“(…) Putin is a madman! The question is how long he will be with us!”
Senad Hadzifejzovic: “To tell you the truth, to me, that idea of two states – Israel and Palestine – it’s irrational, surreal. If it was possible and if Israel wanted it, it would have happened a long time ago. So, what is the solution?”
Gideon Levy: “I'm glad to hear your opinion on two states: if Israel wanted a two-state solution, it could have done it twenty years ago; now it's too late! The only solution is one democratic state, one person – one vote! I know that in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Yugoslavia it was not a particularly good experience, maybe it won't be here either, but there is no other solution! Either apartheid or democracy!”
Senad Hadzifejzovic: “The only solution – one state?! What would her name be?”
Gideon Levy: “PALAZRAEL, ISAPALESTIN – the name is not the problem; the creation of a radically new reality is a necessity! My vision is a secular state, Jews and Muslims, Arabs and Jews living together like in any normal state! Israel does not need to be a Jewish country, nor is Bosnia and Herzegovina a Muslim country! Bosnia and Herzegovina is a democratic country; that's what Israel should be – not Jewish, not Palestinian!”
Senad Hadzifejzovic: “The idea is incredible! But both in Israel and in Bosnia and Herzegovina, people are counted; they love it. They want… they want to be counted! Really, can you imagine Israel as a state that is neither Jewish nor Palestinian?!”
Gideon Levy: “I know it's surreal, but what's the alternative?! There is no alternative, there are no two states! The people of Gaza, the people of Tel Aviv can't take this anymore!”
Senad Hadzifejzovic: “Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina is fragile. Can there be war again in Bosnia and Herzegovina? Can someone big, Russia for example, make a war here?”
Gideon Levy: “You know better than I do. Yes, it's still fragile… Russians? Who can predict how that crazy man, Putin, will behave?! And how long will he be with us… Look what he is doing to himself, to Russia, to Ukraine – scary!”
Senad Hadzifejzovic: “The question, whose answer is everyone afraid of… Does Israel have nuclear weapons and are they ready to use them if they feel threatened and losing?!”
Gideon Levy: “No doubt! That's a fact! Would they use it?! Maybe… In some very, very extreme situation… When half of Israel is under ‘Hamas’ and ‘Hezbollah’, when Iranian soldiers come to Israel, when you have no choice – then you will use it! Israel has two problems: Gaza above ground and Gaza underground! Both sides, both Israel and Palestine, will have terrible losses! Iran – God forbid if Iran gets involved – it will be a world war! And if Iran gets involved in the war, the Russians, Americans, Chinese will also get involved… In a few days – WORLD WAR! Israel is not ready to fight on two or four fronts! Jews, 80% in Israel were divided, strongly… they were before the civil war – now they have a sense of community! 80% of Jews publicly say, now: ‘Netanyahu must go!’ Israel is in the east, a branch of the west, and must listen to the Americans! The price?! Israel must listen because it has never been more dependent on America than it is now!”
Senad Hadzifejzovic: “Who listens to whom – America Israel or Israel America? You know: what did Biden and Netanyahu talk about behind the cameras?”
Gideon Levy: “There is no free dinner… American support is greater than ever… American support for Israel is greater than ever! The American army stopped twenty rockets from Yemen. The largest military power in the world, America, did not do that for Ukraine either – it has a price! Now Israel is in the hands of America, for better or for worse!”
Senad Hadzifejzovic: “Often in European and Arab comments – and for a long time you can hear the sentence: ‘The Israeli government is Nazi or neo-Nazi.’ How do you comment on opinions like this – the qualification of the Jews that they rule as their enemies?”
Gideon Levy: “This is neither a Nazi nor a wonderful government, but with a minority in power that is a Right-wing, neo-nationalist government… The Nazis were Nazis and nothing can be compared to them!”
Senad Hadzifejzovic: “Three presidents and prime minister – Biden, Scholz and Sunak – are coming to Netanyahu. What is the power of Israel?!”
Gideon Levy: “What a good question! Israel is West favourite. They do everything what they want: they violate and pay nothing. 55 years without sanctions! Why?! The West feels quilty because of the Holocaust!”