How to Kill Israeli Self-Criticism

Unpacking Israeli History

Unpacked

Judaism, Religion & Spirituality, Society & Culture, History

4.8 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 21 May 2026

⏱️ 38 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Israel is no stranger to self-examination. In 1948, Ben-Gurion distributed a poem accusing Israeli soldiers of murder. In 1982, hundreds of thousands demanded accountability after Sabra and Shatila. In 2016, the IDF convicted Elor Azaria. But in a post-October 7 world of delegitimization and libels leveled at the Jewish state, that tradition is under strain. Noam unpacks the controversy around Nicholas Kristof’s New York Times column, explores Israel’s long, remarkable history of holding itself morally accountable, and examines why, in the face of fierce global condemnation, the country has suddenly become ultra-defensive. This episode is in memory of Leo M. Bernstein. To sponsor an episode or to be in touch, please email noam@unpacked.media. Check out this episode on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠This podcast is brought to you by Unpacked, an OpenDor Media brand. ------------------- For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jewish History Nerds⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Soulful Jewish Living⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stars of David with Elon Gold ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wondering Jews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, I'm Noam Weissman, and this is Unpacking Israeli History,
0:02.8	the podcast that takes a deep dive into some of the most intense,
0:05.7	historically fascinating, and often misunderstood events and stories linked to Israeli history.
0:11.4	This episode is sponsored in memory of Leo M. Bernstein.
0:16.8	To sponsor an episode of Unpacking Israeli History,
0:19.0	or if you just want to say what's up,
0:23.1	get at me at knowam at unpacked.med.
0:27.7	Before we start, as always, check us out on Instagram, on TikTok, on YouTube.
0:30.5	You know those fine social media websites?
0:33.9	Yeah, that's how we like to say it at my age.
0:38.8	Anyway, just search Unpacking's Earlyuri and hit the follow or subscribe button.
0:39.5	Okay?
0:40.3	Yala.
0:41.3	Let's do this.
1:03.0	We, the people of Israel, are prepared and anxious to meet the representatives of our neighbors without any preconditions. There are people in Israel and elsewhere say it's impossible to make peace between the Arabs and Israel or the Jewish people.
1:12.1	I think they're home.
1:16.3	Last week, as of this recording, Nicholas Christoph published a piece in the New York Times
1:21.0	recounting alleged sexual abuse committed by Israeli soldiers, settlers, and prison guards
1:26.9	against Palestinian detainees.
1:29.6	Maybe you heard about this?
1:31.1	It made a tiny little splash in the corner of the world that cares about.
1:36.2	Israel, aka seemingly the entire world.
	...

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