Amidst surging antisemitism, terrorism, and social division, and at a time when Israel continues to fight an unprecedented war with Hamas and other terrorist organizations – seeking to liberate dozens of hostages – the governments of France, the UK, and Canada – agreed to recognize Palestinian statehood.

For many, both Jews and non-Jews alike, this move doesn’t just feel theatrical – it feels dangerous – it feels like a betrayal. To discuss this, and other issues like activist journalism and the prospects of a two-state solution – Casey Babb is joined by Matti Friedman.

Matti is an award-winning journalist and thought-leader whose work as a reporter has taken him from Israel to Lebanon, Morocco, Moscow, the Caucasus, and Washington, DC. A former Associated Press correspondent and essayist for the New York Times opinion section, he currently writes for The Free Press. He was born in Toronto and lives in Jerusalem with his family.

Since October 7, the world has witnessed an alarming surge in disinformation, antisemitism, and targeted violence—old lies dressed in new rhetoric, spreading hatred and division across the Western world. Amid this darkness, a small but powerful group of voices has emerged to challenge the chaos with clarity, truth, and reason. One of the most eloquent and incisive among them is Natasha Hausdorff.

A lawyer and expert in international law, armed conflict, and national security, Natasha brings a uniquely informed and courageous perspective to these troubled times. With degrees from Oxford and Tel Aviv, a fellowship at Columbia, and experience clerking for the President of Israel’s Supreme Court, she now serves as Legal Director for UK Lawyers for Israel Charitable Trust.

In this episode of The Promised Land, we explore the legal and moral complexities of the current crisis, the shifting landscape in the UK, and what Natasha would say to Prime Ministers Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak if given the chance.

In this episode of the Promised Land podcast, MLI Senior Fellow Casey Babb sits down with Hussein Aboubakr Mansour, an Egyptian-American intellectual and senior research fellow at the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy, to discuss the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. Recording on June 18th during the sixth day of hostilities, they explore the strategic implications of Israel's strikes on Iran's nuclear program and whether the United States will join the fight.

Hussein brings his expertise on Middle Eastern geopolitics, foreign funding of universities, and regional dynamics to analyze why this confrontation was inevitable given Iran's nuclear ambitions and Israel's existential imperatives. The conversation covers the realistic prospects for regime change in Iran, the ongoing Gaza conflict and hostage situation, and why traditional solutions like the two-state solution may be counterproductive.

They also examine shifting Arab attitudes toward Israel, particularly among Gulf elites, and discuss the rise of Western radicalism and anti-Semitism. Hussein argues that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has become a complex system of international political maneuvering rather than a genuine bilateral dispute.

Hussein Aboubakr Mansour is an Egyptian-American intellectual specializing in modern intellectual history. His work focuses on Arab political thought, Arab intellectual history, and the globalization of antisemitism and revolutionary radicalism. Hussein previously served as an assistant professor of Hebrew language and culture at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California. His writings have appeared in Commentary, Tablet, Mosaic, and the Athens Review of Books. Hussein is a sought-after commentator and speaker on issues of antisemitism and extremism in the Middle East. In 2022, he was awarded the Per Ahlmark Award by the UN Watch for his advocacy for human rights, and in 2024, he was awarded the German Mercator Fellowship from the Hochschule für Jüdische Studien in Heidelberg. He is a senior research fellow at ISGAP, the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy.

Show notes:

- Hussein’s recent Substack article: https://critiqueanddigest.substack.com/p/why-america-must-join-israel-against

- Israel's 1981 strike on Iraq’s nuclear reactor : https://www.airandspaceforces.com/PDF/MagazineArchive/Documents/2012/April%202012/0412osirak.pdf

- Israel’s 2007 strike on Syrian nuclear reactor : https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/israels-2007-strike-syrian-nuclear-reactor-lessons-learned-iran

- Qatar and Al Jazeera : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/dec/05/wikileaks-cables-al-jazeera-qatari-foreign-policy

- Civilian toll :
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israels-most-vulnerable-iranian-missile-destroys-rehab-center-for-disabled-kids/
https://www.nbcnews.com/world/middle-east/live-blog/live-updates-israel-iran-reactor-hospital-rcna213904
https://www.timesofisrael.com/with-few-shelters-but-plenty-of-roadblocks-east-jerusalem-arabs-squeezed-by-war/
https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/06/16/israeli-death-toll-rises-to-24-nearly-600-injured/