Occupied Thoughts

In this episode of "Occupied Thoughts," FMEP 2023 non-resident fellow Rabea Eghbariah speaks to Raafat Sub Laban, a Palestinian human rights attorney from the Old City of Jerusalem whose family is under the threat of imminent dispossession from their home. Raafat explains how the dispossession of Palestinians in Jerusalem is enabled by Israeli law and settler organizations who work together to "Judaize" the city and drive Palestinians out. Raafat also shares updates about the Sub Laban family situation and the #SaveNorasHome campaign.

In this episode of "Occupied Thoughts," FMEP non resident fellow Peter Beinart speaks with Jonathan Pollak, an Israeli anti-Zionist activist and solidarity organizer who has been repeatedly arrested and imprisoned by Israel for his involvement in Palestine solidarity protests in the West Bank. Jonathan is currently facing two charges, and is expected to demand his trial take place in Israel's West Bank military court system, rather than in Israeli domestic courts. Peter explores the history and motivation of Jonathan's activism, and how Israelis can figure into the struggle for Palestinian rights. For biographies and resources, please visit: https://tinyurl.com/musjcy7r

In this episode of "Occupied Thoughts," FMEP 2023 non-resident fellow Rabea Eghbariah speaks to award-winning writer and journalist Mohammed El Kurd about the importance of developing an understanding of Palestine rooted in the experiences and realities of Palestinians on the ground. Who gets the permission to narrate the situation in Palestine? What frameworks do we use and does language really matter? How can Palestinians share and maintain a sense of unity in a deepening state of fragmentation? Is identity politics a way forward? Join us for a conversation about framing and understanding Palestine today. For bios and resources, please visit: https://tinyurl.com/bdz8e8td

In this episode of FMEP's Occupied Thoughts podcast, FMEP President Lara Friedman speaks the European Legal Support Center (ELSC) director Giovanni Fassini and ELSC manager of communication and advocacy strategies and campaigns Alice Garcia about ELSC's groundbreaking new report, “Suppressing Palestinian Rights Advocacy through the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism – Violating the Rights to Freedom of Expression and Assembly in the European Union and the UK." This report is the first case-based account of human rights violations resulting from the institutionalization and application of the controversial IHRA definition by the EU and the UK. For links/resources related to this podcast, see: https://fmep.org/resource/how-ihra-definition-of-antisemitism-is-suppressing-palestinian-rights-advocacy-in-the-eu-uk-deep-dive-into-new-elsc-report

In this episode of FMEP's Occupied Thoughts podcast, FMEP President Lara Friedman speaks with Yousef Munayyer (Arab Center Washington DC) & Emma Saltzberg (Diaspora Alliance), in the context of the newly-release US National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism (released by the White House May 25, 2023) and the its implications for both the fight against antisemitism and the ongoing, related fight against the use of antisemitism accusations to delegitimize criticism of the state of Israel and its policies and objections to the political ideology of Zionism, as well as to attack and to silence critics of Israel and advocates for Palestinian history, identity, and rights. For bios & resources related to this podcast, see :https://fmep.org/resource/palestinian-rights-the-ihra-definition-and-battle-around-the-biden-antisemitism-strategy

In this episode of FMEP's Occupied Thoughts podcast, FMEP President Lara Friedman speaks with two formidable experts on human rights and civil society about pending Israeli legislation targeting civil society organizations and, in particular, the human rights sector: Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territories occupied since 1967; and Jessica Montell, Executive Director of the Israeli human rights organization HaMoked and formerly executive director of the Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem. On Sunday, May 28th -- the Israeli government’s Ministerial Committee for Legislation (a body of ministers in the government which decides whether or not to give government-backing to proposed legislation in the Knesset) is scheduled to vote on this extremely dangerous bill. The legislation would in effect remove the tax-exempt status of these groups and replace it with an onerous, and quite openly punitive, vindictive tax rate of 65% applied to the groups’ income and/or endowments. For resources/video see: https://fmep.org/resource/israels-new-anti-ngo-legislation-an-unabashed-effort-to-eradicate-opponents-of-illiberalism

In this episode of "Occupied Thoughts," 2022 FMEP non-resident Fellow Dr. Maha Nassar speaks with Dr. Basil Farraj about the recent death of Khader Adnan - a 45-year-old Palestinian prisoner who died on May 2, 2023 in an Israeli prison cell following a hunger strike that spanned nearly three months. Israel has refused to return Khader Adnan's body to his family. Adnan was protesting Israel’s widespread policy of arbitrarily detaining Palestinians against fair trial guarantees and in abhorrent conditions. Khader Adnan had been arrested at least 12 times, spent around eight years in Israeli prisons, and went on hunger strike five times. For bio and resources, please visit: https://fmep.org/resource/palestinian-hunger-striking-and-defiance-of-israels-carceral-regime/

Project48 & FMEP proudly present a very special podcast commemorating 75 years of the Palestinian Nakba. We are honored to share the voices of 10 powerful Palestinian artists, sharing their works and that of other iconic Palestinian creators. Featured artists are: Ahmed Abu Artema, Hala Alyan, Suad Amiry, Zeina Azzam, Cherien Dabis, Fady Joudah, Tamer Nafar, Raja Shehadeh, Naomi Shihab Nye, and Waleed Zuaiter - reading their own work and that of other iconic Palestinian artists. You can find artists biographies and links to their works here: https://tinyurl.com/5ye6jsn6 The Nakba (Arabic for "catastrophe") is the expulsion of over 750,000 Palestinians from their homes and land, and the destruction of Palestinian society during the creation of the State of Israel – a destruction that continues today. Learn more at: https://project48.com/ This podcast was produced by Nadia Saah for Project48 and Kristin McCarthy for FMEP, and edited by Jeffrey Carton.

In this episode of FMEP's Occupied Thoughts podcast, FMEP's Lara Friedman speaks with preeminent journalist Dalia Hatuqa on the 1-year anniversary of the killing of her friend and fellow journalist Shireen Abu Akleh's - killed by Israel on May 11, 2022 - including reflections on the continued efforts to secure justice and accountability for her death, and on Shireen's legacy. For more details & video see: https://fmep.org/resource/shireen-abu-akle…ight-for-justice/

Palestinian-American civil rights attorney Huwaida Arraf speaks with FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart about what happened since she was invited to address a high school diversity assembly in Michigan last month. After Arraf spoke to the students about her family and life experiences, the backlash began almost immediately, with prominent local leaders and the school district superintendent accusing Arraf of spreading "antisemitic rhetoric." This Middle East Eye article, "How a Palestinian activist's appearance at a US school triggered a smear campaign," offers a detailed overview of the incident and its aftermath. Jewish Voice for Peace led the effort to support Arraf and spearheaded this petition, which has gained wide support: "Bigotry Comes in Many Forms: We Oppose the Targeting of Huwaida Arraf & Silencing of the Palestinian Narrative with Bogus Charges of Antisemitism." As of this week, both the school principal and the district superintendent have resigned their posts.   Original Music by Jalal Yaquoub.