Arab Jews: The Hidden History | Ash Sarkar meets Avi Shlaim

A foundational principle of the state of Israel is that it keeps Jews safe. This principle has been profoundly challenged in the last nine or so months. But what if Israel never really had the will or capacity to keep all Jews safe and, in fact, has made them less safe?

Avi Shlaim is a historian and author of “Three Worlds: Memoirs of an Arab-Jew”. He joined Ash to talk about the Israeli right, Mossad’s covert operations in Baghdad and what it means to have hyphenated identities.

00:00 Intro
01:36 Experience of Arab Jews Pre-1948
11:07 When Did Things Change?
20:34 Ethnicity in Contemporary Israel
35:13 Jabotinsky
38:25 Jewish Safety and Zionism
44:24 Mossad and Iraqi Jewish Displacement
54:24 Zionists and the Jewish Diaspora
01:02:13 Hybrid Identity

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[AmrHussein]

There is a huge difference between Judaism and Zionism and this needs to be recognized, clearly acknowledged and appreciated. So much respect to Prof. Avi

[kingkoopa]

My father was born in Baghdad in 1934 to Assyrian Christian parents. My father would tell me all the time that when he was a kid in Iraq no one cared about Muslim, Jew, or Christian. Most people lived together, celebrated each other’s holiday together and were genuinely friends. Everything changed as he got older, not just for Jews, but even for Christians..however Jews fled to Israel, all the other minorities had no where to go.

[AbdulrahmanHammad]

Losing our Arab Jews, our fellow citizens, is a massive loss to the Arab world

[wowwee]

Avi Schlaim is a treasure. We are so lucky to have this much free content.

[rafikbaladi]

Two thumbs up to Ash Sarkar for her unbiased intellectual curiosity. Thank you Prof. Avi Shlaim for warming my heart. I am a 74 years old Christian from Egypt and I remember those beautiful days when we celebrated Sabbath next door with my Muslim neighbours. I will never forget

[miskakerdez]

Listening to Avi Shlaim is so uplifting. What a calm, principled, moral voice. Recently read his book Three Worlds. I highly recommend it. Thank you for having him on, Ash. Excellent interview.

[st_ebbe]

Thank you for talking about Britain’s role during the mandatory period. That is when this whole mess started.

[AliLars]

As an Iraqi, I always heard stories from my grandparents about the Iraqi Jews. I don’t remember ever hearing negative stories or comments. It’s devastating and true nekba to the Palestinians first and foremost, and the rest of the Arab region regards of what religion people where from. As sad as I am to all the lose the Middle East suffered from colonialism, I am still hopeful because the culture we carry has been in the making for thousands of years, the foundation is strong and true history lives on. Thank for such an intellect conversation, Avi is such a wonderful human being, a national treasure.

[hakanozaslan]

We need more brave men like Mr Avi Shlaim.

[odetocycling]

Probably the best interview I've ever seen, period. Profoundly interesting, fact-based, intelligent and informative. Well done Ash and the team for bringing this scholarly insight into one of the most troubling conflicts of our times.

[johnpullen]

Prof. Avi Shlaim is a dude. A total voice of reason on Middle Easton matters...

[nwfwnuy]

An outstanding interview. Ash was well prepared as how should an intelligent journalist should be. And Prof Avi, was so scholarly clear talking like in a great class of history.
Thanks Novara Media for been so outstanding in journalism.

[esmaanderson]

What a beautiful, gentle soul this wonderful man is. I hope and pray that, after the liberation of Paleatine, this peaceful coexistence that he talks about can return to Weatern Asia.
Free Palestine for the sake of Palestinians and Jews. 🇵🇸🍉🇵🇸

[NV_Out-of-Place]

Thanks Ash for this very informative and touching interview with Prof Shlaim. He articulates his thoughts in such a charming, poetic, and yet factual and convincing way. You can almost see the streets of his lost multiethnic and cosmopolitan Bagdad.

[samirahmed]

This man is smart, wise and fair. His talk is clear and direct.

[claudemagnan]

It is always a pleasure to listen this wonderful man speak. Thank you Ash Sarkar for a great interview with Avi Shlaim.

[numberneek]

Another star interview 👏👏
This is why I’m a Novara supporter ❤

[pennyred]

I love Avi. What an amazing man. How we have come to seeing little kids blown to bits by the thouands. Every day I see it on X. Its just soul destroying. I can hardly bear it from afar, God help those living in the grip of this genocide with zero power, no ability to flee. No home, no food, no shelter, even tents are bombed, hospitals, medics bombed for nearly 10 months now.

[Zazie]

Thank you for inviting Prof Shlaim. I have just finished his book "three worlds". Very insightful. Highly recommended. Kudos to Prof Shlaim

[telephonic]

Always love hearing this Brave man speak.