Israel News Talk Radio

In a recent interview with podcast host Alan Skorski, historian and author Uri Kaufman discussed his forthcoming book, American Intifada: Israel, the Gaza War, and the New Antisemitism, arguing that progressive support for Hamas following the October 7, 2023, massacre stems from cognitive dissonance and a racialized worldview that casts Israelis as “white oppressors” and Palestinians as “people of color.” Kaufman, whose previous work on the Yom Kippur War was named a top history book by the Financial Times, pointed to former President Barack Obama’s post-October 7 comments as a prime example. Obama stated that “nobody’s hands are clean” in the conflict and described the situation for Palestinians as “unbearable,” partly attributing it to Israel’s “occupation.” “There was no occupation,” Kaufman said, noting Israel’s full withdrawal from Gaza in 2005 under Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, including the removal of all settlements and even the exhumation of Jewish graves. He called Obama’s reference to an ongoing