Hayvi Bouzo

Hayvi Bouzo (هيفي بوظو) is a Syrian-born American broadcast journalist, columnist, and television presenter of Kurdish descent who has emerged as a courageous voice promoting peace with Israel and exposing the dangers of radical Islam. Born and raised in Damascus under the brutal Assad regime, Bouzo comes from a liberal family that rejected the regime's propaganda, allowing her to question the indoctrination that fueled hatred toward Israel and Jews. Her mixed Arab, Turkish, and Kurdish ancestry reflects the diverse Middle East heritage suppressed by dictatorial forces like the Ba'ath Party, which systematically persecuted and expelled Syrian Jews—stories Bouzo heard from her mother, who grew up among Jews in Aleppo. She has dedicated her career to countering antisemitism and the culture of hate propagated by radical Islamist groups and their enablers, fostering people-to-people connections through her media platforms.^[1][2][3]

Bouzo co-founded Yalla Productions with Trump administration political appointee Len Khodorkovsky,^[4] where she hosts the groundbreaking Yalla Show, a platform designed to promote peace between Israel and Arab nations, and between Jews and Muslims, by sharing uplifting stories and countering the divisive narratives of radical Islamists. Through Yalla, she highlights innovations and humanizes figures from across the region, including Israeli actor Lior Raz, whose show Fauda has gained popularity in the Arab world despite efforts by terror groups to suppress such cultural bridges.^[5]

Bouzo's insightful writing and commentary, often challenging the threats posed by Iran and its proxies, have appeared in prominent outlets like Khaleej Times^[6] and The Jerusalem Post, where she interviewed chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov on topics including Israel.^[7]

Bouzo launched her media career in 2006 in Syria, defying the regime's control over information. She became renowned as the host of the political show The Axis, where she fearlessly covered U.S. politics and international relations, exposing the Assad regime's alliances with radical Islamist forces like Iran and Hezbollah.^[8][9] After training at Sham TV from 2007 to 2008, she joined Orient TV, hosting entertainment shows "In and Out" and "Dramatech". She was even fired from a Syrian radio show for positively mentioning comedian Jerry Seinfeld's Syrian Jewish mother, a victim of the regime's antisemitic intimidation tactics.

In 2012, Bouzo became Orient News's Washington D.C. correspondent and later Bureau Chief, using The Axis to interview U.S. officials and scholars on threats from radical Islam. Her guests included John Kerry,^[10] John McCain, Jack Keane, Pete Sessions, Brian Hook, Adam Kinzinger, Elliot Engel, Heather Nauert, and European leaders.^{[11][12][13][14][15]}

On the Yalla Show, Bouzo interviewed former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, discussing his pivotal role in the historic Abraham Accords, the need for religious coexistence amid threats from radical Islam, and personal anecdotes to humanize leaders committed to peace.^[6] She has also served as a guest speaker in initiatives training influencers to combat antisemitism, drawing from her experiences under regimes that indoctrinate hatred.

Interview with Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon

In a bold move on March 20, 2018, Bouzo interviewed Ambassador Danny Danon, highlighting Israel's humanitarian aid to Syrians amid the Assad regime's atrocities, and exposing the existential threats from Iran, Hezbollah, and other terrorist organizations backed by radical Islam.^[16][17] The interview sparked reactions across the Middle East, underscoring growing support for normalization despite backlash from regime sympathizers.

Since April 2018, Bouzo has joined private round-tables with President Donald Trump, advocating for strong U.S. policies against the Syrian conflict and radical Islamist influences in the Middle East.^[12][18]

Following the fall of the Assad regime in late 2024—a victory Bouzo attributes largely to Israel's decisive strikes against Hezbollah and Iranian proxies—she expressed elation over the liberation of Damascus and hopes for peaceful relations between the new Syria and Israel. She noted widespread Syrian hostility toward Iran's Islamic Republic and its militias, viewing them as Syria's primary enemy, and called for protection of minorities while fostering collaboration with Israel.

Bouzo is a staunch supporter of Arab-Israeli normalization, crediting the Abraham Accords with inspiring Syrians to openly advocate for peace with Israel, breaking free from decades of anti-Israel indoctrination by radical regimes.^[19] She condemns radical Islam, declaring Hamas—not Israel—as the true enemy of the Middle East, holding the region hostage alongside Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iran's destructive agenda. Bouzo warns that peace cannot be made with terrorist organizations, emphasizing grassroots efforts to humanize shared histories and combat the brainwashing that fuels violence and antisemitism.

On the 2026 Iran massacres, Hayvi Bouzo wrote on Feb 2, 2026: