Save the Olive Tree

Save the Olive Tree

By Save the Olive TreeSociety & Culture
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Save the Olive Tree episodes

  • 17. Lessons of Hope and Resistance From Gaza with Dr. Mohamed Ghilan

    In this episode of the Save The Olive Tree podcast, I talk with Dr. Mohamed Ghilan who joins me all the way from Melbourne. Dr. Ghilan is a medical doctor and a teacher of Islamic sciences. We discuss the spiritual aspects of this genocide, October 7, the Palestinian resistance, the role of the Muslims all around the world and much more.

    We discuss:
    1. How he is trying to live a semblance of a normal life whilst witnessing a live stream genocide.
    2. Why have Muslims lost that reverence for Al Aqsa as compared to the two others?
    3. Does he think the nation state is the biggest disease of the Muslims currently?
    4. Oct 7th is a watershed moment, viewed very different depending on the narrative. How does
    He see that day?
    5. How do we decolonize/dezionize our minds from their world view?
    6. Palestinian resistance, how it’s perceived in the West.
    7. How Palestinians especially Gazans are built different
    8. Spiritual takeaways from the ongoing genocide.
    9. What does the future look like in a Trump administration and how do we keep a balance between despair and victory.
    Guest Intro:
    For those of you who may not know him, Dr. Mohamed Ghilan is a medical doctor, completing
    his medical education from the University of Queensland. Prior to that he held a Bachelor of
    Science with a major in microbiology and a minor in business administration, and a Ph.D. in
    Neuroscience from the University of Victoria, BC. So he’s a double doctor!
    He also founded the Al-Andalus Book Club in 2017 with the aim of offering students the
    opportunity to study contemporary works through an Islamic lens. This initiative was expanded in 2020 with the founding of Al-Andalus Academy with the aim of facilitating access to traditional Islamic education and applying it in navigating modern issues. He also has a podcast which I’ve been listening to since 2016 so this is a really full circle moment for me.
    Please subscribe to the channel and shared with your friends and family, so we can continue our good work.

    57 min
  • 16. Is True Diplomacy The Only Path To Peace? With Hala Rharrit

    In this Episode of The Save The Olive Tree Podcast, I speak with Hala Rharrit about US Diplomacy amidst the genocide in Gaza. Hala resigned from the Biden Administration’s State

    Department after a long diplomatic career when it became clear to her that international and domestic law was blatantly being violated with regards to arms exports to Israel.
    We discuss:
    1. Her background, why she started working for the state department and eventually resigned.
    2. What laws is the US government breaking currently in regards to arms transfer and why are they continuing to do so.
    3. The Biden administration's clear PR ploy to cut off arms supply to Israel if they don't improve their humanitarian situation especially in Northern Gaza.
    4. Why won't the US push Israel to allow journalists into Gaza?
    5. Why the US press won't admit Northern Gaza is undergoing brutal massacres and Ethnic cleansing even when Israeli press admits it.
    6. The impact of social media on the current genocide and what impact it can have globally.
    7. Her thoughts on the regional expansion of this war and genocide.
    8. Her thoughts on the future of Palestine and the region more broadly.
    9. Her thoughts on the Trump administration in regards to Palestine.
    Guest Intro:
    Hala Rharrit is an expert in Middle East and North African (MENA) affairs and U.S. relations with the MENA region. She was an award-winning American diplomat who resigned from the State Department in April 2024 in opposition to the Biden's Administration Gaza policy. Hala is fundamentally a peacemaker and her resignation made her the first career American diplomat to publicly resign. In her media interviews since leaving the State Department, including with⁠⁠ CNN⁠⁠, Washington Post⁠⁠,⁠⁠ NPR⁠⁠,⁠⁠ Democracy Now⁠⁠, and⁠⁠ Al Jazeera English⁠⁠, she explains how the policy is illegal, inhumane, counter-productive, and a threat to U.S. national security.
    Hala also has deep expertise in human rights and counter-terrorism, having worked extensively on those files as an American diplomat. She was the recipient of multiple prestigious State Department awards throughout her 18 years with the State Department, recognizing her
    impactful diplomatic work across assignments.
    She is now focused on raising awareness and on the illegality, inhumanity, and failures of the Biden-Harris Administration's Gaza policy, as she promotes diplomatic solutions based on a common humanity. You can follow Hala on social media specifically Instagram and LinkedIn.
    Please subscribe to the channel and share it with your friends and family so we can continue this good work.

    36 min
  • 15. None Of Us Are Free Until Palestine Is Free with Marianela Peyrera

    In this episode of the Save the Olive Tree podcast, I have a discussion with Marianela Pereyra about Palestinian liberation, activism and her recent trip to Egypt.

    We discuss:
    – Her background and story in Palestinian activism.
    – The immense mental health toll of this genocide.
    – The impact of social media to bring awareness to the Palestinian struggle.
    – What strategies is she using most in bringing more awareness to this issue.
    – The Green Party and how this current duopoly needs to break.
    – Backlash she’s faced for standing up for Palestine.

    Guest Bio:
    Marianela Pereyra was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and is a TV personality, writer, and voice over actor who has worked for various networks, including MTV, NBC, VH1, Fox Sports and ESPN. In addition to her work in television, she is actively pursuing her lifelong passion for exploration and wellness with her mindful travel blog ‘The Fuddhist’. She is also extremely vocal in her support for the Palestinian struggling recently, went on humanitarian trip to Egypt.
    Please subscribe to the channel and shared with your friends and family, so we can continue our good work.

    49 min
  • 14. Healing Gaza with Reem Elkhaldi

    In this episode of the Save The Olive Tree Podcast I talk with Reem Elkhaldi founder of the organization ‘Healing our homeland’. She talks about her work on the ground in Gaza, shares some first hand stories from Gaza and discusses how we should approach the liberation of Palestine.

    We discuss:
    1. Reem’s background as a Palestinian.
    2. What is Healing our Homeland and its main aims?
    3. What are the current challenges getting aid into Gaza.
    4. How has she been coping with everything that's going on in Gaza?
    5. Some first hand stories from Gaza.
    6. What are some of the challenges women in particular are facing in Gaza and how can we help them?
    7. The connection between the Palestinian cause and Islam
    Guest Bio
    Reem was born in Florida, where she currently lives with her husband and two children. She is a Palestinian in diaspora and the daughter of Palestinian refugees born in Gaza. Since 2018, Reem has been consistently collaborating with community lead initiatives throughout the Gaza strip to provide necessities, such as, food, clothing, and shelter to over 1,000 people. As Reem worked closely with those living in the world’s largest open-air prison, she felt an urgency to do more. Reem listened, researched, and prayed on how to resist the overwhelming injustice and oppression that plagues the world. Reem founded Healing our Homeland during her own journey of healing and with the intention to fulfill her ethical duty as a Muslim.
    Reem graduated from the University of Central Florida (UCF) with a B.A. in Interpersonal and Organizational Communication. She graduated with her Judicial Doctorate degree from Barry University. She is dedicated to public service on both a local and global level. Among her experience, she served as an Assistant State Attorney in Orlando with a focus on prosecuting sex crimes, domestic violence, and crimes against children. In 2017 she joined the Office of Institutional Equity at UCF as a Title IX Investigator. Reem has been using a trauma informed approach in her practice for the past 10 years. These days, Reem spends her time in nature, nurturing her children, writing her memoir, and investing in Healing our Homeland.
    As a reminder please subscribe to the channel and share it with your friends and family so we can continue our good work.

    1 hr 3 min
  • 13. Surgeon's Testimony on The Horrors in Gaza with Dr. Mark Perlmutter

    In this episode of the Save the Olive Tree podcast, I have a discussion with Dr. Mark Perlmutter, who is an Orthopedic Surgeon from North Carolina and recently went on a medical mission to Gaza in March. He describes much of the horrors he witnessed in Gaza.

    We discuss:
    – what motivated him to go to Gaza.
    – What type of injuries he saw in Gaza.
    – The extent of the carnage and destruction in Gaza.
    – Whether he considers Israel’s actions in Gaza to be a genocide.
    – The deliberate targeting of hospital, infrastructure and medical workers in Gaza.
    – How he’s able to carry on with life normally once he witnessed that level of trauma.
    – What does he see as the future for the people of Gaza. 
    Guest Bio:
    Dr. Mark Perlmutter is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and fellowship, trained hand surgeon practicing North Carolina. He is the vice president of the international college of surgeons and went on a medical mission to Gaza at the end of March.
    Please subscribe to the channel and shared with your friends and family, so we can continue our good work.

    50 min
  • 12. The Moral Conscience Of The State Department with Josh Paul

    In this Episode of the Save The Olive Tree Podcast, I talk with Josh Paul who resigned from the State Department in October 2023 due the current administration's handling of military assistance to Israel. We discuss his resignation, how he sees the current conflict and even touch on his findings regarding sexual violence towards Palestinians occurring in Israeli detention centers. This week has been one of the deadliest in Gaza ever since the war began which has now stretched into the 9th month. Daily massacres of the civilian population in Gaza have led to a dire situation, which was very bleak to begin with. There have been massacres on people playing soccer, people living in tents in a “safe zone” and many more.


    We discuss:

    1. What led to his resignation from the State Department in the aftermath of Oct 7th?

    2. The process of transferring arms to Israel.

    3. Is the US violating its own laws concerning arms transfers to Israel?

    4. Why there is such blatant disregard for international humanitarian law when it comes to Israel and how the double standard can be called out here domestically.

    5. The current situation within the State Department given the high number of resignations we've seen recently.

    6. A bit of detail regarding his investigation into sexual violence inside Israeli prisons.

    7. The possible short term and longer term possibilities with regards to this genocide.

    8. His thoughts on the upcoming election and how a Trump administration would handle the current conflict.


    Guest intro:

    Josh Paul resigned from the State Department in October, 2023 due to his disagreement with the Biden Administration's decision to rush lethal military assistance to Israel in the context of its war on Gaza. He had previously spent over 11 years working as a Director in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, which is responsible for U.S. defense diplomacy, security assistance, and arms transfers. He previously worked on security sector reform in both Iraq and the West Bank, with additional roles in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, U.S. Army Staff, and as a Congressional staffer for Representative Steve Israel (D-NY). Josh grew up between London and New York, and holds Masters degrees from the Universities of Georgetown and St Andrews, Scotland. He is currently a Non-Resident Fellow at the organization Democracy Now for the Arab World (DAWN) and a recipient of the 2023 Callaway Award for Civic Courage.


    Please subscribe to the channel and share it with your friends and family so we can continue our good work.

    45 min
  • 11. ‘Standing Together’ Against War with Alon-Lee Green

    In this episode of the Save The Olive Tree podcast, I have a discussion with Alon- Lee Green about the current war in Gaza, the challenges getting aid into Gaza and the efforts of his organization standing together in creating a land with equal rights for both Palestinians and Jews.


    Guest Intro:

    Alon-Lee Green is the National co-Director and a founder of Standing Together. He got his start organizing Israel's first trade union of waiters in a chain of coffee-shops and went on to found Israel's first National Waiters Union. Alon-Lee emerged as a prominent leader of Israel's social protest movement in the summer of 2011, and subsequently served as a political adviser in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament.


    As a reminder, please subscribe to the channel and share this content with your friends and family so we can continue our good work.

    26 min
  • 10. Jews and Muslims: Bitter Enemies or Potential Friends? With Elijah Kahlenberg

    In this episode of the Save the Olive Tree podcast, I have a discussion with Elijah Kahlenberg who is the founder of Atidna international and a current student at the University of Texas at Austin.

    We discuss:

    – his Jewish background and how this informs his values.

    – What is Atidna and what are its main aims?

    – Is Elijah a self hating Jew?

    – How does Elijah view the current situation in Gaza and all over Palestine? 

    – A discussion on the state of college protests sweeping the nation.

    – The possibility of one democratic state equal for Jews and Muslims alike.

    – What he sees as the future in Palestine.

    Guest Bio:

    Elijah Kahlenberg, an undergraduate student and researcher currently studying at the University of Texas at Austin, is the President and Founder of Atidna International-the only organization operating on college campuses dedicated to bringing together Jews and Arabs in pursuit of dialogue and peace building to solidify that both peoples are one family. Elijah is also active as a leader in the Gaza anti-war/divestment protests sweeping college campuses. Elijah is likewise on the Board of Roots (Shorashim/Judur), the only organization dedicated to pursuing joint and civil initiatives in the West Bank between Jews and Arabs. He is a 2024 Truman scholar and has appeared in various media, including CNN, ABC News, Good Morning America, the Forward, Al Jazeera, NPR and others, to discuss his peace-building/dialogue initiatives and/or the protests. He has previously written opinion pieces for Newsday, Times of Israel, International Policy Digest, and other outlets. 


    http://AtidnaInternational.com

    38 min
  • 9. The War Against Children in Gaza with Dr Aman Odeh

    In this episode of the Save the Olive Tree podcast, I have a discussion with Dr. Aman Odeh who is a board-certified pediatrician that recently visited Gaza with a medical team. She describes the scenes of devastation she witnessed in Gaza, as well as the messages of hope she brought back.


    We discussed:

    – her background as a Palestinian growing up.

    – Her journey into Gaza on a medical mission.

    – The scenes of devastation she encountered there.

    – The state of the healthcare system and Gaza currently.

    – What the children of Gaza told her.

    – Her advice to us in the west in continuing our struggle for the Palestinian people, especially college students.


    Guest intro

    Dr. Aman Odeh is a board-certified pediatrician who has resided in Austin area for the past 15 years. She recently went on a medical mission to Gaza with the team of 10 physicians and other healthcare workers. She is originally Palestinian from Jerusalem and her grandparents were refugees in the Nakba of 1948.


    At the end of our discussion, I also share photos and videos of Dr. Odeh’s trip to Gaza. To view these, please take a look at the YouTube channel.

    45 min

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