The Mondoweiss Podcast

Just a few years ago the idea of a pro-Palestine political advocacy group in Washington D.C. seemed ridiculous. But U.S. politics around Palestine are shifting and a number of these groups have sprung up recently. The latest grows out of the nonprofit American Muslims for Palestine who just launched their own affiliated 501c4 organization, Americans for Justice in Palestine Action. Earlier this week Mondoweiss' U.S. correspondent Michael Arria spoke with Dr. Osama Abuirshaid and Ayah Ziyadeh. Correction: An earlier version of the text referred to AJP Action as a political action committee (IRS 527). It is a social welfare organization (IRS 501(c)4.) Dr. Osama Abuirshaid is the Executive Director and a board member of American Muslims for Palestine (AMP). He is a board member of the U.S. Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO), an umbrella organization of eight major national American Muslim organizations. He lectures frequently on Middle East and American politics. He is a regular commentator on Palestinian and Middle Eastern affairs as well as on the American domestic and foreign policy on various Arabic satellite T.V. channels such as Aljazeera. He authored or co-authored several books in Arabic and he published dozens of studies and articles in Arabic and English, on issues relevant to the Middle East and its political climate. He is the co-author of the controversial study: "Hamas: Ideological Rigidity and Political Flexibility," which was published by the United States Institute of Peace in 2009. He is a community activist and speaker. Abuirshaid completed his PhD in Political Science at Loughborough University in the United Kingdom. Ayah Ziyadeh is AMP's advocacy director. She is a Palestinian-American human rights activist, advocate, and writer who maintains a track record in organizing awareness of Palestine and other crucial human rights issues. She has 5+ years of political and grassroots advocacy as well as lobbying campaign experience. This experience consists of being legislative staff, a lobbying intern working closely with the ACLU, and an organizer working with several different organizations and coalitions, providing her with extensive knowledge of all of the spaces contributing to policy-making and advocacy. Aside from her work, Ayah is completing her master's in International Human Rights at the Josef Korbel School of International Relations. Throughout her graduate experience, she has specialized in Palestinian rights and the dynamics of the ethnic cleansing of Palestine. She has completed an abundance of research and policy work on the issue. - - - SUPPORT OUR WORK: Help us continue our critical independent coverage of events in Palestine, Israel, and related U.S. politics. Donate today at https://mondoweiss.net/donate - - - SHOW NOTES: Americans for Justice in Palestine Action (AJPA) – https://ajpaction.org/ AJPA Twitter – https://twitter.com/ajpaction AJPA Facebook – https://facebook.com/ajpaction AJPA Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/ajpaction American Muslims for Palestine – https://www.ampalestine.org/ - - - SUBSCRIBE TO ONE OF OUR FREE EMAIL NEWSLETTERS: Daily Headlines – https://mondoweiss.net/sign-up-for-daily-headlines-delivered-straight-to-your-inbox/ Weekly Briefing – https://mondoweiss.net/weekly-briefing/ The Shift tracks U.S. politics – https://mondoweiss.net/the-shift/ COVID-19 in Palestine – https://mondoweiss.net/2021/05/only-4-of-palestinians-are-fully-vaccinated-as-curfews-lift-in-gaza/ - - - FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook – https://facebook.com/mondoweiss Twitter – https://twitter.com/mondoweiss Instagram – https://instagram.com/mondoweiss YouTube – https://youtube.com/MondoweissVideos

Pitasanna Shanmugathas recently graduated with a Master of Global Affairs degree from the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. Earlier this year he spoke with Dr. Lex Takkenberg and Francesca Albanese, authors of the book “Palestinian Refugees in International Law”, now in its second edition. In this conversation they discuss the origins of the Palestinian refugee crisis, its role within international law, and whether Israel's actions constitute apartheid. They also look at the UN Relief and Works Agency, and how the Trump administration’s funding termination impacted that institution. - - - SUPPORT OUR WORK: Help us continue our critical independent coverage of events in Palestine, Israel, and related U.S. politics. Donate today at https://mondoweiss.net/donate - - - SHOW NOTES: International law sides with Palestinian refugees. But can it solve their plight? (Sam Bahour, +972 Magazine) – https://www.972mag.com/palestinian-refugees-international-law-review/ - - - SUBSCRIBE TO ONE OF OUR FREE EMAIL NEWSLETTERS: Daily Headlines – https://mondoweiss.net/sign-up-for-daily-headlines-delivered-straight-to-your-inbox/ Weekly Briefing – https://mondoweiss.net/weekly-briefing/ The Shift tracks U.S. politics – https://mondoweiss.net/the-shift/ COVID-19 in Palestine – https://mondoweiss.net/2021/05/only-4-of-palestinians-are-fully-vaccinated-as-curfews-lift-in-gaza/ - - - FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook – https://facebook.com/mondoweiss Twitter – https://twitter.com/mondoweiss Instagram – https://instagram.com/mondoweiss YouTube – https://youtube.com/MondoweissVideos

In this episode we have a conversation with Wesam Sharaf, an advocate with the Civil and Political Rights Unit at Adalah — The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel. In May Palestinian citizens of Israel participated in massive protests and boycotts as part of the “Unity Uprisings”. Many Palestinians described these protests as the largest display of unity between the West Bank, Gaza, and '48 Palestine in years. Mondoweiss Palestine Correspondent Yumna Patel talks with Wesam about life after the Unity Uprising for Palestinian citizens of Israel. In the wake of the protests, Palestinian citizens of Israel have continued to be arrested en masse and jailed by Israeli police forces. Despite this, Wesam and other advocates say that air of resistance in Palestinian communities in Israel remains strong. - - - SUPPORT OUR WORK: Help us continue our critical independent coverage of events in Palestine, Israel, and related U.S. politics. Donate today at https://mondoweiss.net/donate - - - SHOW NOTES: Visit Adalah - The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel – https://www.adalah.org/en Follow Yumna Patel on Twitter – https://twitter.com/yumna_patel Israeli police are rounding up hundreds of Palestinians to ‘settle scores’ in mass arrest campaign – https://mondoweiss.net/2021/05/israeli-police-are-rounding-up-hundreds-of-palestinians-to-settle-scores-in-mass-arrest-campaign/ - - - SUBSCRIBE TO ONE OF OUR FREE EMAIL NEWSLETTERS: Daily Headlines – https://mondoweiss.net/sign-up-for-daily-headlines-delivered-straight-to-your-inbox/ Weekly Briefing – https://mondoweiss.net/weekly-briefing/ The Shift tracks U.S. politics – https://mondoweiss.net/the-shift/ COVID-19 in Palestine – https://mondoweiss.net/2021/05/only-4-of-palestinians-are-fully-vaccinated-as-curfews-lift-in-gaza/ - - - FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook – https://facebook.com/mondoweiss Twitter – https://twitter.com/mondoweiss Instagram – https://instagram.com/mondoweiss YouTube – https://youtube.com/MondoweissVideos

As events in Palestine continue to develop we're bringing you this special episode in collaboration with the Groundings podcast and friend-of-the-site Devyn Springer. Devyn is a cultural worker, community organizer, and independent researcher. They are a member of the Walter Rodney Foundation, and host of the Groundings podcast. They've written and worked with several media outlets, including Mondoweiss, and produced documentaries such Parchman Prison: Pain & Protest. Today, Devyn and their co-host speak to Mohammed El-Kurd. Mohammed is a poet, writer, and activist from Jerusalem, Palestine. He lives in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood where the Israeli government is trying to forcibly remove his family and other Palestinian families so that Israeli settlers can take over their homes. Protests have been ongoing in Sheikh Jarrah over the last several weeks. Israeli forces escalated the violence by entering the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound as the holy month of Ramadan came to an end, attacking tens of thousands of Muslim worshippers. Hamas, in Gaza, issued an ultimatum to Israel to withdraw its forces from Al-Aqsa and Sheikh Jarrah or it wide launch rockets into Israeli-held territory. The Israeli government ignored the deadline, and since late last week has carried out massive airstrikes against the civilian population in Gaza. As of this recording on Monday, May 17th, Israel has killed over 200 Palestinians in Gaza, including 61 children, and left over 1400 injured. - - - SUPPORT OUR WORK: Help us continue our critical independent coverage of events in Palestine, Israel, and related U.S. politics. Donate today at https://mondoweiss.net/donate - - - SHOW NOTES: Subscribe to the Groundings Podcast, our partner on this episode – https://groundings.simplecast.com/ Follow Mohammed El-Kurd on Twitter – https://twitter.com/m7mdkurd Follow Devyn Springer on Twitter – https://twitter.com/halfatlanta Solidarity with the Palestinian General Strike across historic Palestine – https://mondoweiss.net/2021/05/solidarity-with-the-palestinian-general-strike-across-historic-palestine/ U.S. Labor must stand with Palestine! – https://mondoweiss.net/2021/05/u-s-labor-must-stand-with-palestine/ - - - SUBSCRIBE TO ONE OF OUR FREE EMAIL NEWSLETTERS: Daily Headlines – https://mondoweiss.net/sign-up-for-daily-headlines-delivered-straight-to-your-inbox/ Weekly Briefing – https://mondoweiss.net/weekly-briefing/ The Shift tracks U.S. politics – https://mondoweiss.net/the-shift/ COVID-19 in Palestine – https://mondoweiss.net/2021/05/only-4-of-palestinians-are-fully-vaccinated-as-curfews-lift-in-gaza/ - - - FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook – https://facebook.com/mondoweiss Twitter – https://twitter.com/mondoweiss Instagram – https://instagram.com/mondoweiss YouTube – https://youtube.com/MondoweissVideos

Last Friday, as the holy month of Ramadan came to a close, Israeli forces stormed the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City. Mondoweiss’ Palestine correspondent, Yumna Patel reported that: “The height of the violence took place inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, where tens of thousands of Palestinian worshipers had gathered inside the Mosque and the surrounding courtyard for evening prayers on the last Friday of Ramadan. Video footage from the scene shows people in prayer when armed Israeli forces stormed the compound, firing sound bombs, tear gas, and rubber bullets at worshipers.” By Monday, events had escalated. Hamas issued an ultimatum to Israel: withdraw from Al-Aqsa and the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood by 6:00 pm, and release all the Palestinians detained by police during the recent tensions in Jerusalem, or there would be retaliation. Shortly after 6pm, Hamas launched several barrages of rockets from Gaza targeting Jerusalem and other cities farther inside Israeli territory than in past rounds of violence. The Israeli reaction has been brutal. Airstrikes and land-based attacks on Gaza are still ongoing as we record this episode. Well over 100 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed by Israeli attacks, many of them children. High rise apartment and office buildings are being specifically targeted, leaving hundreds people homeless and destroying the offices of many regional and international media outlets. We spoke with Yumna today for a brief update. After that, Phil Weiss talks to Dr. Norman Finkelstein about the recently released Human Rights Watch report that says Israel is guilty of apartheid. This groundbreaking report, as Dr. Finkelstein explains, indicts Israel for its current policies and practices, and for the full history of its efforts to engineer Jewish supremacy in Palestine. - - - SUPPORT OUR WORK: Help us continue our critical independent coverage of events in Palestine, Israel, and related U.S. politics. Donate today at https://mondoweiss.net/donate - - - SHOW NOTES: Hundreds injured as Israeli forces attack Palestinian worshipers in Jerusalem - https://mondoweiss.net/2021/05/hundreds-injured-as-israeli-forces-attack-palestinian-worshipers-in-jerusalem/ Israel kills 20 Palestinians in Gaza, injures hundreds in Jerusalem as Al-Aqsa tensions flare - https://mondoweiss.net/2021/05/israel-kills-9-palestinians-in-gaza-injures-hundreds-in-jerusalem-as-al-aqsa-tensions-flare/ Dr. Norman Finkelstein - http://normanfinkelstein.com/ Human Rights Watch's report, "A Threshold Crossed: Israeli Authorities and the Crimes of Apartheid and Persecution" - https://www.hrw.org/report/2021/04/27/threshold-crossed/israeli-authorities-and-crimes-apartheid-and-persecution Yumna Patel: Human Rights Watch finds Israel guilty of ‘crimes against humanity of apartheid, persecution’ - https://mondoweiss.net/2021/04/human-rights-watch-finds-israel-guilty-of-crimes-against-humanity-of-apartheid-persecution/ Phil Weiss: Israel cast its fate–‘Apartheid’ –with Nation-State law and dismissal of Palestinian state, says Human Rights Watch - https://mondoweiss.net/2021/05/israel-cast-its-fate-apartheid-with-nation-state-law-and-dismissal-of-palestinian-state-says-human-rights-watch/ - - - SUBSCRIBE TO ONE OF OUR FREE EMAIL NEWSLETTERS: Daily Headlines: https://mondoweiss.net/sign-up-for-daily-headlines-delivered-straight-to-your-inbox/ Weekly Briefing: https://mondoweiss.net/weekly-briefing/ The Shift tracks U.S. politics: https://mondoweiss.net/the-shift/ COVID-19 in Palestine: https://mondoweiss.net/2021/05/only-4-of-palestinians-are-fully-vaccinated-as-curfews-lift-in-gaza/ - - - FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook: https://facebook.com/mondoweiss Twitter: https://twitter.com/mondoweiss Instagram: https://instagram.com/mondoweiss

On university and college campuses across the United States and Canada, student activists are organizing for Palestinian liberation under the banner of Students for Justice in Palestine, or SJP. As the student-led movement has grown dramatically over the last 20 years, so has anti-Palestinian pushback from Zionist groups and their allies. Organizations like Canary Mission, StopAntiSemitism.org, and other similar rightwing groups have focused a lot of their attention on the student activists of SJP. Despite this, the movement on campuses is strong and shows little signs of slowing down. Earlier this year, the National Students for Justice in Palestine organization held its 10th annual conference. In today’s episode Michael Arria speaks with three SJP activists about how the movement has grown over the last 10 years, and where it is headed in the future. Support independent media covering events in Palestine! Donate today at https://mondoweiss.net/donate Connect with us online Website: https://mondoweiss.net Facebook: https://facebook.com/mondoweiss YouTube: https://youtube.com/MondoweissVideos Instagram: https://instagram.com/mondoweiss Twitter: https://twitter.com/mondoweiss

Earlier this year, Mondoweiss contributing writer Sarah Doyal reviewed the new book, Except For Palestine: The Limits of Progressive Politics, from authors Marc Lamont Hill and Mitchell Plitnick. Sarah wrote: “Delving into the phenomenon long-named in leftist circles as [quote] “Progressive Except for Palestine” [end quote], Hill and Plitnick meticulously deconstruct progressives’ neglect of the Palestinian cause. They explain the ways in which the singular exception of Palestine from demands for equal rights betrays not only Palestinians but the progressive movement itself.” She went on to say: “Except for Palestine is a crucial and ultimately hopeful tool that better equips progressives to combat injustices within their own political circles.” On today’s show Josh Ruebner speaks with Marc Lamont Hill and Mitchell Plitnick about how they came to be advocates for Palestinian liberation, what needs to be done to push the struggle forward, and their critical new book. - - - - - Visit Uncle Bobbie’s online bookshop to buy the book: https://bookshop.org/shop/unclebobbies - - - - - - - - - - Links Marc Lamont Hill – Website: https://www.marclamonthill.com – Twitter: https://twitter.com/marclamonthill Mitchell Plitnick – Rethinking Foreign Policy: https://rethinkingforeignpolicy.org – Twitter: https://twitter.com/MJPlitnick Ending progressives’ Palestinian exception - Sarah Doyle: https://mondoweiss.net/2021/02/ending-progressives-palestinian-exception/ - - - - - - - - - - Visit Mondoweiss for critical coverage of Israel, Palestine, and related U.S. politics: https://mondoweiss.net Support our work with a tax-deductible donation: https://mondoweiss.net/donate/​ Subscribe to our free newsletters covering daily headlines, weekly politics updates, and tracking COVID-19 in Palestine: https://mondoweiss.net/newsletters/ Follow us on social media: – Facebook: https://facebook.com/mondoweiss – Twitter: https://twitter.com/mondoweiss – Instagram: https://instagram.com/mondoweiss – Youtube: https://youtube.com/mondoweissvideos - - - - - FREE PALESTINE

This episode is all about elections. On March 23rd Israel held its fourth national election in two years. And starting in May Palestinians in the occupied territory will be holding their first elections in 15 years. Both elections will serve as a referendum on the current leaders, and both will give us insight into what the future may hold, both for Palestinians living under Israeli occupation and, perhaps, Palestinians world-wide. First, Mondoweiss founder and senior editor Phil Weiss talks with the Israeli human rights activist and writer Yossi Gurvitz to unpack the results of the Israeli election and talk about what comes next. Later, Al-Shabaka Senior Analyst Dr. Yara Hawari and Mondoweiss contributing writer Dr. Haidar Eid speak to our Palestine correspondent, Yumna Patel, about Palestinian politics and whether democratic elections are even possible under Israeli occupation. Times: 01:38 – Yossi Gurvitz interview 31:11 – Dr. Yara Hawari interview 50:58 – Haidar Eid interview

Zaina Arafat joined Mondoweiss Associate Editor Allison Deger to discuss her new novel, YOU EXIST TOO MUCH. This program was part of the Mondoweiss Book Club, a go-at-your-own-pace program that explores new and contemporary Palestinian fiction. Join for free at https://mondoweiss.net/bookclub/. Support Mondoweiss with a tax-deductible donation. Links: – Read an exclusive excerpt of Zaina's novel at our website: https://mondoweiss.net/2021/02/book-club-zaina-arafats-outstanding-debut-novel-you-exist-too-much/ – Zaina's official website: https://zainaarafat.com/

Ahmad Abuznaid was recently named the Executive Director of the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights. In the wake of Trayvon Martin’s murder in 2012, Ahmad co-founded the Dream Defenders. He has interned at the International Criminal Court, presented before the United Nations’ Human Rights Committee and was the Director of the National Network for Arab American Communities. Michael Arria and Dave Reed spoke to him about the future of the Palestine solidarity movement, challenges to expanding BDS work, and how the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights is engaging with Jewish anti-occupation groups. Support Mondoweiss with a tax-deductible donation. Subscribe to THE SHIFT newsletter from Michael Arria. Links: A US human rights group is being sued by pro-Israel organizations over an alleged connection to ‘balloon terror’ - Michael Arria WATCH: A conversation on Palestinian solidarity with black communities w/ Ahmad Abuznaid, Noura Erakat, and Ajamu Amiri Dillahunt