursuing those who aren't justly um imprisoned and stuff but but you have to look at the total picture to see it to acknowledge that kamas how can you deny it you have October you see the movies the all the stuff that comes out so it sort of enables them then to be more critical of Israel because say, "Well, you see, we're balanced in our our presentations >> and uh and in the factual papers that we put out." >> Factual. >> So, take that news item with a grain of salt, if you will. The Israel Egypt agreement deal. I mean, you'll explain to us what it is with natural gas, etc., etc. Now, looks like the leader of Egypt and the prime minister of Israel are actually going to be meeting together. I I would think that this is a much more much more of a bigger deal and a historic event. I don't know if it's getting the attention that I would expect it to get. What you can tell what can you tell us about this deal and about this upcoming meeting? >> So, uh whether it be historic or not, we don't know. Um the relationship with Israel, Israel and Egypt is is quite tense. As you know, Egypt moved a lot of tanks into Gaza area. They said it was to really to hold the Palestinians in, not to protect anybody. The um the Muslim Brotherhood are more assertive again in Egypt. So everybody wants to protect CC but he himself and members of his have made very hostile comments been very critical of Israel especially at the intraarab gatherings and uh Cece himself is in in a more sensitive position and I'm sure Israel doesn't want to see him fall or anybody else uh in the west doesn't want to see the chaos that would probably ensue but most of all to have go back again to the Morsey type government, a Muslim Brotherhood government. The Muslim Brotherhood started in Egypt in the 1920s and it's been deeply rooted uh there uh despite the efforts of the government to to remove it. So the the deal is about uh buying energy from Israel, gas from Israel, but now they say they have alternatives with other discoveries that they that Egypt says they can buy it from other places. >> Uh it's not as efficient as from the studies that I've seen uh uh to buy it from some of those other places. And uh maybe that's just a it's just a leverage move to try to get Israel to conclude the agreement. And he's saying it's a precondition to any meeting. And he's also saying CC that is that a precondition would be Israel's withdrawal from from Gaza. That is not going to happen now under these circumstances. But u the gas deal might be signed and I think the United States has been putting pressure on CC uh to do so. Again, you know, he's treated with u sort of kid gloves most of the time, but he has he's playing all sides. He's very crafty in that regard and and has been doing it much more of late. So, Egypt is still very troubling. it's uh its population continues to grow vastly and its resources don't match it despite the fact that they've discovered energy as well. Uh so for Israel this is its most delicate border in many respects. It's generally remained quiet although as you've seen how many drones fly over almost every day carrying weapons that they're trying to smuggle but this is not government doing it but I don't think government of Egypt is doing enough to help stop it. uh it's Israel's primary responsibility to take down these drones then uh the the uh but the stability of Egypt is a vital concern for Israel and especially when you have the heating up of fronts still around Israel that the the the fires have not been completely put out and the militias in Iraq and uh other things uh and and Turkey and Iran both still smuggling weapons and still trying to to build up the the terrorist entities that this is uh you know despite the fact you I just want to say I've tried to over the years for many years just report on the currency of Iran so people understand that they will sacrifice their people's interests to any degree the currency hit now one and a quarter million to the dollar when when I started giving the reports I think in 2018 18 it was 50,000 to the dollar. The inflation rate now according to Iran statistical center is almost 49%. 49%. It's the highest in four years. And yet they keep pouring money into all of these terrorist activities. They are rebuilding their nuclear capacity. They are rebuilding from the attacks uh from just a few months ago. It's it you know it tells you so much about what are the priorities and the internal uh tensions in Iran are very great. So does this become a diversion? Does this become just you know it's competition between them Turkey and Russia let's say in Syria is it there are but they're spreading their influence as is Turkey all over the region. Turkeykey's currency is also and the in in terrible shape and and the inflation is very high and yet they divert all these funds huge amounts of money to continue to support and to express advancing that let's say in Africa in Somali where they're they're building bases and they're you know trying to to um uh to threaten the west from especially across the Mamba Ladab which in Yemen which is one of the critical choke holds and why the Houthies have been able to to diminish the the shipping that can go through there with their missiles. Anyway, so it's a long answer, but people have you can't look at it in isolation. You can't look at just one piece. Everything is interrelated. So what happens domestically in Iran limits their ability to do things externally or may motivate it in order to divert attention. The same thing with the decisions that Israel has to make. People tell me, you know, come up with simplistic solutions. When you sit in the seat of the prime minister, believe me, it doesn't look so simple. >> I wonder how many of the things you just mentioned are going to be on the agenda at Mara Lago. >> That's a very good question. You know, it's how many things can you can you put on there? When you see Iran again building large scale ballistic missile production and other steps, that obviously has to be a top priority for Israel. Shara remains a top priority and despite the fact that the special envoy is still pushing for Israel to make concession, Israel to to reach a deal and Israel to to withdraw or Israel to and as well putting pressure on the Drews and others. Um and Turkey looking to assert itself much more there and Israel has to resist on on many fronts. And it's hard when you're so dependent on the United States and when though the relationship is good and they've been supportive and you know not everything you see is really what's happening that it could be very different. Um but Israel has to and has to have a hard line that you know that not to allow a a Palestinian entity control in Gaza. They had a chance in 2005 and look at the cost that it enabled and they're not going to allow a state he said this week uh committed to our destruction right on our border and they have to watch the other borders in the West Bank. There's a lot of expectations amongst the people of Israel that that you know an inifatal life situation could happen again uh let alone the heating up of other borders. Israel has been movingly preemptively in Udum which very effective in preventing I think real atrocities from happening and shutting down the weapon supply and Iran still tries to supply him through Jordan. Um so Israel is will put down its conditions uh for for any progress um in in the uh in the negotiations with the president. Hopefully the president absent generally supportive but he does like Erdogan and um you saw that he likes Shara and the um and the fact that that Turkey and Qatar are dissuading Kamas from disarming tells you the story. >> It is time for the preheka pop culture quiz with Malcolm Homeline. Malcolm, I hope you're ready for this one. >> I am not. >> I am not. That's funny. I I think you will be when you hear the question. What do Hollywood A-listers Mark Ruffalo, Tilda Swinton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Sting, Javia Bam, I hope I pronounced that correctly, or maybe I don't care if I pronounced that correctly. Uh, Sir Richard Branson, Margaret Atwood, Brian Eno, Paul Simon, Annie Lennox, and Sir Ian Mckllen have in common. >> They were all mentioned on your show this morning that that they're all supporting Mario and Bouti's release. >> Correct. How disgraceful. How disgraceful. >> That was that was close. U disgraceful. >> Beyond disgraceful. Can you imagine people petitioning the release of somebody who has five life sentences who is responsible for the deaths of so many Jews and Israelis and others? And I I think it's just it tells you the corruption of the values and and people who have such sway and influence uh magnified not by virtue of of the uh that it's a credit credible thing but because the of who they are their positions they put them on a screen you know that I I've seen reports that Qatar uh is is going to invest billions would be in Hollywood would >> wow >> they did the campuses they did the K to2 schools they've done so many businesses they're buying now they realize that the leverage is in in Hollywood they also into sports uh facility teams and stuff because they have such a hold on on people that and it gives credibility look how many teams Saudi Arabia everybody is investing in these sports teams >> and including Formula 1 racing and stuff and bringing FIFA uh you you see the the the credibility and the impact that it has. But going to Hollywood now because these figures have a lot of young people who look up to them. I'm not sure the ones you mentioned many of them are are yesterday's story but the influencers of today have such sway over people and that's why the schools are you know limiting the amount of um the telephones being in in in classrooms and parents should be limiting the amount of time that kids can be on the on the screens because they're corrupting them. The messages are lies. They're the ones fueling a lot of the anti-Israel, anti-Semitic stuff, anti- other groups as well, whoever is not in favor that day. It's it's a result of of this. So, it they're they're they're lending their names to a murderer like this. >> Yeah. And and even and even those who are, you know, past their prime still, Paul Simon, Sting, Richard Branson, they still have influence. They still have, you know, reputation behind them. I just never understood or never believed that they who spent all this time in Hollywood and you'd expect that because of their success. You know, success doesn't mean that you've got, you know, that you got everything right, so to speak. You know what I mean? And I >> and many of them maybe want to be relevant by putting their name on something when you know there'll be a controversy because it puts them back in the center. >> Any anything to be mentioned on JM and the AM. Uh, all right. Khan message. We'll give you 90 seconds. Uh it's a unique year to say the least. We're in this strange peaceful era and I know that that's you know in quotation marks but it is very different than was happening a year ago. Your Kanuka message as it all begins on Sunday night. Malcolm listen I think we have to draw strength and inspiration from Kaneka. I pointed out to people when when we say in Alanim and we say in the braha on the when we light the the minora when we look back to those miracles is that not what that film about what they did in the in the tunnel what they did is not would not in biblical times have been something we would learn about and study about is not the the miracle of Israel's resilience and I s cited few Iran which is 10 times the population and at 40 times the size of Israel in collapse in no water for their people, no electricity for their people, even in the presidential house. And yet the few overcame the many. this little country, it's still a tiny country and with all the resources and thank God with the support of the United States and friends some friends around the world, Europe collapsing all the others places and yet Israel remains resilient that it's it's um its GDP is going to go up 12 and a half% for the last quarter. The the the shekele is the strongest it's been in many years. I don't understand it. I don't know why. But but that's exactly the point that we don't understand miracles. We don't always know why, but we should acknowledge it and and it should reinforce our messages and people who don't see that the future is largely tied to our future to Israel is really missing the picture. So the miracles of then of rabinatim satikim the few and the money many the righteous overcoming the evil this we're seeing that miracle that little Israel took on a sevenfront war and and despite the fact it's not concluded and we've talked about some of the challenges it's still an miraculous achievement so I hope that people will show to everybody who helps us but shakarat to Israel remember the families the isom, the almanos, the widows, and the the thousands of of orphans and people who need our help and our assistance more than ever that we we respond to them and uh we will then continue to see the miracles of old in our days. >> Very important words. Happy to you. Be well. Uh hopefully we'll speak next week. Malcolm Homeline with us weekly update Friday morning here at JM in the A.M.