The Chris Cuomo Project - Bassem Youssef No-Holds-Barred On Middle East Turmoil And Media Manipulation

Episode Date: February 13, 2024

Chris Cuomo and surgeon-turned-comedian Bassem Youssef discuss the fraught political landscape of the Middle East, dissect the Israeli-Palestinian crisis, and explore how fear is used as a tool for control across various political landscapes. The conversation expands to critically evaluate the role of media, military-industrial complex, and sensationalism in the perpetuation of conflicts. Youssef provides his unique perspective, underscoring the importance of sustained conversation, understanding opposing views, and balancing heart and head-based decision making. Join Chris Ad-Free On Substack: http://thechriscuomoproject.substack.com Follow and subscribe to The Chris Cuomo Project on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube for new episodes every Tuesday and Thursday: https://linktr.ee/cuomoproject Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Something special for you today on the Chris Cuomo Project. Besam Youssef, okay? Look him up. He was called the John Stewart of Egypt, and that is high praise, but he is more than that. We're gonna have a conversation today that's gonna make a lot of people uncomfortable, but for the right reasons.

This is not empty provocation. It's about the Middle East, and it's about the head and heart of Arab people, Palestinian people, where they're coming from. I've talked to you often about where Israeli people are coming from, the existential fear, what it means to see images of people who say they want to kill you and destroy you, burn Jewish bodies. That is a very powerful message that I believe was sent intentionally to the Jewish people. But there aren't just two sides to the situation.

There are like five, and there's humanity that runs throughout all of it. Now, Bessam Yusuf grew up in Egypt. He understands the politics of the region. He understands the history of the region in a way that is exceptional, extraordinary, not as a comedian, not as a cardiothoracic surgeon that he is, but as a student of the world and as somebody who is in pain

because of what's happening in the Middle East, who has family trapped in a home in Gaza, who has lost people he knows in Gaza. I believe that everybody who is open knows that what's happening in the Middle East has to stop. That whatever the answer is, which to me is unknown, it can't be this. And it can't be this almost insane notion that it can't stop until Israel eradicates Hamas, like we eradicated ISIS, like we eradicated terror in the war on terrorism. You don't beat an idea by destroying the people

who believe it. You beat it with a better idea, something that entices people more than the desperation that led them to the extremism. We know this. We know this from our own experience. So I'm not carrying water for anything other than the obvious idea that this has to end because there's too much death. There's too much fear. And there's too little promise of anything better anytime soon to come.

So this is a conversation with one very intelligent person who lived the experience and is very worried about the politics and the power plays involved, and me, with what I've seen, what I've learned, and what I want to ask of someone with a point of view in this situation. of someone with a point of view in this situation. A lot of it is going to be hard for you to hear, especially if you believe that Israel is under constant threat and has to be doing what it's doing right now and is justified in doing so. You're going to be upset if you're an American and you identify with the pro-Palestinian movement

as an aspect of oppression. It's a long conversation. It's nuanced. A lot of people are going to take bites and spin it out of context. We'll deal with that as it happens. But it's a conversation that has to happen again and again and again

because it's the only way we'll get to a better place. So here is Bassem Youssef, who is a great comedian, is touring all over the country right now. He was literally chased out of Egypt. He kept doing his show and talking about oppression and tickling power, as the Netflix documentary about him is called. Even when the Egyptian state said he had to stop or they would stop him, he still did it. And then he fled to the United States and he's had to start all over again here. It's an amazing story.

It's uniquely American. And his perspective on what's happening in the Middle East needs to be heard. Not that you accept it, not that you understand all of it the way he does, not that you agree, but that you listen. Please do that. Here is Bassem Youssef in a conversation that we need to have.

So, how do you explain how explosive and massive the reaction to your comments about what's happening in the Middle East were with Piers Morgan and all over the internet afterwards? Well, there's two explanations. Number one, luck. No such thing. Number two, number two. I'll be very honest about it. I think I told this to Piers on his show. honest about it. I think, and I think I told this to peers on his show, there is a whole group of people in this world that they haven't had the chance to have their voice heard or their point of view came across. Because honestly, when our side of the story get brought up, they either

being bullied into not putting out their words or they get their buttons pushed so they will come up as angry brown people. I'll be very honest. And the thing is, this whole topic in the Middle East is very emotional. So when you try, it's very difficult to navigate the thing so not to fall into the emotional roller coaster and try to speak calmly.

So that's why in the second interview, I was like trying to speak. I didn't want to score points. When I sit with someone, I don't want to prove that you're wrong because you're coming here. You've already had your mind made up over years and years and years.

I'm not coming here to change your mind. I think that's the problem of how people get into the quarrels because we put our egos ahead of us. Oh, it's like I have to prove them. It's like I'm coming here to change your mind. I think that's the problem of how people get into the quarrels because we put our egos ahead of us. Oh, it's like, I have to prove them. It's like, I'm coming here. Let's say for example, me and you, we talk about anything. I don't know, Israel, Palestine, the NBA, which team is better. I learned something that I need to come across to just explain my point of view. And it's up to you and up to the people watching and listening for them to decide for themselves. Is that too idealistic given the realities, not just in the Middle East,

but in America? One of the problems we're having in processing what's happening there is that it's being filtered through the game of advantage between the two parties. It's not a coincidence that the pro-Palestinian and anything that even becomes exaggerated from that in America is all left. And on the right, you have the most staunch pro-Zionist, pro-Israeli. It's by design for advantage. Everything in America gets split down the middle. How do you break through that to get to a point of understanding? Well, first of all, the problem is there's the problem of the media because now

people are do not have any um space for listening so it's all about soundbites and just like who wins and it has become sensational it becomes like people in the coliseum fighting it's like and then it's die die die die there's no the the there's no space for a nuanced conversation it's just like who gets the sound bites, who gets the thing. And I have to slightly disagree with you. Go ahead. Because there's a lot of the pro-Zionist are on the left. Big time.

There's a lot of people who, like Joe Biden, he's a Democrat. And people are asking him just cease fire. And a lot of people who are on the bankroll of AIPAC are actually Democrats. So it's not really a left to right thing. Yes. Well, everybody was pro-Israel in America. Both parties, the leaders, the money, the influence was too great for anybody to abandon it. But don't you think that the right kind of edged ahead even before this most recent conflict, Don't you think that the right kind of edged ahead even before this most recent conflict, moving the consulate to Jerusalem and Trump being so much more of a vocal BB ally and much more so than Biden, certainly as a vestige of the Obama administration. It seems now that if you were to point to one of the two parties and say, which one is more pro-Israel, people would say the GOP, not the Democrats.

Absolutely. But there's two things. Number one, there's something about a little bit of a hypocritical side would say the GOP, not the Democrats. Absolutely. But there's two things. Number one, there's something about a little bit of a hypocritical side of how the GOP deals with this because most of the pro-Israel, pro-Zionist are anti-Semites. It's crazy.

You really believe they're anti-Semites? Who can remember, forget MTG, you know, like about the whole Jewish laser guns. A lot of people, a lot of people, pro-Jewish will go out and say Jews will not replace us in Charlottesville. So there is this, this crazy split.

And Netanyahu is friends of all of those people, the pro-Zionists, but they're very anti-Semite. They hate the Jews and they love Israel. And you know why they do that, right? It's only because of the second, the rapture, the second coming of Jesus. And you know why they do that, right? It's only because of the rapture, the second coming of Jesus. They are like, when we talk about Zionism, I don't even think about Jewish people. Because most of the Jewish people are actually on our side.

Jewish voices for peace. There's Bernie Sanders. It's not a Jewish thing. It is a Zionist thing. Most Zionist people are actually Christian Zionists. And they're pushing the whole, like the whole world for a brink because of this book called Forcing God's Hands. Incredible book. It was written in 1998.

And it's just, they're talking about the dispensationalists and how they're like, they basically made it a self-professing prophecy. And those people who believe in the second rapture, they believe that all Jews will be killed and only 144,000 people will remain and they all gonna follow Christ.

It is dogmatic and it's crazy in a country that is liberal and secular than the United States. So I talk about a lot to people in the Democratic Party and they are very upset about the leadership, which is Biden

and Secretary Blinken, which is like a disgrace. His, I mean, we're going to get to that later. But it is, yes, it is a part of its right and left. But now, as much as I'm one of those people, I would vote blue no matter who. I will never give my voice to Biden after what he's done. So then what do you do if you're blue no matter who and the who is Biden and you won't vote for him? What do you do?

I would sit that one out, seriously. And it's crazy because I became an American citizen in this country and I'm so happy to vote. And America took America four years to get me to check out of the elections. Because if you are continue supporting a daily killing there and you're not even like wanting to put the slightest effect to stop the killing, why would I vote for you? And then they come back and they blackmail us. It's like, but reproductive rights, at least if a woman in Tennessee cannot have reproductive, she can travel to California, New York to do it.

Those people in Gaza have nowhere to go. So, and it's always been like the Democratic Party blaming the minorities for the fact, because the Democratic Party gave us the promise that we are on your side. But in reality, they are not. Because here you have a war, 27,000 kids, 20,000 Palestinians killed,

100,000 being injured, 70% of the homes. You did this show with Abdu Jabbar, the father, and you gave him the space. And I really appreciate it because, and this guy is an American citizen. He's not even in Gaza. And his son was killed for throwing it.

And he's not even going to throw the stone. And even if he threw a stone, he should not be killed. So- We don't know that he threw any stones. But even if he did, does he deserve to get shot? No, no, no.

That should be simple. No. But I don't like the suggestion, not from you, but the father even put it out there that they say he threw rocks. Look, the fact scenario doesn't make any sense. The lack of investigation,

the things that he told me they said to him when they came to the house, he wanted his son's personal effects. He says one of the soldiers threw the wallet on the ground and said, go ahead, reach for it, and I'll send you the same place I sent your son. Now, oh, he's probably lying. Well, why? This is his son. The guy's an American. He's not anti-America. He is American. Look, I think that it's so easy for people, if I were to look at how people blame me for things,

that it's so easy for people, if I were to look at how people blame me for things, you're an IDF shill. You hate the Jews. It goes back and forth because we're in a place now where if I'm not agreeing with you all the time, I'm your enemy. And so many things, you use the word nuance. Yes, complex situations. If the Middle East isn't complex, what is? There's never a single factor explanation. Here's a thing I've been thinking about lately on this, but I don't want to lose my point, which is, don't you need a platform? I know you're doing shows, you know, Bessem's all over the country

doing his comedy, which is a great act. You can watch, like I do online, you can find clips all over the place of Bessem Youssef, but- Yeah, and you're coming to my show in New Jersey. No way, I don't go to New Jersey. What? I'm an Italian from Queens, I don't go to New Jersey.

I know, but I'm doing my show there, come on. Where is it? In New Jersey, at Performing Arts Center in the 16th February. We sold out the first show,

it's 3,000 seats, we already sold out the first, so we have to come. Can you get me a seat to the first show? Fuck yeah. All right, that's what it's about.

I'll get you a seat on the stage. I like special treatment. I'm going to give you like a box. And I'm easy to make fun of. No, no, no, no. I get you a feed on the stage. I like special treatment. I'm going to give you like a box. And I'm easy to make fun of. No, no, no, no. I want you to come to the show. We look like cousins anyway.

I know. Mediterranean, baby. Italian and Egyptian. We got the hair going. We're across the Mediterranean. So when I watched the Piers thing, I've known Piers Morgan for a long time. I actually was after him at CNN. When Piers left, I've known Piers Morgan for a long time. I actually was after him at CNN. When Piers left, I wound up having Piers' slot.

And I spoke to him. I saw him in the UK at some point. And it was such a shock to me how resonant it was. Not because it didn't make sense, not because it wasn't cogent or anything. There was just such a hunger. And then, you know, you had the whole rematch face-off, which I loved that he went out to see you in LA. And it was great. But I was very surprised that after that, you didn't seek a new platform for yourself to discuss issues that are ongoing in that regard? Why haven't you?

I know you're doing your show, but... I am. Everything is new to me. When I left Egypt in 2014 and I came here, I lost everything. I have nothing. And I had to start all over again. And only five years ago, I started doing stand-up comedy in English. And at the beginning, it was again. And only five years ago, I started doing stand-up comedy in English. And at the beginning, it was bad, of course, because you start something new and bad. I'm five years old. In comedy, that's your age.

How long have you been doing comedy? Five years. You're five years old. So I'm still an infant. So I still got my hour kind of like tight. And now I have all of these tour dates and I'm doing it. So everything is coming down very quickly. And I'm between like like I want to sell my special on a tour and also I want to take my time in the platform because a I don't want to be you know how people will say oh you're

capitalizing on the thing you're doing that but I don't I I didn't want to I don't want to be put in a position where I'm an activist because I was politically burned in Egypt because people put that much pressure on me. I was like, guys, I'm a comedian. You can watch a documentary about it. It's called Tickling Giants. Yes. And it's very interesting. I followed it as it was happening.

And I was surprised. You know, I didn't expect the Americans to be outraged by it. You know, the moniker for Bessam was that he was Egypt's John Stewart and Stewart embraced you. He has been his own comeback here now by choice. And the work, here's the thing. Can you be exploiting a situation for advantage? Yes. that's also known as America. But this is necessary, Kassim. I know. And this is why I would rather come on shows like yours, come to kind of like speak to the audience, your audience.

Because your audience and peers' audience, other people's audience, I'm not doing this to speak to my people. I don't want to be preaching to the choir. I want to cross the aisle and speak to people about things that they have believed for so long.

And maybe we can have a logical, non-emotional discussion about, because what happened is full of emotions. But when you break it down, you're a reporter.

I respect that so much because you can go to things that are extremely emotional and then you can calmly dissect it. The same way that I'm a doctor. I had people coming like blood everywhere. I have to have my, I cannot get my emotions ahead of me because I need to know where is the source of bleed.

So this is why. Cardiothoracic surgeon. You know, this whole area. And he's also certified in the United States. It's always good to know a doctor. Yeah. People used to pay me money to stab them in the chest. So anyway, so I want to reach out.

I want to speak to anybody, everybody. I will go to someone who's completely opposed. And I want us to be uncomfortable talking about everything, talking about stuff that we have believed for many years. For example, a lot of people say Israel is America's friend. Israel is for, supporting Israel is for the best. And I want to challenge that. Because there has been, now as an American citizen, I don't think Israel is a good friend.

Will it be, can you call a country a friend if they have a spy, Jonathan Pollard, who spied an American? And he was an American. He was not Israeli. He took a life sentence in 1987. And just to spite the United States in 1995, Israel gave him the Israeli citizenship while he was in jail. That's a spite. And then he was released 2020 on a private jet sponsored by an American billionaire. You know, Sheldon Adelson.

Adelson. Adelson. And he was greeted at the airport by Benjamin Netanyahu. What kind of message do you give the people? Adelson is the big Republican. Yes. Yes. But like what kind of message if the head of Israel is receiving like a hero?

Okay. What about the Herzog affair, 1950-1954, where Chaim Herzog was an attaché in Israeli embassy, and he was recruiting spies with American soil, and he was tipped off that everybody is coming to him. He escaped, and how he was rewarded? Two times Israeli president, 1983-1993, and he's the father of the current president today.

How can you call a country, the Apollo Affair, where Rafi Etan, an Israeli spy, stole 206 enriched uranium from UMEC. How can you call a country that committed terrorist attack, killing an American citizen in American soil, and then they fled to Israel and they're not. The JDL, 1985, Alex Oda, he was Christian, Palestinian American, and he was assassinated

by three members of the JDL. And they escaped to Israel and America cannot get them back because Israel does not want to deliver. How can you call someone who commit an attempted assassination on an American diplomat, John Gunther Dean, our ambassador in Lebanon. And he wrote it in his memoir and he said,

they attempt and the American did not investigate it. What is the most lethal attack on American Naval vessel in history in the Middle East? USS Cole. How many people died? I don't remember, but a lot. I wouldn't count. 17. How many people died? I don't remember, but a lot. I wouldn't comment. 17. How many people injured?

37. But that's not the most lethal. The most lethal attack on American naval vessel was USS Liberty, 9th of June, 1967. They were attacked by the Israeli army. And they killed 34 American soldiers, injured 171. And they paid $6 million in compensation. This is how worth the American lives it is to them. Can we call this a friend?

Yes. And here's why. Okay. Because it's messy, and it's a relative assessment. And you have the largest Jewish population outside of Israel is in America. And they're people of pride and prominence. And the connection politically and culturally has always been strong. And it's a relative assessment. You make a checklist going back to the 1950s of what Israel has done that was wrong.

And now you have to compare it to everybody else in the region that is of any value to you. And you wind up with Israel being at the top of the heap. And look, I don't have any problem. I don't think the issue is that Israel has been misunderstood as an ally and they're an enemy. I don't think that's what it is. I think it's, what do you do when your allies are in bad situations? And there's situations that are at least in part of their own causing. What do you do?

The problem is right now, the American answer is absolutely nothing or as little as possible because America's population is exhausted. Support for the Chris Cuomo Project comes from Sundays. Now, we got a problem in the Cuomo house. We got three dogs who now like Sundays

better than the other food that I was giving them. Sundays is healthy dog food. Easy to store. Okay. Very tasty. Very nutritious because Sundaes is fresh dog food made from a short list of human grade ingredients. No, not humans. Human grade.

human grade. Sundaes was co-founded by Dr. Tori Waxman, practicing vet, tests and formulates every version of each recipe. No, the doctor doesn't eat it. They test it for pets. What is wrong with you?

So I got this stuff and I like that it's kibble, man, because I got to tell you, I've tried other foods that are wet foods and you got to have a whole refrigerator for them. This, you store it just like all the other kibble.

And I got to tell you, they loved it. All right? I got these three savage rescues. They eat an incredible amount of food. And I actually had to get a special bowl for one of them because he was eating the sundaes too fast. And if you're a dog owner, you know that that can go sideways on you. And I love it because it makes me feel like I'm doing them right. So, get 40% off your first order of Sundays.

Go to SundaysForDogs.com slash Chris. Or use the code Chris at checkout. We don't fake the funk here. And here's the real talk. Over 40 years of age, 52% of us experience some kind of ED between the ages of 40 and 70. I know it's taboo. It's embarrassing. But it shouldn't be.

Thankfully, we now have HIMS. And it's changing the vibe by providing affordable access to ED treatment. And it's all online. HIMS is changing men's health care. Why? Because it's giving you access to affordable and discreet sexual health treatments. And you do it right from your couch. HIMS provides access to clinically proven generic alternatives to Viagra or Cialis or whatever.

And it's up to like 95% cheaper. And there are options as low as two bucks a dose. HIMS has hundreds of thousands of trusted subscribers. So if ED is getting you down, it's time to pick it up. Start your free online visit today at HIMS.com slash CCP. H-I-M-S dot com slash CCP. And you will get personalized ED treatment options. HIMS.com slash CCP. and they will determine if appropriate. Restrictions apply.

You see the website, you'll get details and important safety information. You're going to need a subscription. It's required. Plus, price is going to vary based on product and subscription plan. Let's analyze it from the beginning, not in terms of historical reciprocity, but on October 8th, 7th, 8th,

what should have happened? What do you believe should have been the series of events that would have led us to a better place than we're in now? Well, here's the problem with discussing this. You always reset the clock at October 7th. Always. But here's why. But you're missing what- I'm not missing. I know that the reason it happened- Remember the video that they circulated about you?

Those punk ass white people on their pages on the right. They judge you for your reaction. Yes. But they didn't talk about what they have been doing. That's exactly right. And I get it. October 7th didn't happen in a vacuum. I totally understand.

But it's also about your standard of what kind of retaliation you will submit to as a natural consequence. There's no question that there is a state of oppression in what's happening in Palestine. Israelis will mention that. In polls, they'll say that they don't like the way it is, except for Bibi's government and his ministers, which is, I believe, much more right, extreme, and anti-Palestine, anti-brown, let's say, than the Israeli non-brown population. So I know that. I know that October 7th wasn't the beginning.

I know that for many, it was a cry of desperation. Okay. But what was done on October 7th, I don't think is subjective. I think objectively was something that was only done to provoke a response. You don't burn Jewish people and think that Israel's not going to come for you. Hamas, by all indications, which is why it got its leadership out of there, was anticipating exactly what happened. So assuming that you come in, you kill a bunch of their people, they're going to come for you. There's going to be warfare. Okay. That's not a surprise to anybody. We would do the same thing.

Okay. I, you know, and scale wise, it was a big deal for Israel. What should have happened? We're four months in now. Plus, what do you think should have happened? Like after the first week, do you believe that the world should have said, okay, that's enough. The numbers, you know're they killed a thousand or fifteen hundred whatever the number is um now you've killed ten times they already killed five

thousand in two weeks so let's say so should it have ended then and if so because that would be great less killing is always better if you're humanistic then what i don't understand the how of ending this right now i know ceasefire i get I get it. But how do I stop? I'll play Israel, okay? If I stop, okay, I'll stop. I'm beating you up too much. I'm killing too many people. I'm killing too many innocents. I'm killing too little Hamas. I can't get you. You're in the tunnels and you have my people who I want back, who now I believe as many as a quarter of them are dead already. So they're supposed to matter. I'm not getting you anyway, and I'm killing all these innocents. I'll stop. How do they stop and not believe that they're not going

to get attacked by Hamas as soon as Hamas comes? And how would Hamas stop not knowing that they believe that Israel will do the same? Here's the thing about October 7th. I really need, I think, for both of our viewers, people who follow me and follow you, I think we really need to discuss the stuff that we can share information that I might not know. You've seen the video. I've not seen the video, the 47 minutes video. And I believe that what you've seen, other than the stuff that we've seen, you've seen people tied up. You've seen burnt corpses.

You've been mutilated bodies. Right now. I want to talk about two things. Why is the connection about the Jewish people to Israel, which I understand, is that Jewish people have been persecuted for centuries. They've been pushed around from one country to another. They've been burned. They've been put in gas chambers.

I really believe that that kind of generational trauma is a huge thing that you cannot ignore. And that is why for them, Israel is not just a place. It's not just a country. It is an idea that no matter what happens to us in the world, we have a place that is strong, that can protect us, that it will never happen to us again. What happened under Babylon, under the Nazis, under the Russians, we have that place. So I understand that. And I understand the shock that happened on October 7th, like even that place is not safe anymore. So having said that, I want you to look at the other side. On the other side, every day for the Palestinian people is October 7th. Every day they are kidnapped from their

homes. Every day they are killed. Every day I'm going to come to the burning, I'm going to come to the atrocities. I'm not going to, I'm not going to miss anything. And I promise you I would, because here's the thing about conversation. I think that how people lose conversation is that when I don't show you the empathy that is deserved for your pain and I understand that. So I see that.

When November 4th, the first exchange between the hostages, Israel released 240 children and women. 233 of them were never convicted. So basically, we call them prisoners because they're put in Israeli prison. But actually, they go in the house and they kidnap them on daily basis.

Every single day, people are shot. They'll say it's a parallel system of justice for Israeli citizens, many of whom are not Jewish, right? And then there is this occupied, murky international standard of how you treat people when you are occupying them. Yes. And there's a different military type justice, but it is also deserving of scrutiny and criticism. And you have a lot of people without due process who've been held for a long time. Absolutely.

For Palestinians, they're sitting at their homes and they're being kidnapped every day from their homes. Israel is the only country in the world that tries children in front of military courts and they have a 99.7 conviction rate. There's nowhere in the world you have 99.7 conviction rate. And sometimes it's like, but they are terrorists. Okay, Zainab Auraqat, 2010, her husband were killed.

And then she posted on Facebook, may God unite us in heaven. And because of that, Israel went to her house and they detained her for eight months for acts of terrorism. So when Israel goes in with civil clothes and kill people in the hospital three like they are terrorists said who israel who decides so the whole thing about like when when you have out of the 240 people that were released by israel 107 were children 65 for the age of 18 meaning that they were children when

they acted so the the daily kidnapping happens and the daily killing happens there. We have just been micro-dosing it and the world doesn't care about it until October 7th happens. Now let's talk about October 7th. October 7th is a fucking atrocity. It's a terrorist attack. It's terrible. And no one can ever, I cannot even imagine. The Israelis' parents and family that went through that and also the Jewish people

who as I said they are connected to that place thinking it's a safe haven for them it's shattering the people who were but but the problem is what happened what we saw yesterday or after afterwards Anthony Blinken went on in front of Congress and he testified about an incident where Hamas terrorists went in. They gauged the father's eyes. They raped the mother. They chopped off her breasts. They amputated the child's leg. And they cut the little fingers, the finger of a little boy.

And then they had breakfast and laughed. That is a direct testimony from Zaka and Hadzola United, two relief groups from Israel, that they have actually been exposed that all of the stuff that they said has been lies and they have collected more than $50 million of donations because of these unverified lies. And this has been reported by the Israeli media,

Ha'aretz, Channel 13 and Time of Israel. So this shock, the Israeli media, Haaretz, Channel 13, and Time of Israel. So this shock, the allegation, a huge part of it is something that you've seen burned bodies. But in the same time in Israel, people talk about the Hannibal Directive, where the Israelis went in and indiscriminately, they shot hellfire missiles from Apaches. They shot shells from tanks. There is an Israeli survivor. Her name is Yasmin Porat. She came on a podcast and she talked about being in a house with 14 other hostages and 40 terrorists and said everybody was alive.

And then the Israelis started to their tank shooting. All the 40 were killed, the terrorists, and 12 out of the 14 hostages were killed. That's an 85% kill rate. Now, let's talk about the decapitated babies. According to the official Israeli records, one baby was killed, Mila Cohen, 10 months, 12 children from the age of 2 to 9, 36 from the age of 12 to 19, a total of 49 innocent children who should never have been killed or even touched on that day. The biggest casualty was 421 people from the age of 20 to 40. The total number of people that killed on that day, 1,120 people, 29 people, 373 of them were police and military

and 759 civilians. No rape, no decapitation, nothing. All of these were refuted. Even the New York Times piece and the Guardian retracted them because they were taken for a ride. So if you have the highest rated official going in and saying lies,

and now you created this image. I'm telling you, on October 8th, when that happened, when I heard that the people were killed and decapitated, it's like, oh, fuck them. Go in and kill everybody. I, the Muslim, the Arabs, like that could, because that was the image I had.

Does it make it less horrific that there are just 759 just killed, most of them killed by maybe firepower from the Israelis? No, it's still horrific. But you created that image so people now are prepared and prepped to go in and kill everybody. This is blind rage. And what we did right now,

what did you say? Do you say one time, it's like, I'm done playing the game. I'm done referring the game. I need to expose the game. What we didn't read right now is investigative journalists. The 40 decapitated baby became a myth

and everybody now believes. So if I talk about them, nobody wants to believe them. I don't think everybody believes it. But it was used as an emotional way to suck money, 50 million, and to allow people to say, all right, go and kill everybody. There's no question that it was tremendously powerful hearing that allegation. So when I tell you, when I tell you, when I break down the numbers to you now, how do you feel? Here's my problem

with breaking down the numbers. It's not new to me, okay? I'm sure that you know. I've heard this. And I accept it, by the way. Now, I can't say I know, but I'll say I accept it because I can say that

about all the numbers. Absolutely. And I can say that about when I was covering war in Iraq and Afghanistan. If I don't see it, I don't, I guess I can trust. I mean, the numbers are always in round numbers. Absolutely. And I can say that about when I was covering war in Iraq and Afghanistan. If I don't see it, I don't, I guess I can trust.

I mean, the numbers are always in round numbers, you know, which is always But these are efficient numbers from the Israelis. I understand, but I don't know that that makes them true.

It's like, you know, So who do we leave? These are the, But I'm saying, I think it's a problem. Okay. Okay. Because why?

Well, because of motivation. You know, if I get attacked and I'm going to give you the description of the damage, there's every incentive for me to exaggerate it because I'm hurt

and I want people to know how hurt I am and I certainly don't want to discount my hurt. So I'm not saying anybody's lying. I'm just saying that there's plenty of lying happening. You know why he's a person for me?

Because right now, as we're speaking, the uncles and the cousins of my children in Gaza, they lost all of their homes. They are still alive. They are all now cramped in one apartment, in one building in Rafah. And as we speak, one bomb can drop on them right now,

annihilating my whole family. And that happened because of lies that were propagated, making people accept that Israel can go and do whatever they want. That accept, accept. And again, you're right, okay? You're certainly right to feel that way. This is your family. There is a but for analysis.

You can say, but for October 6th, there is no October 7th. Okay. But for October 7th, you don't have what happens after it. Now, even if it's exaggerated, even if some of the things are not true and we're done to create emotional firestorms, okay, there is still a reality of brutality, terroristic actions, atrocities, whatever word you want to apply. It doesn't matter. Call it terrorist. I don't.

It was done. I'm not invested in. But I'm saying it doesn't matter how you break down the numbers and if it's less than what we know. Does it matter that it's less than what we know? Yes, because you should be aware of what's exaggerated and what's acted upon and what's exploited. You're right on all of it in terms of checking motivations.

It is still the precipitating cause of what came after it. And I believe it was done to create what happened after it. Now, where does this take us? The only place that matters, which is how do you stop the violence now? That's my only concern about litigating the past.

It's not that I don't have a position, so it doesn't matter to me. What's happening right now is a classic case of we are treating the symptoms and we're not treating the cause. Right. Right? And what is the cause? The cause is that you have a situation in Palestine that is impossible to maintain. You cannot have the people who live there having no freedom of determination over their own existence. And it doesn't even work for Israel. This is a Band-Aid measure for Israel to control its own

existence. Their rationale of it is, and your home country gets involved. Early on, I was just told this again, I think maybe last night on my show. Egypt didn't want the Palestinians. Nobody in the region wanted the Palestinians. The unspoken truth of the Arab Brotherhood is that the Palestinians don't really count and are disrespected. And Egypt said they can't come here because we have too many. Jordan said, we're like all Palestinians here. They can't come here. And that is the counter narrative. Okay. I can answer that. Although Egypt did say early on, but we're not saying they can't, We're saying we shouldn't. They shouldn't have to because they have a home. You see, this is, again, one of the talking points that gets repeated and people don't

know the reality behind it. People say that Arab people do not accept Palestinians. First of all, there are 2.5 million Palestinians in Jordan already. There are 4,600 Palestinians in Lebanon already. There are 5,900 people in Syria already. Egypt, my wife had like a refugee document. So we have many, but we don't count them. You know why? Because we don't treat them as refugees. We treat them as part of the country, right? So Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait,

hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. We've already taken a lot. But when we take them, we're basically allowing Israel to do what they want, which is evacuating the land from Israel. And the whole thing about like, we're killing them. Why don't you take them? It's like you're going out in the street, shooting someone in the face, and you're angry at your neighbors for not burying him.

It's crazy. You're basically blaming the people that don't want to take them, but you don't blame the side of the country that's doing the killing. It's madness. It doesn't make any sense. It doesn't make sense. I also don't think. And also, for Israel, let's say some miracle.

Egypt says today, all right, let's take them. 2.2 million people goes in into the Sinai. They have access to the sea. What do you think these 2.2 million, they're going to just sitai. They have access to the sea. What do you think these 2.2 million people, they're just going to sit there? They're going to retaliate, try to come back. They're going to have the sea open for them now. They're going to have Israel controlling. This is going to be

the Egyptian problems. And then they're going to have weapons. They're going to have an open desert in the Sinai. Is this safer for Israel? Right. Everywhere is like Yemen. Now you're going to create desert in the silent is this safer for israel right everywhere is like yemen now now now you you're going to create like a like a very very unstable focus that's not going to be good for egypt nor good for for israel so it's not even so it's not here's here's the here's the thing

do you do you notice how the pro-israeli people talk about the West Bank. They say Judea and Samaria, a.k.a. West Bank. Judea and Samaria, a.k.a. West Bank. They are already changing it. Yeah. Because if they can do that to 2.2 million people in Gaza, in a few years from now, they're going to find another Hamas in West Bank. And they're going to bomb the West Bank. Hamas is growing in popularity in the West Bank now because of what's happening there.

Of course. Of course. Enemy of my enemy is my hero, okay? And the thing is, you have already the 3.5 people, they have no rights. The land is being taken away from like a Jewish person from Poland can land in Israel,

take a land of a Palestinian that's been living there for 600 years. It doesn't make any sense. So, and now they're going to push people into Jordan. It's like, why doesn't Jordan take them? Why doesn't Saudi Arabia take them? And here's the thing about my relationship with Israel. Growing up, I had absolutely no problem with Israel. Of course, they're our enemies. We

fought four wars with them. But I was one of those people who really liked Sadat for doing the peace process. Because, and I know that we were like, you know, we dealt short. the negotiation was bad kissinger was he was like a master but like but at the end of the day we took sinai and peace no more war no more war no more i'm the but it's anything let's have whatever compromise but no

more war so i have no problem with israel existing and when people's like where are you where are you gonna there's like they're they're not mean nine million people where are you going to take this? There's like, there are nine million people. Where are they going to go? Khalas, it's complicated. And a lot of people hate me for having this very centrist, very, but I said, I was practical. But then I see those people who have, a lot of people in the Arab world

acknowledging their existence, okay, have used it. They're not acknowledging other people's existence. They're not acknowledging the Palestinians. They're even becoming to people's existence they're not acknowledging the Palestinians they're even becoming to question my existence as Egyptian because now you see I'm not talking about people on Facebook I'm talking about official ministers

they are going there in rallies and having the greater Israel map behind them, what does that tell you from the Nile to the Euphrates they're basically swallowing 8 Arab countries half of Egypt, half of Iraq, all of Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, parts of Saudi Arabia and parts of Turkey. So when you, when you give me that, I've been accepting you all your life and now you are

accepting me. So I want to tell, I want to tell the Israelis, I want to tell the people who say that Israel, that the Jews people have more right in this land, more the Palestinians. I have one question for them. Explain to me why is that so without using religion? Without using religion? Yeah. I understand the point. Because what do they say?

Because God gave it to us. Which God? We are the chosen one. Chosen by whom? It's a promised land. Promised by whom? Your God. It's not my God. I don't think any of it should be based on religion. Yeah, but here's the thing. All of like the liberal Zionists, I'm talking about the liberal Zionists now, who like support Israel.

They say, we are secular, we're democratic, we are separation of church and state. And when it talks about Israel, it's biblical. All of a sudden, it's biblical. It's because of the Holocaust. What did we have to do with it? No, it's not just because of the Holocaust. It's because when the issue becomes whether people want Jewish people to exist, Israel to exist, you're making it existential. And what does make them different is their faith. And as an extension of that,

you know, the blood of people in that faith. And, you know, from the river to the sea scares. Of course. But you know, but you know who came up with this? What, Israel? Yeah, the Likud party charter 1977. Haven't you read it? But it's not, but it's not who's using it now. You want to hear it?

It says like this. Doesn't matter who's using it now. The rights of the Jewish people in the land of Israel is eternal and indisputable. And it is important for our, and it connects to the right of our peace and security. Therefore, Judea and Samaria will never be handed to a foreign administration from the sea to the Jordan. There will only be Israeli sovereignty. We just make it rhyme better. You make it rhyme better.

But it's like... Have you read it? But the thing is, this is what Israel does. They do stuff and they project it on you. Those people who are chanting from the river to the sea, Palestinians... But you can't blame Israel. And you can't blame the people for chanting for them

because they're desperate. They don't have a superpower supporting them. They don't have the international media supporting them. And all of that can see and they go and shout and they chant in the streets. But the official charter of Israel, the official people they're talking about from the rivers to the sea, greater Israel. So how can you compare people in the streets or Facebook by the official stand of the Israeli government? Israel is not trying to expand its borders into Turkey and Iraq.

And that's not going to happen. OK, well, we thought we thought And that's not going to happen. Okay. Well, we thought that Gaza was not going to happen. And we thought that the illegal settlement would not expand that much. This has been happening since Israel was formed in one way or another. Okay. And I believe it's a situation where the problem has always worked better than any solution. Kind of like our southern border. Things that frighten people, things that keep people divided, things that keep people divided, things that keep people angry are a very good control mechanism.

And I always have wondered when I've worked in that part of the world, what would they do here if they didn't hate each other? Like, you know, if it wasn't for oil and hatred, I wouldn't- And maybe circumcision

because we all have our dicks cut. So we're angry at each other the whole time imagine like that's why Muslims and Jews are in fight because they cut our dicks at a very early age

and we were just like angry at each other here's what's wrong with you now somebody is going to take a clip of me laughing

out of context because you happen to be fucking funny and they'll be like look at him laughing at the Middle East no the Chris Cuomo project is supported by Cozy Earth why? happen to be fucking funny. And they'll be like, look at him laughing at the Middle East. No, no, no, no.

The Chris Cuomo Project is supported by Cozy Earth. Why? Because I like their sheets. That's why. A lot of people don't get a good night's sleep for a lot of reasons. One of the ones that you can control is bedding. One out of three of us report being sleep deprived. Okay, well, what is it? Well, it stresses all kinds of things. But the

wrong sheets can make you hot, can make you cold. I'm telling you, I don't even believe it either. But Cozy Earth sheets breathe. And here's what I love about them. Cozy Earth's best-selling sheet is a bamboo set, okay? Temperature regulating. Gets softer with every wash. I'm not kidding you, all right?

Now, so if you go to CozyEarth.com and you enter the code, enter the code CHRIS, and you can get up to 35% off your first order. CozyEarth.com, and the code is CHRIS. We don't fake the funk here, and here's the real talk. Over 40 years of age,

52% of us experience some kind of ED between the ages of, and here's the real talk. Over 40 years of age, 52% of us experience some kind of ED between the ages of 40 and 70. I know it's taboo, it's embarrassing, but it shouldn't be. Thankfully, we now have HIMS, and it's changing the vibe by providing affordable access to ED treatment, and it's all online. HIMS is changing men's health care. Why? Because it's giving you access to affordable and discreet sexual health treatments, and you do it right from your couch. HIMS provides access to clinically proven generic alternatives to Viagra or Cialis or whatever, and it's up to like 95% cheaper. And there are options as low as two bucks a dose. HIMS has hundreds of thousands

of trusted subscribers. So if ED is getting you down, it's time to pick it up. Start your free online visit today at HIMS.com slash CCP. H-I-M-S dot com slashcp and you will get personalized ed treatment options hymns dot com slash ccp prescriptions you need an online consultation with a health care provider and they will determine if appropriate restrictions apply you see the website you'll get details and

important safety information you're going to need a subscription. It's required. Plus, the price is going to vary based on product and subscription plan. I was talking to somebody about you today, and they were like, you got to talk to him all about his medical career and how he feels about it. I said, I get it. If you focus on healing and what matters for people, what you're doing with laughter, what you're doing with instructive humor, what you're doing with satire is so powerful. And it can be healing. I think the dialogue is healing.

Look, it's easy for me to have the conversation, though, because I'm not emotionally and personally invested the way you are and the way Jewish people are. I have a lot of Jews in my life. I have Jews in my family, but I have Arabs in my life. I have Muslims in my life. I don't have them in my family as far as I know, but it doesn't matter to me, but it's easier for me to have the conversation. I don't have blood on the line the way other people do. And I respect that. A lot of Americans don't. They believe they can own an issue even though they have no part of it some people with more extended value than others like i understand why black people have an affinity to seeing minorities oppressed in other places of the world i understand that i understand why they would see commonality i I get it. And I think it's important to engage it. I do think that a lot of the explanations have their place, but are also a distraction from the present. Like Blinken is over there. Israel just said no to the latest. I don't know when

you're going to be watching this, but it'll probably be true five times between now and whenever this ends whatever that means that israel saying no no no this phase deal it's too long we're not getting enough i don't understand how this ends in a way i'll be honest with you i don't know how it ends at all well well again we we we you asked a question i told you go back to all. Well, again, we... I don't even know what happens. You asked a question, I told you, go back to the root of the problem like we do in medicine. And I'm telling you,

you do an incredible job because I've watched you many times. You have an ability. You're an empath. You put yourself in other people's shoes so you can understand. And I respect that about you. You're a big empath.

You're empathic with people. sometimes when i tell people put your your your yourself into the other people's shoes and someone who does that beautifully is gideon levy the israeli reporter wonderful he is wonderful and he's very fair he's very he's an israeli reporter and i have to say this is very fair and sometimes when when because it seems that for so long, and I'm sorry to say this, people don't want to hear anything from the Arab side. So I use Israeli quotes. And one of my favorite quotes, believe it or not, is what by Ben-Gurion.

The George Washington of Israel. He said, and this is a quote from the book, The Jewish Paradox by Nahum Goldman. He said, if I was an Arab leader, I would not sign an agreement with Israel. It's natural. We took their land. I mean, yes, God promised it to us, but our God is not theirs. Why would they accept it? Why would that mean anything to us? Yes, there was anti-Semitism, Nazis, the Jews, Auschwitz, but why would they pay for it?

We are coming here to take their land and see that you do not accept it. That is a direct quote by the founder of Israel. And yet in another speech, 1938, he said, let's be true to ourself. Politically, we are the oppressors and they defend themselves. We're coming here to inhabit and they're already here. And then he said something mind-blowing he said behind the terrorism by Arabs is a movement though primitive but yet it is not the voice of idealism and self-sacrifice this the I can just like take those two quotes and put in front of everybody everybody somebody will say Hamas, I will tell them Benyamin Netanyahu. Benyamin Netanyahu

in 2019 in Likud party said in order to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state, someone should bolster Hamas, give them money. We've been doing that. That's been our strategy. So I don't understand like the cognitive dissidence that people can't make me like Hamas October 7th.

Guys, don't you see what you're doing? There's a continuum. In 2001, in the video with Netanyahu, I'm sure you've seen that video when they say like, I have sabotaged the Oslo Accords. He was like proud of it. And he was just dissing America. And quotes from him when he's younger on television saying,

no, I don't think that there's a right to a Palestinian state. So you see all of that and people say it's the Palestinian fault. So when you push people for a certain limit, when you continue to dealing people like animals, they will behave like animals. Listen, we've seen that time and again in this country. Okay. And yet the story of humanity on this planet is exactly this pattern repeated again and again and again in this country um these were occupiers who came here with they may say manifest destiny but it wasn't rooted in the mythology of god telling them the way it is with the jews but there was my point is this and and this isn't this isn't my thought but i did hear it and it does resonate with me which is

This isn't my thought, but I did hear it and it does resonate with me, which is this happens. OK, and right, wrong, good, bad. Wars are fought. Lines move. People are placed and displaced. OK, it happens all the time. And this area, I mean, there's so many people in Africa right now who want to have exactly the same conversation about how they've been displaced and how wrong it is and how much violence there is in killing. And it's happening in Yemen also. It's happening all over the place. Happening in China with a million Uyghur Muslims

that we don't know what's happening with them. We don't know anything. So here, everybody's focused on here as if this is so wrong and it can never be right. These situations all get solved. There'll be waves of trouble. There'll be more. There'll be outgrowth. There'll be fighting. Okay. It happens around the world. But only this situation in our lifetime has been impossible to move the line for anything but a tenuous period. And I believe that's because the problem works better than a solution. But we know what needs to happen, right? You need Israel out of these places. You need a compromised border agreement about where they are and what land they can get and what land's going to be here. And it can't be part of faith because you have to divorce yourself

from God speak at some point if you want to deal with reality. Okay. And I'm not anti-religion. I'm not telling people not to be religious. No, we know, we know, we know. We won't see what happens when you put religion in politics. It's messy. But this is what happens. This is what happens again and again and again,

is that they have to leave some places. They get to stay some places. And Israel should not be in control of Palestine. Palestine should. They just can't have a terror organization that is seen as a state sponsor of terror as the head of the organization. So Hamas has to go

and they need real elections, real things, and they'll struggle like everybody else. Like we're struggling right now. I know, but Hamas is a product of the situation. I get it. It is a solution. But the thing is, you said something like,

why is this particular issue is not resolved? For a very, very obvious reason. Because the greatest country in the world, the most powerful country in the world, has been sponsoring Israel. And I have mentioned this before. During the history, since the inception of Security Council, America used the veto 84 times. It's always about Israel. And they used the veto to protect Israel 56 times. It's always about Israel. And they used the veto to protect Israel 56 times. It's crazy. Yeah. That is not. And that when Biden, by the way, Joe Biden,

Joe geriatric genocide Biden, that's his nickname now. John, like Joe geriatric genocide Biden, because he is supporting genocide. And people are telling even people in his own party, it's like, you have to stop. How many more do you feel? Okay, October 8th, October 9th, October 7th. How many more? It's not working. The rage is not working.

What did the rage get us in Afghanistan and Iraq? Million Iraqi, they had $2 trillion spent. All of these American being killed in Iraq. Did it solve anything? Did the rage, did the angst, did it solve anything? No. So is there in like one sane person to say, this has to stop?

Israel takes money from us. I'm speaking now as an American citizen. I don't know why my representatives are wearing IDF uniforms in the Congress. Brian Mast. Brian Mast is wearing an IDF uniform in the Congress. And now when you look to his finances, he received $101,000. What do you mean he's wearing an IDF uniform? Brian Mast.

You can look it up. Brian Mast, the congressman from Florida. He was wearing an IDF uniform in Congress, in lobby. He's going around showing his IDF military Congress. Because after he lost his legs in 2010, he went in and he lost his loyalty to the United States. And he volunteered in the IDF. And he's not even Jewish. He's Christian. He's a legs in 2010. He went in and he lost his loyalty to the United States. And he volunteered in the IDF. And he's not even Jewish, he's Christian. He's a Christian Zionist.

And he comes back and there's videos, you can look it up. It's like, I wish more children are dead in Gaza. Is Rashida Tulaib put in like the green Hamas bandana and said like, I wish Jewish people were killed? Oh my God, she'll be lynched. But like, this is like a Congress person. He receives $101,000 from AIPAC and his next seven donors combined, they gave receives $101,000 from AIPAC and his next seven donors combined,

they gave him $92,000. If this is not buying politics for a foreign agent, I don't know what is. What happens if America doesn't support Israel? I'm not supported, but be fair. Force Israel to stop building the settlement. Force Israel to be just. This is the whole idea. Why do you think America gives $2.3 billion to Egypt? It is linked to the peace treaty with Israel. Why do you think we give $3.8 billion to Israel? And it's not about that. As an American citizen, again, it's-

There are a lot of people in this country right now, a growing population, who says, we shouldn't give money to Egypt. We shouldn't give money to any of those places. Let you guys fight it out. There's a good chance Israel's going to kick your ass. No, no, no. And then let it happen. Now, Israel will not kick anybody's ass

without America's support. Because right now, in an area with 365 kilometers- I know, but here's the thing. But here's the thing. Here's the thing. Weapons will always make their way to people who need them and want them. I understand.

But America being the superpower of the world comes with responsibility. Being the boss of the world comes with responsibility. They say that this, and the US government position is this is exercising its responsibility because otherwise the region will destroy Israel.

Okay, how? You will not destroy anybody if it's about compromising and giving people what they want and they Israel. Okay, how... You will not destroy anybody if you make... If it's about compromising and giving people what they want and they need. Because Israel has... What they want and need

is to get rid of Israel. Not really. Not really. Because like... A lot of people say it. And a lot of people don't. I don't think that Saudi Arabia, the leadership in Saudi Arabia

want to destroy Israel. I don't think their leadership in Jordan or in Egypt are wanting to destroy Israel. You're talking about Hezbollah, Hamas and Iran. And if you get more people involved and give justice to the people,

you know what happens? You feed the radicals by being unjust. That's always been true. Yes. So anger and violence makes radicals take over. They're making a new generation of enemies right now. And the 27,000 people were killed. Wael Dahdouh, a reporter, lost seven of his family.

Seven people in the family. Shirin Abu Akleh, a Palestinian American, she was killed. And Israel lied about it for a year. The continuous lying. So what happens? As an American, when I tell you, when you know the amount of money that goes to Israel tax exempt, how do you talk to a teacher in Delaware making minimum wage or someone in Mississippi who is trying to fight to do tax? And he sees hundreds of millions of dollars in donation feeding illegal settlements and they're tax exempt. How does this work?

settlements and they're tax exempt. How does this work? Bessam, we have a military industrial complex in this country that gobbles up so much, so disproportionate. And we give it for all kinds of reasons, good, bad, and indifferent all over the world. If Americans were to ever really truly measure their lives, needs, and wants as a function of what is given abroad and vote on that, the world would be in big trouble. Because Americans, in a vote, I don't know that it comes out that we're giving foreign aid 10 cents on the dollar to what we're given right now.

So the idea that teachers are underserved, true. Because of the money we give to Israel, please. There's money given to so many different. Yes. And I want them all. And I want them all to be checked. And I want them all, all of them to be very, to be revised because I, as an American, I don't want our money, my taxpayer money going all around there. And I know that people make comparison between Israel and other things. But again, I'm telling you the special treatment Israel gets, it could not be compared. People talk about Saudi Arabia, for example, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia defense budget is $75 billion,

$75 billion. Where do you think this money goes? It goes to America. Actually, pragmatically, putting like all morals aside, Saudi Arabia is actually supporting the American economy because they're giving so much money to all of these weapons. All right. And then Saudi Arabia is actually supporting the American economy because they're giving so much money to all of these weapons. All right. Saudi Arabia, like the sovereign, I think the sovereign must have about like $60 billion in American banks. While Israel has been, and I'm talking not as an Arab or a Muslim, as financially, Israel is sucking us dry. There is unanticipated $1.6 billion that America has to come with

because of the war. America has a moral commitment to Israel. Why? And a strategic commitment. Why is it strategic? People hate America because of Israel. If people say, why people people hate America, trust in the region to be as good an ally. Did you try? Did you try other allies? Did you try? Did you try? We're just like being. Why? Why? Why don't we explore all of these i mean the recent american experience would say as a former president trump announced in one sentence islam hates us remember that when he said that and how it resonated i thought that that line how many

times have i been wrong about this when he said those words i said that's it he's done that is he just convicted out 1.5 billion people of hating america and yet his people go go out in march and say jews will not replace us it doesn't make any sense chris the thing is like you can talk about yes do muslims hate america a lot of muslims hate america of course but they do that because of their the same way that a lot of Jews hate people because of Israel. A lot of people hate. True. But the American experience is they've never heard Israel say, we hate America.

And after. They don't say it, but they act like they do. After 9-11, in the American experience, that entire part of the world celebrated. Absolutely. in the American experience, that entire part of the world celebrated. Absolutely. And every day, every time there is a bomb that falls onto Gaza,

people in Israel also celebrate. Have you heard about Sinema Sidrot? Yes. All right. Have you heard about the pancake celebration for killing of Rachel Corey, the American citizen under a bulldozer that Ben Shapiro said like she's a fool?

So, I mean, you give me one example, I'll give you 10 from the other side. Seriously, it's just like the focus is on us. Oh no, I could give you a hundred examples. The point is, the point is, look, hurt people hurt people, right? Yes, I know. And angry people do angry things.

And again, I don't want to erase Israel. I don't want people, I don't want, because this is- But how do you stop it? I'm not asking you to solve it. We're sitting here on the couch. You're a doctor and a comedian it's really about justice it's like if what do you do what do you do but i give you the wand okay i mean i don't go back to 2000 where now what do you do now go back to 2000 to that area and just sit with the palestinians and give them the land it's about land versus peace and we And where, so all Israelis must leave Gaza and the West Bank.

I mean, that's part of it, yeah. But I mean, again, I'm not a Palestinian negotiator and I cannot give you the best way, but what I'm telling you, what is happening right now is not sustainable. And the problem is these discussions, like what happens the day after? But it's not sustainable any way you look at it, Besam. But should we continue the killing?

Nobody is going to say if they're speaking from their heart, I want more people to die. Of course. Right? But also you cannot say I don't know what else to do. Well, but I don't know what to do. But the thing is, we can always say what's happening now is wrong. I don't know what should happen, but it's not that. And then the people who are-

I agree with you. Yeah, so whatever should be done is not that. I agree. And it has to stop because you cannot- Because here's the thing. You know what really pissed me off about Western media? They wasted so much time. What's the proportionate response?

What's the proportionate response? What's the proportionate response? They're stalling. They're stalling. Well, but that's because the death count kept being used as the only measure of the situation. And we didn't do that when we went to Iraq and Afghanistan. People have no idea how many people Americans in the ISF were still killing. They're not social media then, so people... That is true.

It was not a day. It's very important. Very important point. But, but uh if this had been america okay this is something that i think is not fair to israel we are asking them to do things that we would have never done okay if you took a hundred something americans now i know people are going to say what are you talking about they're americans being held all over the place in iran and other places and we don't fight to get them back.

Russia. It's true. It's true. I think America does more than a lot of other countries to get its people back, but it's far from perfect. I agree. But if you took the Americans in the way that they were taken on October 7, and you didn't give them back immediately, that place would be ashes right now. Good. No, no, not good. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Not now. Good. So it happened.

No, no, not good. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Not good. No, no, no, I agree with you. But that's what America would do and that's what Americans would want. I agree. Okay, so let's kill everybody.

No. No. I mean, I don't, because the thing is immediately happened four months ago. It happened October 8th and October 9th

and October 10th and November, October. How much longer? But why isn't there pressure? Because you cannot, listen, you cannot wipe out highways. No, no, no. I agree.

You can't. So the whole idea we're going to keep killing until we get lucky, we can't happen. And the thing is like, people believe the most outrageous thing. You know, have you read Patrick Kingsley

when he said there's like 450 miles of tunnels? Do you believe that? Seriously? Like the New York subway system. Probably exaggerated like everything else. New York subway system in total is 433. Yeah, so he's probably exaggerated like everything else. But it's not exaggerated.

He's like, the New York Times has been a mouthpiece of Israeli media. They are not even challenging anything. And this idea of lies and lies and lies and lies and lies, they are pathological liars. Here's my point. Not a point, it's a question. And I don't even like framing it this way.

But again, we're operating from a place where we're all lost with this. Nobody should like the status quo and nobody seems to be able to make a change. But are we so lost to just say cease fire? And then how about, how is the solution? Cease fire and let's talk about it. What the UN said early on, and now everybody hates everything, every institution, UN's no good, nothing's the solution. Cease fire and let's talk about it. What the UN said early on,

and now everybody hates everything, every institution. UN's no good. Nothing's good. Give back all the people, live or dead. Give them back in three days because I'm sure it'll take you time

and three is a good biblical number. Give back all the people and we will cease fire, right? There'll be an armistice, at least, right? You'll stop doing what you're doing. We'll stop doing what we're doing. Tell Hezbollah to stop doing what they're doing. Tell the Houthis to stop doing what they're doing.

Everybody stops. Even if that were achievable, nobody is requiring the first element. Every time there's a deal on the table, the UN said early on, give back all of the hostages unconditionally. It was never even considered as a deal point and in america it would be deal point one yes yes i know what you want we don't negotiate with terrorists but let's put that to the side give us back all our people or we're going to come and it's never going to stop yeah but you understand that like also there is they

want their people you understand there is there's hostage in their people so give them so so so if i were israel I would empty all of the facilities. Give them all back. But also in Paris today, Israel also refused that because there was a deal on the table

for a permanent ceasefire and just like a total exchange of everybody because also, I mean, again, put yourself in those Hamas shoes.

It's like, oh, I'm going to give them. I have no leverage. They're going to come in and kill us. Right? So basically you want something that would give a kind of a permanent solution.

And the permanent solution, ceasefire, exchange everybody, and let's sit down and talk and make sure this will not happen again. Hamas, listen, I'm not here to defend Hamas. You're defending them. You are a Hamas defender. You look like you could be my cousin,

but you're a Hamas defender. By the way, we are cousins. But by the way, so I don't know. But like, again, I think what is the solution? Not this, Chris. Yes. And I'm sure that we agree on this. Because this is too much.

This is too much. And the people who were killed and injured, they and their families are not going to be friends with Israel. They're not going to like them. You have created a permanent problem for years to come. You have created a million Hamas. You have created...

And you have created resistance in Israel that you did not have before. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And yes. And in America. And that happened because of what was happening before October 7th. It doesn't start on October 7th.

So the thing is, this is one of the, even in medieval ages, Chris, people stopped so people can bury their dead. People in Gaza cannot even have this luxury. It is just like heartbreaking. They are blocking the aid trucks. They're blocking everything. I totally agree. The humanitarian aspect of it has been mismanaged and wrong. Stop. Let's do what medieval people did and just have time and then talk because you cannot talk about like what will happen after until you're done with this. Done

with this, Hamas stopped doing shit. But there has to be more conversation and pressure to give the people back. I get that it's leverage for Hamas. Then you have Saudi Arabia, you have Egypt, you have Qatar, you have all of the players. They sit with America. Well, then take the hostages and send them to Qatar. Let them be taken care of. I'm fine with like total exchange,

but this is the question. What happens the day after? And what happens the day after could not be discussed until today we finish this war. Because this has to stop because they can say like what will happen if they come to us you've been doing this for six months but who says don't stop except certain hawks in america uh who believe like this line of they can't stop until they get rid of hamas i am always surprised they're isolated they're they. No, but it doesn't matter about the human beings. It's the idea. Tonight, I'm going to have someone, as is often the case on my show, all these people are much

more sophisticated than I am. They're all experts in their areas. So I'm going to have a national security expert on tonight. And he's going to say Israel can't stop until they end Hamas. Oh, like we did? Like we did, right? Israel's formidable, okay? They're not us, all right? And I watched what we did in there. And I watched how we used every arrow in the quiver in terms of we're going to give you money, we're going to help build with this, we're going to bring in professionals, we're going to fire bomb everything, you know, we're going to do everything. And ISIS is backing on the game. Taliban is backing on the game. Al Qaeda is becoming a brand again and spreading around. You can't kill an idea by killing the people who believe it. You have to replace it with a better

idea. And there's a reason that these ideas take root among the poorest, least educated, that these ideas take root among the poorest, least educated, most desperate. Not always, but in general. And that is true here also. You don't kill Hamas. You find a tunnel. Let's say everybody from Hamas is in the tunnel, even though I don't even know what that means anymore. Because as you say, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Now I'm living in a hellscape. I'm living in Thunderdome in Gaza. All I know is that Israel, and it seems like everyone in the world wants to kill me every five minutes. I'm in favor of anybody who's fighting for me. And people who say, oh, come on, you're being a little dramatic. Oh, really? Because that's not happening in America right now. Trumpism isn't about that, right? Trump is just such a magnetic genius leader with all the answers for our country that people follow him. Of course not.

He's an agent of animus. He is a product of grievance that is justified in many, many cases. They see him. They don't want to be like him except the money, if it's real, right? They don't want him to marry their sister, right? They don't want to go into business with him, right?

But he is protecting them against the things they fear more strongman image but that's the same thing it's an extraction of the same human principle you're not going to root out root out hamas you would have to have that population with a lot of foreign help say we're going going to give you yourselves back, okay? We're going to help you have real elections to the extent they even exist anymore. No Hamas. Maybe it'll be the same people who now have a new party name or whatever they're called. But again, all of those people who like, but they're pushed into radicalism. Right. You talk about the reason that pushed them to radicalism, right? And I understand that also the radical government in Israel

is feeding of that fear. And if the radicals get in control of things, everybody loses. I don't want Hamas to continue because their existence should be nullified by having people taking their rights. I don't want Israelis to be wiped out or killed. And I think, and I was actually, I was heartbroken

when I read this report by Dan Cohen. He's an Israeli Jewish journalist who leaked this audio from Zvi Lavidot. He's a right-wing leader with Netanyahu. And they were actually negotiating with the parents of the hostages, just like they're pawns. They're gonna, we're going to get rid of them.

And you have to accept that. The people in Israel doesn't want that happening. It's true. Doesn't want that happening. That's very true. Doesn't want it. The families of the hostages have become a very powerful entity. We need to wait.

Among the masses. I, I, I, I cannot, if I'm, if my son was there, I can't even imagine what I would be going through. If it was like blocked up in a tunnel with some people, of course. You would hate everybody. I would hate everybody. Yeah. But I also, but as you go through the hate and you go all the rage, you need to know what works because hate might not be the answer.

And you said it before. We went after Qaeda, we went after Afghanistan, WMD that never existed, million Iraqi killed. Afghanistan, WMD that never existed, million Iraqi killed. All of these soldiers killed, not just in Iraq, but like American soldiers and the veterans and the people lost limbs

and they're like crippled for the rest of their lives. For what? For what? For rage, for anger. That is not true. And the thing is like, if anything,

we should learn from our mistakes, but we say history keeps repeating itself. No no because people are stupid and they continue to repeat their own mistakes but it is the human experience yeah santayana was right those who fail to remember the lessons of history are doomed to repeat it but what idea was he facilitating it's not that you don't remember the lessons of history a part of this is education ignorance knowing and that's one of the beautiful gifts that you gave the audience today is incredible context but it's that you don't want to do it differently because it serves it's it's it's self-serving There is very little reason for power if there is no fear. Yeah.

You really don't need to give me any agency over your life. And I'll give it to you. A lot of the Arab regimes use the idea of Israel to gain control. People use the idea of fear, like Mexicans, Arabs, Muslims, Jews. You need an enemy. You need an enemy to propagate, to maintain control over people.

Because how can you control the masses if it's not for fear? It's true. Yeah. It is true. And it's always been true. And for people who see it as a developing world thing, it can be more obvious, more grotesque, more obvious, more ugly. But it's just as real as what's happening in our two-party system. 100%. The southern border that we're obsessed with, I have never seen a problem

in my life, because even this, it's not as easy or as simple as I'm making it, but sometimes I try to reduce things to the simple just to kind of create some energy of hope. The southern border is kind of simple. It's not the Middle East, okay? There is no God speak involved in it. And there aren't decades and decades of dead and legacy effect, okay? But we don't fix it. Why?

Because it's a great boogeyman. And it allows the right to say, these Democrats are crazy. They're going to get you killed. These are savages coming across. You hear about the 24,000 Chinese that just crossed in San Diego? What is that about?

It's scary. And you know you can fix it. You know, it's never about the problem. It's how you manipulate it and use it. That's right. It could be about anything. It could be land, borders,

gender. How can we find ways so we can fight with each other? That's right. I got pitched. Fear. Fear is the commodity, right? I got pitched a story.

There is a fungus infection, fungal infection. It's eating holes in people's lung tissue. They think they have cases in all 50 states. They wanted me to jump on this like it's the new pandemic i said well how many cases in every state it's like there's something killing everybody in every state you know what i mean if by that by that measure all i should talk about every night on my show is fentanyl

if i want to talk about what's killing the most americans in the most places most by surprise it's fentany Or your car is killing you. That's right. Most people die from car accidents. Whatever it is, it's your cell phone. Don't put it near your head. How do I talk to you? So fear is a commodity.

And I think one of the most, why I wanted to talk to you so much is one, because I wanted to encourage you once you deal with the tour and get the special, you got to have a platform, Bessam. And I can say- Produce it for me. And I'll mean it. Produced by Chris Cuomo. You You got to have a platform, Bessam. And I can say- Produce it for me. And I'll mean it.

Produced by Chris Cuomo. You're going to get a lot better than me who's going to want to produce your show. The combination of, and Stuart has this also too. He doesn't like me, but I like him. The intelligence,

the knowledge, the human experience, and what you flatter me with, which is nowhere near as true with me as it is with you. You can feel with your heart as well as your head what the competing exigencies are. And I've heard you do it on a lot of things.

You just, this is timely. So people grabbed onto you with what they heard of Piers Morgan. Not unlike what happened with Hassan Youssef, the Green Prince, the son of Hamas. He resonated in the same way because this guy, his father is one of the heads of Hamas. And now he's become so inflamed that he's saying things that I can't believe he's saying. Because we're desperate for voices that have some kind of context and understanding.

What people aren't used to here is, and again, it's because I don't take any ownership of a side. I just want it to stop. And I cover the humanitarian things because it's obvious. I cover the existential issues for Israel because they're obvious. But all I want is for it to stop to the extent that that matters. I do sometimes wonder in my cynical moments, do we want this to stop to the extent that that matters. I do sometimes wonder in my cynical moments, do we want this to stop? Or is this kind of good for business one way or another? Like, is this kind of good? It is definitely good for many businesses, the military industrial complex,

for media, for sensationalists. It is crazy. I got to let you go, Bessam. Are we putting all of this on the internet? Because I hope it is. Because it is such a beautiful discussion. Every single word. That's amazing. And here's how it must end. You are busy, but I think you have a responsibility and a talent that is different than a lot of funny people. Thank you. And you are funny.

People are going to be surprised how funny you are. Don't sell yourself short about language. Your language is beautiful and eloquent. Thank you. And you are don't uh sell yourself short about language uh your language is beautiful and eloquent thank you and you are funny well you're gonna come to my show i'm gonna come to your show next week i do not like going to new jersey me neither i'm coming i'm coming for you thank you um and you have an open invitation on my show thank you wherever. Wherever you are, whenever you want it. And what I will do to make that real is I will call you on a regular basis and you are free to say no without insult 99 times. But I'm saying it's okay. You're busy. You have other things. There are other shows,

but I want you to have a platform. We need the voice and the experience of somebody who lives the experience. And that's all I want is for better minds to help influence people who want to make decisions for themselves. And I appreciate that. And you've helped me with that. Thank you so much. Thank you, brother. Thank you. This has been an amazing, amazing.

This is actually one of my best interviews ever. Today. Today is one of your best ones. You see, have you thought of stand-up, Chris? Thank you, Bart. Thank you so much, Chris. Best of music. My Italian brother.

All success to you in everything that you do. And I hope there's a lot more to come. Thank you so much. I will offer him a platform on my News Nation show whenever he wants it. Because it is in the diversity of voices, even if it's uncomfortable, even if you don't like it. You have to understand what you think you oppose. Otherwise, you're going to become what you oppose. That's what happens whenever belief lives in a vacuum.

We've seen it again and again. Do I like everything I said? Do I agree with it? Do I feel the same way? It's irrelevant. I'm not a stakeholder, except as an American citizen and as a citizen of the world who doesn't believe that violence

is gonna get us to a better place because it never has. But I'll tell you, I wanna hear from him and I wanna hear from others like him. And I wanna hear from people who are living the Israeli and the Jewish experience in Israel and here. It matters for you to listen with your head as well as your heart. And I hope you took something from it other than just feeling anger that maybe you don't even understand.

Give me your comments. Give me your questions. Thank you for subscribing and following. And I hope you benefited from the conversation as much as I did.