Arab Talk with Jess & Jamal

Donald Trump, The Teflon Man - 10 Sep 2020 by News You Can Use with Jamal Dajani & Jess Ghannam

Journalist Daoud Kuttab discusses the recent arrest of Emad Hajjaj, one of the Arab world’s best-known cartoonists, by Jordanian police. He was released only after an international outcry, which included an article in the Washington Post by our guest. Jess and Jamal talk about the reaction to the UAE normalization with Israel and the recent Islamophobic comments by MSNBC host Joy Reid. Reid has previously faced criticism for derogatory remarks towards Muslims and the LGBTQ community.

Palestinian-American attorney and human rights activist Huwaida Arraf discusses why the 2020 Democratic platform betrays Palestinians and again gives Israel a pass. Jess and Jamal talk about the shooting of Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, by a police officer in Kenosha, Wisconsin. They also discuss the Democratic and Republican conventions.

The UAE government says that its normalization with Israel “immediately stops” Israeli plans to annex parts of the West Bank. Our guest Diana Buttu refutes this. Jess and Jamal discuss what’s shaping up at the DNC and the recent attacks on Palestinian activist Linda Sarsour. They also discuss former Trump advisor Steve Bannon’s arrest on fraud charges.

Guest Dr. Rania Masri describes the aftermath of Beirut’s explosion. She says that Lebanon's donor countries have pledged very little money to help Beirut recover from its horrific devastation. Below is a link to a variety of organizations you can donate to: http://awanmedia.net/media/beirut-disaster-relief/ Jess and Jamal discuss the United Arab Emirate’s normalization with Israel. They also talk about the recent primary victory achieved by the Democratic “Squad.”

Lebanon Is Devastated - 6 Aug 2020 by News You Can Use with Jamal Dajani & Jess Ghannam

Guest Lara Kiswani, Executive Director of the Arab Resource and Organizing Center (AROC) discusses why right-wing groups are flooding an ongoing public comment period on whether California should cut Ethnic Studies generally, and Arab-American Studies specifically, from their schools. Jess and Jamal discuss President Trump’s tweet about delaying the elections.

Jess and Jamal discuss both the Democratic Party’s platform on foreign policy and President Trump’s cognitive abilities. Cookbook author and host of "Feast in the Middle East," Blanche Shaheen, shares delicious heirloom Palestinian recipes to help people cope with sheltering-in-place during the pandemic.

Guest Ronnie Barkan describes his ordeal along with two other activists who are facing trial in Berlin for disrupting an event which was held in June 2017 at the Humboldt University for member of the Israeli Knesset Aliza Lavie. To learn more about the Humboldt-3 visit: https://medium.com/humboldt3/ Jess and Jamal discuss Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s decree ordering the Hagia Sophia to be opened for Muslim prayers. A top Turkish court had revoked the 1934 decree by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish republic, that had turned the Hagia Sophia into a museum.

Guest comedian and writer Amer Zahr says that Arab Americans should not be counted as white in the US Census. Does being legally white turn this oft-sidelined community into a ‘legally invisible’ entity? Jess and Jamal discuss the recent brouhaha with Peter Beinart’s editorial making the case for a binational Jewish-Palestinian state.