Norman Finkelstein on Israel Palestine

Political scientist and analyst of Israeli-Palestinian history Norman Finkelstein joined us this week for a conversation on the ongoing bombardment of Gaza by Israel.

In a wide-ranging interview, Dr Finkelstein sets out the historical context for the current conflict, the material conditions that have pushed Gazans to breaking point, and Israeli political and social attitudes to the subjugation of the Palestinian population.

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[hueffel]

Finkelstein: "If You lost the capacity to see the innocents of children, You lost your mind, You're crazy."
So true!

[themostbestwizard]

"I don't feel Israel is a Jewish state; it's a lunatic state."
Well put!

[iftikharhyder]

Norman, I am an American Muslim and I honestly believe you are one of the greatest human being alive. I wish you all the best in this life and a reward in the hereafter.

[Truthbetold-uesv]

After having listened to Netanyahu's opinions and thousands of Israeli kids on different mediums, I concluded that the Israeli society should be a concern for the youth of the world. If I had to use one word to describe the collective consciousness of Israel, that would be sociopathic.

[aomar]

Dr. Finkelstien
I am a Palastinian that grew up poor but at the end of the day I had some to eat, I can’t imagine what your mother has gone through and the people of Gaza are going through now .
Thank you so much for courage and the way you stand for humanity.

[ImranKhan-gshy]

This man has been speaking the truth and fighting for it for over half a century. ✊

[dmpimpj]

Didn't really know anything about israel and gaza till this war. Professor Finkelstein explains the history in a way that everyone can understand. This man deserves a noble peace prize for sticking with it for 40 years. He's my hero.

[petra]

This is something everyone should hear to clearly understand why the Palestinian people would snap and want to break free and do anything as they are desperate to be FREE of this oppression. Thank you for your truth. 🇵🇸💖🇵🇸

[ysha]

Norman Finkelstein has left his mark on this conflict reminding everybody of their humanity.

[annavladi]

My mother was a child of WWII. She always remembered being hungry as a child and later as a college student, even after the victory of 1945. Thank you, Dr. Finkelstein, for being true to your mother's memory and for keeping your integrity no matter what. Not many people are strong enough to not waiver from the truth these days.

[seyedmehdimirsaeedi-ehht]

Dear dr norman iam an iranian 41 year old male and i appreaciate you are real humanbeing and i hope you can acheive more than you expect .

[emmmcee]

Mr Finklestein, as a Native American I see a correlation between the occupation of Gaza to the tribes in America. It would be an honor to invite you and speak to the Great Navajo Nation tribal members about the history of Palestians. I respect you...AHOO!

[r.arieff]

As a Jew whose ancestors were murdered by the Nazis, Professor Finkelstein is a shining example of what the rest of us Jews should strive to be: truly learned and moral Jewish citizens of the world. The mainstream Jewish attitude towards what is happening in Israel-Gaza (and the West Bank), the callousness and lack of empathy, fills me with shame and despair. NEVER AGAIN = NEVER AGAIN FOR ANYBODY!

[edmundo]

When I listen to people like Professor Norman Finkelstein, it gives me hope that humanity is still out there... what a professional and intelligent person he is. Legend!

[Sunnahiman]

Dr Fenklstein, I love your heart, your truth your courage to speak to evildoers. You are a gift to humanity. I am a African American Muslim woman grandfather born late 1800S was a blk jew spoke Hebrew and had a kosher home. My grandfather died in early 60s. I worked with many Jewish people for over 30 yrs I enjoyed who they were and was even invited to Israel one year by a woman who I worked with. This is horrifying what is happening to all in Palestine. May God help humanity and we can end this madness on earth. Peace and blessings.

[mavisharris]

Thank you so much for airing this. A great man. A great soul, a brilliant mind. A big heart.

[stefangomez]

I just love the clarity and honesty of his speech. People complain that he speaks too slow, but it is because he gives value to each and every word that comes out of his mouth. And you can tell that because his words deeply resonate. He is like a writer, carefully and methodically crafting the narrative of his story so that it will reach us without any shadows or gaps. I've got now three of his books and each one is an academic masterpiece. Thanks for your hard work Mr. Finkelstein.

[GG-utly]

This professor lost his job because he was speaking the truth.

[corrievanhalm]

Dear Dr Finkelstein, I feel that whatever I am going to say in response to your passionate, thorough and utterly pertinent contribution, it is not going to describe the intensity of my reaction to it. I gave myself some time to organise my thoughts before commenting by doing some ordinary daily tasks. In spite of it, four hours after watching this video, I am still deeply affected by much of what you share, describe and report. I am a contemporary of yours. I recognise some of what you describe as similar to my own childhood experience, albeit very different as well. One thing that resonates is the powerful presence of a mother whose experience to an important extent determined my own political development.
It is the 4th of May, the official commemoration day here in the Netherlands. Tonight we will have a two minutes national silence in memory of all those whom died in ww 2. As a young woman I used to go to a memorial site of ordinary neighbourhood lads whom had been killed as they were resisting the invaders. I remember taking lilacs. People honour in their own way for reasons of their own. Tonight will be different from any previous commemoration as many people will be thinking of the atrocities committed against the Palestinian people. Yet I do not think a mention will be made of it. We'll see. I lived in the UK under Tony Blair when Irak was invaded. I remember how I observed with growing dread and disbelief how the fable of 'weapons of mass destruction, ' was rolled out. I remember Dr.David Kelly. I remember his visit to Irak to investigate and I remember his suicide. Do I need to say more?
Lastly, I have only last week come upon you via you tube and am grateful for now knowing about your existence. Listening to you and some of your interviewers, I felt at times that I was back in the seventies and hearing the same political language again. A language that has been under attack and, I thought, was nowhere to be found anymore. I cannot thank you enough. Lastly, for real this time, I want to take a risk here and ask you to look after yourself. I know I am at risk of being accused of sounding condescending, motherly and or interfering, but really I am being selfish here. I want you to stay alive and have more time enjoy your aliveness and comradeship. Thank you.

[TuxedoTalk]

"Mowing the lawn" and "Work will set you free" will sit next to each other in history.