Exclusive: Interview with NBA superstar Enes Kanter

The Jerusalem Post Podcast with Lahav Harkov and Yaakov Katz

This week on the Jerusalem Post Podcast, Editor-in-chief Yaakov Katz and Diplomatic Correspondent Lahav Harkov share an exclusive interview with NBA superstar Enes Kanter. 

Kanter, a Muslim, has been playing basketball for more than a decade and recently has been using his popularity to help heal the world - talking about issues of social justice and democracy.

“Live for others” is Kanter’s message, he told the Podcast. “We rise by lifting others.”

He said he also has a message of respect: “It does not matter what your religion is, whatever you are, respect other religions and countries.”

Kanter has most recently been tweeting about the human rights abuses in Turkey and China. He said that the young generation of Turks is growing up anti-West and antisemitic because Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan regularly shares those messages at his rallies. 

“It breaks my heart,” Enes said, “people growing up hating Israel, burning Israeli flags - and this is all Erdogan’s fault.”

Also on the podcast: We know Omicron is more contagious, however is it more dangerous?

This is a question Katz and Harkov tackle as Israel closes itself from the rest of the world once again due to the Omicron variant outbreak. 

They argue that Israel might be taking the Omicron variant more seriously than the rest of the world.

"Maybe instead of closing the country to foreigners who contribute to the country's economy, there should be more enforcement of existing COVID-19 rules?" 

Harkov said that she believes the government should be putting its efforts into convincing unvaccinated citizens to get the vaccine.

They also discuss Israel's role as the Jewish state in the lives of Jews who don’t live in Israel, as Diaspora leaders have expressed their dissatisfaction over the situation. 

And what is a Jerusalem Post Podcast without discussion of Iran?

They talk about how the Iranians are sitting down for talks - including the idea of lifting sanctions in exchange for limiting their nuclear program. 

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