And 1948 was indeed a rupture, which changed everything.

We left Baghdad to go to Israel in 1950, very much against our will.

We are conscripted into the Zionist project.

So my memories of Baghdad are rather hazy and fragmented. But my mother,

who is the main source of information about our life in Baghdad, used to love, she loved

talking about our life in Baghdad. It was the golden age.

Welcome everyone to another episode of Magdisi Street. We are delighted today to have with us

a very distinguished historian and scholar, Professor Abe Shleim. Professor Shleim,

Abhi, is a British Israeli historian, an emeritus fellow of St. Anthony's

College, and an emeritus professor of international relations at the University of Oxford.

In 2006, Professor Shlyam was elected Fellow of the British Academy, which is, of course, one of the

great honors. He was born in Baghdad in 1945 and grew up in Israel.

Professor Schleim is the author of many superb books, including Collusion Across the Jordan,

the Iron Wall, his memoir, which is entitled Three Worlds, and most recently a book of essays

entitled The Gaza Genocide. Professor Slym, it's really an honor for us to have you with us today on

Magdisi Street. Thank you for inviting me to this conversation on Magdisi Street.

Well, thanks, Avi. I guess the first question, Avi, we have for you is, can you tell us a little

bit about sort of a biographical question?

Your journey as an Arab Jewish boy who grew up in Israel, grew up at Borna in Baghdad,

you moved to Israel, you became, according to your memoir, you became a Zionist, and now you've

become one of the leading critical historians of Israel and Zionism. Can you tell us a little

bit about this story? This is a very long journey and I narrate this journey in my memoirs,

...