In today’s episode we speak with Rasha Budeiri about the current situation in Palestine. Rasha tells us her very personal story of growing up in her family home in the neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah — one of the 28 houses that the Israeli side is trying to expropriate — and about her day to day experience of living under occupation. Other topics that we touch on include the current living conditions in Gaza and the West Bank, the historical roots of the current situation, the 73th anniversary of the Nakba, the stance of the Palestinian people towards Fatah and Hamas, and the changing tides of traditional media, social media, and public opinion. The discussion ends with a note on the BDS movement and ways in which we can stand in solidarity with, and take action in support of, the Palestianian liberation struggles, according to each’s capacities and possibilities.
Re(Sources)
Forced expulsions in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of Jerusalem
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/1/what-is-happening-in-occupied-east-jerusalems-sheikh-jarrah
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/11/sheikh-jarrah-residents-speak-out-on-israels-forced-expulsions
Israel targeting media outlets in Gaza (15 May)
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/15/building-housing-al-jazeeera-office-in-gaza-hit-by-israeli-strike
https://cpj.org/2021/05/israeli-air-strikes-destroy-buildings-housing-more-than-a-dozen-media-outlets-in-gaza/
Associated Press executive editor calls for independent inquiry into Israel’s claim that media building hosted Hamas assets (17 May)
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/17/gaza-bombing-ap-chief-independent-inquiry-al-jalaa
Referenced NYT article (15 May)
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/15/world/middleeast/associated-press-gaza-israel-airstrike-media.html
Transcript of US President Joseph R. Biden's call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in which the American chief of state supports “Israel’s right to defend itself” (15 May)
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/05/15/readout-of-president-joseph-r-biden-jr-call-with-prime-minister-benjamin-netanyahu-of-israel-3/
The Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement
https://www.bdsmovement.net/call
Example of protest against Israel’s attacks, one of the many around the world (15 May)
https://www.itv.com/news/2021-05-15/thousands-march-in-free-palestine-protest-in-london-as-gaza-violence-continues
US administration approves $735m weapons sale to Israel (17 May)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/05/17/power-up-biden-administration-approves-735-million-weapons-sale-israel-raising-red-flags-some-house-democrats/ [sometimes asks for subscription]
Israel to keep strikes at ‘full force’, says Netanyahu (17 May)
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-57131272
Israel’s hard right turn (2020)
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium.MAGAZINE-losing-hope-for-change-top-left-wing-activists-and-scholars-leave-israel-behind-1.8864499 [sometimes asks for subscription]
artwork by Alis Balogh
intro/outro song: Mesh Ma’ Enno by Makimakkuk
https://soundcloud.com/makimakkuk
https://open.spotify.com/artist/1foIEikUEDSL8sCj5BLFcv
https://www.youtube.com/user/starmakan
Further reading/listening
Ilan Pappé, "The ethnic cleansing of Palestine"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYIyEEYogNM&t=835s
Episode on The Palestine Pod (podcast) with Palestinian-American scholar Steven Salaita on decolonization in Palestine & North America
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jeS5VKEps4
Norman Finkelstein, on apartheid in Israel (Connections Podcast episode)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmfsJAF8ujc
Noam Chomsky: Israel and Palestine (lecture)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUsXt8TmVfU