Israel Unfiltered: Confronting the Realities of War | Podcast on RSS.com

Israel Unfiltered: Confronting the Realities of War

Israel Unfiltered: Confronting the Realities of War

by Israel in Focus by Bridges for Peace

News Commentary Christianity

Season 1

Stand up for Righteousness

You’ve heard the arguments for and against. You’ve seen the footage of suffering and destruction on both sides. You’ve listened to the accusations and the charges. But as Christians, we ultimately have one plumb line, an indisputable standard of right and wrong: the Word of God. So what does the Bible say? A Series of Israel in Focus by Bridges for Peace.

Never Again Is Now: Anti-Semitism Rising

October 7 saw the most brutal attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust, initially sparking global sympathy for Israel. But almost overnight, anti-Israel sentiment surged, flooding streets and campuses worldwide. Are these protests truly about concern for an oppressed people, or is this the resurgence of age-old hatred? Have we learned nothing from history? Join us as we delve into the aftermath of October 7 and question if history is repeating itself. A Series of Israel in Focus by Bridges for Peace.

October 7 through a Defender’s Eyes

Shahak was there. On October 7. The father of three was one of the first on the front lines in southern Israel to stop the surge of Hamas terrorists as they slaughtered their way through agricultural communities. And then, when the day of defense was done, Shahak was part of the team to wade through the aftermath of Hamas’s bloody handiwork, searching for survivors and collecting the dead. A Series of Israel in Focus by Bridges for Peace.

The Catalyst Behind October 7

Walking through the failed history of the peace process, we pause at the violent split between Palestinian leadership, witness Israel’s desperate push for peace with the 2005 withdrawal from Gaza, explore Hamas’s aim as communicated in their charter and by their leaders and mourn its choice between prospering its people and pursuing death. A Series of Israel in Focus by Bridges for Peace.

Losing the Battle for Public Perception

Hours after the attack on October 7, Israel formally declared war for the first time in decades. And right on cue, the world went to war right alongside the fighting forces, pitting Israel supporters against Palestinian sympathizers in the trenches of social media. Israel is in the unique position that it is always engaged in parallel wars: there’s the physical battle on the ground; and then there’s the battle for public opinion. But regardless of how Israel fares in the physical battle, the battle for public opinion never appears to be going in Israel’s favor. Join us as we dive into the complexities behind Israel's ongoing battle for public sentiment. A Series of Israel in Focus by Bridges for Peace.

Hamas: Terrorists or Freedom Fighters?

You’ve heard the accusations. Hamas cruelly uses its own people as human shields, leaving their civilians to face the consequences of a massacre while hiding away in their tunnels underground. Hamas commandeers civilian structures like hospitals, mosques and playgrounds as their own, turning these supposed safe areas into deathtraps for their people. Hamas fire rockets from family homes and use children’s bedrooms as weapons caches, thus turning their little ones into bait. Yes, you’ve heard these claims. But surely nobody can be that cruel, that callous, that evil? A Series of Israel in Focus by Bridges for Peace.

Who Owns the Promised Land?

Join Dr. Jonathan Spyer as he traces the Jewish presence in the Promised Land, from King David to the peace process. Discover the rise and fall of the Philistines, the arrival and departure of Arab colonizers and Ottoman rulers, and witness pivotal events like the Balfour Declaration, UN Partition Plan and British Mandate. This journey also addresses a crucial question: what about the Palestinians living in "Palestine" before the rebirth of Israel? A Series of Israel in Focus by Bridges for Peace.

October 7 through a First Responder’s Eyes

On October 7th, Magen David Adom (Israel’s national emergency medical service) dispatch officers received tens of thousands of calls from terrified Israelis. Veteran EMT and dispatch officer Ronit Glaser spent 13 hours taking calls from petrified civilians begging for help, equally terrified family members looking for loved ones and MDA colleagues facing the Hamas terrorists in the field while saving lives. A Series of Israel in Focus by Bridges for Peace.

Reaping the Fruit of a Culture of Death

Biblical values like justice, peace and tolerance have been so deeply interwoven into Western civilization that they are often presumed universal. Yet the guiding principles driving radical fundamentalism are equally entrenched, and stand in direct opposition to what a free, democratic society treasures. Although this clash of cultures, and the ensuing confusion and division, plays a key role in every battle in the Middle East, the tenets of jihad and martyrdom remain largely overlooked. What are the foundational values of radical fundamentalism and what is the fruit spouting from that root? A Series of Israel in Focus by Bridges for Peace.

IDF: Most Moral Army or Baby Killers?

There appears to be no middle ground when it comes to the world’s perception of the Israel Defense Forces, only black and white. The anti-Israel camp paints a picture of a sadistic force with no regard for human life or dignity, gleefully engaging in acts of genocide and indiscriminately targeting civilians. This IDF, they say, is guilty of every war crime accusation flung at them and more. But then there’s the other side, the side that calls the IDF one of the most moral armies in the world. Which side to believe? What does the evidence say? A Series of Israel in Focus by Bridges for Peace.

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