Real Talk

“I was sold a lie.”

One of Britain’s most acclaimed historians slams the country’s education system - which he feels has distorted the history of Palestine, portraying it as an “empty desert” before 1948.

In this Real Talk interview, William Dalrymple shares his views on Britain’s historical responsibility towards Palestine, and calls out the UK government’s ongoing cooperation with Israel, including supplying weapons, amid its war on Gaza.

He reflects on what he witnessed in the West Bank while writing his book ‘From the Holy Mountain’, from settler violence to a “concerted drive to Judaise Jerusalem”, and explains why he sees the current crisis in Gaza as “one of the supreme human rights horrors of our time”.

Real Talk is hosted by Mohamed Hashem.

“You can’t bomb people into a revolution.”

That’s how Iranian-American activist Hoda Katebi describes the escalating war between Israel and Iran, following a surprise large-scale Israeli strike, and the calls for regime change emerging.

She reflects on the “disgusting irony” of those who once supported Iranian women now cheering on Israeli strikes, and how narratives like “liberation through bombing” only strengthen authoritarian governments.

In this Real Talk interview, Hoda also opens up about what she’s hearing from family on the ground inside Iran, as millions are told to evacuate with nowhere to go.

Real Talk is hosted by Mohamed Hashem 

Catch all our Real Talk episodes on YouTube here:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMyaP73Ho1yRh7NMaNqOTpWkGSJPC8kIm

“I have no business with genocidaires.”

That’s how artist, poet and activist Saul Williams describes his refusal to stay silent on Israel’s war on Gaza. 

In this Real Talk interview, Williams opens up about witnessing apartheid in Israel-Palestine, losing friends and work for speaking out, and the responsibility artists have in the face of propaganda and empire.

We also explore his critique of US politics as a ‘duopoly’ invested in war, his challenge to mainstream liberalism, and how hip hop has moved from resistance to commercialisation.

Williams also reflects on his powerful role in ‘Sinners’, the blockbuster film directed by Ryan Coogler.

Real Talk is a Middle East Eye interview series hosted by Mohamed Hashem. 

Catch all our Real Talk episodes on YouTube here:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMyaP73Ho1yRh7NMaNqOTpWkGSJPC8kIm

Bilal Hassan is a Pakistani doctor who also happens to be one of the most popular travel storytellers from his country. 

He is a content creator whose work captures the people, the cultures, the food and the human connections across Pakistan. 

But then, conflict erupts and fighting escalates. Nearly 70 people are killed in a matter of days in India and Pakistan, including civilians in Kashmir on both sides. 

The language of dehumanisation and jingoism fills the local newscasts. 

In moments like these, what is the role of a content creator? Do you speak or do you stay silent in an effort to preserve your brand? 

So, on Real Talk today, we are speaking with Bilal Hassan about war, memory, partition and the role of content creators in times of conflict.

Real Talk is a Middle East Eye interview series hosted by Mohamed Hashem

Catch all our Real Talk episodes on YouTube here:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMyaP73Ho1yRh7NMaNqOTpWkGSJPC8kIm

“The point was to make people aware… The world knows now who [Microsoft] truly are, and what they’re doing.”

As Microsoft celebrated its 50th anniversary with a panel featuring Bill Gates, one employee stood up and disrupted the event. Her message: Microsoft is complicit in Israel’s war on Gaza. 

The young software engineer, Vaniya Agrawal, was then fired by Microsoft. Now, she’s speaking out. 

In this Real Talk interview, Vaniya is opening up about why she risked her job to protest, what happened behind the scenes, and the harassment she’s received from Hindu nationalists. 

Real Talk is a Middle East Eye interview programme hosted by Mohamed Hashem. 

Catch all our Real Talk episodes on YouTube here:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMyaP73Ho1yRh7NMaNqOTpWkGSJPC8kIm

‘The crimes [in Gaza] are so egregious that are being carried out... The attempt to cover them up and whitewash them is failing’ 

Since 7 October, western media coverage of Israel’s war on Gaza has come under intense scrutiny, particularly for the language and terminology used by many outlets.

As a result, the coverage has been accused of bias against Palestinians effectively providing cover for Israel’s war on Gaza.

To delve into this, we’re speaking to Assal Rad, an Iranian-American scholar of the modern Middle East and fellow at DAWN, who’s also made it her mission to call out and ‘fix’ misleading headlines. 

Her widely shared posts earned her the title of ‘headline fixer’,  turning this into a trend of its own online.

Real Talk is a Middle East Eye interview series hosted by Mohamed Hashem.

Catch all our Real Talk episodes on YouTube here:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMyaP73Ho1yRh7NMaNqOTpWkGSJPC8kIm

"You can’t be a filmmaker. You’re Palestinian - no one will care."

Cherien Dabis is a Palestinian-American filmmaker and actress constantly working to break new ground for Palestinian representation in Hollywood. 

In 2022, she made TV history as the first Palestinian ever nominated for an Emmy, for her work on “Only Murders in the Building”. Throughout her career, Cherien has pushed back against one-dimensional portrayals of Arabs and Palestinians - often stereotyped, cast as villains, or erased entirely.

Most recently, you may have seen her as Nadia in Netflix’s “Mo”, the hit series widely celebrated for its portrayal of the Palestinian experience. 

In this episode of Real Talk, Cherien opens up about growing up Palestinian in Ohio, the challenges of telling her own story, and the fears that keep many from supporting Palestinian voices in Hollywood.

From the emotional weight of misrepresentation to the joy of creating authentic characters, she shares what it takes to be a Palestinian storyteller in American film and television.

Real Talk is a Middle East Eye interview programme hosted by Mohamed Hashem. 

Catch all our Real Talk episodes on YouTube here:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMyaP73Ho1yRh7NMaNqOTpWkGSJPC8kIm

In The World After Gaza, acclaimed Indian author Pankaj Mishra reckons with Israel’s war on Gaza and its far-reaching moral and geopolitical consequences.

He situates the onslaught within the broader context of western colonialism while grappling with a critical question: What does the world look like after Gaza?

Mishra joined us on Real Talk to discuss the book’s key themes, including the Holocaust and its weaponisation, as well as the world’s response to Gaza - touching on complicity, decolonisation, and white supremacy.

Real Talk is a Middle East Eye interview programme hosted by Mohamed Hashem. 

Catch all our Real Talk episodes on YouTube here:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMyaP73Ho1yRh7NMaNqOTpWkGSJPC8kIm

"The more they offer the Trump administration, the more the Trump administration is going to ask - and the demands in that letter [sent to Columbia] are absolutely unacceptable."

In this Real Talk interview, Columbia humanities professor Bruce Robbins reveals why he’s concerned he could be "thrown to the lions" over steps he took during last year's campus protests.

Robbins speaks about how in April last year he took his class to one of the encampments, a decision that resulted in two students making complaints to the university, which have since resulted in a formal investigation.

Speaking to Mohamed Hashem, he condemns the ongoing witch-hunt against pro-Palestine activists by Columbia administrators and the Trump administration, especially in the wake of Mahmoud Khalil’s arrest.

He urges the university not to capitulate to the Trump administration’s demands given to the university to reinstate $400 million in federal funding. 

Catch all our Real Talk episodes on YouTube here:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMyaP73Ho1yRh7NMaNqOTpWkGSJPC8kIm

Over a year ago in January 2024, Jewish-American academic Maura Finkelstein found herself placed on administrative leave by her institution at the time: Muhlenberg College. 

A few months later she was fired, despite having tenure.  

The reason? She was told it was because of a post she shared on her Instagram story which heavily condemned Zionism. 

Finkelstein joined us on Real Talk to reflect on this experience, what it taught her, and the state of crackdowns by US universities on pro-Palestinian activism. 

Real Talk is a Middle East Eye interview programme hosted by Mohamed Hashem. 

Catch all our Real Talk episodes on YouTube here:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMyaP73Ho1yRh7NMaNqOTpWkGSJPC8kIm