Independent reporting on war and politics in the U.S. and across the world, delivered by Jeremy Scahill, Ryan Grim, and the Drop Site team. www.dropsitenews.com
What Trump’s Second Term Could Mean for the Middle East
Barely 72 hours after his victory, Donald Trump’s team is already taking shape. Our latest reporting reveals that Brian Hook―known from Trump’s first term to be a major Iran hawk―is being tapped to run the transition at the State Department. In a follow-up report, we exposed a lobbying campaign by neoconservatives to bring war hawk Mike Pompeo, who plotted to assassinate Julian Assange during the previous Trump years, back into the cabinet. But we also reported that he is facing fierce opposition internally, and that Trump is leaning against reinstalling Pompeo. This comes as Trump has tapped his daughter’s father-in-law, the Lebanese-born Massad Boulos, to advise on Middle East policy. Boulos says he’ll be traveling to Lebanon to seek a “just and comprehensive peace” and enter into a new nuclear deal acceptable to “the Iranians, neighboring countries, and the US.” In other words, things are quite fluid. The Drop Site News team gathered to discuss what we know about how Trump might handle Israel and what that will mean for war with Iran; who might lead the State Department; and the broader dynamics of the Middle East. We're a fully reader-supported newsroom, which means our journalism depends on people like you. Find all our reporting at dropsitenews.com, and subscribe to the Drop Site News channel on any podcast platform. If our work matters to you, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution today. Your support keeps us independent and investigating. Get full access to Drop Site News at www.dropsitenews.com/subscribe
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The Palestine Laboratory Podcast | Episode 4: After October 7
In this final episode, Loewenstein examines the fallout of October 7, exploring the devastating aftermath in Gaza, Israel’s live-testing of AI-enabled weapons, and the West’s support of Israel’s military expansion. Featuring eyewitness accounts from Gaza, he asks: what does a post-October 7 world look like for Palestine and Israel? The Palestine laboratory isn’t inevitable. Guests: Gideon Levy, Dr Khaled Dawas and Maha HussainiThe Palestine Laboratory Podcast is Drop Site’s first investigative series, looking into how Israel is using Palestinian territories as a testing ground to develop its occupation-enforcing tech industry. Hosted by investigative journalist Antony Loewenstein and based on his recent book, this podcast series examines how Israel is reshaping conflict and population control globally. What happens in Palestine never stays there. CreditsHost: Antony LoewensteinSeries Producer: Elle MarshProducer: Bethany Atkinson-QuintonProduction & Sound Engineering: Tim JenkinsField Recording: Cinnamon NippardStudio Recordings at 2SER: Michael Jones and Jonathan ChangOriginal Music: Ara Koufax Music Direction: Sunless StudioPodcast Artwork: Debashish ChakrabartySpecial Thanks: Anu HasboldTranscript available at dropsitenews.com Get full access to Drop Site News at www.dropsitenews.com/subscribe
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The Palestine Laboratory Podcast | Episode 3: Privatizing the Occupation
In the wake of 9/11, Israel’s defense industry boomed, positioning itself as a key beneficiary of the "war on terror." Loewenstein explores how private Israeli companies market their surveillance technology—tested first on Palestinians—across the globe, claiming to have the answers to address ‘global insecurity.’ In reality, it results in tighter borders, greater monitoring of refugees, and increased state surveillance. We hear from Palestinians about how these repressive tools are being used today in both Gaza and the West Bank. Can democracy exist in a society under mass surveillance? And, does it actually make us any safer?Guests: Jez Heywood, Andrew Feinstein, Mona Shtaya, Mariam DawasThe Palestine Laboratory Podcast is Drop Site’s first investigative series, looking into how Israel is using Palestinian territories as a testing ground to develop its occupation-enforcing tech industry. Hosted by investigative journalist Antony Loewenstein and based on his recent book, this podcast series examines how Israel is reshaping conflict and population control globally. What happens in Palestine never stays there. CreditsHost: Antony LoewensteinSeries Producer: Elle MarshProducer: Bethany Atkinson-QuintonProduction & Sound Engineering: Tim JenkinsField Recording: Cinnamon NippardStudio Recordings at 2SER: Michael Jones and Jonathan ChangOriginal Music: Ara Koufax Music Direction: Sunless StudioPodcast Artwork: Debashish ChakrabartySpecial Thanks: Anu HasboldTranscript available at dropsitenews.com Get full access to Drop Site News at www.dropsitenews.com/subscribe
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The Palestine Laboratory Podcast | Episode 2: How to Make Friends
Investigative journalist Antony Loewenstein uncovers how the Palestine Laboratory has operated since 1948, detailing Israel’s long-standing role as a major arms dealer to some of the world’s most repressive regimes. Using declassified documents, Loewenstein traces secret deals made with dictators from Pinochet's Chile to apartheid South Africa and explores how Israel's military model is now being replicated in places like Myanmar and India. As history repeats itself, how does Israel continue to act with impunity?Guests: Daniel Silberman and Sasha Polakow-SuranskyThe Palestine Laboratory Podcast is Drop Site’s first investigative series, looking into how Israel is using Palestinian territories as a testing ground to develop its occupation-enforcing tech industry. Hosted by investigative journalist Antony Loewenstein and based on his recent book, this podcast series examines how Israel is reshaping conflict and population control globally. What happens in Palestine never stays there. CreditsHost: Antony LoewensteinSeries Producer: Elle MarshProducer: Bethany Atkinson-QuintonProduction & Sound Engineering: Tim JenkinsField Recording: Cinnamon NippardStudio Recordings at 2SER: Michael Jones and Jonathan ChangOriginal Music: Ara Koufax Music Direction: Sunless StudioPodcast Artwork: Debashish ChakrabartySpecial Thanks: Anu HasboldTranscript available at dropsitenews.com Get full access to Drop Site News at www.dropsitenews.com/subscribe
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The Palestine Laboratory Podcast | Episode 1: Start-Up Nation
Paid subscribers get exclusive early access to all episodes. Others can listen weekly, with new episodes every Thursday. Unlock full access today: Subscribe at DropSiteNews.com/PalestineLab and save 20%Investigative journalist Antony Loewenstein questions the narratives he was taught growing up in the Jewish Diaspora as he traces the origins of Israel’s military-industrial complex, examining how Israel became one of the world’s leading arms and tech exporters. When a military force essentially creates a nation, can they ever be truly separated?Guests: Mariam Dawwas, Haim Brasheeth-Zabner and Ghada KarmiContent warning: This episode contains references to violence, including weapons of warfare, which may distress some listeners.The Palestine Laboratory Podcast is Drop Site’s first investigative series, looking into how Israel is using Palestinian territories as a testing ground to develop its occupation-enforcing tech industry. Hosted by investigative journalist Antony Loewenstein and based on his recent book, this podcast series examines how Israel is reshaping conflict and population control globally. What happens in Palestine never stays there. CreditsHost: Antony LoewensteinSeries Producer: Elle MarshProducer: Bethany Atkinson-QuintonProduction & Sound Engineering: Tim JenkinsField Recording: Cinnamon NippardStudio Recordings at 2SER: Michael Jones and Jonathan ChangOriginal Music: Ara Koufax Music Direction: Sunless StudioPodcast Artwork: Debashish ChakrabartySpecial Thanks: Anu HasboldTranscript available at dropsitenews.com Get full access to Drop Site News at www.dropsitenews.com/subscribe
Independent reporting on war and politics in the U.S. and across the world, delivered by Jeremy Scahill, Ryan Grim, and the Drop Site team. www.dropsitenews.com
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