Popular Cradle

An in-depth look at the historical resilience of Lebanese resistance against Zionism, from the impactful 1982 Israeli invasion to Hezbollah's emergence as a political force. The podcast delves into the interconnected struggles of Lebanon and Palestine, highlighting key events like Liberation Day and the enduring fight for national self-determination. It examines the socio-economic roots of sectarian tensions and how propaganda and ideology bolster Hezbollah's military strategies, revealing the profound emotional weight of liberation and unity in the face of oppression.

We traveled to the People's Conference for Palestine in Detroit to take part in one of the largest convenings of the Palestine movement ever in North America. In this first episode of a series recorded at the PCFP, join us to hear Mahmoud Khalil's keynote remarks and a one-on-one interview with Rhiannon, in which they discuss Mahmoud's time in ICE detention, what it means to be a political prisoner, and the duty--and power--of being a part of this liberation struggle.

We know the story of billionaire financier Jeffrey Epstein--yachts and private islands, sex trafficking and sexual abuse, close celebrity ties, and his mysterious death in a New York jail cell in 2019. But the Jeffrey Epstein scandal reveals more than just the criminal sexual exploits of the richest men in the world. Epstein's story shows us the true nature of the ruling class--the group of billionaires and government officials at the top of a global system of imperialism--and how they have worked closely together for decades to advance the Zionist project.

The hosts dive deep into the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, criticizing how Zionist propaganda intertwines Judaism with settler colonialism. They explore Zionism's historical evolution, revealing its contradictions and imperial connections. Key discussions include the use of violence as a means of control and the framing of Palestinian resistance. Personal stories bring humanity to the forefront, while strategies for countering Zionism's image and propaganda tactics are also proposed. The conversation emphasizes the urgent need for education and solidarity in the face of oppression.

Mahmoud Khalil is a political prisoner, but not the first or only one. As we watch students being abducted by ICE and deportations of migrants to prison camps in foreign countries, we reflect on the history that got us here. Mohammed and Rhiannon talk about the repression landscape we find ourselves in--attacks on immigrants, attacks on free speech, and what it all means for how we show up in our movement. 

Rhiannon is joined by two organizers from the Palestinian Youth Movement to talk about the Mask off Maersk campaign which targets logistics giant: Maersk. Maersk has delivered millions of pounds of military cargo to Israel over the course of the genocide. We talk about Maersk’s bloody history, the reporting that exposed Maersk’s role in genocide and the disruption that caused in the supply chain, and how longterm, sustained organizing like the Mask Off Maersk campaign is needed to confront the structures upholding zionism and build a people’s arms embargo. The Mask Off Maersk campaign employs a diversity of tactics which have already led to tangible wins. Just this past week, protesters blocked and occupied Maersk headquarters in Copenhagen, demanding that Maersk stop transporting military cargo to Israel and end all contracts with the Israeli Ministry of Defense. To keep up to date with the Mask Off Maersk campaign and learn how you can get involved, follow @maskoff_maersk on instagram and visit the campaign website at www.maskoffmaersk.com

After Phase 1 of the ceasefire agreement got underway January 19, we got together to discuss what we know about the ceasefire, how we're thinking about this moment, and what all of this means for the movement for Palestinian liberation here in the far diaspora.

Yara and Mohammed are joined by Patrick Higgins, a historian of U.S. imperialism in West Asia, to discuss the relationship between the United States and Israel, Palestinian revolutionary conceptions of that relationship, and how a recognition of the genocide in Gaza as a function of imperialism helps us better understand American "foreign and domestic" politics and our own role in confronting zionism, fascism, and empire.

It wasn't just a movement. It wasn't just a demonstration. It was an uprising. The First Intifada was a six-year "shaking off" of the conditions of occupation--a revolutionary period in which the homeland was transformed into the primary front for confronting Zionism, and every Palestinian was transformed into a resistor of occupation.Popular Cradle is made in partnership with the Palestinian Youth Movement. Thank you to the many people who contributed to the making of this episode. Our editor is Soraya Shockley. Our artwork is by shenby G and Vivek Venkatraman. Our theme music is composed by Salma Taleb, and performed by Clarissa Bitar and Hesham Jarmakani. Follow, like, and subscribe to us on YouTube, Twitter, and IG - @popularcradle.

PRISONERS ARE THE COMPASS OF OUR STRUGGLE. In the third episode of Popular Cradle, Yara, Rhiannon, and Mohammed delve into the history of the Palestinian prisoners' movement, and how Palestinian prisoners made the occupation prison a site of revolutionary struggle. From the tactics used by prisoners to resist the repression and cruelty imposed on them, to the prisoner exchanges negotiated outside prison walls, to the leadership of Palestinian prisoners in Palestinian politics broadly, our prisoners are invaluable, unbreakable contributors to--and models of--the struggle for national liberation.Popular Cradle is made in partnership with the Palestinian Youth Movement. Thank you to the many people who contributed to the making of this episode. Our editor is Soraya Shockley. Our artwork is by shenby G and Vivek Venkatraman. Our theme music is composed by Salma Taleb, and performed by Clarissa Bitar and Hesham Jarmakani. Follow, like, and subscribe to us on YouTube, Twitter, and IG - @popularcradle.