Michal Cotler-Wunsh on Israel's Existential Battle For Liberal Values

Pamela Paresky interviews Michal Cotler-Wunsh.

Born in Israel and raised in Canada, she holds an LLB from Hebrew University of Jerusalem and LLM from McGill Her career spans law, academia, and a deep commitment to human rights. Before her political career, Cotler-Wunsh was a research fellow and project manager at the Institute for Counter-Terrorism at IDC Herzliya.

In the Knesset, representing the Blue and White party, her focus has been on human rights, social justice, and the rule of law, with a particular emphasis on combating anti-Semitism and advocating for minority rights. Her expertise in anti-Semitism and human rights is internationally recognized, and she advocates for a clear and consistent definition of anti-Semitism, endorsing the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition.

00:00 Introduction to Michal Cotler-Wunsh
02:56 The Role of Israel's Special Envoy on Anti-Semitism
04:18 The Battlefronts of Anti-Semitism
06:13 Anti-Semitism on University Campuses
07:08 Anti-Semitism in Digital Spaces
08:36 Challenges and Emergency Trips
09:05 Anti-Semitism in Israel and the Perception of Anti-Semitism
09:56 The Intersection of Anti-Semitism and National Security
10:52 The Mutated Strain of Anti-Semitism
12:21 The Importance of the IRA Definition of Anti-Semitism
13:48 Understanding and Using the IRA Definition
15:09 The Misunderstanding of the IRA Definition
17:02 The Mutated Mainstream Strain of Anti-Semitism
19:53 Barriers for Zionists in Protected Spaces
21:50 The Jewish Story and Reclaiming Identity
25:14 Moving Beyond the Paradigm of Oppressed and Oppressor
27:13 Writing the Next Chapter of the Jewish Story
29:40 The Affront to Shared Humanity and Civilization
30:38 Opportunity and Responsibility in the Aftermath of 10-7
31:34 Double Standards and the Collapse of Infrastructure
32:30 International Holocaust Remembrance Day
33:26 The Alarming Manifestations of Holocaust Denial
34:48 Holocaust Education and the Erasure of Jews
35:48 The Co-opting and Weaponization of History
36:46 The Danger of Denial and the Siren of Repetition
37:15 Misrepresentation of the Holocaust
38:11 The Importance of the IHRA Definition of Anti-Semitism
39:04 Transparency and Accountability of Social Media Platforms
40:27 The Forgotten Name of Paul Kessler
41:56 The Grotesque Response to Atrocities
42:52 The Sinful Creation and Dangerous Impact of UNRWA
46:13 The Implications of Funding Terrorist Infrastructure
48:11 The Threat to Democracies and Shared Values
50:07 The Existential Nature of the War of Ideas
56:43 The Catastrophe and the Challenge of Perception
57:41 The Existential Feeling and the Front Lines of Civilization
01:00:05 The Existential Challenge for All of Us
01:01:01 The Power of Hope and the Jewish People

Quillette is an Australian-based online magazine that focuses on long-form analysis and cultural commentary. It is politically non-partisan, but relies on reason, science, and humanism as its guiding values.

Quillette was founded in 2015 by Australian writer Claire Lehmann. It is a platform for free thought and a space for open discussion and debate on a wide range of topics, including politics, culture, science, and technology.

Quillette has gained attention for publishing articles and essays that challenge modern heterodoxy on a variety of topics, including gender and sexuality, race and identity politics, and free speech and censorship.

---

Quillette's revenue comes from our readers. We are a grassroots organisation that relies on voluntary subscriptions and community membership as our primary revenue stream.

Support Quillette by becoming a subscriber: https://quillette.com/#/portal/signup

Or donate via PayPal: https://paypal.me/QUILLETTEPTYLTD?cou...

We made our website using Ghost, a powerful app for new-media creators to publish, share, and grow a business around their content. It comes with modern tools to build a website, publish content, send newsletters & offer paid subscriptions to members. Try it here: https://ghost.org/?via=claire91