Transcript [00:00] Europe is becoming the old Middle East. [00:03] >> They are burning, looting, destroying [00:07] masses of youngsters. Among them, even 8 [00:12] years old children. It's the violent [00:15] teaching of Islam that says if you are [00:18] not on our side, you are our enemy and [00:21] you will be destroyed. [00:22] >> The real problem of anti-semitism is [00:25] coming mainly from the left. They adopt [00:29] anti-Israeli [00:30] positions and policies hoping that this [00:33] will to a certain extent calm the anger [00:36] of the uh the Muslim population. It is [00:39] not going to stop with what we see in [00:41] France. It's going to become bigger and [00:43] bigger in more and more countries [00:45] because from the moment they see that [00:47] they can dictate policy with terrorism, [00:51] they will go on uh doing it. [00:53] >> Europe is really a failure. [00:56] Hello everybody. I am delighted to be [00:59] here to today with my good friend Eldad [01:03] Beck. Eldad is a very famous European [01:08] co affairs commentator and author and uh [01:13] myself as you know I live between [01:16] Jerusalem [01:17] and Rome or Florence if you prefers and [01:21] he lives between Hifa and Vienn. So both [01:25] of us are really very much inside either [01:28] the Israeli business [01:31] and the European business. Both of us [01:35] think a lot about that and I think that [01:37] both of us are astonished of what is [01:39] going on just in these hours in these [01:41] days since more or less a week but in [01:45] these last three days is becoming really [01:47] very serious in all the squares of [01:49] Europe particularly in France and since [01:52] yesterday in Europe too in Milano and in [01:55] Torino. So you know they are burning, [01:59] looting, destroying masses of youngsters [02:04] among them even eight years old [02:07] children. They find people of literally [02:12] any age just in the most incredible [02:18] violence clashes that we have seen since [02:22] several years up to now and uh very [02:25] widespread and I so would like to start [02:30] from [02:31] sharing some some thoughts about this. [02:35] Why is it happening? What do you think [02:38] about that? [02:40] >> First of all, I I wasn't that surprised [02:43] uh that uh it uh happens. I was [02:47] expecting the big explosion to happen [02:50] around the presidential election which [02:53] will take place in uh April May. Uh but [02:57] here we have here we are half year [02:59] before [03:00] >> in France you may [03:01] >> in France. Yes. And it's still happen [03:03] and it's already uh happening. But as I [03:06] said, it's not something that is really [03:07] surprising because um you know, I think [03:10] that many Europeans didn't understand [03:14] that the um so-called pro Palestinian [03:19] demonstrations that took uh place in [03:22] different European countries and other [03:24] places in the West after the 7th of [03:27] October were not so much pro Palestinian [03:31] as they were mainly pro- West, meaning [03:34] that they brought to the streets people [03:37] who were waving the Palestinian uh flag [03:41] but was or I call it actually the PLO [03:44] flag. Uh but they were um actually uh [03:49] making a statement saying very clearly [03:52] we are here this is our place. We are [03:57] the owners of the different lands and [04:00] from now on we are going to do what we [04:04] want the way we want it. And here we are [04:08] exactly 3 years after the 7th of [04:11] October. And exactly what I thought [04:15] would happen happens in the streets of [04:17] France. To a certain extent it also [04:20] happened in the streets of the big [04:22] cities in Spain uh in Italy. Now it's [04:26] taking place also in Albania and it's [04:29] very clear that um despite the fact that [04:33] it started in France and also in Spain [04:36] as a um I would say justified social [04:41] cause or protest. Um it has become [04:45] something that is well beyond it and [04:48] that is challenging the west in its [04:51] existence. [04:52] >> Exactly. So if you want to know what I [04:54] think um I think that the the connection [05:00] between the presence of first and second [05:03] generation Islamic youth [05:07] is self-evident. I mean, if you look [05:10] today in the La Republic in Plast [05:14] Republic, La Maran is is wearing not [05:17] only a a French flag, but also a [05:20] Palestinian flag [05:21] >> and Algerian and an Algerian and [05:23] Moroccan. And this is what we see also [05:26] in Torino and in Milano. So the the mix [05:30] is uh is immediate. You see it [05:33] immediately. And I think that here there [05:37] is something more profound even than the [05:40] political choice which is the issue of [05:43] violence. You know Islam [05:47] we can put it as we like but is [05:51] threatening and threatening and [05:53] threatening and this is its main uh [05:56] instrument of terrifying and bringing [06:00] people to its side. why uh the [06:04] governments now a day in Italy for [06:07] instance even if Melon understands very [06:09] well that she she cannot you know she [06:12] cannot surrender to what's going on and [06:14] she says that and even Macron [06:18] uh knows that he has to react somehow [06:21] and he said that after long thoughts [06:24] yesterday evening still they are [06:28] terrified by the violence that is [06:31] expressed there and it's a kind of [06:34] violence that has never been se seen [06:37] before. Islam put his hand on the [06:41] subject of discontent [06:44] uh by the youngster. Yes, they say we [06:47] will not have a job. Our schools don't [06:49] work. But then what do they do? They [06:52] just go out in the street and with fire [06:55] and disruption and and uh and uh and [06:59] throwing stones. There is a picture [07:02] today on the news Italian newspaper. The [07:04] boss of the police in Milano that has [07:07] been hit. It looks like an Israeli [07:10] uh big picture. Yeah, he is bleeding [07:14] from his head because they throw a stone [07:16] on his head. What is this? Where did [07:18] they learn it? It's the violent teaching [07:23] of Islam that says if you are not on our [07:26] side, you are our enemy and you will be [07:28] destroyed. I would be a little bit uh [07:30] careful about generalizing on Islam [07:34] because I think that nowadays uh you see [07:37] that within the Islam you have uh [07:40] certain uh currents uh that understand [07:44] the threat of radicalism and uh know [07:49] that uh they might be the coming uh [07:52] victims of this uh extremism. [07:54] >> Absolutely. I I you know one of the [07:58] things that have [08:00] have to be repeated the whole time is [08:02] that uh so far most of the victims of uh [08:06] radical Islam are Muslims themselves. [08:10] Now you see that uh the attitude of the [08:12] United Arab Emirates to a certain extent [08:14] the attitude of uh uh the new uh uh head [08:19] of Saudi Arabia is going against this [08:22] extremism because they saw I think with [08:25] ISIS what monster they have created in [08:28] all those years that they have been [08:30] building the this uh Muslim radicalism. [08:33] So I think that within the Muslim [08:35] society we have today more and more uh [08:39] persons who understand the threat but [08:41] strangely enough it happens in the [08:44] Middle East. It doesn't happen in [08:45] Europe. Uh to a certain extent I feel [08:49] that Europe is becoming the old Middle [08:51] East. Like let me explain to you what I [08:54] think. Um you know for cent for for [08:58] decades uh the rulers of Arab Muslim [09:01] countries were using the issue of Israel [09:05] in order not to tackle the real problems [09:08] of the uh Arab societies the economic [09:12] the social whatever. So instead of [09:14] dealing with the problems that they had [09:16] they always mobilized the mobs against [09:19] Israel in the name of the Palestinian [09:21] cause. Now this to a certain extent [09:24] after the Arab um revolt or spring or [09:28] winter whatever you call it this has [09:30] changed but in Europe this is the [09:33] situation you have more and more uh [09:35] governments mainly left-wing governments [09:38] that instead of dealing with the real [09:40] problems of the societies in Spain in [09:42] Britain in France whatever they adopt [09:47] anti-Israeli [09:48] uh positions and policies hoping that [09:51] this will to a certain extent calm the [09:54] anger of the uh the Muslim populations. [09:57] >> Yeah, you're right. But um I say this [10:00] put the accent on the European [10:03] government and we I I think we have to [10:06] go on that in in just a few seconds. But [10:09] going back to the Islamic issue, I think [10:14] that even if deep in their heart, there [10:18] are certainly groups of Muslim and it it [10:22] would be very unnatural if if it [10:24] wouldn't be so are clever enough and uh [10:29] enough aware of what's going on not to [10:32] understand that they are severely [10:34] damaged by what is going on everywhere. [10:37] Still you have the Muslim Brotherhood [10:41] that is really enlarging its power on [10:44] the European countries in the last [10:47] period uh with the help of Erdogan that [10:51] is becoming today what Iran has been in [10:55] the past like Bernard Lewis used to say [10:59] Turkey will be tomorrow Iran of today [11:02] and this is exactly what's happening [11:05] while we still have the problem of Iran [11:08] and of of the Shiite part of course and [11:10] still this is there and it's another [11:13] kind of discussion but on the other side [11:16] you know the Erdogan has first of all [11:21] filled up Europe with his men just [11:25] opening and closing the door of Turkey [11:27] to the most extreme Muslim that were [11:31] coming and going according to his desire [11:33] and to the money that he could make out [11:35] of it. uh just blackmailing the European [11:39] society and then also the fact that he [11:42] playing on several tables [11:45] including the relationship uh with with [11:49] Trump um is now just hitting heavily on [11:55] Europe and I'm sure absolutely sure that [11:58] his dream is the dream that he confess [12:01] from time to time he's the sultan that [12:03] will go back and uh will make uh again [12:08] the [12:10] al-Islam what was Alh Har. So it will be [12:14] it will be his again everything [12:17] >> to a certain extent we already have it [12:19] you know that the the there are degrees [12:20] of uh of becoming a Muslim state and uh [12:25] one of the degrees is one once you reach [12:29] a certain percentage of the population [12:31] you start exercising terror and violence [12:34] in order to get more and more power in [12:38] the countries you live in and this is [12:40] exactly what we see in Europe and this [12:42] is what is happeningactly in in uh in [12:45] France. This is what you also see is [12:48] happening in in Germany for example, in [12:51] in Belgium, in England, in in Spain, [12:54] sorry, in in uh Belgium, in Sweden. So [12:58] um however, you must uh uh insist on the [13:02] fact that for the moment this is mainly [13:04] a western European phenomenon. the [13:07] Eastern and Central European countries [13:09] who did not allow the mass immigration [13:13] of uh Muslims into their borders are [13:17] still in a situation where you have um [13:20] the classic European condition. If it [13:23] will keep on being this way, it's a big [13:27] question. But so far, West uh East and [13:31] Central uh Europe are resisting. Look, [13:35] let's go back to the to Western Europe, [13:39] okay? Where we belong more or less or [13:41] where we come from and and where the big [13:44] problem is. My opinion is that they [13:47] really brought it up on on their self. [13:50] >> Yeah. and Angela Merkel has the most uh [13:55] meaningful responsibility on that when [13:58] she said yes we can and then made all [14:00] the wave of the Muslim immigration come [14:04] in but uh even today let's go to a [14:08] closer time and even starting from the [14:12] 7th of October [14:14] have a look of what the European [14:17] government have done since then you Look [14:21] at you look at that and you will see [14:23] that what they have done since the very [14:25] beginning has been denying the horror [14:28] that have been taking place against our [14:31] people here in Israel. [14:34] denying them, I mean, or not taking care [14:36] of them or just, you know, promoting uh [14:40] uh an alliance between Greta Tun Tunberg [14:46] and uh and the the the leftist part and [14:50] the pro Palestinian part, you know, an [14:52] alliance between Tunberg and Alban, [14:56] which is one of the most disgusting [14:58] thing that I can think about. But this [15:00] is really what has been taking place [15:02] while Uh first first was Spain and the [15:07] craziness of Sanchez that really decided [15:09] that his was his um that Israel was the [15:14] horse that he was going to [15:18] >> to ride in order [15:18] >> to ride in order to gain [15:21] >> power in in Europe and all over the [15:23] world. That that that was his decision. [15:26] And all the story starts with denying [15:28] weapons to Israel. Denying weapons. This [15:32] is the way that it starts in just very [15:35] few weeks after [15:37] >> and where more and more European [15:39] countries are actually depending on uh [15:41] weapons coming from Israel which is [15:43] completely including Spain, including uh [15:46] Britain, France etc. It's uh quite [15:49] amazing what is happening. But I [15:52] completely agree with you that after the [15:54] 7th of October, we saw uh many European [15:58] governments mainly leftwing uh [16:01] governments uh just giving in to uh [16:04] pressure of terror groups. I don't have [16:07] any other word for it. Uh it's the [16:10] definition that uh should be used. uh [16:13] terrorism was used in the streets of [16:15] Europe in order to create an artificial [16:18] pressure on governments that were quick [16:21] to give in to this pressure. And uh once [16:25] again is just as I told you um all of [16:28] the sudden Israel became uh the four uh [16:32] issue that they were defend you know [16:35] Palestinian cause they were defending [16:36] the Palestinian cause because they were [16:39] unable to deal or trick with the real [16:42] problems that each of these government [16:44] uh is government uh um is facing. So uh [16:49] this is a a dramatic change in the [16:52] European uh circumstances and I think [16:55] that uh by giving in to uh this pressure [16:59] they were digging their graves and uh [17:02] creating the situation that we just [17:04] start seeing right now. It is not going [17:07] to stop with what we see in France. is [17:09] going to become bigger and bigger in [17:11] more and more countries because from the [17:13] moment they see that they can dictate [17:16] policy with terrorism [17:18] they will go on uh doing it. This is [17:21] exactly what you said the the vision of [17:24] missionary Islam. Once you reach a [17:27] certain percentage of the population, [17:29] you start exercising violence and terror [17:33] in order to submit [17:36] uh the majority to your rule. [17:39] >> Exactly. And you know this is where all [17:43] of this meets the the ancient trend [17:49] Europe Christianity at the at the [17:51] beginning of course in becoming [17:53] anti-semite as soon as they can you know [17:56] looking for something that will push [17:58] them to the old blood liels that will [18:02] bring them back to persecuting the Jews [18:05] making them a despised minority that [18:08] they can treat as Look, if you look [18:10] around, it's unbelievable what's [18:12] happening everywhere. You know, [18:15] >> I I have to emphasize, I'm sorry to say [18:17] that, but uh the the anti-semitism that [18:20] is galloping right now in Europe and in [18:23] the West is a left anti-semitism. [18:27] This is the moment where the left just [18:30] shows what it really is. I uh have to go [18:34] back to history uh and uh to remind [18:38] people that actually anti-semitism [18:40] started with uh the ide socialist [18:43] ideologies [18:45] uh in the uh 19th century and nowadays [18:48] after they uh were pretending to be the [18:52] defenders of uh uh multiculture and uh [18:56] fighting against anti-semitism. Nowadays [19:00] they uh the masks are falling down and [19:03] you see that the real problem of [19:05] anti-semitism is coming mainly from the [19:08] left. [19:10] >> Yes. and you know still remaining in the [19:14] historical path but closer [19:19] after the second world war uh we have [19:21] the European Union that theoretically [19:24] should have been uh just the place that [19:28] would avoid and prohibit to the European [19:32] to become anti-semite again but but and [19:35] when does it happen again that they can [19:38] again they can again find anti-semitism [19:42] as a legacy that they can rely to as a [19:46] properly uh discussed uh without uh [19:52] being uh war criminals like the Nazi [19:55] fascism. [19:56] >> Israel allows them [19:57] >> Israel and when does it happen in the [20:00] first of all it happens in the 50s but [20:04] the 60s are the real moment. The 60s are [20:06] the real moment and particularly [20:08] >> 67 [20:09] >> 60 particularly 67 and who gives the the [20:15] start to all of this campaign. Northern [20:18] Europe. Northern Europe. Social [20:20] democratic Europe. the great Europe of [20:24] the future that will bring to all Europe [20:26] the light of social democracy [20:29] anti-American and anti-Israeli [20:32] >> which was also combined at the time with [20:35] uh the uh Soviet block because uh you [20:38] know most of the ideas that we have [20:40] nowadays that the Israelis are the new [20:43] Nazis and that they are doing genocide [20:46] it's coming from East Germany and it was [20:49] supported by Moscow and uh from the [20:53] communist Germany of course um and and [20:55] they started spreading in uh in in the [20:58] west and nowadays unfortunately to a [21:01] large extent not only on the Israeli [21:03] issue but also on other issues if you [21:06] see what's happening in wi within the [21:08] democratic party in the United States [21:11] it's like you you live a nightmare uh in [21:14] which the uh Soviets the communists had [21:18] actually won the cold war because many [21:21] of the ideas that they were defending [21:23] are becoming extremely popular and and [21:26] and getting to power. Look at what's [21:28] happening in New York. Now look what's [21:30] happening in Berlin. Uh the radical left [21:33] uh the former communist left has won the [21:36] elections in a city. Uh that fought [21:39] communism that that really stood for uh [21:42] winning against communism. And it's like [21:44] we we instead of going forward we are [21:47] going backwards. [21:48] >> You're going backwards but not only [21:50] backwards. you know, you were going [21:51] backwards while the the Islamic side is [21:55] using progressivism as a mask for its [21:59] own aims. This is I think is the most uh [22:02] dangerous part because nobody will stop [22:04] Islam [22:06] uh [22:08] because [22:10] uh there cannot be any agreement with [22:13] them. And you know what really what's [22:16] what's really uh very worrying is that [22:21] the European Union not being able [22:24] nowaday not only European Union but you [22:26] know all the worldwide left not being [22:30] able to to say well you know yes at the [22:34] end of the day our real wish is to [22:35] destroy the state of Israel because what [22:38] do they say? They say two states for two [22:40] people. They go back again to the issue [22:43] of territories. They never call it Judea [22:46] and Samaria. They deny they they exactly [22:49] as you say that they go back to the [22:51] definition of Israel as an imperialist [22:55] and uh [22:57] >> colonialist [22:58] >> colonialist state. And just uh starting [23:03] from this point of view, they again [23:06] propose if it as if it was an a a [23:09] pacifist idea. While it is exactly the [23:12] opposite the idea of two states for two [23:15] for two people. This is the next step [23:17] that you must expect that you must [23:19] expect for the from the European Union [23:22] after they have already put sanctions [23:25] on the products of the territories as [23:28] they call it of Judea Samaria as I call [23:31] it and and [23:34] you know it's it's getting [23:38] it's getting very very dangerous unless [23:41] we have a change of government [23:43] everywhere you know unless Europe [23:45] becomes something else. And unless [23:48] country after country, the country that [23:51] that we mention now uh discussing the [23:55] kind of revolution that they have in [23:57] their square will will change [23:59] politically and say stop it now. What do [24:02] you think about that? [24:04] >> I wish it would be true. However, [24:07] I think that uh in certain countries [24:09] it's too late. there is mainly a [24:12] demographic situation which will not [24:14] enable uh a radical uh change of uh [24:19] course. Um, I think that in in Britain, [24:22] in Spain, in France, in in Belgium, in [24:25] the Netherlands, in some Scandinavian [24:28] countries, uh it would be extremely [24:30] difficult uh to um uh change the [24:35] situation as it is now, even if [24:39] um people like Marin Lupin uh are [24:42] elected to the presidency and have [24:45] enough uh majority in the assembly [24:47] national in the uh uh National Assembly, [24:50] the Parliament, as long as they are [24:52] members of the EU, [24:55] as long as you have the EU justice [24:58] system as it is today, I don't see Look, [25:01] look at Italy. I mean, uh the Melan was [25:05] uh elected four years ago with a very [25:07] clear program. She had a very right-wing [25:10] party with uh government with uh which [25:13] she could have done whatever she wanted. [25:16] And then again and again she was stopped [25:18] by the justice system in Italy then in [25:22] the EU and she was not able to do [25:25] anything of what she planned. [25:26] >> You're right. You know it's also a [25:28] problem of money. You know that Italy [25:30] has such a depth that whatever she she [25:33] would like to do she's continuously [25:35] stopped not only ideologically but also [25:37] economically and she's not able because [25:40] it's really also this is impossible is [25:42] the other thing that you mentioned to to [25:46] put in the right direction because there [25:47] is not money enough. Europe is really a [25:50] failure is a failure in it in its as as [25:53] an institution is a failure as an [25:56] ideology is a failure on all the issue [25:59] of immigration and this is a starting [26:02] point to understand why we have all of [26:04] these peoples in the squares. These [26:07] people in the squares are sick and tired [26:09] of seeing a failure all around them. A [26:12] failure of the institution where they [26:14] belong. I mean, one is in the school, [26:15] the other one looks for a job, and the [26:18] third one is is just a rich man that [26:22] doesn't succeed in making his business [26:24] flourish. Well, all of them are very are [26:28] are very unhappy. And so when they [26:32] listen to the possibility of bringing [26:34] justice to the world through the propile [26:37] position, they will follow the flag that [26:40] will guide them. It's it's really a very [26:42] miserable situation, isn't it? You have [26:45] it uh going both ways which mean on one [26:48] side you have those who are fed up with [26:50] the governments not doing what they [26:52] expect to do and then joining the [26:54] radical left in in whatever they are [26:57] planning to do which is the destruction [26:58] of the existing uh Europe uh the [27:02] existing situation and then you have [27:03] people who are fed up with uh [27:05] politicians who are not doing what [27:06] they're expected to do and going to the [27:09] what I call the sovereigntist right [27:12] which might even sometimes be the [27:14] extremist right you see it in the [27:16] results of uh elections that the center [27:20] is completely collapsing and the the [27:23] extremities are getting stronger and [27:26] once again my my greater concern is that [27:31] let's say Leen wins I'm talking about [27:34] France now Le Pen wins the election uh [27:37] in coming spring and then she has a [27:39] government which uh has a majority to do [27:43] whatever ever she wants to do, but she's [27:45] unable to do it because of what you've [27:47] just uh mentioned. What would happen [27:52] with all those people who believe that [27:54] Le Pen is the answer and they get to see [27:57] that Le Pen is not the answer? They [27:59] would look for something much more [28:02] radical than uh what Le Pen is today. [28:05] And this is it seems to me like a a [28:09] perfect recipe for the destruction of [28:12] Europe from inside. And we haven't [28:15] mentioned in all this the role that [28:17] Russia is playing and Russia would only [28:20] be happy to see Europe collapsing. [28:23] >> Absolutely. But we have only two minutes [28:25] so one each. Let's say I have a hope and [28:28] I have a thought and it is that Israel [28:31] is a model, isn't it? I think that [28:33] Israel is a model and maybe that this is [28:37] a time when some people there could [28:39] understand that, you know, because we [28:42] are all the time surrounded by dangers [28:44] and problems that are so much beyond any [28:48] imagination that they can have about [28:50] what life can be, how hard and how tough [28:53] and how much a heroism we need to fight [28:56] it. But okay, we can propose ourselves [28:58] as a model and more simply we can [29:01] propose to review their relationship [29:03] with us. Don't you think that this could [29:05] be a good recipe? [29:06] >> Absolutely. We have I believe today [29:09] quite a lot of allies in Europe despite [29:11] the fact that it looks that we we are [29:12] all by ourselves. It's not the case. We [29:15] have many people who are looking at [29:17] Israel with uh a lot of hope that are [29:21] admiring what we are doing and that uh [29:24] see Israel nowadays as an example to [29:26] follow. We just have to speak more with [29:29] those people and to reinforce this uh [29:32] the alliance with those elements. [29:35] >> Thank you. It was really very [29:37] interesting today. We had a very good [29:39] >> I was glad to [29:40] >> good conversation. Thank you very much.
Europe's streets are erupting in unrest, but the real danger may be much bigger than the demonstrations themselves, and some experts fear the continent is approaching a point of no return.
In this compelling discussion, journalist Fiamma Nirenstein is joined by European affairs commentator and author Eldad Beck to examine the growing turmoil in France, Italy and across Western Europe. They explore how protests over economic hardship and social conditions have become entangled with radical political movements and rising antisemitism. Beck warns that European governments may be repeating dangerous mistakes by allowing domestic pressures to shape their foreign policies, while the discussion examines Turkey's growing influence, the Muslim Brotherhood, the role of immigration and the surprising resurgence of political ideas rooted in the Cold War. The two also question whether Europe's political establishment, legal institutions and increasingly polarized electorate can reverse the continent's trajectory, and why Israel may offer lessons that European leaders have overlooked.
