IHIP News: "It's A Lie!" Journalist EXPOSES Media Propaganda as the Left Races to FILL THE VOID!

Okay, joining me today on I Hip News is. a political correspondent for Zeteo and. my new very good friend. We met the. other night in New York City. I follow. him on all of his socials. His name is. Prem. Tucker, Prem, how are you today? >> I'm wonderful. It's so great to be with. you. >> I'm so happy to have you. I want to talk. to you about something you posted. Uh. Van Jones is jumping in. You know, everybody's having like Hasan [ __ ] bed. wedding. >> Right. >> And he has absolutely zero power in the. Democratic Party. Why they're not upset. at like I don't know, Chuck Schumer is.

beyond me, but that's another for. another day. So, Van Jones has ventured into this and. I'm going to play the clip cuz here's. the part that you are criticizing. >> Even in armed struggle, there are. principles. And the principles of no. women, no children, no rapes, no kidnapping. These are moral principles that any. liberation struggle has to uphold. There. is a way to judge an organization and. decide, is it worthy of my support? You.

ask the question, what are the ends of. the organization? What are their goals? And what are their means? How are they. getting there? In my tradition, the ends have to be. more freedom. >> That's a pretty slickly produced um. video, but what what part of that are. you responding to? >> Well, he had said, I mean, it's it's a. meritable important discussion about. what ideal I suppose armed struggle. looks like. Of course, firstly, it's.

hard for those who are not in a part of. an armed struggle to. describe what an ideal or perfect armed. struggle looks like because it's kind of. a very imperfect situation, of course. His principles that he lays out are. entirely reasonable at their face. I. think what really struck me is when he. said, I ideally, an armed struggle would not. become what they are fighting. And he was saying that while he was. criticizing Hamas. in comparing it to other armed struggles. that he defines to be, you know, more. benevolent.

And the implication that I took from. that is, you know, Hamas should not. become what they are fighting. Well, if they are fighting the Israeli. government, is that Van Jones admitting. that the Israeli government is actually. who. rapes and kidnaps. Palestinians at will, who who kills. women and children at will? Of course, as we've seen. from documented evidence, from. international bodies, from let alone. Palestinians themselves, as if that is. never enough, the Palestinian people,

that is true. That. they have killed. 20,000 conservatively children in the. past 2 and 1/2 years, many many many women, and also many men. I I I I find it sometimes troubling that. we only focus on women and children when. it's like all life is so beautiful and. important and worth our love. That includes men, too. Um whether. they're fathers, brothers, or just men. who have no relation to anyone except. themselves. They have relations to us as. human beings.

That's one aspect that that really. struck me is that. in his, I don't know, you know, I I. don't want to disparage. where he's coming from, but it just. feels like, of course, if you judge his. arguments at their face, sometimes they. feel a bit hasbara-esque, you know, sort. of. >> that mean? >> uh peddling sort of. uh propagandist. uh talking points from the Israeli. government's point of view that upon any. like further explication would would. kind of just shatter. Um so, sometimes.

he seems to be within that milieu, um. such that if he really was absorbed in. that when he made this video, he didn't, I guess, really understand. the implication of that statement right. there, that he seems to be suggesting. that the Israeli government is actually. culpable for these crimes that he is. subscribing to Hamas. >> And when it comes to. what we learn as Americans, Like just broadly, it's that Israel is. this beautiful democracy and these. terrorists are always trying to take. them out. But when I started opening up.

my eyes to this, like just most. recently, there's a video of IDF. soldiers raping a prisoner and then. there's no charges against them. And. then I read further that like they're. training dogs. to rape prisoners. I'm like, my god. And. so then I start thinking like. who is the terrorist in all of this? Like who is terrorizing whom here? So. for the layman, cuz this is presented to. the American public often times in these.

sleekly produced videos that oh, this is. a complicated thing. You don't understand it. You're not. smart enough to understand it. And I. take real offense to that and I think. that's incredibly condescending because. when you hear stories of kids that have. been targeted, multiple agencies, this. is widely confirmed that are targeted. here and here. >> Mhm. >> Shot in the head or in the heart for. those of you that are listening. Um and. there's CAT scans and medical doctors. that confirmed all this in multiple a. Dutch newspaper and the BBC and the New.

York Times. It seems that that's intentional. And. then. obviously you're outraged at the. injustice of that. And then if you. express your outrage, then you're told. by the forces that be in a very. condescending way, oh, this is very. complicated. You don't understand that. or you're being anti-Semitic. So in not. a broad history lesson, but in practical. terms for Americans that are opening. their eyes to this because their.

taxpayer money is funding this. what is the rub between Israel and. Hamas? >> Yes. I mean, I think your question. already sets up so many of the. contradictions that I think have made it. so clear to so many people over the past. two and a half years that. maybe there's something else going on. here that makes it. where it isn't as complicated as as I'm. being told to believe. And of course, there's there's a broad history in in. between Israel and Palestine and and. Lebanon and so forth, and I don't want. to discredit that it's a long history,

but just because there's a history to. something doesn't mean you can't have an. opinion on what is happening in front of. your eyes, especially when you're. funding it. And I think another important aspect of. your question is this sense of respect. I feel. if you can approach the question of. Israel and Palestine with. this question in mind of respect both. for yourself and other human beings, I. think the conclusions become a lot. clearer. So so let me give you an. example. You bring up taxpayer dollars. In the past 2 and 1/2 years, the Israeli.

government and Israeli forces, Israeli. settlers. have killed. a double-digit amount of Americans. In that time, there has been no accountability for any. of those settlers or soldiers who have. killed Americans. Um and and for those who may not know, so you know, some of these Americans are. people who might be in Palestine by. virtue of wanting to be there to do what. we call um um sort of uh observation, where they they sort of uh support. Palestinians in the West Bank by being.

an American voice alongside them to. observe and document what Israeli. settlers do to them, and to show that. these settlers that, "Hey, an American. is here, too." So sometimes Americans. are in Palestine for that reason, too, to offer their support to Palestinians. who are being violated. Some people are Americans just because. they live there. There there are many. Palestinian Americans and Americans that. live in Palestine who just happen to. live there that a lot of people in this. country don't realize. In that time, there's been no. accountability for any of those. Americans who have been killed with US. tax dollars.

And I I know this is sounds a little. convoluted. I'm getting at the this. point of respect. Repeatedly, in Capitol Hill, I've asked. members of Congress, "A, do you even. know how many Americans have been killed. by Israeli settlers and Israeli. soldiers, who of course American. taxpayers fund every single year. Many Republicans who have asked. simply do not know the answer or in fact. tell me that I'm wrong or that I'm lying. or that they've never heard of that. That they've never heard that a foreign. country's military or a terrorist.

organization, a group of terrorists is. what we should really call the behavior. of Israeli settlers. that are protected by a foreign. government. killed Americans and these politicians. have no answer for that. And so diluting that, we then get to. this prior discussion of Hamas and. Israel, which is that. what is terrorism and who gets to decide. what is and is not terrorism. And. ultimately this collapses a lot of those. designations, you know, a lot of times. when we ask of officials about, you. know, what about all these children in.

Gaza, what about all the destruction, um. all these schools, libraries, mosques, churches, hospitals, homes being raised. in Gaza. Of course as many people in. this country have seen, the excuse is. always, well, Hamas this, Hamas is a. designated terrorist organization. They're they're attacking. >> They're gays off buildings. >> Right, exactly. All these flippant. excuses that. in general don't excuse this behavior, but it's it's the final crutch that if. nothing else, we're fighting terrorists. But if you're committing mass terrorism. >> Right. >> in that campaign, it collapses.

uh what is and is not terrorism. And you. know, people like us, we will get. attacked for making that point. Because to make that point is to. eliminate the final crutch. Because the. final crutch is, well, we're attacking. terrorists. And you point out, well, you're. committing terrorism by doing so, there's nothing else left to possibly. justify any of this behavior. So, for. those lay people who are coming to this. issue, I you know, I myself um came to. this uh in years past without too much. connection to it.

>> Right. >> I think these contradictions are what. led me to. shirk off this idea that it's too. complicated for me to understand. I. think that is the baseline that I would. recommend people to go from is just that. there are all these contradictions that. are evident to you. Start from there. I'm not asking you to read these 10. books or to, you know, know these 10. talking points. It's just to embrace the. contradictions and see them for what. they are and how much they disrespect. you and your common sense. >> And especially like respecting what's. happening now. Like what is happening.

right now is more important to me. Those. little kids that were targeted with. American taxpayer money. and just in general what who's funding. it. Just targeting. >> Yeah. >> kids for sport. >> Yeah. >> is so [ __ ] up. It's so alarming. It. shocks the conscience. But as it goes to. the settlers. I follow Senator Chris Van Hollen. >> Mhm. >> And he was speaking about on his. Instagram about Americans getting killed. in the West Bank.

So it's like what's a settler? Because. that to me it sounds like kind of this. quaint word, right? Like you're settling. in. We're going to settle in for dinner. and watch some Netflix and chill, right? >> Right. >> Well, as I started reading about this, it's rather disturbing and rather. propagandistic in its moniker. >> The Israeli government by virtue of of. using faith in its project to take over. this land is carrying out not just. apartheid in in the way that you just. described of being able to allow one. group of people to completely dominate.

another but it's explicitly religious. supremacist. Um it's it's it's and that is what is so. ultimately sad about this project is. that it is using and exploiting and and. taking Judaism as this pathway to then. bring people to take other people's land. in the name of Judaism which is just. such a bastardization of a beautiful. faith. And I think there is that aspect of it. And of course there is the.

prime primary in principle issue, which. is that Palestinian people are being. displaced by people for whom, as you. say, are just they can come from, you. know, anywhere, even in from America, just. come to land that is currently a. Palestinian's land, whether it's their. farmland, their homes, and just be. outright evicted. And. what I think people do not fully. appreciate, and this gets to your point, is that. this is a broad movement within Israeli.

society. The settler movement is what we. call it. And as you say, settling is is. a quaint way of describing it because. it's its impacts are indeed terroristic. It's it's. >> Right. >> It's people coming in with weapons, with. fists, with whatever, mobs of them, in. fact, threatening people, taking their. homes, horrifying behaviors towards children, women, of course, um not to just, you. know, focus on women and children again, but it is the type of behavior that if. you read about it in in any other.

context, it would there would be no. ambiguity about what is going on there. >> Horrifying. >> And what also people don't understand is. that. these people are not policed. Despite the fact that they are. explicitly committing crimes, um the Israeli government protects these. people. In fact, sometimes it it funds. it it even arms them to to a certain. extent. And there is no sense of policing there. And so, I think Americans especially don't.

understand that like this is essentially. a paramilitary. uh. movement that that we are funding by. virtue of funding the Israeli government. that also protects these people. And in. fact, again, many politicians in the. Israeli government are explicitly. pro-settler. I mean, this gets to I. think a broader discussion of of one. thing that I've been concerned about is. that, you know, now we're at a time. where. we have the US-Israeli war in Iran. We. have escalating settler terrorist.

violence in the West Bank in Palestine. We have of course the ruins of Gaza that. are still being um devastated to this. day with this uh you know, so-called. board of peace that is anything but. And. of course, the Israeli government is the. Israeli government is doing what it did. to Palestine to Lebanon. All of this is happening in such a way. where it's it's hard, understandably, for people to. have the same sort of like focused. energy as they did in the past 2 and 1/2. years on Gaza because it was it was easy. to focus. Now it's sort of spiraling in such a way.

that you don't know what to focus on. And this gets to this broader project. that the Israeli government and people. within it are are pursuing, which is. Greater Israel, which is taking as much. of this land as they can. as their own. And I think if people can. look at this as kind of the prism that. that can hopefully help them folk. refocus. And the settler movement is a. part of that. It's the taking of land at. will. And again, if nothing else, it's funded by people. in the United States. >> And that's the thing. I think there's.

going to be degrees of people. You You. grew up in North Dakota, I grew up in. Oklahoma. And there is degrees of people. in middle America. American culture is. very ethnocentric. Our news is very. American-based, rarely international. And so you have the people that. I hate to say it, but you had just have. to acknowledge they're like, "I don't. really care what's going on in the. Middle East. It seems like they're. fighting all the time.". >> Yeah. >> And so. then from there, the issue is if you. can't get people to care about human.

rights, is the funding. >> Right. >> of killing people. And I know just about. every American cares about money. We. value that above and beyond everything. else. I noticed something on the settler. issue about a month ago online. And it. was Cory Booker and Dan Goldman and. Ritchie Torres. All AIPAC funders, all. Israel thumpers, I mean just completely. like. blinded in the Israeli propaganda in my.

opinion. And they all tweeted kind of on the same. day something about we have to put an. end to this settler violence. And it. kind of like I think it was Dan Goldman, so I was like, "Now, what? What are. What's going on here? What What's the. backstory on that?". >> So, settler violence in the West Bank and in. and Palestine generally is is the easy. way out if a member of Congress wants to. condemn any part of the Israeli. government's. behavior. Because it is so.

patently. obvious in a way where it's it's much. harder to make it sort of shrouded in in. this. essence of that it's complicated or or. you don't quite understand the history. there. Um and so because that it's it's a. little easier for members of Congress, namely Democrats, to come out with a. letter saying we need to stop settler. violence. Of course, to what we were just saying, you can't stop one without the other. You cannot stop settler violence without.

fundamentally challenging. the US-Israel relationship and the way. that the US always defers to Israel when. it comes to any instance of violence, whether it's by an Israeli bomb or. whether it's by an Israeli settler's gun. or it's or their fist. Because they're intertwined. Um and so. it's it's completely rhetorical. It's a. way to throw bone to people to say, "Look, you know, I care about this, too.". If you cared, you would go much further. It's as simple as that. >> Totally. >> I'm curious,

what was it like when you first con-. like met the issue of Israel and. Palestine? Like what what. Do you remember the first time it really. came on your radar? >> Probably. um. I It probably during the campaign. And I told your boss this Medhi when I. was on his podcast. My husband has always been he's more to. the left than I am and he's really. critical of Democrats. He's incredibly. critical of the opposition party because.

he thinks that they're. sorry for the cussing but his words not. mine they're [ __ ] [ __ ] and he's. just like of course they lost. And he was like what's the deal? He's. from small rural Oklahoma he's criminal. defense attorney. He's like what's the. deal with Israel? And I was like well. they're our ally and they're a democracy. I had the MSNBC talking points. He goes. I don't know man. Ted Cruz and like Lindsey Graham like. him everybody I hate. supports Israel and it just seems like. they're always stirring it stirring it. up and bring us bringing us into things.

But then you know we you go back to your. lives um. embarrassingly I will tell you during. the Kamala. race because I was all chips in for. Kamala because I have a lot of red state. trauma. Um and there's a total abortion ban in. Oklahoma. So a woman that is raped does. not have freedom. Um a person that might have a. complicated pregnancy does not have. freedom and I see these things as. immediate needs that a Democratic. president can solve for these red state.

draconian laws of mega super majorities. So as I was going into the DNC every day. and there were all these very peaceful. very organized pro-Palestine. uh protesters I'd be like god damn it. they are going to [ __ ] us they are going. to [ __ ] us they are going to [ __ ] us. Why weren't they at the RNC? Pisses me. off every everything always falls on the. Democrats. Always have to do everything. perfect. Why aren't weren't they. harassing Trump? But even I knew at that.

point enough about it. peripheral knowledge that. Donald Trump would be far easier to. manipulate and far more homi-. than Kamala Harris. Now there's going to. be a lot of people in my comment section. she's genocide blah blah blah blah blah. Yes, she and Biden did that. No question. about it and I think that's why they. won't release the autopsy report. But anyway, I was irritated by it a. little bit and I'm just being honest. with you because I think this is the a. democratic journey and I think we all. need to talk about where we were as a.

corporate dem or whatever. And so I'm showing my weakness here. And. then. after she lost, honestly my audience a. lot we have a lot of really young. progressive people that were like you. need to be better. You need to talk. about Palestine. You need to. and I I I really started listening to. people like you, people like Medhi, um. other than just Western corporate media. And then God once you. once you open up the floodgates, it's.

just unrelenting. And then once you. start engaging in stuff on your. algorithm, then you get served up more. and more and then you just see the. imagery of that it's a feature. not a bug. It's a feature. to bomb infrastructure. It's a feature. to kill the breeding population. And. then. you start looking into like just the the. culture. I started reading like some. polling about Israelis and just.

it's so food bar. It's so [ __ ] up. It's so it shocks the conscience. It. really does. And then. you know, I always go back to when my. youngest son Roman, he just graduated. from high school. That's why I moved out. here. And he played AAU basketball. So we'd. have to go to all of these rural towns. for basketball tournaments. And you see these rural towns where. wages have never gone up. They don't. have health care. Um but they have Trump flags.

and crosses in their yard. You know, and. those are their two things. I'm MAGA and. I'm Christian. And then you think about the lies that. these people are told. The lies they're told by the Republican. Party. And you can't have health care. And if you get cancer, tough titties. But we never say no. >> Yeah. >> to Israel and bombing people. >> Mhm. >> And then. And then from there it just compounds. and compounds and compounds. My next. question for you.

is So, in Oklahoma City, there is a. Lebanese community. >> Mhm. >> And I know a lot of these people, our. kids went to school together. And um. my Lebanese American friends would. always say, like. God, yeah, you know, my grandmother or. my parents lived in Lebanon and the. Israelis bombed us, bombed us, bombed. us. And so that's why we came here, etc. And in my mind at the time absorbed. propaganda, was just like, oh yeah, they're always fighting in the Middle. East. Stupid me, silly me, whatever,

right? Just dismissive. >> Just the American mindset. It's. >> And then. a few days ago I went to dinner with a. woman. um that is Israeli. And she said. you know, Hezbollah is just bombing. Israel all the time, all the time. So. what are we supposed to do? Not fight. back? So my question for you is a lot of. Americans like me, the journey I just. told you about, this isn't happening in. a vacuum. >> Of course. >> of people are opening up their eyes to. this. The dam is broken. And so there's. a thirst for people to be educated. >> Yeah. >> What is the truth.

>> Yeah. >> about Lebanon and Israel? What is the. truth about that? Because what I see is. displacing of 2 million people, >> Yeah. >> bombing maternity wards, schools, kids, journalists. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> What's going on there? >> Well, first I appreciate you, you know, telling me your journey. >> Yeah. >> Um I think it's very important. I I. think. >> the more we do that the better because. ultimately politics is about changing. our mind, it's about evolving and. growing and also embracing that with. other people. And it's a numbers game.

also. >> Thank you. >> So all those mean this is a good thing. >> I agree. Thank you. >> Um with regards to your question, I. think. again, I I think it's always okay to. lead with empathy and understanding. Someone for whom all they know is is uh. where they're socialized, and that. includes, you know, for instance, people. in Israel who see Hezbollah as this. all-threatening force, but. that's okay to start with, but then, you. know, we can take a step to then. understand what's exactly going on here, which is that.

Hamas and Hezbollah. like any sort of armed struggle, whether. someone. >> struggle, what do you mean? >> I mean, so so let me get into this. I. was going to say. any armed struggle, whether you view it. completely perfectly or not. these happen all over the world, all. throughout America uh global history, where. upon a group of people being continually. pummeled and dehumanized and made to be. less than. at some point they have to do something. And so, Hamas and Hezbollah are the.

expression of an entire land of people, countries. who have been made to turn to something. other than what they've tried over and. over again, which is. continually trying to negotiate just for. their equality, for their right to exist. as people. And so, when you have that framework. then a lot of these questions are like, "Oh, well, Hezbollah is always bombing. Israel." or so forth. Those also sort of. collapse, cuz it's like, "Okay, well,

there's a reason that Hezbollah and. Hamas exist in the first place." And. often times throughout. history, and I mean, I think a good. example of this is in the past 2 and 1/2. years. after October 7th, the ways in which. these forces exhibited some level of. restraint, when you think of the. proportions of which the Israeli. military was devastating Lebanon. Palestine, and of course, now the. US-Israeli war on Iran. When you think about first, why these. groups exist, and then secondly, the.

proportions of violence on each side, things become a bit more clear. Um and so, again, I I I I I. treat the conversation of Hamas and. Hezbollah with duck. a sense of delicateness because. you never want to. undermine or invalidate a people's right. to fight back. And of course, that does. not mean then, you know, people say, "Oh, so do you support X, Y, and Z.

things from what Hamas says?" No, that. that doesn't mean. A does not equal B from that. But, I think this dove tails well into. in a very important conversation, which. is how people treat the idea of a. Palestinian state. So, for example, right now, there's a lot of conversation. sort of going towards this. uh like in American politics of of what. it means to create a Palestinian state. For there to be two states. Um. for those who might be new to this this.

this discussion, the idea of, you know, Palestine is is stateless. It's under. Israeli occupation. And so, the one uh. conversation is about giving giving. Palestinian people a state, which. already says is a crazy premise, but. there's always been this discussion of. can it be two states side by side? Can. it be one multi-ethnic uh democratic. state where people coexist all together. in a state of equal rights for all? The American political conventional. wisdom is two states. That's like the. the ideal golden path that one day we'll.

get there. And it's always a. conversation of a path to two-state. solution. A path, a path, a path. It's. never about what we're doing now to. create any form of a state. But, what I'm getting at here is every. time in American politics, even a Palestinian state is discussed, it's always emphasized that it is a. demilitarized Palestinian state. For what other nation is there an. expectation that they cannot defend. themselves? That is not a state. And so, even in discussions of what a. solution looks like to this conflict, we.

are still imagining that they are. subservient to the rest of us. And so, that's how far we are. from a real conversation about what. Palestinian. humanity is, such that these. conversations about Hamas and Hezbollah. are so ridiculous because you're denying. even the future for them to defend. themselves. So, how can you fully, wholeheartedly lecture them trying to do. so now? Even if it's not all. Palestinians or what have you.

It is an expression of the fact that we. do not treat them with dignity as human. beings. And so, I think that is kind of how I. think about this conversation um with. someone for whom might be skeptical or. might be, you know, someone from Israel. I, of course, want to lead with empathy, but you you have to be real about what's. going on here. >> So, there's always certain statements. that are said. Israel never offensively attacks, they. only respond. This statement, I'm just.

going to ask you, is this a lie or not? Is this a lie? Israel only. responds and they're never. provocative. >> It's a lie. >> Right. Okay. And that's what I thought. >> Yes, I I I I don't need to delve into. all the history of it um just to tell. you all that there have been time after. time, instance after instance of the. Israeli government. unprompted, unprovoked, um or. disproportionately enacting huge amounts. of violence in Palestinian people. Massacre after massacre, many times in. the past for which they have killed.

hundreds if not over a thousand. Palestinians in one fell swoop, pre-October 7th, October 7th, if you. will, with no proportional response by the. Palestinian people or by Hamas against. the Israelis. And so, yes, you can say it's been back. and forth and they've been fighting for. a long time, but it's it's not this just. amorphous force that commands the the. you know, just. broad Middle East to always be shrouded. in battle. Like that's a ridiculous.

insane way to look at people who are. people just like you. Um, so it's a lie. It's a lie. >> Yeah. Okay, let's move on to Iran. >> Sure. >> So, what do you think BB is after here? Is. this a fixation like Donald Trump is. with the ballroom like just laser focus? He's been after it for like 40 years. It. doesn't make any sense. Is part of Iran's territory part of the. greater Israel project?

Israel as a country doesn't really have. any natural resources. It's teeny tiny. Iran is resource-rich. Is he looking to. balkanize. the area because it's clear that the. Americans and the Israeli government is. not there to liberate the Iranians. When. they started double-tapping schools and. carpet-bombing infrastructure, then it's. like nobody's nobody's buying that [ __ ]. anymore. So, what is his fixation on. Iran? 40-year. fixation on Iran. And do you think.

that's the first part of the question? Second part of the question, does. Benjamin Netanyahu and his AIPAC funders. that gave Trump almost as much money as. Elon Musk did? Are they like, okay, this is our time. All gas, no brakes. This is the time. that we can do it because no other US. president will let us go this far. >> Yeah, I think first your second. question, I think it is very true that. right now Benjamin Netanyahu, the. Israeli government, um, and all the. forces behind it are are very much. trying to take advantage of this moment. Donald Trump and all of his allies are.

very very pro-Israel despite what others. may have thought uh before whether it. was in the lead-up to 2024 or otherwise. He's always been very pro-Israel at. least in his actions. And obviously that's come with. plummeting public opinion on how. Americans feel about the Israeli. government, about how they feel about. funding the Israeli government and its. violence. And so yeah, they feel that. right now is an opportune time. Of. course, Benjamin Netanyahu is also. facing his own political challenges um. both in terms of the election uh and. who's opposing him and also um his legal.

challenges, you know, and trying to. avoid legal consequences. So right now. he's like, yeah, I'll gas no brakes for. sure. To your first point, I think it is. in the Israeli government's fixation on. Iran is is. in part yes because of greater Israel. because. Iran is is one force um in the area for. whom could counteract that ambition to. take as much land as possible, to to. take uh. much of Lebanon, Palestine, and so forth. uh at will. Uh.

and and so Iran was always a. countervailing force to that. Um and so. to dismantle. and destroy Iran as much as they can. serves their their greater Israel. project. It's it's And you know, they. might uh tell the US government that. yeah, we're serving as we're fighting. your wars for you. It's not even a big. deal. Like let us do this. Just kind of. support us. Wink wink. Um and that's how they kind of trying to. frame it that like, well, the US doesn't. like Iran either. So we're we're doing. it for you. Um but it you know, it's. it's largely for their own motivations.

>> All right. Last question and this is. super important. >> Sure. >> Most important question of the day. >> Yeah. >> Um as we move into 2028, there is um an. electorate that is awakening both on the. right and on the left regarding the um. blank check to Israel. And you have. discontent right, left, center. I have some friends that are rather. progressive. that are. really fixated on this issue. Really.

fixated. And the Democratic Party. leadership does a piss-poor job leading. morally leading with clarity on this. issue. I had a conversation with a. friend of mine who's an. Iranian-American, lives in LA, shocker. And he said, uh. "You know, I really am liking Tucker. Carlson." And I said, "Oh, for [ __ ]. sake, please tell me that you're not. buying into 30-second, 45-second, 60-second clips because I'm just telling.

you, at least he's saying what the. Democrats won't, blah blah blah." And. I'm like, "He says demons attacked him. in his sleep. This is This is a man who. will throw gay people under the bus. He. will throw everybody under the bus. I'm very concerned. Very concerned. That this issue. is become so to the forefront of. Americans' brains. You're from middle. America, I'm from middle America. A. message that is going to hit hard. with the electorate is.

Donald Trump and MAGA was Israel first. And they spent all your money, and they. sent it over there, and he lied to us, and he wasn't America first, but Tucker. and Marjorie were the real America. first. That [ __ ] is going to hit hard. That [ __ ] is going to hit as hard as. when Trump hugged the flag. Remember. that when he hugged it? A lot of people. comment that, "Oh, he just loves the. America so much." I'm very worried that. there's a vacuum. And, uh, demagogue.

bigoted. actors that have clarity on one issue. um, are going to fill that voice because. in 60-second clips, the way we all. receive our news now, they're outflanking. Democratic leadership on this issue. What is your take on that? >> I understand people for whom. have felt so so disenchanted by. politicians for the past 2 and 1/2 years. and beyond on on this issue, finally. feeling heard when someone like Tucker.

Carlson says something that they. uh find to be truth-telling. What I would encourage people to. understand is you're not agreeing with. him, he's agreeing with you. You should take pride in the fact that. you were there. Um and it it's okay it it it doesn't. matter how long someone takes to get to. a place, but he's agreeing with you. That doesn't necessarily mean that you. guys agree with so many other things. And that also doesn't mean that I'm. telling people, "Oh, well, you got to. just go for the Democrat." I'm not in. the business of that. I believe.

politicians have to earn our votes and. our trust. I'm not in the business of. telling people who to or not to vote. for. But what I am in the business of is is. for people to to take pride in. themselves as well and to not. cuz this conversation is about, of. course, the weak Democratic leadership. ultimately and how feckless they are and. how how unresponsive they are and how. much we say, "If you just do this one. thing, it'll be so much better for. everyone. Like, you're going to win. more. We're all going to be happier." We. need to stop begging people. to do things when those things are an.

anathema to their interests. Um I think it's it's high time that we. we sort of. stop wasting our time with the think. pieces and the columns and the the. discussions about like. uh Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, you. just have to do this one thing. Please, come on. It's going to be great for. everyone. It's enough. They're not. interested and that's okay. That's their. prerogative. Politics can be ours, too. Politics does not have to be something. where we're always screaming at.

a wall that will not listen to us, at an. immovable force that is is just not. interested in hearing what we have to. say. Politics is something we're a part of. Politics is. you and I talking. It's the fact that. you and I hopefully talking to a lot of. people that might be on the fence about. some of these things and might get off. the fence as well and that they tell. their friends and family about this, too. Politics is and can be much more. democratic than we sometimes treat it. And I understand how frustrating it is. and how easy it is to just kind of. fixate on the fact that.

God, like these people if they just did. something a little differently, it would. be so much better off. Well, if they're. not and if if you think it's true that. they would be better off, then it's. clear that they don't care. They don't. care about what you have to say, they. don't care about the fact that it's. morally better or even just cynically, self-interestedly, politically better if. they moved on the issue and followed the. law and cared more about taking care of. people here rather than ruining other. people's lives somewhere else. At some point we have to have our own. line where we say enough. I'm going to do everything in my power.

to not just waste my time yelling at. these people, but to make them have to. get a new job. >> Are you worried about a bad actor. filling this void? >> I I think yeah, it's it's to your point. it's totally possible because the void. is so big. And you know, I I I don't. want to necessarily understate the fact. there are certain Democratic members of. Congress who are definitely leading on. this issue, obviously, you know, Chris. Van Hollen, Rashida Tlaib. Uh you can go. down the list. But still, that's that's the moment.

which is obviously much bigger than just. a Tucker Carlson or Marjorie Taylor. Greene, who maybe they're genuine on. this issue, maybe they're not, but. there's many other issues for which, you. know, I personally do not agree with. them on. But nevertheless, you know, I I. think there's of course this also. structural dynamic where. someone on the right gets way more. credit for being right on something than. someone on the left. >> Um because if someone really was about. it and they were so interested in. truth-tellers, like I said, there are I. think at least two very clear examples. of people who are really doing it.

Rashida Tlaib and Chris Van Hollen, two. people for whom. you know, Chris Van Hollen I think has. certainly actually come into this issue. over time, but now he's leading on it. He's gone to the West Bank and witnessed. these crimes himself. He has been. advocating in a way that almost very few. members of Congress are. He is actively. in Congress now and is doing what other. people hope Tucker Carlson would do. And. I'm not saying, you know, everyone fall. behind Chris Van Hollen now, but like we. need to understand that there's these. other dynamics at play where you. shouldn't just give someone more credit.

because they're conservative. It's great. if they change their minds and that's. good because again, it's all about. building the movement, build and. encouraging more people to change their. minds, too. I'm all about that. >> Mhm. >> Um but we don't need to necessarily. overcompensate, either, you know, cuz. that's also kind of condescending in a. way, too, where like, "Oh, look at you, you you. dumb little, you know, conservative, you. changed your mind. That's so nice.". Like, "No, no, it's great, but we should. treat each other with dignity and know. that this is awesome, whether it's. Tucker or someone that just watches.

Tucker. That's awesome. That's great. Now, come over here. It's not just about us chasing someone. else. You got to have that self-respect. >> I think it would be a great if the. Democratic Party were a true opposition. party that wasn't beholden to corporate. interest, AIPAC, um. to be able to message right now. >> Yeah. >> This issue is so black and white that. even Tucker and Marjorie Taylor Greene. agree with this. >> Yeah, yeah. >> What powerful messaging that would be. >> Absolutely. And by the way, this. actually gets to a good point, which is. whether or not Tucker Carlson runs,

he could I was talking to Hasan [ __ ]. and he made this point as well a few. weeks ago in a profile I did of him, where he said. he could bless someone like J.D. Vance. He could give his credence to someone. like J.D. Vance. And something I'm. thinking about is that. J.D. Vance, of course, has kind of. positioned himself as as kind of having. always been against this war, you know, he's the anti-war hardscrabble guy. He's. trying to lean back into that, even. though he said some things that have. clearly been publicly in support of the. war, but he's been, you know, it seems.

like he or people around him are leaking. things to the press, suggesting, you. know, he's been the the voice of. restraint in the room, the voice of. reason. The thing that people need to. understand, whether it's Tucker Carlson. or J.D. Vance or what have you, who. become the Republican nominee um in 2028. and try to run on the sense that they're. dovish. The military-industrial complex and. these military interests and these. interests, uh, these pro-Israel. interests are intertwined with so many. other interests such as corporate.

interests where even if you pretend that. you're a dove, if you're also someone. who supports, uh, you know, corporate interests, if if you. are totally down with the. military-industrial complex or the AI. complex, we've seen how much AI. companies are are leading the charge in. all this violence, you're not anti-war. You're not anti-war. You cannot pick one. or the other. Uh, those have to be in. harmony and that's why again, it's great. if someone, whether genuinely or not, expresses sympathy for Palestinian. people, that's amazing or or criticism,

rightful criticism, of the way the. Israeli government acts, that's awesome. But, if that's it and if they're not. harmonizing that with the rest of their. worldview but how the world can be a. much more harmonious, peaceful, blessed place, then it's just words. >> I wish that that were true, but I agree with you fundamentally on. principle, but Donald Trump said he was. an anti-war president and 77 million. people voted for him and the Republican. Party, the MAGA Party, is a party of.

[ __ ] They're bullshitters. Trickle-down economics and sadly, there's such a. intellectual and moral moral rot in some. of the American culture. >> Yeah. >> that words are just it's fine for them. It gives them like, oh, he said he. wasn't going to start wars, I'm going to. vote for him and that's it. It's really. sad. I wish that there were a higher bar. for politicians. I read this whole New. York Times, uh, focus group. >> Mhm. >> and the, uh, nine out of 12 were buyers.

remorse on voting for Trump. >> Mhm. >> The statement that I read over and over. and over again, Prem, that was like, oh. my god, was, I thought that he had. learned his lesson and then you'd go. down to another person in the focus. group. I thought for sure he had learned. his lesson and I thought, "My God, are we genuinely. like grade school, you better learn your. lesson and do better next year in fifth. grade?". >> Yeah. >> That's the bar for a US president to. learn your lesson. And so outside of all.

of these things with Maga, with Tucker, with the Democrats, with progressive. Democrats, there is a. a intellectual deficit, moral deficit. with a lot of our. public. And that's why I think these. spaces and us talking about this and. un-packaging things. in a way where we can learn more and get. different perspectives is so important. Because I think one positive out of the. fascist takeover that I'm experiencing. and I'm sure you're experiencing it,

too. They're attacking universities. They're attacking science. They're. attacking expertise. They're attacking. facts. Well, when you live in a. superpower and and you know, you're. everything's fine, you don't have to. worry about those things. There's. somebody's taking care to make sure all. of those things are valued. Now that. Trump is dismantling those actively and. flagrantly, I have seen the electorate thirsty for. knowledge. I want to know. what the [ __ ] is Hamas? What is. Hezbollah? What is What is a settler? That sounds nice. >> Right. >> What are these things? And so there is a.

a desire of the American public now to. learn more and to educate themselves. more. And that's one There's like an. awakening, an intellectual awakening, underground intellectual awakening that. I think is happening right now. And. that's a super positive thing. And. that's why I thank you so much for. coming on because it's a gift for so. many Americans to be able and we have. international viewers, too, to log in. and learn more in an open-minded. objective way. >> No, I completely agree. I mean, I think. to learn is one of the best gifts we.

have. I mean, I've learned so much from. people. um. throughout. my whole time on this planet. That that has. >> North Yeah. Yeah, but no, it's it's. truly been such a gift for me and I. think. one thing I think about so much as kind. of a travesty of these times is like. all the different things that the. administration has crushed and destroyed. from from education to science to to you. name it. I think it's okay for people to to want. to make sure that things are are are are. are credulous and and and and, you know,

like we're not unconditionally defending. things, but the way in which that they. have just totally obliterated all of it. makes me so sad because in a very. fundamental way. we are the descendants of so many people. who have spent their lives trying to. find answers to things. Who have spent. their lives trying to make our life. better than theirs was. And the idea that someone can just come. in with so much ego. and destroy all. and destroy the lives of people who are.

right now trying to carry that torch. forward is so. deeply offensive to me. And so the idea. now that there's so many people who are, to your point, kind of stirring in this. maybe, I don't know, movement to to. re-educate and to educate each other and. to build those things back in a way. that's even stronger and then more. resilient, I think, is so beautiful. And. I don't think. the first act of him. is not our only act. And I think right. now we're seeing this this follow up of. of people who.

despite. the fact that he rose to power and and. some of us, the royal us, helped him do. that, I think there's more of us and. even maybe those who have buyer's. remorse that I understand that maybe. there could be something better. And I. think there's hope in that. >> I agree. Prem Thakker, thank you for. coming to New York. Thank you for. being my guest. Please tell my listeners. and viewers how they can follow you and. read your articles. >> Yeah, so they can find us at zeteo.com, where you can find all of our reporting. Please do support us. We're trying our.

best to do deliver the news coverage. that you all deserve and your support. helps us do that. Uh you can find me on Instagram, Tik. Tok, Twitter. Just look for Prem, p r e. m t h a k k e r and hopefully you'll. find me there. And uh don't be a. stranger, but thank you so much for. having me. I really appreciate it. >> Yeah, thank you.