Arab Talk with Jess & Jamal

Dr. James Cavallaro discusses how the State Department withdrew the Biden administration’s nomination of him to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights due to tweets he had posted about Israel’s human rights violations and Apartheid practices towards Palestinians. Cavallaro is co-founder and Executive Director of the University Network for Human Rights. He teaches courses on human rights law and practice at Wesleyan University, Yale Law School, and UCLA Law School.

Dr. Anis Germany discusses the humanitarian crisis in Syria due to international sanctions, as the death toll from the 7.8 and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes that hit southeastern Turkey and northern Syria last week rises above 36,000 — and it is expected to continue to go up as rescuers find more bodies in the destruction.

Dr. Lara Sheehi, Professor of Clinical Psychology at George Washington University’s Columbian College, describes the hateful attacks and bogus charges of antisemitism lobbed against her, by organized pro-Israel groups. Although charges of any discriminatory practices towards students were dismissed following a thorough intra-university review, in an exceptional decision, GWU agreed to undertake an outside investigation. Jess & Jamal examine Israel's fifth consecutive week of demonstrations in what the media describes as rallies for democracy.

Jess & Jamal discuss why recent attacks on Palestinians have increased and why 2023 will witness violence spiking under Israel's new far right government. An Israeli group is raising tax-exempt funds in the US and funneling it to Israeli terrorists. Will there be an investigation by the US Department of Justice?

Former Executive Director of Human Rights Watch Kenneth Roth discusses the reasons why Dean Elmendorf rescinded his fellowship offer at Harvard’s Carr Center for Human Rights Policy. After a major public and academic outcry, Elmendorf reversed his shameful decision, but many questions remain unanswered. Jess & Jamal revisit previous cases when academic institutions succumbed to the Israeli lobby and its surrogates by penalizing professors who criticized Israel's Apartheid and other human rights violations against Palestinians.

Dr. Rabab Abdulhadi, recently awarded the Jere L. Bacharach Service Award of the Middle East Studies Association (MESA), discusses recent escalation of attacks against free speech in academia. Jess and Jamal decipher two recent polls one conducted in Israel, the other in the US, dealing with racism and antisemitism.

Richard Silverstein, editor of Tikun Olam blog, discusses Israel's new fascist government and Meir Kahane's disciple Itamar Ben-Gvir. Jess & Jamal examine why Harvard’s Kennedy School denied Kenneth Roth, the longtime director of Human Rights Watch, a planned fellowship over the organization’s work on Israel.

Recently crowned Miss Earth Water 2022, Miss Palestine Nadeen Ayoub discusses environmental awareness, protection, and sustainability. She also strives to shed light on Palestinian culture, artists, and designers globally. Jess & Jamal look back at the most impactful stories of 2022 and provide some predictions for the upcoming year.

Dr. Guy Shalev discusses Israel's systemic racism within its health care system. One fifth of physicians and nurses in Israel are Palestinians, yet there is longstanding discrimination and racism in Israel's medical system towards Palestinians on both professional and patient levels. Jess and Jamal talk football (soccer) and Morocco's stunning win to become the first Arab & African team to qualify for the semifinal of the FIFA World Cup after defeating both Spain & Portugal.

Investigative journalist David Sheen discusses the triumphant return of the followers of the late, racist rabbi Meir Kahane to Israeli government, as they plan to ensure a Jewish majority with "emigration, transfer of the enemy (Palestinians), an exchange of populations and any other way that will help the enemy leave the country." Jess & Jamal examine the shock of Israeli journalists who were shunned at the World Cup in Qatar.