The Antony Loewenstein Podcast

Antony Loewenstein
  • 4.8 (4)
  • POLITICS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Antony Loewenstein is an independent journalist, film-maker and author of the global best-selling book, The Palestine Laboratory. He’ll go beyond the headlines to reveal the global political and cultural shifts reshaping our world. For more information: https://antonyloewenstein.com

Episodes

  1. 23H AGO

    What the Media Won't Say About The Israeli President's Visit

    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.

    33 min

  2. FEB 9

    Jeffrey Epstein, Israel, and the Ties the Media Won’t Touch

    If you value independent journalism, support this show: https://bit.ly/4rqn9wF For years, Jeffrey Epstein has been framed primarily as a lone sexual predator embedded in elite social circles. While his crimes against underage girls are real, horrific, and central to his story, this episode examines a dimension of the Epstein case that much of the mainstream media has avoided: his deep and sustained ties to Israel, Israeli intelligence, and the global surveillance and defence industry. In this episode, investigative journalist Antony Loewenstein explores newly released documents, leaked correspondence, and long-ignored reporting that suggest Epstein operated as a key intermediary for Israeli political, intelligence, and corporate interests over decades. Drawing on reporting from Drop Site News, court documents, and historical context, the episode interrogates how Epstein accumulated immense power, wealth, and access and why his role appears to have been protected even after his criminal behaviour was widely known in elite circles. Produced by: Antony Loewenstein, Lem Zakharia and Lena Helou Overlay sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pizzagate_conspiracy_theory https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Lucia-Osborne-Crowley-The-Lasting-Harm-9781761066566 https://www.ynetnews.com/business/article/ry4ridpvyg https://www.youtube.com/shorts/kP4Vka4WUgc https://www.dropsitenews.com/s/epstein-and-israel/archive?sort=new https://www.dropsitenews.com/s/the-palestine-laboratory https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/modi-epstein-files-steve-bannon-india-trump-bjp https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/jeffrey-epstein-aided-alan-dershowitz-mearsheimer-walt-israel-lobby https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/04/jeffrey-epstein-files-noam-chomsky https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00634274.pdf

    32 min

  3. FEB 3

    The Legacy of the ‘War on Terror’

    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-truth https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Paul-McGeough-In-Baghdad-9781741142198 https://costsofwar.watson.brown.edu/costs/human https://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_XpDhi9xuBpKHD8eyNQN https://search.wikileaks.org/plusd/ https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jun/15/afghanistan-should-leave-its-copper-in-the-ground-to-avoid-further-strife

    28 min

  4. JAN 27

    Randa Abdel-Fattah on Palestine, Australia, and Silence

    If you value independent journalism, support this show: https://bit.ly/4rqn9wF This week, Antony Loewenstein speaks with Randa Abdel-Fattah; Palestinian Australian writer, academic, and former lawyer, and author most recently of “Discipline”. They reflect on knowing each other for over two decades, before turning to Randa’s visits to Palestine in 2000 and 2010 with her father, including returning to his village Burqa, and what dispossession looks like when it fractures people from land, memory, and ancestry. The conversation moves to the present: how Randa thinks about “after Zionism,” why she rejects future-tense ideas of “coexistence,” and what it means to practise solidarity now, including with anti-Zionist Jewish communities. They discuss how Palestinians process ongoing violence in Gaza and the West Bank, the psychological toll of constant exposure, and why refusing to “switch off” has become a discipline in itself. Antony and Randa also examine Australia’s media and cultural institutions including the silencing of pro-Palestinian voices, the use of “risk management” as censorship, and what the Adelaide Writers’ Week controversy revealed about power, narrative control, and whose speech is treated as dangerous. The episode closes with a wider discussion about the rise of the far right in Australia, the positioning of far-right parties as “pro-Israel,” and why Randa believes building independent institutions and alternative platforms is no longer optional. Overlay sources: https://meanjin.com.au/latest/inaudible/ https://mondoweiss.net/2026/01/paraglides-cultural-safety-and-decolonization-randa-abdel-fattah-on-her-ban-from-adelaide-writers-week-and-the-silencing-of-palestinians/ https://tickets.bluemountainswritersfestival.com.au/Events/AFTER-ZIONISM

    41 min

  5. JAN 20

    Grace Tame on AI, Power, and the Normalisation of Child Sexual Abuse

    If you value independent journalism, support this show: https://bit.ly/4rqn9wF In this episode, Antony Loewenstein speaks with Grace Tame; survivor, advocate, columnist, and former Australian of the Year, about the accelerating crisis of child sexual abuse in the age of artificial intelligence As AI tools become cheaper, faster, and more accessible, Grace explains how child sex offenders are once again early adopters, using generative AI, chatbots, encrypted platforms, and gaming environments to produce abuse material, automate grooming, evade detection, and normalise harm. This is not a new problem, but technology has radically lowered the barrier to entry, while governments and platforms continue to respond with hand-wringing instead of accountability. Grace also speaks candidly about her own experiences engaging with tech platforms, governments, and regulators and why meaningful reform continues to be resisted. This episode is confronting, essential listening for anyone working in media, technology, policy, or child protection and for anyone who wants to understand how power protects abuse in plain sight. Overlay sources: https://www.kake.com/home/kansas-man-who-used-ai-to-create-child-porn-sentenced-to-25-years/article_dc17ae50-e3fd-476e-9f07-905ce45e7eab.html https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/roblox-ceo-predators https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-01-25/grace-tame-criticised-for-cold-interaction-with-prime-minister/100781262 https://www.humanrights.unsw.edu.au/news/worlds-largest-child-sexual-abuse-perpetration-prevalence-study-recommends-significant-investment-early-intervention-measures

    41 min

  6. JAN 13

    The Weaponisation of Jewish Trauma Post Bondi

    If you value independent journalism, support this show: https://bit.ly/4rqn9wF In the first episode of 2026, Antony Loewenstein unpacks the political aftershocks of the Bondi attack and the fight now raging over how it’s being used.From the push for a Royal Commission to the weaponisation of antisemitism claims, to the shrinking space for Palestinian and Muslim voices in Australia’s cultural institutions, this is a clear-eyed look at how fear becomes policy and how dissent gets managed. Antony also breaks down the Adelaide Writers’ Week fallout and why Gaza has been pushed off the front page when it matters most. Overlay sources: https://www.afr.com/world/middle-east/iran-exposes-israel-double-standards-20260112-p5ntbv https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jan/13/i-cannot-be-party-to-silencing-writers-which-is-why-i-am-resigning-as-director-of-adelaide-writers-week-ntwnfb https://overland.org.au/2026/01/universities-and-the-arts-after-bondi-from-definitions-to-ambient-antisemitism/ https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2026/jan/13/adelaide-writers-week-cancelled-as-board-apologises-to-randa-abdel-fattah-for-how-decision-was-represented-ntwnfb

    23 min

  7. 12/23/2025

    On the Bondi Terror Attack with Jan Fran

    If you value independent journalism, support this show: https://bit.ly/4rqn9wF In this episode independent journalist Antony Loewenstein joins Jan Fran to discuss the Bondi terror attacks and the timid media response to proposals that curb civil liberties.  Jan Fran and Antony move carefully through the tension between allowing victims time to greive and challenging political agendas that seek to curb anti-genocide protest, shrink public discourse, and mute criticism of Israel. Antony talks through what he believes is driving the rise in antisemitism, and why parts of the Jewish diaspora feel increasingly alienated from the pro-Israel lobby’s line. He also lays out why the crowd keeps speaking and keeps moving, even when the powerful wish the masses would go silent. Need a last minute gift? Tickets to Jan and Antoinette's live shows in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Brisbane can be bought here. Support Ette Media by becoming a subscriber here. Thanks to @jaidanielpyne for composing the music for Jan and Antoinette's podcast.

    55 min

  8. 12/15/2025

    My Comments on the Bondi Attack

    If you value independent journalism, support this show: https://bit.ly/4rqn9wF Recorded less than 24 hours after the horrific massacre in Bondi, this episode is a raw, urgent response to violence, fear, and the political weaponisation that has already followed. Speaking as a Jewish Australian, I reflect on grief, anger, and the dangers of conflating antisemitism with criticism of Israel. I unpack how pro-Palestine movements are being blamed without evidence, why knee-jerk calls for expanded police powers and immigration crackdowns should alarm us all, and how fear is being exploited to silence dissent. This is a call for clarity: to mourn without manipulation, to oppose violence against all civilians, and to resist narratives that trade supposed safety for authoritarianism.

    25 min

  9. 12/09/2025

    AI, Surveillance, and the Erosion of Democracy

    If you value independent journalism, support this show: https://bit.ly/4rqn9wF In this episode, independent journalist Antony Loewenstein explains how Silicon Valley once promoted itself as the centre of innovation and connection, designing tools that would improve the world. Those days are long gone with many Silicon Valley “leaders” going full MAGA, embracing Trumpism, militarisation and Israel. What does it mean for society and democracy when AI firms are wholly unregulated? How do we reclaim sovereignty over online spaces, social media and AI? Are we heading into a dark time where AI and unelected Silicon Valley “leaders” are taking us to a period of unprecedented disaster capitalism? Credits: Produced by Lem Zakharia Links to footage: 3:23: https://www.donotpanic.news/p/the-ai-drones-used-in-gaza-now-surveilling 3:55: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/11/04/chris-buskirk-maga-vance-post-trump/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJyZWFzb24iOiJnaWZ0IiwibmJmIjoxNzYyMjMyNDAwLCJpc3MiOiJzdWJzY3JpcHRpb25zIiwiZXhwIjoxNzYzNjE0Nzk5LCJpYXQiOjE3NjIyMzI0MDAsImp0aSI6Ijk5YWZhMmE5LTZhYWEtNGE3NC1iMWMxLTUxNjUzMmZmOWJkMiIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS90ZWNobm9sb2d5LzIwMjUvMTEvMDQvY2hyaXMtYnVza2lyay1tYWdhLXZhbmNlLXBvc3QtdHJ1bXAvIn0.Nk3INROYmwwt16HaHUNQ_iWxt9l3u1o1G7ZftWlMiH4 7:03: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/sep/10/tech-companies-are-stealing-our-books-music-and-films-for-ai-its-brazen-theft-and-must-be-stopped 12:09: https://www.versobooks.com/en-gb/products/127-disaster-capitalism

    17 min

  10. 11/29/2025

    We’re Not Immune to Fascism

    If you value independent journalism, support this show: https://bit.ly/4rqn9wF In this episode, independent journalist Antony Loewenstein breaks down the surge of far-right politics in Australia and across the West and explains why calling it “fringe” is pure delusion. Using the latest polling on One Nation, Australia’s third biggest political party, global parallels from Europe and the US, and the failures of both major political parties in the West, he lays out how economic anxiety, racism, and media complacency have created the perfect environment for extremist politics to thrive. He explains why Australia isn’t immune, why the mainstream press keeps downplaying the risk, and how the same patterns taking hold in France, Germany, Sweden, the UK and the US are already visible in Australia. He also explores what modern fascism actually looks like (hint: it’s already happening), why “cruelty is the point,” and what meaningful resistance requires beyond hand-wringing and hopeful thinking. A blunt, timely warning about a political shift too many Westerners are still pretending not to see. Credits: Produced by Lem Zakharia References: Footage used in the intro/outro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhNPgQ7GDu4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gyu7jFnj9Nw&t=2s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSd9nmPM7Vg&t=397s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsfMPTiIuvY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3iV_EeeYKk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQHUro6u6Kc&t=730s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbchYijjZZI&t=25s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_kTNIYsFnQ&t=28s Footage within the episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDZ70S8e3Qg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdNp46gNENY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64it4eAQjnk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGutNlGdy6o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tb88Yy0n4jc&t=52s&pp=0gcJCSIKAYcqIYzv https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZWFcIEToKk

    17 min
  • 10 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Antony Loewenstein is an independent journalist, film-maker and author of the global best-selling book, The Palestine Laboratory. He’ll go beyond the headlines to reveal the global political and cultural shifts reshaping our world. For more information: https://antonyloewenstein.com

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