In this episode of IsraelCast, host Steven Shalowitz sits down with acclaimed author and historian Uri Kaufman to unpack the ideas behind his powerful new book, American Intifada: Israel, the Gaza War and the New Antisemitism. Kaufman, whose previous work on the Yom Kippur War was named one of the Financial Times’ best history books of the year, offers a sharp and thought-provoking analysis of why so much mainstream discourse about Israel has become detached from historical fact.
Kaufman argues that much of today’s anti-Israel rhetoric is driven not by evidence, but by cognitive dissonance—where deeply held ideological beliefs override inconvenient realities. Through compelling historical examples, media analysis, and moral thought experiments, he explores how narratives around race, power, and oppression have distorted public understanding of Israel, the October 7 attacks, and the Gaza war. The conversation also examines the role of legacy media, political leadership, and social movements in fueling modern antisemitism.
In addition to American Intifada: Israel, the Gaza War and the New Antisemitism (Republic, 2025), Uri Kaufman is the author of Eighteen Days in October: The Yom Kippur War and How it Created the Modern Middle East (St. Martin’s, 2023), selected by The Financial Times in 2023 as one of the year’s best history books. His work has appeared in Foreign Affairs, Newsweek, the Jerusalem Post, and numerous other publications.