244 - Norman Finkelstein: Donald J. Trump, Mossad Conspiracies in Israel, and the Dying Left

Norman Finkelstein received his PhD from the Princeton University Politics Department, and is best known for his research on Israel and Palestine. In this episode, Norman and Robinson sit down for a discussion about Donald Trump, the latest from Israel, Palestine, and Gaza, and the dying Left. Norman also appeared on episode 192, where he and Robinson discussed allegations of genocide and apartheid, Hamas and Hezbollah, and connections between the war and the Holocaust. Norman was also featured on episode 218, where he addressed the facts and fictions generated by the Israel-Hamas War, and episode 228, which was all about October 6th. Norman and Robinson also discuss Mehdi Hassan, Noam Chomsky, Christopher Hitchens, the Holocaust, Apartheid, Joan Peters, Julia Sebutinde, the Mossad, Sheryl Sandberg, Destiny, Lex Fridman, Bill Ackman, Alan Dershowitz, and more. Norman’s most recent book is I’ll Burn That Bridge When I Get to It! Heretical Thoughts on Identity Politics, Cancel Culture, and Academic Freedom (Sublation Media, 2023).Norman’s Website: https://www.normanfinkelstein.comOUTLINE00:00:00 Introduction00:07:25 Mehdi Hassan: The Working Class is Stupid00:12:59 How Far Will the Supreme Court Go with Donald Trump?00:21:49 Why Bernie Sanders Appeals to the Common Man00:38:12 How Did Identity Politics Help Trump Win?00:46:02 The Joy of Stereotypes01:01:23 Why the People Loved Bernie Sanders and Trump01:06:16 Noam Chomsky, Philosopher King01:11:16 Christopher Hitchens Was Not a Serious Intellectual01:20:58 Norman’s Parents Hate For Religion After the Holocaust01:34:06 A Lex Fridman and Destiny Conspiracy01:37:12 Norman’s Family and the Holocaust01:45:43 Why Jews Stopped Caring About the Holocaust01:54:43 Why Norman Never Had a Bar Mitzvah02:02:52 Why Norman’s Parents Hated Germans and Poles02:11:22 Comparing Gaza to the Holocaust02:16:48 Comparing Gaza to Apartheid South Africa02:24:41 Corruption Over Genocide in Palestine02:27:05 On the Colossal Joan Peters Palestine Hoax02:30:16 On Norman’s Time as a Maoist02:39:35 The Corruption of Julia Sebutinde at the International Court of Justice02:42:25 Does the Mossad Blackmail Public Figures?02:52:49 Sheryl Sandberg and the War Crime “Israeli Propaganda Machine”03:05:19 On Accusations of Sex Crimes on October 6th03:18:12 On His Mortal Feud With Alan Dershowitz03:31:19 On Bill Ackman and the Pro-Israel American Billionaire ClassRobinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.comRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University.