The Antony Loewenstein Podcast

In this episode, Antony Loewenstein uncovers how Israel’s arms industry has reached record highs, generating billions while wars in Gaza and across the region continue. Drawing on over a decade of investigation, he explores who is buying these weapons and why global demand is surging despite widespread public criticism.He also examines the growing disconnect between public opinion and political elites, and the silence surrounding these profits, asking what accountability looks like in a world where war has become big business.

In this episode, Antony Loewenstein confronts the ongoing reality in Gaza, arguing that a devastating war and alleged genocide have slipped from global attention despite continuing daily suffering. Drawing on firsthand accounts from Palestinians inside Gaza including stories of life in tent cities, collapsing infrastructure, and desperate attempts at survival, Antony paints a stark picture of a territory still under siege, where medical care is scarce, movement is restricted, and civilians endure unimaginable conditions that rarely make headlines.He also explores the broader political context, from international inaction and media silence to shifting public opinion in the West and the role of governments including Australia and the United States. Through personal testimony, investigative insight, and reflections on solidarity and accountability, Antony makes the case that Gaza remains central to understanding global justice today and warns of the consequences of looking away.

What is life really like inside Iran right now?Antony shares exclusive audio messages from an anonymous Iranian insider living in Tehran, offering a rare and deeply personal look into everyday life inside the country. For her protection, her identity has been concealed and her voice altered, but her experiences reveal the reality of navigating checkpoints, censorship, and constant uncertainty in a highly controlled environment.Through her story, we hear how people continue to live, adapt, and find moments of freedom, from underground gatherings to navigating internet blackouts and the looming fear of conflict. This episode goes beyond headlines, providing an unfiltered perspective on what life inside Iran truly feels like right now.

If you value independent journalism, support this show: https://bit.ly/4rqn9wF In this final episode of the One Nation Series, we break down the real reason Pauline Hanson and One Nation feel “everywhere” right now and why that perception doesn’t match the actual vote.Journalist Amy Remeikis joins to unpack how media dynamics, not just voter sentiment, are amplifying far-right politics in Australia.

If you value independent journalism, support this show: https://bit.ly/4rqn9wF In this episode, Antony Loewenstein speaks with political analyst Amy Remeikis about how Pauline Hanson’s rise in the late 1990s reshaped Australian politics — and why her success was not accidental.They explore the economic anxiety following the early-1990s recession, the cultural shift under Paul Keating, and how John Howard’s message of stability and nostalgia created the conditions for Hanson’s breakthrough. Rather than emerging from nowhere, Hanson’s politics reflected ideas already circulating inside mainstream conservative rhetoric at the time. The conversation also examines the media’s role in amplifying Hanson’s profile, elevating her claims alongside expert analysis, and helping normalize rhetoric that had previously been considered outside the political mainstream.

If you value independent journalism, support this show: https://bit.ly/4rqn9wF In this episode of The Antony Loewenstein Podcast, Antony argues that Judaism is facing a profound moral crisis driven by the conflation of Jewish identity with Zionism and Israel’s actions in Gaza, the West Bank, and beyond. He reflects on Jewish history, including long traditions of anti‑nationalism, and explains why equating Jews with Zionism is both historically false and politically dangerous. Drawing on contemporary Jewish voices and movements, he calls for a moral reckoning and the building of a new, inclusive Jewish identity rooted in justice, solidarity, and universal human dignity.

If you value independent journalism, support this show: https://bit.ly/4rqn9wF The Palestine Laboratory Podcast: Privatising The OccupationNOTE: First released in late 2024 with the US outlet, Drop Site News, we are now re-releasing this series. For more information, see: https://www.thepalestinelaboratorypodcast.comIn 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 DawasCreditsHost: 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 HasboldAdditional music in the series is from: Use Knife, Muqata'a & The Album Leaf

If you value independent journalism, support this show: https://bit.ly/4rqn9wF NOTE: First released in late 2024 with the US outlet, Drop Site News, we are now re-releasing this series. For more information, see: https://www.thepalestinelaboratorypodcast.comInvestigative 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-SuranskyCreditsHost: 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 HasboldAdditional music in the series is from: Use Knife, Muqata'a & The Album Leaf

If you value independent journalism, support this show: https://bit.ly/4rqn9wF 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.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 HasboldAdditional music in the series is from: Use Knife, Muqata'a & The Album Leaf

If you value independent journalism, support this show: https://bit.ly/4rqn9wF In this episode, Antony Loewenstein speaks with Latin America expert Dr. Rodrigo Acuña about the dramatic US kidnapping of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro in January 2026 and what it reveals about the future of American power in the region.They unpack the long history behind the crisis, including how Venezuela has been portrayed in Western media, the legacy of Hugo Chávez, and why successive US administrations have targeted governments that challenge American dominance in Latin America. Rodrigo draws on decades of research and on-the-ground experience to explain how Venezuela became a flashpoint for debates around sovereignty, oil, and global power.The conversation explores the immediate fallout of Maduro’s removal, including sweeping concessions over Venezuela’s oil sector and what Rodrigo describes as an “occupation without troops.” They also examine contested elections, media narratives, and the broader implications of a revived Monroe Doctrine under Trump, signalling a more aggressive approach to US influence across the Western Hemisphere.The episode widens out to look at the region more broadly, including the rise and fall of Latin America’s “pink tide,” the erosion of regional alliances, and the growing pressure on Cuba as US sanctions intensify. Ultimately, it’s a deep dive into the geopolitics of regime change, media framing, and the ongoing struggle over sovereignty in Latin America.Produced by: Lena Helou and Lem Zakharia

If you value independent journalism, support this show: https://bit.ly/4rqn9wF This week on the Antony Lowenstein Podcast, we examine the controversial Australian visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog: Why he came, how the visit was framed, and why it triggered protests across the country. Publicly positioned as a gesture of solidarity following the Bondi massacre, Herzog’s trip quickly became a flashpoint in Australia’s already tense debate around Israel, Palestine, and media narratives. Antony unpacks Herzog’s political record and public statements, the way he is portrayed in Western media, and the broader context of Israel’s war in Gaza. He also examines how the visit was covered by Australian outlets, whose voices were amplified or ignored, and why tens of thousands of Australians took to the streets in Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra. The episode explores allegations surrounding Herzog’s rhetoric, the political calculations behind the visit, and the Australian government’s response, including questions around protest rights, policing, and the language of “social cohesion.” More broadly, this conversation looks at how diaspora communities are positioned in public discourse, and what this moment reveals about power, protest, and dissent in modern Australia.

If you value independent journalism, support this show: https://bit.ly/4rqn9wF In this episode, Antony traces how the post-9/11 “War on Terror” helped shape today’s political and media climate including the normalization of anti-Palestinian racism across many Western elite circles. He revisits the early messaging of “tolerance” from George W. Bush alongside the reality of Afghanistan, torture, rendition, and Guantánamo Bay, and connects that legacy to contemporary narratives about Israel/Palestine, media accountability, and the ongoing denial of Palestinian identity and history.Antony also reflects on what it means to speak as a Jewish critic of Israeli policy, the kinds of abuse and accusations that follow, and the ongoing attempt to frame resistance as “terror” while state violence is legitimized. He argues that neoconservative thinking never truly disappeared, and that while public support for Palestinians has risen, elite media and political institutions continue to enable dehumanization and avoid accountability.Overlay sources:https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/mar/14/iraq-war-9-11-george-bush-post-truthhttps://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Paul-McGeough-In-Baghdad-9781741142198https://costsofwar.watson.brown.edu/costs/humanhttps://mondoweiss.net/2020/05/atlantic-editor-who-promoted-erroneous-conspiracy-to-gin-up-iraq-war-bewails-arab-propensity-to-conspiracy-thinking/https://www.booktopia.com.au/pity-the-nation-robert-fisk/book/9780192801302.html?srsltid=AfmBOooeWLPuhXSG0bgSte6u8F3tIoEDPsTO_XpDhi9xuBpKHD8eyNQNhttps://search.wikileaks.org/plusd/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jun/15/afghanistan-should-leave-its-copper-in-the-ground-to-avoid-further-strife