Arab Talk with Jess & Jamal

Author Mona Hajjar Halaby talks about her newly published book, “In My Mother’s Footsteps: A Palestinian Refugee Returns Home.” Mona is a Palestinian-American educator specializing in conflict resolution in the classroom, as well as a social historian. Jess & Jamal discuss new Israeli attempts to draw the United States into conflict with Iran. They also talk about the Taliban’s blitz across Afghanistan, as American negotiators are trying to extract assurances from the Taliban that they will not attack the US Embassy in Kabul if they overrun the capital.

Cultural activist Hisham Ben Khamsa provides nuanced analysis from the capital Tunis after President Kais Saied sacked the prime minister and suspended parliament. Tunisia is coping with economic, social and health crises, with the coronavirus pandemic overwhelming its hospitals. Jess & Jamal comment on the Israeli High Court’s decision to postpone ruling on the evictions of Palestinian families living in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of Jerusalem.

Journalist May Shigenobu discusses controversy over the opening ceremony at the Tokyo Olympics and Japanese politics during an uptick in Coronavirus cases. Jess & Jamal comment on Ben & Jerry’s statement in the New York Times. They also discuss Tunisia’s crisis after its president Kais Saied suspended parliament.

Professor Rania Masri and Anis Germany, MD talk about the dire political situation in Lebanon, as the Lebanese people struggle through economic collapse. Jess & Jamal discuss the Israeli meltdown over Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, as the company announces that it will end sales of its popular products in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Author and human rights activist Miko Peled talks about the shifting sentiments among Jewish Americans towards Israel. He also discusses Israel’s racist Citizenship and Entry into Israel Law. Jess and Jamal examine the Palestinian security forces and the crackdown on critics of Palestinian President Mahmood Abbas. **This show is dedicated to the memory of Terry Collins, co-Founder, President and volunteer programmer at KPOO San Francisco.

Human rights attorney Diana Buttu discusses the death of Nizar Banat, a prominent critic of the Palestinian Authority (PA), while in the custody of PA security forces last week. She also talks about the PA’s crackdown on dissent. Jess & Jamal talk about the continued ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in Jerusalem by the Israeli Occupation. They also discuss the broken promise by the Biden Administration to reopen the U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem.

Dr. As’ad Abukhalil discusses despotic Arab regimes and their history of normalization with Israel. He also talks about Biden’s foreign policy in the Middle East. Jess and Jamal discuss the death of Palestinian activist Nizar Banat. Banat is a well-known critic of the Palestinian Authority’s leadership. His family alleges that he died after he was badly beaten by PA security forces.

Israeli Jewish activist Ronnie Barkan explains why Israel’s new government will bring no major changes to Israeli policy. The new Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is on record as advocating the murder of Palestinians taken prisoner, “I’ve killed lots of Arabs in my life and there’s no problem with that,” he said. Jess and Jamal discuss US double standards when it comes to advocating for Palestinian human rights. They also talk about Egypt’s role in securing the May 21 cease-fire that brought a halt to Israeli bombing of Gaza.

Jillian C. York, Electronic Frontier Foundation’s (EFF) Director for International Freedom of Expression, discusses the rights group’s campaign: “Tell Facebook: Stop Silencing Palestine” https://stopsilencingpalestine.com/ Zeina Ashrawi Hutchison, a Palestinian-American activist and DNC delegate from Virginia, discusses why more than 500 Palestinian Americans opposed meeting with Secretary of State Blinken. https://bit.ly/3gggxOV

Journalist Max Blumenthal accuses the Israel Lobby of deceptively editing videos and making up dubious allegations, manufacturing an anti-semitism epidemic to turn the media’s gaze away from dead children in Gaza. Jess and Jamal take a look at who will potentially replace Benjamin Netanyahu in the Israeli government. They also discuss the continued ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan.