We talk with architects Elias and Yousef Anastas, partners at studio AAU Anastas about their deeply researched practice, their dedication to using stone in innovative and ethical ways, and the many social, political, and cultural considerations around building in Palestine, and beyond. Our conversation touches on their many other collaborations including Local Industries, Radio Alhara, and Wonder Cabinet, and we discuss how their work—through sound and stone—continues to transmit Palestine to the rest of the world.

Recorded on March 24, 2026

Elias and Yousef Anastas are architects from Bethlehem. Their practice advocates for a contemporary use of structural stone in architecture in Palestine and beyond, exploring the politics of building with stone as a pathway toward low-carbon structures, more resilient cities, and responsible quarrying. They participated in the Venice Architecture Biennale in 2021 with All Purpose, a stone installation proposing a new model of stone habitat. They cofounded Local Industries, a network of makers producing objects that range from furniture to experimental architecture, among them the Jamil Chair, now part of the Vitra Design Museum collection. Their work is also included in the Victoria and Albert Museum’s permanent collection. They have designed and built major public and cultural projects such as the Tulkarem Courthouse, the Hebron Courthouse, a reinforced flat stone vault in Abu Ghosh, and the restoration of Dar al-Majus in Bethlehem, among others. They also co-founded Radio alHara, a communal online radio shaped by over 300 contributors, and Wonder Cabinet, a space for experimental production in Bethlehem, for which they received the Aga Khan Award for Architecture.

Connect with Elias and Yousef Anastas 👉 https://instagram.com/aauanastas

Hosted by Yazan Kopty

Yazan Kopty is a writer, researcher, and community archivist. His work explores the relationship between narrative and power and advocates for storytelling grounded in self-representation and community collaboration. Shaped by his background as an oral historian, his practice aims to gather polyphony of voices and transform memory into a force for resistance, reckoning, and reconciliation. Since 2018, Yazan has been a National Geographic Explorer and lead investigator of Imagining the Holy, a community-based archive project indigenizing historic photographs of Palestinians and their homeland and activating them as sites of gathering, reconnection, and new cultural production. Beginning in October 2025, Yazan will be producer and host of This is Not a Watermelon, afikra’s podcast series reframing Palestine through conversations with experts and practitioners working to preserve its past, document its present, and imagine better futures for the land and its people.

Connect with Yazan Kopty 👉 https://instagram.com/yazankopty

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

FOLLOW & RATE THE THIS IS NOT A WATERMELON PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/this-is-not-a-watermelon-palestinian-history-culture/id1726893137
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1UWCL1ITtnJIJUExrb6itr?_authfailed=1
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1047932705

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK 
Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl40ZRFvo_VVYg6i56flEjSK

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We talk about Palestinian storytelling from oral histories that transmit our stories across generations, to policy analysis that explains what is happening to us today in our own voices. In this conversation with Yara Hawari, the co-director of the Palestinian policy network Al-Shabaka, we also discuss which Palestinians are given the chance to speak and the many—sometimes deadly—ways that our acts of self-narration are suppressed and controlled. And we talk about the centrality of Gaza in our current historical moment and the importance of de-exceptionalizing Palestine from the many global struggles against colonialism and oppression.  

00:00 Introduction

02:05 Developing a Palestinian Political Identity in the Diaspora

06:38 The Importance and Methodology of Oral History in Palestine

08:31 Challenging the Delegitimization of Oral History Narratives

14:21 Practical Applications of Oral History Research in the Galilee

20:03 The Stone House: Fictionalizing Family History To Tell the Story of Palestine

23:53 Continuity of the Nakba Across Three Generations

28:49 Al-Shabaka: A Think Tank in Service of Palestinian Liberation

34:48 The Responsibility of Self-Narration in Policy and Media

39:00 Navigating Traps and Responsibilities in Western Media Engagement

43:12 Global Mobilization and the Limitations of Democratic Policy Change

49:15 Palestine As Part of a Larger Global Struggle Against Colonial Domination

53:40 The Incomprehensible Scale of Violence and Technological Warfare in Gaza

57:50 Influential Works and Sources of Inspiration for the Liberation Struggle

59:33 Final Thoughts and Recommendations

Yara Hawari is the co-director of Al-Shabaka. She previously served as the Palestine policy fellow and senior analyst. She completed her PhD in Middle East Politics at the University of Exeter, where she taught various undergraduate courses and continues to be an honorary research fellow. In addition to her academic work, which focused on indigenous studies and oral history, she is a frequent political commentator writing for various media outlets including The Guardian, Foreign Policy, and Al Jazeera English. Her expertise includes: Global Policy on Palestine, International Law & Human Rights, Palestinian Politics & Governance, Society & Culture, Zionism & Israeli Politics.

Explore Al-Shabaka 👉 https://al-shabaka.org/

Hosted by Yazan Kopty 👉 https://instagram.com/yazankopty

Yazan Kopty is a writer, researcher, and community archivist. His work explores the relationship between narrative and power and advocates for storytelling grounded in self-representation and community collaboration. Shaped by his background as an oral historian, his practice aims to gather polyphony of voices and transform memory into a force for resistance, reckoning, and reconciliation. Since 2018, Yazan has been a National Geographic Explorer and lead investigator of Imagining the Holy, a community-based archive project indigenizing historic photographs of Palestinians and their homeland and activating them as sites of gathering, reconnection, and new cultural production. Beginning in October 2025, Yazan will be producer and host of This is Not a Watermelon, afikra’s podcast series reframing Palestine through conversations with experts and practitioners working to preserve its past, document its present, and imagine better futures for the land and its people.

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

FOLLOW & RATE THE THIS IS NOT A WATERMELON PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/this-is-not-a-watermelon-palestinian-history-culture/id1726893137
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1UWCL1ITtnJIJUExrb6itr?_authfailed=1
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1047932705

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK 
Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl40ZRFvo_VVYg6i56flEjSK

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Actress, director, producer, and screenwriter Cherien Dabis discusses her career, from directing shows like Ramy, Mo, and Only Murders in the Building to writing, directing and acting in her monumental new Palestinian film, All That's Left of You. She reflects on the profound impact of her first trip to Palestine as an eight-year-old, where experiencing harassment and humiliation by Israeli soldiers served as a political awakening that shaped her life and career. She discusses her early life growing up Palestinian in Ohio, her experience with a camcorder as a child, and how the First Gulf War crystallized her decision to become a filmmaker to tell authentic Palestinian stories and challenge the dehumanizing stereotypes in Western media. The conversation dives into the creation of All That's Left of You. She shares the immense emotional and logistical challenges of making the film, particularly during the ongoing genocide, and the surreal experience of recreating historical scenes, and scenes of displacement and military violence that were simultaneously unfolding in the news. Cherien explains the film's focus on the intergenerational impacts of psychological violence, harassment, and humiliation, using the family dynamic across decades to show how the Nakba is a continuing catastrophe. She also addresses the reality of Palestinian films facing suppression from Hollywood gatekeepers, while celebrating the historic moment of Palestinian cinema breaking through.

This episode was recorded on December 17, 2025. Our community lost the giant Mohammad Bakri who plays the grandfather in the film a few days later, on December 24.

Where to Watch 👉 https://www.watermelonpictures.com/films/all-thats-left-of-you

0:00 Introduction

2:05 The Director's Political Awakening: Becoming Palestinian

10:07 From a Camcoder in Ohio to Filmmaking: Bridging Two Worlds

13:06 The First Gulf War and the Power of Film

16:55 The Legacy of Ramy, Mo, and Her Other Work in TV

21:47 All That's Left of You: The Culmination of a Life's Work

25:39 Recreating 1948: Undoing the Myth of a Land Without a People

28:39 The Four Time Periods of All That's Left of You

37:39 Your Humanity Is Also Resistance

38:13 Directing a Family: The Intergenerational Scenes

42:08 The Mind Game of Directing and Acting in the Same Scene

45:20 Recreating Palestine Outside of Palestine

50:06 Art Imitates Life: Filming During the Genocide

54:03 Hollywood's Suppression of Palestinian Stories

59:00 The Historic Moment of Palestinian Cinema

Cherien Dabis is a critically acclaimed Palestinian film and television director, writer, and actress. Born in the U.S. and raised in Ohio and Jordan, Dabis studied film at Columbia University’s School of the Arts. She was Emmy-nominated for Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series for the groundbreaking episode “The Boy From 6B” on Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building. She wrote and directed her debut feature Amreeka which premiered at Sundance in 2009 and went on to win the coveted FIPRESCI International Critics Prize in the Director’s Fortnight at Cannes. Dabis is known for standout episodic directing work on Emmy award-winning television shows such as Ramy and Ozark. She wrote, directed, produced and acted in All That's Left of You (2025), which is nominated for an Oscar in the Best International Feature Film category. 

Hosted by Yazan Kopty 👉 https://instagram.com/yazankopty

Yazan Kopty is a writer, researcher, and community archivist. Shaped by his background as an oral historian, his practice aims to gather polyphony of voices and transform memory into a force for resistance, reckoning, and reconciliation. Since 2018, Yazan has been a National Geographic Explorer and lead investigator of Imagining the Holy, a community-based archive project indigenizing historic photographs of Palestinians and their homeland and activating them as sites of gathering, reconnection, and new cultural production. 

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

FOLLOW & RATE THE THIS IS NOT A WATERMELON PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/this-is-not-a-watermelon-palestinian-history-culture/id1726893137
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1UWCL1ITtnJIJUExrb6itr?_authfailed=1
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1047932705

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK 
Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl40ZRFvo_VVYg6i56flEjSK

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Our conversation with writer, scholar, and activist, Tareq Baconi, about the many forms of containment forced onto Palestinians and the need to reclaim the Palestinian revolutionary legacy. We discuss Tareq’s book, "Hamas Contained: A History of Palestinian Resistance" (2018), his disillusionment with the limits of commentary, what a free Palestine actually means, and his new memoir "Fire in Every Direction" (2025). 

Recorded on October 17, 2025

0:00 Introduction: Hamas as a Red Herring

2:05 Becoming Palestinian: Identity and Politicization in Amman and the West

7:05 Studying Hamas: A Legitimate Political Actor

11:57 "Hamas Contained" Book: The Real Story Is Gaza

15:55 The Ceiling Is Low: Navigating Western Structures

23:05 The Zionist Sensibility: Confronting Western Complicity

25:22 Abolition and Singularity: A Vision for Liberation

30:38 Recognition and the Management of Conflict

33:34 Reclaiming the Revolutionary Legacy

37:10 Genocide and the Existential War

47:56 Fire in Every Direction: A Memoir As a Political Act

57:57 The Art That Sustains the Struggle

Tareq Baconi is a Palestinian writer, scholar, and activist. He is the grandson of refugees from Jerusalem and Haifa and grew up between Amman and Beirut. His work has appeared in, among others, The New York Times and The Baffler, and he contributes essays to The New York Review of Books and the London Review of Books. He has also written for film; his award-winning BFI short One Like Him, a queer love story set in Jordan, screened in over thirty festivals. He is the author of Hamas Contained: A History of Palestinian Resistance, which was shortlisted for the Palestine Book Award, and Fire in Every Direction.

Hosted by Yazan Kopty 👉 https://instagram.com/yazankopty

Yazan Kopty is a writer, researcher, and community archivist. His work explores the relationship between narrative and power and advocates for storytelling grounded in self-representation and community collaboration. Shaped by his background as an oral historian, his practice aims to gather polyphony of voices and transform memory into a force for resistance, reckoning, and reconciliation. Since 2018, Yazan has been a National Geographic Explorer and lead investigator of Imagining the Holy, a community-based archive project indigenizing historic photographs of Palestinians and their homeland and activating them as sites of gathering, reconnection, and new cultural production. Beginning in October 2025, Yazan will be producer and host of This is Not a Watermelon, afikra’s podcast series reframing Palestine through conversations with experts and practitioners working to preserve its past, document its present, and imagine better futures for the land and its people.

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 

https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

FOLLOW & RATE THE THIS IS NOT A WATERMELON PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/this-is-not-a-watermelon-palestinian-history-culture/id1726893137
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1UWCL1ITtnJIJUExrb6itr?_authfailed=1
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1047932705

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK 
Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl40ZRFvo_VVYg6i56flEjSK

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We go back to 1931, when Palestinian journalist Issa El-Issa visited Paris's Colonial Exhibition and discovered Palestinian pavilions had been co-opted by British and Zionist organizers. This experience led the journalist to organize an Arab Exhibition in Palestine in 1933. Historian Nadi Abusaada discusses Resurgent Nahda, a book he recently researched and edited, and takes us through the exhibition of the same name at Dar El-Nimer in Beirut. The discussion covers the key contributors, artworks, and crafts displayed at the exhibition in Mandate Jerusalem, along with its organization and its role in promoting Arab unity. It also highlights the tragic fate of the Palace Hotel in Jerusalem, which hosted the exhibition and was later repurposed by British and Israeli authorities.

00:00 Introduction 

 01:51 Discussing the Book Resurgent Nahda

 02:35 Origins of the Arab Exhibition Idea

 04:48 Organizing the Arab Exhibition

 05:38 Themes and Contributions of the Exhibition

 08:36 The Role of Exhibitions in Nationalism

 09:17 Historical Context and Modern Relevance

 10:43 Contributors and Their Works

 12:05 Exploring the Exhibition’s Layout

 14:12 Notable Artists and Their Contributions

 23:41 The Urgency of Arab Exhibitions

 26:04 Mother of Pearl Craftsmanship in Bethlehem

 28:45 The Tragic Story of the Palace Hotel

 33:40 Tour of the Art Exhibition at Dar El-Nimer

 34:08 Contributions and Featured Artists

 38:10 Historical Artifacts and Their Significance

 48:05 Rediscovering Yvonne Howa

 50:12 Final Thoughts & Future Exhibitions

Nadi Abusaada is a Jerusalem-born architect and historian. He is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor at the School of Architecture and Design at the American University of Beirut (AUB). His work focuses on the material histories and visual cultures of the modern Arab world. He is the co-editor of “Arab Modern: Architecture and the Project of Independence” (gta Verlag, 2025) and editor of “Resurgent Nahda: The Arab Exhibitions in Mandate Jerusalem” (Kaph Books, 2024). Nadi has earned his Ph.D. and M.Phil. degrees in architecture at the University of Cambridge and his B.A. in architecture at the University of Toronto. He has also held various prestigious academic fellowships including the ETH Zürich Postdoctoral Fellowship at ETH Zürich and the Aga Khan Postdoctoral Fellowship in Islamic Architecture at MIT. Before joining AUB, Nadi has taught subjects related to the history and theory of architecture and urbanism at Cambridge, MIT, and ETH Zürich.

Connect with Nadi Abusaada 👉 https://instagram.com/nadi.saadeh

Hosted by Mikey Muhanna

Connect directly with Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 

https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

FOLLOW & RATE THE THIS IS NOT A WATERMELON PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/this-is-not-a-watermelon-palestinian-history-culture/id1726893137
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1UWCL1ITtnJIJUExrb6itr?_authfailed=1
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1047932705

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK 
Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl40ZRFvo_VVYg6i56flEjSK

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We talk to Lena El-Malak, author of "Stolen Nation: The Right to Reparation of Palestinian Refugees." The discussion explores the unique challenges faced by Palestinian refugees in securing their right of return and receive reparations, contrasting it with other global examples of refugee repatriation and compensation. El-Malak provides an in-depth analysis of various periods in Palestinian land ownership, the role of international law, and the impact of agreements like Resolution 194 and the Oslo Accords. The conversation also covers broader issues of justice and accountability in the Palestinian context.

This episode was recorded on February 25, 2025

00:00 Introduction

01:22 Understanding Reparations: Historical Context

03:31 Palestinian Land Ownership: Historical Overview

04:29 British Mandate and Land Expropriation

07:06 Israeli Legislation and Land Ownership

18:45 UN Resolution 194 and Right of Return

24:36 International Law and Palestinian Rights

35:42 Oslo Accords and the Fragmentation of Palestinian Issues

43:08 Conclusion: Justice for Palestinian Refugees

Lena El-Malak is a commercial tech attorney and data privacy professional (CIPP/E/C) with extensive experience working in the tech industry across Canada, the UK, and the UAE, as well as in private practice at a top-tier British law firm. Prior to transitioning into commercial law, she worked as a legal and development consultant in the non-profit sector. She is the author of "Stolen Nation: The Right to Reparation of Palestinian Refugees" published by I.B. Tauris. 

Connect with Lena El-Malak 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/lena-el-malak/?originalSubdomain=uk

Hosted by Mikey Muhanna

Connect directly with Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu
 

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 

https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

FOLLOW & RATE THE THIS IS NOT A WATERMELON PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/this-is-not-a-watermelon-palestinian-history-culture/id1726893137
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1UWCL1ITtnJIJUExrb6itr?_authfailed=1
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1047932705

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK 
Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl40ZRFvo_VVYg6i56flEjSK

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Activist, producer, writer and editor Frank Barat shares his journey into activism, focusing on Palestine, and the significant moments that shaped his advocacy. From his upbringing in a working-class family to his eye-opening trip to Palestine in 2007, Barat paints a picture of the struggles and beauty he witnessed. He discusses the Russell Tribunal on Palestine and its impact, the Freedom Flotilla initiatives, and the importance of global solidarity movements. He touches on the moral high ground held by the movement and the intricate dynamics of apartheid in Israel, and offers a candid look at the challenges and hopes for the future of Palestine and Palestinian solidarity.

This episode was recorded on April 18, 2025.

00:00 Introduction 
00:48 Frank Barat's Early Influences and Activism
03:02 First Visit to Palestine and Its Impact
10:19 The Russell Tribunal and Its Significance
16:48 Challenges and Strategies in Activism
24:36 The Freedom Flotilla 
31:14 Legal Battles and Collaborations
33:10 The Reality of Activism in Israel and Palestine
34:28 The Moral High Ground and Global Solidarity
35:01 Demonstrations and Public Perception
36:08 Israeli Perspective and Internal Change
38:04 The Zionist Project and Brainwashing
41:05 Chomsky, Pappé & Other Influential Voices
46:16 The Role of Jewish Voices in the Movement
50:56 Global Shifts and the Future of Solidarity
55:51 Reflections on Resilience and Struggle
01:00:44 Book Recommendations and Closing Remarks

Frank Barat is a French-born activist, producer, writer and editor currently based in Brussels, after spending more than a decade in London. He was one of the coordinators of the Russell Tribunal on Palestine (2008-2014) and is the co-founder of Festival Ciné-Palestine in Paris, the Palestina with Love festival in Brussels, and BARC Productions, a film production company, created in Brussels in February 2019. He has produced or co-produced films, including The Key, London Recruits, and a feature documentary on Palestine directed by Ali Al-Araian. He is also developing a television series with UK producer George Arbourne. Barat has edited books with Ilan Pappé, Noam Chomsky, Angela Y. Davis, Marc Lamont Hill, Ken Loach and Vijay Prashad. 

Connect with Frank 👉 https://www.instagram.com/4frankbarat/

Hosted by:
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb

FOLLOW & RATE THE THIS IS NOT A WATERMELON PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/this-is-not-a-watermelon-palestinian-history-culture/id1726893137
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1UWCL1ITtnJIJUExrb6itr?_authfailed=1
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1047932705

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK 
Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl40ZRFvo_VVYg6i56flEjSK

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of This is Not a Watermelon podcast, we're joined by Oscar-Nominated and award-winning Palestinian filmmaker, Scandar Copti. We dive into his childhood in Jaffa and growing up in a neighborhood with a rich and tumultuous history like Ajami, to his rise as an acclaimed filmmaker. Scandar shares personal anecdotes about the challenges he faced – including at the Oscars – his unique filmmaking process, and the philosophical underpinnings of his films "Ajami" and "Happy Holidays." Join us for a captivating conversation about filmmaking, identity, and resistance.

This episode was recorded on March 25, 2025

00:00 Introduction 
01:48 Growing Up in Jaffa
02:08 Life in the Ajami Neighborhood
04:25 Cultural Identity and Language
07:03 Journey to Filmmaking
15:00 First Short Film Experience
16:09 Reflections on Political Speech and Censorship
25:44 Understanding Palestinian Oppression
30:43 Misunderstandings and Criticisms of the Film "Ajami"
35:41 Reflecting on Filmmaking Journey
36:19 The Oscar Nomination 
40:06 Power Dynamics in Collaborative Filmmaking
41:56 Facing Backlash and Controversy
45:51 Anecdotes from the Oscars
52:54 Creating "Happy Holidays"
55:57 Philosophical Insights on Freedom and Oppression
01:02:20 Unique Casting and Filmmaking Techniques
01:06:18 Final Reflections

Scandar Copti is an Oscar-nominated filmmaker known for his distinctive approach to working with non-actors. His debut feature film, Ajami, won the Camera d'Or Special Mention at the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 82nd Academy Awards. His second film, Happy Holidays, premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2024 and won the Orizzonti Award for Best Screenplay. Copti is also the recipient of the prestigious Sutherland Trophy and the Council of Europe Film Award.

Connect with Scandar 👉 https://www.instagram.com/scandemon/

Watch The Truth 👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1c1EKDbEpU

Hosted by:
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb

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» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1047932705

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK 
Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl40ZRFvo_VVYg6i56flEjSK

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

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In this episode of This Is Not a Watermelon podcast, we talk to UN special rapporteur Michael Fakhri, and comic journalist and film writer Omar Khouri, about their report "Palestine and the Right to Food." They explain how starvation is always intentional – with a focus on Israel's policies towards Palestine – illustrating the broader global implications. The episode delves into the legal definitions of famine and starvation, the use of starvation as a weapon, and how the international food system is fundamentally flawed. The discussion covers the collaboration between Michael and Omar, the impact of making such reports accessible through comics, and the bureaucratic challenges they faced within the UN system. They emphasize that the issues in Palestine are part of a larger global crisis affecting food security and human rights worldwide.

00:00 Introduction 
00:37 The Intentionality of Starvation
01:23 Defining Starvation and Its Implications
03:03 The Legal and Humanitarian Perspective
07:19 Global Food Systems and Broader Implications
09:11 The Collaboration and Creation of the Report
18:41 Historical Context and Mechanisms of Starvation
25:59 The Role and Critique of the UN
32:21 The Dilemma of Institutions and Liberation
33:59 Historical Context of Famine and Starvation
38:45 The Role of International Law in Gaza's Fishing Rights
43:10 The Importance of Seeds in Food Sovereignty
47:39 The Impact and Reception of the Report
54:28 Challenges and Future Directions

To view the report 👉 https://www.un.org/unispal/document/right-to-food-report-17jul24/

Michael & Omar's collaboration 👉
https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/issues/food/2024-08-27-visuals-palestinian-people-food-sovereignty.pdf

Michael Fakhri is a professor at the University of Oregon School of Law, specializing in human rights, food law, and development, and directs the Food Resiliency Project. He is an appointed UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food since 2020. He has taught the right to food at institutions like Harvard and the European University Institute and lectured globally on human rights and development and contributed to international forums like the WTO Ministerial Conference. His book "Bandung, Global History, and International Law" has been cited by the International Court of Justice. 

Connect with Michael 👉 https://x.com/michaelfakhri

Omar Khouri is a co-founder of Samandal Comics Magazine, the first experimental comics periodical in the Arab world. In 2010, his socio-political comic strip Utopia won best Arabic Comic at the International Comic book Festival of Algeria (F.I.B.D.A). He currently lives and works in Lebanon.

Connect with Omar 👉 https://www.instagram.com/omar_k_khouri/

Hosted by:
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb

FOLLOW & RATE THE THIS IS NOT A WATERMELON PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/this-is-not-a-watermelon-palestinian-history-culture/id1726893137
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1UWCL1ITtnJIJUExrb6itr?_authfailed=1
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1047932705

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK 
Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl40ZRFvo_VVYg6i56flEjSK

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Better known to many through her Instagram account @leb.historian which has gained a large audience especially since Lebanon's 17 October Revolution, Chloe Kattar joins us on This Is Not a Watermelon for a special podcast episode to contextualize the current Israeli war on Lebanon. We focus on Israeli propaganda and discuss Zionist expansionist agenda and the ways in which these imperial narratives are disseminated. Kattar gives us a quick history of Israel's aggressions on Lebanon which started decades before October 7. She dismantles vague terms weaponized by the the Israeli occupation such as "Hezbollah Infrastructure", clarifies the ambiguities of the "Dahiyeh Doctrine", and explains the impact of drones and psychological warfare on a civilian population.

This episode was recorded on Tuesday October 22nd, 4:30pm Beirut Time. 

0:00 Introduction 
1:16 Information Wars & Israeli Propaganda 
8:40 Israeli Messaging & Narratives to Western Audiences 
11:32 Chronology of the War in Lebanon 
22:05 Zionist Agenda in Lebanon 
24:51 Awareness in the West 
27:09 Relating Palestine & Lebanon 
32:07 The "Dahiyeh Doctrine"
38:19 Drones & Psychological Warfare 
41:32 Resource Recommendations 

Chloe Kattar is a research fellow in history at Darwin College, at the University of Cambridge. She is a historian of the modern Middle East, with a specific interest in the global movement and exchange of ideas between the Arab-speaking world and Western societies. 

Connect with Chloe 👉 https://www.instagram.com/leb.historian/

Hosted by: 
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb

FOLLOW & RATE THE THIS IS NOT A WATERMELON PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/this-is-not-a-watermelon-palestinian-history-culture/id1726893137
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1UWCL1ITtnJIJUExrb6itr?_authfailed=1
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1047932705

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK 
Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl40ZRFvo_VVYg6i56flEjSK

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.