Settler violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank is at an all time high, with Israeli ministers backing and arming settlers in an effort to push Palestinians out of their homes and allow for the annexation of their land. But with the head of Israel's security agency Shin Bet referring to this phenomena 'Jewish terrorism', will the policing of settlers be enforced or will occupation forces continue to provide cover for their atrocities?

This week's episode of Palestine This Week opens with a discussion about how Israel has effectively kept Palestinians in Gaza in a 'concentration camp' since the 1950s. The discussion draws on the description by Lt Gen E.L.M. Burns, a Canadian military officer who served as Chief of Staff of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation in 1954. Burns' characterisation of Gaza as a 'vast concentration camp' underscores the enduring nature of Palestinian suffering and the decades-long failure of the international community to address this crisis.

Against this historical backdrop, host Nasim Ahmed with guest Mouin Rabbani delve into current developments in the region and examine the call by the ICC prosecutor to reject the objections and delaying tactics against the issuing of arrest warrants against Israeli leaders. They also explore recent revelations surrounding Israeli hostages and military assault in Gaza, including further evidence of Israeli forces killing their own hostages in the besieged enclave.

The conversation then turns to warnings from Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad about potential 'martyrdom attacks'. This discussion provides historical context for such tactics and considers their implications for the current situation. The hosts also address the escalating Jewish settler violence in the occupied West Bank, as highlighted by Israel's own security agency, who described settlers as 'Jewish terrorists'.

The podcast concludes with an analysis of current ceasefire proposals and escalation of violence in Lebanon.

Don't miss this compelling episode of MEMO's Palestine This Week, where Ahmed and Rabbani offer invaluable insights into Israel’s occupation of Palestine, from its historical roots to its current genocide.

 

Join us this week as Nasim Ahmed and Mouin Rabbani reflect on the rising death toll in Gaza, which now stands at over 40,000 - 2 per cent of the population of the Strip - and discuss what this means, while comparing the fatality numbers with recent wars.

We're not just sticking to the numbers, we'll be looking at the bigger picture - from the radicalisation of Israeli society to the worrying rise in settler violence in the occupied West Bank, where there has been another settler-led pogrom against Palestinians, and civil servants in UK resigning over the Gaza genocide.

The surprising news of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas planning a visit to Gaza will be discussed, and we'll be unpacking the latest on US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to Israel and what it could mean for ceasefire talks. We'll also be touching on the shocking reports on the use of Palestinian civilians as human shields by Israeli occupation forces in Gaza and Saudi Crown Prince Muhammed Bin Salman's fear that he will be assassinated if Riyadh normalises relations with Israel.  

Tune in as Nasim and Mouin break it all down, giving you the insights you need to make sense of the latest news. 

Israel hit a shelter school and mosque in Gaza City on Saturday and killed more than 100 Palestinians civilians as they were performing morning prayers, it claims to have killed 19 'militants' but this has already been proven to be untrue. Can Israel continue to spread falsehoods to justify its genocide in Gaza?  

This week's Palestine This Week examines the grisly aftermath of Israel's air strike on a Gaza City school sheltering Palestinians, resulting in the death of over 100 Palestinians and injuring many more. The devastating strike has drawn international condemnation and raised serious questions about the ethics and justifications used in Israel’s military conduct. We unpack the claim that the strike targeted Palestinians fighters, which has been debunked.

We also analyse the genocidal statement by far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who said it was 'justified and moral' to starve 2 million Palestinians in Gaza. Referencing Hannah Arendt's 1955 observation about the treatment of Palestinians in Israel, we discuss the normalisation of genocidal rhetoric in Israeli politics and its dangerous implications.

Host Nasim Ahmed and guest Mouin Rabbani also discuss Israeli right group B’Tselem's latest report on the systematic mistreatment of Palestinians in Israeli prisons, described as “institutionalised abuse”, before looking into the recent appointment of Yahya Sinwar as the new political leader of Hamas.

Finally, the show examines the international community's response to Israel's decision to revoke diplomatic status to Norwegian envoys and a Japanese mayor's unprecedented decision to disinvite Israel from the Nagasaki commemoration ceremony.
Join the conversation and stay informed with MEMO's weekly review show.

As the region teeters on the edge of war, we look at how Israel's actions and targeted assassinations over the past week have pushed an already volitile situation even closer to the edge and discuss what options may be on the cards now. 

Video footage emerging from Israel shows civilians storming the military base where at least 9 soldiers were being held for questioning over suspected torture of a Palestinian prisoner. The angry mob called authorities 'traitors', while National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir tweeted 'take your hands off our reservists'. Is Israel now so divided that a civil war is unavoidable?

In this episode of Palestine This Week we begin with the news about the Sde Teiman detention centre which the Israeli Military Police raided on Monday, detaining nine soldiers on suspicion of abusing a Palestinian detainee. This notorious prison has held hundreds of Palestinians in horrific conditions since 7 October, with allegations of sexual abuse, including rape and torture and has been ordered to be closed by the attorney general. The raid created a political storm in Israel, with many protesting against the detention of reservists.

The conversation then moved on to the weekend’s deadly attack on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, setting Israel’s annexation of Syrian territory and its illegal occupation within a broader historical context.

 

The International Court of Justice ruled that Israel's occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem are illegal and Israel must not only end its apartheid policies but also pay reparations to Palestinians. This isn't the first time the ICJ has ruled against Israel, but 20 years after its ruling on the Separation Wall, the structure remains standing and has been expanded. Does international law apply to the occupation state? 

Join us for MEMO's weekly review with Nasim Ahmed and special guest Mouin Rabbani, where we take a deep dive into the key events from over the past week. On this week's podcast we discuss the groundbreaking ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Israel's occupation and its far-reaching implications. From dissecting the many Israeli violations outlined in the judgment to exploring how this decision reshapes our understanding of the events of 7 October, this episode promises to challenge your perspective on international law and the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Nasim and Mouin also tackle the burning question of whether Israel is effectively "gaming" the international system. They'll examine how Israel's approach to international law compares to that of other nations, and what this means for the future of global diplomacy. Plus, don't miss their insights on the recent Israeli attack on the Yemeni port city of Hudaydah, Yemen’s ability to target the occupation state directly and the spike in Israelis leaving the country. Plus, we ask if President Biden will be remembered for rescuing US democracy, as his supporters claim or as the president who worked hand in glove with Israel to execute a genocide?    

Tune in for a riveting conversation that goes beyond the headlines. Whether you're a longtime follower of Middle East politics or just curious about the latest developments, this episode of Palestine This Week is sure to leave you with plenty to ponder. 

SUBHEAD: Do words have consequences and can speech pave the way to violence? Join us as we discuss how rhetoric in America is making acts of political violence and genocide more likely.

As the world gets to grips with the attempt on US presidential candidate Donald Trump's life, political rhetoric within America deployed by some politicians plays on social tensions and exacerbates polarisation making acts of violence more likely. While inflammatory rhetoric is condemned by liberals, Israeli politicians and officials routinely apply the same blood-bating speech against Palestinians, but many of the same liberal will remain silent. Palestinians have been described as 'human animals', 'terrorists' and have been threatened with ethnic cleansing by Israeli officials, how does this rhetoric normalise violence against Palestinians? Join Mouin Rabbani and Nasim Ahmed as they delve into this question. Also on the show, we explore the latest updates on Israel's ongoing genocidal offensive in Gaza, the United Nations experts on famine and Tel Aviv's 'targeted starvation campaign' in Gaza, US President Joe Biden saying he has no ability to influence Israel, the US proposing to disable it's Gaza aid pier and we end with a discussion on Israel's alliance with the far right. 

In this episode of Palestine This Week, Nasim Ahmed and guest Mouin Rabbani kick off with a startling report from the Lancet which forecasts that the death toll in Gaza could hit 186,000 - a staggering 7.9% of the population. The pair also look at claims that Israel is trying to derail a US-backed ceasefire plan and discuss the contentious 'Hannibal directive' used by the Israeli army on 7 October.
Nasim and Mouin then turn their attention to Israel's plans for Gaza after the war, including the experimental 'Hamas-free bubbles' scheme, and what's been called the biggest land grab in the West Bank for decades. They mull over how these developments might affect the chances of a future Palestinian state and shake up the region's political landscape.

The show also touches on recent diplomatic spats, like the ICC prosecutor's decision to issue arrest warrants over a Gaza visit, which has ruffled feathers in both the US and UK. They round off by discussing the Arab League's move to stop calling Hezbollah a terrorist organisation and how the UK Labour Party's position on Gaza might have swayed recent election results. 

This episode offers a thorough and eye-opening look at the complex and ever-changing situation in the Middle East.

 

Israel approved 5 new settlement outposts last week and voted in favour of restrictions on the Palestinian Authority, with Tel Aviv already in control of the Palestinian banking system and tax revenues, is the occupation state now looking to take over complete control of the occupied Palestinian territories?

This week's Palestine This Week with Nasim Ahmed and guest Mouin Rabbani tackle the worsening situation in the West Bank and Israel's tightening control over the occupied territory. The discussion kicks off with a look at Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's plan for permanent control of the West Bank, questioning whether this is another ploy by Israel to squeeze concessions from the international community. The talk then turns to the worrying rise in settler violence, as highlighted in a recent New York Times piece, which paints a bleak picture of the apartheid-like conditions Palestinians are enduring under occupation.

The show also addresses the troubling reports of sexual abuse of Palestinians at Israel's Sde Teiman detention centre, dubbed by some as a "death camp" on par with Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo. 

The conversation then moves to the Israeli military's struggles, including heavy damage to armoured vehicles in Gaza and growing unrest within its ranks, as shown by the Supreme Court's recent ruling to abolish the ultra-Orthodox Jewish military exemption and reports of low morale and soldiers refusing to serve.
Finally, the show explores the West's continued backing of Israel, including unprecedented moves by US lawmakers to censor the Palestinian death toll and Germany's introduction of an Israel 'loyalty' test in its new citizenship law, and how such policies may be affected by the upcoming elections in light of of the large campaign donations from pro-Israel billionaires.

 A leaked document shows Israel knew about plans for 7 October attacks in advance, but did not act upon the information, leading to the events on that fateful day. 

Did the IDF know about Hamas' 7 October attack plans and did nothing to stop it? A document leaked to the Jerusalem Post seems to show the Israeli military had detailed intelligence about Hamas' plans to carryout 7 October attack, in which 1,143 Israeli were killed and 250 were taken hostage, but despite having this information, Tel Aviv decided not to act to stop the strike. Meanwhile, an Israeli strike on Gaza's Al-Shati camp killed 50 Palestinian civilians and another Israeli attack near the International Red Cross (IRC) left 22 people dead. Despite Israel inflicting a high death toll on Gaza, a senior Israeli military official has said Hamas is stronger than ever and Tel Aviv will fail to crush them. His comments will add further pressure onto Benjamin Netanyahu's government, delving into all the latest developments from Gaza join MEMO's weekly review show with Nasim Ahmed and guest Mouin Rabbani. We also discuss reports of an Israeli plan to go to war with Lebanon and how Wikipedia has labelled the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a pro-Israel US advocacy group, an unreliable source of information that should not be trusted. MEMO weekly review also explores the transfer of power from the IDF to pro-settler civil groups in the West Bank. Catch the full episode here.