The Deirdre O'Shaughnessy Podcast: Ria Czerniak-LeBov on Gaza, Israel and speaking out as an Irish Jew 

Ria Czerniak-LeBov talks about the Nova attacks, anti-semitism, and the challenge faced by Jewish people who speak out against Israel's genocide.

It's three years today since Hamas attacked the Nova music festival, murdering 1195 people and kidnapping 251 hostages.

Israel's revenge, the genocidal invasion of Gaza, has killed an estimated 75,000 people. The true number may never be known, with many bodies vapourised or buried under rubble.

A new book by reporters from Israeli newspaper Haaretz suggests that Benjamin Netanyahu was personally alerted by the president of the United Arab Emirates that Hamas was planning a large-scale offensive against Israel a week before the 7 October 2023 attack, but the Israeli prime minister did not act on the warning.

The three years since that attack has seen international division on Israel's actions in Gaza, condemnation from international organisations and from civilians worldwide, but Western governments have been slow to react.

Here, public opinion has been largely sympathetic to Palestine, and the country's vocal condemnation of Israel has led to accusations of anti-semitism.

Ria Czerniak-LeBov is an Irish Jewish artist and writer. Her grandfather escaped the Holocaust in Poland and she has many relatives in Israel — who have been horrified by her activism for Palestine.

On today's episode she talks about the Nova attacks, anti-semitism, and the challenge faced by Jewish people who speak out against Israel's genocide.