Welcome to the Empire Files podcast. This is Abby Martin. This is the audio version of each episode of the Empire Files hosted on Telesaur English. You can watch every episode at the Empire Files. TV.

Today I'm sitting down with Max Blumenthal, investigative journalist and commentator on Israel and the struggle in Palestine. He's the author of the award-winning book, Goliath, and the recently published expose

the 51-day War, where his on-the-ground reporting in Gaza in the aftermath of Operation

Protective Edge documented the harrowing reality of Israel's war crimes.

I wanted to find out what he discovered during his coverage of the war

and how it relates to the current uprising in Palestine. Max, can you break down what's happening

right now and what people are calling the third intifada? It doesn't fit within the parameters of

what we know an intifada to be, which is a nationwide uprising,

directed by political factions.

What we're seeing is a completely disorganized rebellion by a generation of youth

who've grown up after the Oslo Accords,

which laid the basis for a two-state solution,

and the U.S.-led peace process was established.

And they've grown up in that reality.

It's a reality of separation, exclusion.

They've witnessed the destruction of the Palestinian grassroots.

All of the institutions of Palestinian life, especially in East Jerusalem, have been virtually eliminated.

In the West Bank, they've been folded into the PA

and the NGO infrastructure.

And they've seen very little opportunity or hope.

The occupation is deepened and tightened.

They watched a 51-day assault on the Gaza Strip and felt helpless.

...