I’m a fan of the Free Press podcast “Honestly.” It’s one of my regular sources of media. The even-handed coverage given to all topics is invigorating. But as someone who lives in Judea and Samaria, the episode titled “The Palestinian ‘Traitor’ Risking Everything to Speak Out” lacks some necessary context.
For those who haven’t listened to the episode, I highly recommend it. The interviewee has both an unbelievable story and a fascinating philosophy on life. Since speaking out against the atrocities of Oct. 7, he’s been labeled a traitor, which in the Arab community means that you are earmarked for death. He’s been in hiding ever since; therefore, his identity could not be disclosed.
Bari Weiss, founder of the Free Press and host of the podcast, is a reliable advocate for Israel. She is a bullhorn for the truth that so much of the legacy media chooses to ignore or distort. It is for this reason that a number of the podcast segments were so troubling.
One of the most challenging sections of the interview dealt with the Palestinian interviewee’s trials entering and exiting Israel. As detailed in the conversation, he required a permit to study at an Israeli university and to obtain one, he needed to be married. Host Bari Weiss seemed shocked that Israel would make such a stipulation.
The Palestinian gentleman’s response is as true as it is insightful. Young men with families are markedly less likely to commit acts of violence since they have something to lose. The interviewee had accepted and fully understood the need for this.
A similar interaction occurred when discussing his daily trip to and from the university. The Palestinian man detailed his daily 50-kilometer, 5.5-hour commute. As was pointed out, the entire ordeal should have taken an hour in each direction. The delays are caused by checkpoints he and other Palestinians need to pass through.
Once again, Weiss was audibly disturbed by this fact, whereas the interviewee seemed to understand its necessity. Israel has no desire to subject her neighbors to massive delays in travel for its own sake. The checkpoints are an unfortunate requirement, needed to protect Israeli civilians under constant threat of terror attacks. No one wishes this to be the case but to ignore reality would cost innocent lives.
The most disconcerting portion of the interview dealt with the Palestinian’s place in the university he attended. Weiss made a big deal about how unique it is for someone from his neighborhood to attend an Israeli school of higher education. While that may very well be true, the discussion could have easily misled uneducated listeners. While few Arabs from Judea and Samaria attend colleges, plenty of Arab Israelis enlist in these schools. In fact, the number of Arab students grew by 78% over a seven-year period, accounting for 16.1% of the undergraduate population, 13% of the graduate population and 6.3% of the postgraduate population.
The most heartbreaking part of the interview was the closing segment. It’s clear that this Palestinian man’s life is in danger. Weiss pleaded with the audience to help find a solution for him—a place where he could speak his mind freely, practice his religion as he sees fit and be safe from persecution. What was truly heartbreaking from my perspective is that the solution is just 50 kilometers away. Israel is this place. In fact, it’s the only place like it in the entire Middle East. All of its citizens have the freedoms this man desires and deserves.
Please God, he will soon find his way here for good.
