Arab Talk with Jess & Jamal

Dr. Mads Gilbert, anesthesiologist and professor of emergency medicine at the University of Tromsø, Norway, discusses Israel's 14-month onslaught on Gaza's healthcare system, killing more than 1,000 healthcare workers, with many others disappeared and tortured. Dr. Gilbert spent more than 20 years working and training Gaza doctors.

Dr. Mohja Kahf talks about the fall of the Assad regime and the aspirations of millions of Syrians to see the birth of a democratic and pluralistic Syrian government. Dr. Kahf is a poet, scholar, and professor of English at the University of Arkansas. She was born in Damascus and grew up in the Midwest.

Human rights attorney Stanley Cohen discusses Amnesty International's report which accuses Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, saying it has sought to deliberately destroy Palestinians by mounting deadly attacks, demolishing vital infrastructure and preventing the delivery of food, medicine and other aid. Jess & Jamal break down what's behind the fall of the Assad regime in Syria.

Saul Takahashi, Professor of Human Rights and Peace Studies at Osaka Jogakuin University, explains why Israel must be expelled from the United Nations. He also discusses the International Criminal Court's (ICC) decision to issue arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes.

Former field organizer for Biden’s 2020 campaign and co-founder of Project 1948, Adam Abusalah, explains how the Harris campaign alienated Arab and Muslim American voters in Michigan with her support for Israel’s actions in Gaza, which he argues contributed to her defeat in this swing state. Trump won Michigan by approximately 80,000 votes.

Wasting no time in taking advantage of the aftermath of October 7, Israeli settler organizations recognized an opportunity to immediately expel Palestinians from large swaths of West Bank villages, as well as to lay the groundwork for the more ambitious systematic displacement and reoccupation of Gaza. In his recent article in +972, "Copy-Paste the West Bank to Gaza: Hundreds Join Gaza Resettlement Event," Israeli journalist Oren Ziv explains how the Israeli resettlement movement is gaining plausibility.

Kamala Harris' campaign is struggling to gain traction with Arab and Muslim Americans in the swing state of Michigan. Dr. Ahmed Ghanim, a prominent Muslim leader and former Democratic candidate for Congress in Michigan's 11th district, shared his experience with the Harris campaign. He was invited to attend a Democratic rally in the Detroit area, where Harris appeared alongside Liz Cheney, but was abruptly removed without explanation. Ghanim was informed that if he did not leave voluntarily, the police would escort him out by force.

In her recent report published by Brown University's Watson Institute entitled, "The Human Toll: Indirect Deaths from the War in Gaza and in the West Bank," Dr. Sophia Stamatopoulou-Robbins, a cultural anthropologist and an Associate Professor of Anthropology at Bard College, explains how death will continue to outlive the war in Gaza. She demonstrates what a realistic assessment of the true loss of life and long-term suffering involves.

Serge Bakalian, Executive Director of the Arab Film and Media Institute, and Managing Director Maya Labban present the 28th Arab Film Festival. The festival opens on Thursday, October 24th at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. The festival will feature the documentary film "Life is Beautiful: A Letter to Gaza" by Palestinian filmmaker Mohamed Jabaly, and special guests, such as Alana Hadid, LIunr, and MC Abdul.

Dr. Rania Masri, North Carolina Environmental Justice Network’s Co-Director of Organizing and Policy, discusses the recent attacks on Lebanon and Gaza. A supporter of Dr. Jill Stein, Dr. Masri believes that Vice President Kamala Harris is worse for world peace than former President Donald Trump.