Humanitarianism in the West Bank: Structures, Power, and the Limits of Aid

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What does it mean to "do no harm" in a context where aid can both alleviate suffering and entrench the very systems that produce it?

In this critical conversation on the state of humanitarianism in the West Bank today, we examine what it means for humanitarian actors to operate within a broader landscape of occupation, violence, and structural injustice.

This event was moderated by Layth Hanbali, Researcher at Institute for Palestine Studies and PhD candidate, who was joined by:

• Tammam Aloudat | CEO, The New Humanitarian
• Matiangai Sirleaf | Nathan Patz Professor of Law, University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law
• Bushra Khalidi | Global Humanitarian Policy Lead, Oxfam
• Lubnah Shomali | Palestinian human rights defender and activist, BADIL

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This event was convened by The New Humanitarian in collaboration with BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights, The Third World Approaches to International Law Review, Birzeit University Muwatin Institute for Democracy and Human Rights and Birzeit University Ibrahim Abu-Lughod Institute of International Studies.

The first African to lead the BBC's African service, Joseph Warungu, and The New Humanitarian's Head of Editorial, Andrew Gully, have over half a century's worth of experience working in and leading newsrooms. Why do both use the word "battle" to describe their efforts to produce decolonised journalism with local perspectives?

Decolonise How? is a new podcast by The New Humanitarian that examines the stories we tell about humanitarian crises.

Every year, people in the diaspora send hundreds of billions of dollars home. It is one of the single most important streams of assistance, far outweighing all official foreign aid.

So why does it get less attention when it outpaces aid flows? And can it – or should it – better complement international humanitarian response?

Host Tammam Aloudat discusses the wide-reaching role of diaspora aid in Gaza, South Sudan, and beyond, its strengths and potential in crisis response, and its limitations.

Guests:

Hala Sabbah, co-founder of The Sameer Project Daniel Mayang Mayen, researcher at the Sudd Institute

Got a question or feedback? Email [email protected] or post on social media using the hashtag #RethinkingHumanitarianism.

Does it really matter whether a journalist is a local or a foreigner? The distinction between "local" or "international" journalists raises questions about trust, credibility, and control in global news.

In this episode of Decolonise How? Patrick Gathara sits down with The New Humanitarian's Ali Latifi and Ahmer Khan to discuss power dynamics in crisis reporting, and why it matters.

Decolonise How? is a new podcast by The New Humanitarian that examines the stories we tell about humanitarian crises.

Saving lives is a choice, and that makes it hard for humanitarianism to be completely apolitical despite long-running debates about neutrality and impartiality. But what does being political look like? On this episode: Flotillas and White Helmets, the difference between speaking out as individual humanitarian actors or as a unified collective, moving beyond simply being in "solidarity with communities", and finding a diversity of voices to build a future version of humanitarianism.

Guests:

Shatha Elnakib, faculty and deputy director of the Center for Humanitarian Health at Johns Hopkins University, and lead author of The Lancet's article, The humanitarian system: politics can not be avoided.

Jonathan Whittall, executive director and founder of the KEYS Initiative

Got a question or feedback? Email [email protected] or post on social media using the hashtag #RethinkingHumanitarianism.

In the latest Decolonise How? podcast, we ask whether ethical journalism is possible when individual ideals collide with institutional realities. "In school, we are taught: Don't be too close to the story, because then how do you maintain objectivity?" says Kenyan journalist Njoki Chege. "But on the ground, things are very different."

Decolonise How? is a new podcast by The New Humanitarian that examines the stories we tell about humanitarian crises.

Like many local aid workers living through war, Hind Obeid is surviving a crisis while responding to it. Obeid works for an NGO that supports refugees in Lebanon, but since 2024 Israeli attacks have forced her to fulfill her obligations while experiencing multiple displacements, the fear of airstrikes, and the constant sound of drones.

Obeid, who wrote about her experiences for The New Humanitarian, joins the podcast to reflect on the mental anguish of delivering aid under Israeli bombardment, how the humanitarian system can better support local staff, and why showing up in a crisis feels like resistance.

Guest:

Hind Obeid, safeguarding officer and PSEAH focal point at Basmeh & Zeitooneh

Got a question or feedback? Email [email protected] or post on social media using the hashtag #RethinkingHumanitarianism.

In this episode of Decolonise How?, host Patrick Gathara sits down with journalist Jane Ferguson to debate what role foreign correspondents should have in telling stories from crises, and why she now describes herself as a "recovering war reporter".

"I had grown up with this sense of what a foreign correspondent was… but what I learned early on was that my impression was very self-absorbed," Ferguson says.

Decolonise How? is a new podcast by The New Humanitarian that examines the stories we tell about humanitarian crises.

Philippe Lazzarini has ended his term as head of UNRWA, the UN agency that provides essential services to Palestinians. In an exit interview, Lazzarini describes "the most brutal experience" of his career, his anger when atrocities are met with silence, and the "slippery slope" waiting for humanitarians in Gaza.

Guest:

Philippe Lazzarini, departing commissioner-general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)

Got a question or feedback? Email [email protected] or post on social media using the hashtag #RethinkingHumanitarianism.

There's more than one way to cover crises, says Professor Martin Scott. In the second episode of Decolonise How?, host Patrick Gathara sits down with Scott, who studies media and global development, to discuss the ethics, practice, and impact of media coverage of crises. Scott popularised the term "humanitarian journalism". He explains what makes it different from mainstream journalism, and why the labels matter.

Decolonise How? is a new podcast by The New Humanitarian that examines the stories we tell about humanitarian crises.