Two weeks ago the exiled Egyptian satirist Bassem Youssef took part in a live online debate with Piers Morgan, the conservative British TV presenter, that ignited something of a firestorm on the internet. Despite the technical limitations of the remotely held discussion, the highly articulate Youssef pretty much eviscerated the talking-points of those defending Israel’s assault on the Gaza Strip (and the West Bank), clearly catching Morgan on the backfoot.
The latter was much better prepared in a second face-to-meet interview with the former surgeon-turned-comedian, though this time resorting to ever more desperate logic to argue the position of Israel and its Western backers. Both clips are must-watch moments where, in fairness to the ex-newspaper editor and his Piers Morgan Uncensored show, the rarely heard popular Arab view on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is given an airing.
Unsurprisingly there is a significant campaign from the powerful pro-Israeli lobby to have both interviews removed, with Piers Morgan and his bosses under intense criticism for airing them, while Bassem Youssef is facing an onslaught of slander and falsehoods to destroy his reputation and entertainment career in the United States.
AN SIONNACH FIONN 
Bassem Youssef highlighted a point about social media that, I think, aptly applies to Morgan. Spotlight of attention on show/host is more important than directing penetrating light into the areas of power.
However, in this instance it has allowed a voice, a view, not often heard to be broadcast, most effectively. I’m not surprised he and the production company is under such pressure, it runs against the narrative. Makes the picture far less black and white, poses a strong position for questions.
Those that control the media, control, destroy democracy.
Whilst Piers Morgan is definitely not my favourite person, have enough thirst and you’ll drink from a manky puddle.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I watched the second interview (switching off at moments of exasperation at the old tropes coming out but returning to the video) and was impressed by Youssef’s cool but also by Morgan’s struggle to be fair.
I was struck once more by the chasm that divides all ends of western liberal thinking from the realities of imperialism and resistance, their incapability of really putting themselves in the shoes of the oppressed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
AN SIONNACH FIONN,
A Chara,
Ba cheart go mbeadh muide in Éirinn a tacú le hIosrael mar;
A. Is é Iosrael an t-aon náisiún ar éirigh leis teanga mharbh a athbheochain le 2,00 bliana anuas.
B. Is é Iosrael an t-aon DAONLATHAS sa Mheánoirthear, áit ar chumas leat an PríomhAire a cháinéadh gan seal fada a chaitheamh sa phríosún.
C. Dá dhúnmharófaí 1,500 Éireannach, céard a dhéánfadh muide?
D. Is é Iosrael an t-aon tír le saorchead reiligiúnda sa Mheánoirthear, áit ar cumas leat seasamh ar PríomhSráid na cathrach agus do bróisiúir reiligiúnda a dháileadh.
E. Fógraíonn Hamas gan stop gan staonadh ad nauseam et ad infinitum gurb é Iosrael mar thír agus GACH Giúdach a dhúnmharú spriocanna Hamas.
Le hArd-Bhrón,
Mícheál Ó Béarra
LikeLike
A. Support genocide because a dead language was revived? This is crazy reasoning.
B. Israel is not a democracy. Isreal is a theocracy, where being a Palestinian-Israeli citizen leaves you with lesser rights than a Jewish-Israeli citizen, and allows legally facilitated dispossession of Palestinian property with reduced or no right in law to object.
Q. If 1,500 Irish people were murdered, what would we do? It’s a very stupid question, but you are required to seek redress through the law for a murder. Possibly ask the British government for advice on this?
D. Not the case. This is a country where only a few days ago male Palestinian citizens under the age of 60 were barred from worshipping at the Al Aqsa mosque.
E. Hamas have their point of view, which does not have to be necessarily echoed by any supporters of Palestine. But Israel is in illegal occupation of Palestinian land, according to the UN, and Palestinians have the right to resist. Israel has for 80 odd years been ethnically cleansing, disposing, massacring, murdering and bullying people for which as the occupying power it has a legal duty to care for.
You are a shame to Ireland, which arose out of similar circumstances from under the yoke of the British Government.
LikeLike
Well Piers Morgan is a self-important fool, nothing new there. However, it’s important to recognize that Bassem is satirist- a comedian- and trying to find some peace settlement for this one would be no laughing matter. It would probably take a miracle worker really.
Realistically, Israel is not going away. There are people now who are up to seventh generation Sabra and not all of them are going to be welcome back in countries like Russia or Ukraine……enough said. Netanyahu took power for much the same reasons, as strongmen world over have seen a rising tide.
Years ago, I remember meeting an Israeli peacenik. His biggest concern was that according to him, Israelis could mostly ignore politics, while Palestinians have no such options. I wonder what he thinks of all this now!!!
One good British YouTuber on these issues would be Vlad Vexler. Yes, he’s been a British citizens for decades but was born in the USSR and lived in Israel from the age of 9 or so, until his early teens. He’s a political philosopher with an interesting take on a lot of issues including but not limited to Putin, Ukraine War, Israel/Palestine, threats to Democracy in the West and more. Sometimes he “misses” but overall he’s interesting to listen to.
LikeLike