Palestinian soccer legend, Honey Thaljieh, and the World Cup

My Nakba Story: This week marks the 72 anniversary of what is known to Palestinians as the 1948 'Nakba' or the 'catastrophe'. Where 750,00 Palestinians were forcibly displaced from their homeland for the creation of Israel. In this special episode, host Diana Buttu speaks with her father, Mohamad Buttu, a survivor of the Nakba. Mohamad speaks on what happened to his family during the Nakba, from having to flee his home, being separated from his mother and siblings, and being smuggled back into Palestine. by This Is Palestine

28 min listen

The Israel/UAE Deal and What it Means for Palestine: Hosts Diana Buttu and Omar Baddar break down what the recent normalization of relations between the United Arab Emirates and Israel means and specifically how it impacts Palestinians. by This Is Palestine

26 min listen

From Ramallah To Project Runway To NYC: Palestinian Designer Rami Kashou: In today’s episode, we hear from Rami Kashou, a Palestinian designer based in New York. Rami Kashou was a finalist on the hit show, Project Runway, where his creativity and draping style became apparent. He even made a dress out of candy wrappers. His dresses have draped queen Rania and Hollywood celebrities such as Penelope Cruz, Heidi Klum, Jennifer Lopez among others. Kashou's work has been featured in numerous magazines including Elle, Vogue, In Style, The New York Times Magazine, and Flaunt. We hear about Rami’s latest project, ARD - where Rami places traditional, Palestinian embroidery on masks made of sustainable materials. We hear about his upbringing in Ramallah, and the influence that the first intifada had on his design and on his future plans. by This Is Palestine

35 min listen

New Israeli Government, Annexation Plans, and The Impact of COVID-19: Hosts Omar Baddar and Diana Buttu discuss the formation of a new Israeli coalition government after the chaotic roller coaster of 3 Israeli elections over the last year. What does this mean for Palestinians? Where does Israel's illegal annexation plan go from here? And what's the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the ground? For answers, check out this bonus episode. by This Is Palestine

28 min listen

Abbas, CIA and Israel, Oh My!: Host Omar Baddar speaks with Khaled Elgindy, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, adjunct professor at Georgetown University and author of "Blind Spot: America and the Palestinians, from Balfour to Trump". Omar and Khaled discuss Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's recent announcement that Palestinians would no longer be bound by all agreements signed between the Palestine Liberation Organization and both Israel and the US, including an end to information sharing with the CIA. Khaled tells us what all this means and if it really means anything at all. by This Is Palestine

26 min listen

My Nakba Story - Salman Abu Sitta: Host Diana Buttu speaks with Salman Abu Sitta. A Palestinian researcher most known for his ground-breaking project mapping historic Palestine and developing a practical plan for implementing the right of return of Palestinian refugees. Salman Abu Sitta shares his family's Nakba story and what moving forward looks like. by This Is Palestine

13 min listen

Palestinians and COVID-19: Diana Buttu speaks with Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, a physician, human rights advocate, and member of the Palestinian parliament based in the occupied West Bank. Dr. Barghouti heads the Palestine Medical Relief Committee. Along with a team of hundreds of volunteers, Dr. Barghouti has been on the front lines providing assistance to Palestinians during the COVID-19 pandemic. by This Is Palestine

19 min listen

Israeli Elections: Groundhog Day: Israel is heading into its fourth election in the last two years. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is now courting Palestinian citizens of Israel voters. When just as recently in the last Israeli election, he used his platform to attack Palestinian voters to prevent them from forming a coalition. Why is this happening, what does it all mean, and how do these elections impact Palestinians? Host Diana Buttu joins in conversation with her colleague Khader Jabbar who is filling in for Omar Baddar. by This Is Palestine

30 min listen

A Turning Tide in U.S. Politics Towards Israel?: Host Omar Baddar speaks with Dr. James Zogby, co-founder and President of the Arab American Institute. Zogby has served on the Democratic National Committee since 1992 and was a member of the DNC's Executive Committee for 16 years. Omar also speaks with Matt Duss, foreign policy advisor to Senator and former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. They discuss the emerging change in the Democratic Party towards Israel and Palestine, including what policy might look like in light of impending annexation. by This Is Palestine

43 min listen

On the Brink of Annexation: With Israel's plan to formally annex parts of the West Bank expected only a few weeks from now, we speak with Palestinian American political analyst Yousef Munayyer about the significance of this moment, and the road forward for the Palestinian struggle for justice. by This Is Palestine

29 min listen

Bahraini Activist and Human Rights Defender Maryam Al-Khawaja: Host Diana Buttu speaks with Bahraini human rights activist Maryam Al-Khawaja about her pro-democracy work in Bahrain, her country’s normalization deal with Israel, and Bahraini solidarity with the Palestinian struggle. by This Is Palestine

22 min listen

The Ravages of COVID-19 in Palestine: COVID-19 is spreading quickly in the West Bank as Gaza goes on a tight lockdown. With Israel having one of the highest infection rates in the world, the impact on Palestine is devastating and the disparity in resources between occupier and occupied is impacting policy. Hosts Omar Baddar and Diana Buttu, along with Ramallah-based Amanda Arraf-Saadeh from the IMEU team, discuss the reality on the ground in Palestine and what life is like. by This Is Palestine

25 min listen

Black in America: In this episode of 'This Is Palestine,' we shift our focus to the protests that have swept the nation, sparked by the tragic murder of George Floyd by police officers on May 25. We hear from three distinct Black American voices as they discuss systemic racism and what it means to be Black in America. First, we hear from Mychal Denzel Smith, author of the forthcoming Stakes is High: Life After the American Dream and New York Times bestseller Invisible Man, Got the Whole World Watching. His work has appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, New Republic, The Nation, and more. In 2014 and 2016, TheRoot.com named him one of the 100 Most Influential African-Americans in their annual The Root 100 list. Mychal navigates us through this moment and what it means, what's different about it now, and why defunding the police is vital to gaining justice. Next, we hear from Kinjo Kiema and Khury Petersen-Smith, who speak in conversation with one another about this moment by This Is Palestine

58 min listen

Palestinian Political Prisoners and COVID-19: Host Diana Buttu speaks with Sahar Francis the General Director of Ramallah-based Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association, a Palestinian NGO providing legal and advocacy support to Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli and Palestinian prisons. Sahar discusses the various measures the Israeli authorities have imposed under the cover of the coronavirus pandemic to limit access by political prisoners of legal counsel and their families and the ongoing arrests throughout the West Bank amidst the pandemic. by This Is Palestine

21 min listen

The Killing of Eyad Hallaq: Eyad Hallaq, 32, was on his way to a school for special needs students in the historic Old City of Jerusalem on May 30 when Israeli soldiers shot and killed him. Hallaq's killing has sparked protests across the West Bank because the victim had autism. The eyewitness, his school counselor Warda Abu Hadid, told local media she shouted to the Israeli officers, "he's disabled," as the wounded Hallaq shouted, "I'm with her." Host Diana Buttu sits down with the family of Eyad Hallaq and learns about who he was, how he lived, and ultimately how he was killed. by This Is Palestine

13 min listen

The Digital Occupation: Social Media Censorship of Palestinian Content: Palestinians are increasingly turning to social media to highlight what life is like under Israeli military rule. For example, weeks before Israel’s bombing campaign on Gaza, Palestinian activists in Jerusalem used social media to shine a spotlight on Israel’s ethnic cleansing of the Sheikh Jarrah community using the hashtag #SaveSheikhJarrah. What happened next, was a global movement for Palestine never seen before across social media platforms. During Israel’s bombing campaign, social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok were removing, censoring, or deleting accounts that posted Palestinian content. 7amleh, a Palestinian non-profit focused on social media, has documented more than 500 reports of Palestinian digital rights violations in May alone, marking a significant increase in the censorship of Palestinian political speech and narrative online. To help us better understand what is happening, by This Is Palestine

36 min listen

Susan Abulhawa and Palestine Writes Literature Festival: This week, we will hear from Susan Abulhawa. Susan is an award-winning novelist, essayist, activist, and scientist. Her first novel, Mornings in Jenin is an international best-seller, with the book translated into 30 languages. Her most recent book Against the Loveless World was published earlier this year by Atria Books. Susan is also the co-chair of the Palestine Writes Literature Festival which will take place virtually from December 2nd to December 6th. Palestine Writes will bring together writers, artists, publishers, booksellers, and scholars to hold conversations about art, literature, and the intersections between culture, struggle, and politics. We will talk about the Festival and her latest book. by This Is Palestine

21 min listen

Where is Justice for Alex Odeh?: Alex Odeh was murdered in California more than 35 years ago for being an Arab American activist who advocated for Palestinian rights. This past Sunday, April 4th, would have been his 77th birthday. Though members of the Kahanist 'Jewish Defense League' are the primary suspects in his murder, they were never brought to justice. On this episode, host Omar Baddar speaks with Arab American Institute President James Zogby and investigative journalist David Sheen about Alex Odeh, his suspected murderers, and the prospects for justice. by This Is Palestine

35 min listen

20th Anniversary of the 2nd Palestinian Intifada: This month marks the 20th anniversary of the start of the Second Palestinian intifada or uprising, an uprising sparked when Likud Party leader Ariel Sharon visited the Haram al-Sharif in Jerusalem under heavy guard to assert Jewish claims to the site. Party members and 1,000 Israeli riot police accompanied him. To crush protests, Israeli forces used live fire, killing 50 Palestinians in the first week alone, including 13 Palestinian citizens of Israel. Some were shot in the back. Under the guise of the intifada, Israel ramped up its policy of home destruction, it tightened its closure regime, cutting off the Gaza Strip from the West Bank, and Israel resumed its assassination policy. Israeli forces invaded Palestinian cities and towns, carrying out mass arrests and using Palestinian as human shields. To discuss the intifada, host Diana Buttu speaks with colleague Amanda Saadeh and veteran Palestinian journalist Nidal Rafa. Nidal was a by This Is Palestine

34 min listen

The Spirit of Palestine: Producing Arak Under Occupation: Host Diana Buttu is joined by Nader Muaddi. Nader is a Palestinian-American owner of Muaddi Craft Distillery that produces Arak Muaddi - The Spirit of Palestine. Nader moved to Palestine in 2007 and began distilling arak in 2018, using a traditions-old recipe and indigenous Palestinian grapes. His arak has earned him 6 awards. We will hear from Nader about how he produces arak, the impact of the Israeli occupation on his work, and his passion for the art and craft of distilling arak. by This Is Palestine

26 min listen

Controlling Palestinian Bodies in Life and Death: Diana Buttu speaks with Sawsan Zaher, an attorney at Adalah, a Haifa-based organization that promotes the rights of Palestinian citizens of Israel, about the July 22 Israeli Supreme Court hearing in which she sought the release of Ahmad Erakat's body. Ahmad Erekat was killed by Israeli soldiers over a month ago at a checkpoint. Israel continues to hold onto the body of Ahmad, denying his family their right to bury him and say their final goodbyes. Israel has a long history of post mortem punishment of Palestinians. Whether by holding onto Palestinian bodies, burying them in unmarked graves, or degrading handling of their remains. Over the decades, we’ve seen that Israel has enacted various policies of withholding Palestinian bodies and imposing restrictions on funerals, as a means of punishment and control, even in death. by This Is Palestine

15 min listen

Ahmad Erekat and Israel's 'Shoot to Kill' Policy: On June 23, Israeli soldiers shot Ahmad Erekat after he got into a car accident at a checkpoint. It was his sister’s wedding day. The soldiers denied Ahmad medical assistance for over an hour, leaving him to bleed to death on the street. Host Omar Baddar is joined by Ahmad Erekat’s cousin and Palestinian American human rights attorney and scholar Noura Erakat, and by Ahmad's older brother, Faisal Erekat. Noura discusses the context of Ahmad's killing and Israel's 'shoot to kill policy' and Israel's practice of holding onto the bodies of Palestinians they have slain and keeping them from their families. Faisal talks about who Ahmad was, and about the impact of his loss on the family. by This Is Palestine

38 min listen

Rep. Rashida Tlaib and Palestine in U.S. Politics: One week ago, Israel was ruthlessly bombing Gaza. President Biden made a stop in Michigan to give a speech at a Ford electric truck plant, near Palestinian-American Rep. Rashida Tlaib’s own district. When Biden was making his way to leave on the tarmac, Tlaib stopped him and told him how problematic the U.S. response to Israel’s devastation of Gaza was. Host Omar Baddar speaks with Congresswoman Tlaib about that moment and the growing tide of Democrats speaking up for Palestinian human rights. In the second part of our episode hosts Omar Baddar and Diana Buttu discuss the latest developments in Palestine, including the mass arrests taking place in Israel targeting Palestinians and the myth of coexistence in Israel. by This Is Palestine

34 min listen

The End of Trump: What's Next?: In today's episode hosts Omar Baddar and Diana Buttu discuss the recent U.S. election, Trump's terrible legacy on Palestine, and what the new President-Elect Joe Biden's presidency will mean for Palestine and Palestinians. by This Is Palestine

33 min listen

Israel’s Medical Apartheid: Today we will speak with Dr. Yara Asi. Yara M. Asi is a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Central Florida, where she teaches in the Department of Health Management and Informatics. She is a Fulbright Scholar to the West Bank. Her research focuses on global health and development in fragile and conflict-affected populations. She has written extensively on the impact of COVID-19 on Palestinians and her most recent op-ed on Palestinians and the coronavirus vaccine appeared in the Washington Post. by This Is Palestine

20 min listen

Palestine 2020: A Look Back by This Is Palestine

30 min listen

Love Under Israeli Apartheid: In today’s episode, we will hear from journalist and activist Joharah Baker. She discusses the hardships of being with her husband and kids under Israel’s Citizenship and Entry into Israel Law. Enacted in 2003, the Citizenship and Entry into Israel law is aimed at making the process for non-Jews to acquire citizenship even more difficult than it already was. Under the 2003 law, any Israeli citizen or permanent resident who marries someone who holds a Palestinian ID - whether that person is from the West Bank or the Gaza Strip - cannot have their spouse reside in Jerusalem or in ’48 without first obtaining a permit and cannot obtain citizenship or permanent residency through their spouses. by This Is Palestine

17 min listen

Jerusalem and Human Rights Watch’s Apartheid Report: We have a two-part episode today! In the first part hosts Diana Buttu and Omar Baddar, discuss the recent violence by Israeli mobs in occupied Jerusalem as well as settlers' attempts at erasing Palestinians from occupied Jerusalem. In the second part of the episode, we focus on the major new report, in which Human Rights Watch declared that Israel is committing the crime of apartheid, and calls on the world to impose sanctions on the Israeli officials responsible for upholding such a grotesque system of oppression. Diana Buttu and Omar Baddar speak with Palestine and Israel Human Rights Watch director, Omar Shakir, about the report and what it all means. by This Is Palestine

23 min listen

The Kahanist Resurgence: After years of being banned from Israeli politics for their embrace of terrorism and racist violence, followers of Rabbi Meir Kahane are making a comeback and joining the Israeli Knesset (parliament), thanks in part to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's embrace of the Kahanists for political gain. Host Diana Buttu speaks with investigative journalist David Sheen about who the Kahanists are and what the implications of their resurgence will be. by This Is Palestine

27 min listen

The Weaponization of Anti-Semitism: From Pompeo's attack on BDS to the battle for free speech on college campuses, anti-Semitism is being weaponized to silence criticism of Israel and stifle advocacy for Palestinian rights. Omar Baddar speaks with Diana Buttu, Lara Friedman, and Roua Daas about this crisis of free expression and political speech. by This Is Palestine

74 min listen

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Palestinian soccer legend, Honey Thaljieh, and the World Cup

Palestinian soccer legend, Honey Thaljieh, and the World Cup

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