The Listening Post – “Nobody is better than Netanyahu at manipulating the US”

Date: July 12, 2025
Host: Al Jazeera

Episode Overview

This episode dissects the intricate web of political theatrics, media manipulation, and shifting allegiances between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. Presidents (particularly Donald Trump), and the American media. The hosts and a panel of analysts critically examine how Netanyahu expertly navigates U.S. political landscapes, what his recent visit to the White House reveals about U.S.-Israel relations, and the role of American media in perpetuating or contesting these dynamics. They also explore political turmoil and media repression in Georgia and touch on rising criticism—even among traditionally pro-Israel American right-wing voices—of U.S. support for Israel’s actions in Gaza.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Netanyahu's White House Visit: Political Theater & Manipulation

• Opening Commentary: Netanyahu orchestrates a carefully staged visit to D.C., filled with gestures, flattery, and “pledges of allegiance,” including the absurd move of nominating Donald Trump—a recent war crime accomplice—for the Nobel Peace Prize (00:59–03:29).

• Netanyahu’s knack for reading U.S. presidents’ personalities, especially Trump’s love of showmanship and public affirmation, is highlighted.

• The episode underscores the hypocrisy of international law as Netanyahu, indicted for war crimes, travels through Rome Statute countries without fear of arrest.

  “Benjamin Netanyahu's latest trip to Washington was a carefully choreographed exercise in political deception, legal double standards and shir chutzpah.”
  — Political Commentator (01:36)

2. Netanyahu & Trump's Mutual Interests

• Netanyahu leverages Trump’s vanity—none too subtly—by dangling gestures like the Peace Prize, ensuring continued U.S. support for Israel’s policies in Gaza (03:29–04:22).

• Trump’s coveted adulation from Netanyahu feeds into MAGA narratives but exposes fissures in the movement’s priorities (“America First” vs. “Israel First”).

  “Nobody is better than Netanyahu at manipulating the United States.”
  — Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Expert (04:03)

  “Trump loves bright and shiny objects, and if you’re a head of state, there are few objects more bright or shiny than a Nobel Peace Prize.”
  — US Politics Analyst (04:22)

3. Cracks in the U.S. Right: MAGA Media Shifts

• A growing number of prominent MAGA-aligned platforms and personalities (e.g., Tucker Carlson, Steve Bannon) are challenging whether loyal support for Israel aligns with U.S. interests—though this shift is largely absent from mainstream news (04:50–07:32).

  “Every single Republican I’m aware of is like in this weird kind of Israel worship mode all the time... But this can’t go on.”
  — Political Commentator (05:12)

  “Steve Bannon and Tucker Carlson are people who traditionally had nothing negative to say about Israel. What's changed is that they now see US policy as being driven by Israeli rather than US priorities.”
  — US Politics Analyst (07:00)

• Critique emerges mostly outside mainstream platforms, reflecting a “normalized and enforced” pro-Israel bias in corporate-owned U.S. media (07:32–09:08).

  “Pro-Israel media bias is not just normalized, it is enforced.”
  — Political Commentator (07:52)

4. How the Pro-Israel Media Ecosystem Operates

• Aggressive lobbying from pro-Israeli groups, economic levers (advertiser pressure), and intimidation tactics (threats, demands for apologies) keep U.S. mainstream outlets in line (08:38–09:54).

  “They will bombard reporters...with threats, letters, and posts on social media calling them anti-Semitic and liars.”
  — Media Critic (09:08)

5. Shifts in U.S. Public Opinion

• Polls now show a remarkable swing within the Democratic Party—Democratic voters sympathize more with Palestinians by 43 points (09:54–10:34).

• There is a lag between changing public sentiment and representation in media or policy: entrenched voices continue to dominate coverage despite ground-level shifts.

  “You cannot just magic up new voices... There is a career path here.”
  — Middle East Analyst (10:34)

6. Entrenched Systems: Media, Politics, and Slow Change

• Despite changing rhetoric from some right-wing media, deep-seated institutional and media biases slow meaningful policy shifts (11:06–12:05).

  “In a plutocracy, the schism between ruler and ruled grows over time... it’s going to take time.”
  — US Politics Analyst (11:31)

7. GHF, Aid as a Weapon, & Forced Relocation in Gaza

• Investigative reports expose the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s (GHF) role in distributing aid—at the cost of 800 Palestinian lives—and its involvement in long-term plans to ethnically cleanse Gaza (12:05–14:45).

• Boston Consulting Group and Tony Blair Institute's complicity is revealed in financial models and postwar redevelopment schemes focused on “relocating” Palestinians.

  “The plan is premised on the BCG financial models to remove Palestinians from Gaza... Katz’s plans essentially amount to a concentration camp for Palestinians in Gaza.”
  — True Crime Reports Host (14:04)

8. Media Crackdown in Georgia: From Election Protest to Authoritarian Control

• Ongoing mass protests after Georgia’s contested 2024 election have prompted the government to stifle media, particularly targeting independent and critical outlets (15:44–24:32).

• Journalists describe intimidation, firing, physical attacks, and legislative maneuvers (e.g., the Foreign Agents Registration Act) designed to silence dissent and align the media with government propaganda.

  “Why should citizens have to knock on the door of the public broadcaster begging for a chance to voice their concerns? ...people will continue knocking. They will not stop.”
  — Al Jazeera Correspondent (17:39)

  “Unfortunately, we have passed the stage where journalism was our only job. Now our task is to save our profession and fight for our country's European future.”
  — Independent Georgian Journalist (24:32)

9. Silencing Accountability: UN Rapporteur Sanctioned

• The episode closes with news that Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian Territories, is being sanctioned by the Trump administration after publishing a damning report on companies profiting from the occupation.

  “The part that Rubio left out was that the US is bankrolling that genocide, one that has taken more than 55,000 Palestinian lives. And those are just the ones that we know about.”
  — Political Commentator (24:57)

Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• “Benjamin Netanyahu's latest trip to Washington was a carefully choreographed exercise in political deception, legal double standards and shir chutzpah.”
  — Political Commentator (01:36)

• “Nobody is better than Netanyahu at manipulating the United States.”
  — Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Expert (04:03)

• “Trump loves bright and shiny objects, and if you're a head of state, there are few objects more bright or shiny than a Nobel Peace Prize.”
  — US Politics Analyst (04:22)

• “Every single Republican I’m aware of is like in this weird kind of Israel worship mode all the time... But this can’t go on.”
  — Political Commentator (05:12)

• “Pro-Israel media bias is not just normalized, it is enforced.”
  — Political Commentator (07:52)

• “The plan is premised on the BCG financial models to remove Palestinians from Gaza... Katz’s plans essentially amount to a concentration camp for Palestinians in Gaza.”
  — True Crime Reports Host (14:04)

• “Why should citizens have to knock on the door of the public broadcaster begging for a chance to voice their concerns? ...people will continue knocking. They will not stop.”
  — Al Jazeera Correspondent (17:39)

• “Now our task is to save our profession and fight for our country's European future.”
  — Independent Georgian Journalist (24:32)

• “The part that Rubio left out was that the US is bankrolling that genocide, one that has taken more than 55,000 Palestinian lives.”
  — Political Commentator (24:57)

Key Segment Timestamps

• 00:59 – Netanyahu’s White House visit, nomination of Trump
• 03:29 – Netanyahu and American presidents; his strategies
• 04:50 – MAGA movement’s shifting attitude on Israel
• 07:32 – Media’s pro-Israel bias and how it is enforced
• 09:54 – Dramatic shift in U.S. public opinion among Democrats
• 12:05 – GHF, humanitarian aid and ethnic cleansing plans in Gaza
• 15:44 – Political crackdown and media suppression in Georgia
• 24:57 – Francesca Albanese, UN rapporteur, sanctioned for reporting on Israeli war crimes

Conclusion

This episode offers a multi-layered critique of the political and media systems underpinning U.S.-Israeli relations. With incisive commentary and investigative reporting, it exposes manipulation at the highest levels, slow and uneven media/political adaptation to rapidly changing public sentiment, and the high costs—human, political, and journalistic—of defending the status quo. The segment on Georgia draws chilling parallels between media suppression abroad and orchestrated media narratives in the West, underscoring the global stakes for press freedom and civic accountability.