New Books Network 13.3 – Ismail Patel and Hatem Bazian
Oct 31, 2025
Hatem Bazian, a prominent Palestinian scholar at UC Berkeley focusing on Islamophobia, and Ismail Patel, founder of Friends of Al-Aqsa, dive deep into pro-Palestinian resistance. They share personal journeys into activism and the impact of coloniality on current conflicts. The discussion touches on the significance of protests for education and solidarity with other movements, the destruction of Gaza’s universities, and Western academia's complicity. Ultimately, they envision victory as a future defined by freedom and justice for all.
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A Childhood Memory That Sparked Lifelong Organizing
- Hatem Bazian recounts a childhood security strip-search crossing into Palestine that shaped his early sense of dispossession.
- He links that memory to lifelong organizing against settler colonialism and U.S. support for Israel.
Accidental Visit Became A Turning Point
- Ismail Patel describes his 1995 visit to Palestine as an accidental awakening to apartheid and Al-Aqsa's significance.
- That visit led him to found Friends of Al-Aqsa and begin public campaigning in the UK.
Protests Are Cumulative Historical Processes
- Hatem Bazian frames current protests as cumulative, not spontaneous, tracing roots from the First Intifada to George Floyd.
- He argues earlier movements expanded concepts like decolonization and reclaimed public space, shaping today's solidarity.