Coleman Hughes vs. Peter Beinart Debate: Should Israel Be a Jewish State?
6/15/20261 hr 45 min
Peter Beinart is a writer and author who has contributed to The New Republic, The Atlantic, and The New York Times. He grew up a committed Zionist and has spent the last decade publicly refuting that position, arriving at the view that Israel cannot be reconciled with the principle of equality under the law. His most recent book, Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza, caused shock waves in the Jewish world. In this conversation, Coleman and Peter debate the Palestinian right of return and whether it’s comparable to Israel’s Law of Return for diaspora Jews. They argue over whether a one-state solution would produce equality or civil war, and whether the idea of comparing Israel to South Africa holds up under scrutiny. They get into the role of jihadist ideology in the conflict, whether Iran constitutes an existential threat to Israel, and what it would actually mean for Israel to be a democracy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsSpeaker 10:00
The 2026 Chevrolet Trax is the stylish SUV for those on the move. And with the standard Chevy Safety Assist package, you have the backup to handle every turn with confidence. The 2026 Trax. Start your build at chevrolet.ca.
Coleman Hughes· Host0:14
Welcome to another episode of Conversations with Coleman. My guest today is Peter Beinart. Peter Beinart is a writer and author who's written for The New Republic, The Atlantic, and The New York Times. This is another in my ongoing series of debates on the Israel-Palestine conflict, starting with Dave Smith and Glenn Greenwald. In this episode, we talk about the prospect of a so-called one-state solution, we talk about the Palestinian right of return, we talk about the role of jihadism in the Israel-Palestine conflict, and we talk about whether Iran constitutes an actual threat to Israel. Peter and I disagreed very strongly in this episode, but we were able to keep it civil for the most part, and I thank Peter for that. So without further ado, Peter Beinart. [upbeat music] On this show, we spent a lot of time having honest, unfiltered discussions around Israel, Zionism, and antisemitism. And if our conversations have made you more curious about any of these topics, I have a recommendation for you. Wondering Jews with Mijail and Noam is a podcast hosted by two of the leading Jewish voices of today, Noam Weissman and Mijail Bitton.