Vegans For Palestine Podcast

In this episode, two vegan Palestinians in the diaspora, Suzi and Rayan, reflect on life in exile and the enduring struggle for identity and justice whilst living outside of Palestine. Suzi shares her family’s story of fleeing their destroyed village during the 1948 Nakba, recounting how her relatives rebuilt their lives while holding onto their Palestinian heritage. Suzi reflects on moments of connection with other Palestinians across the diaspora and how recent events in Gaza have reopened generational wounds of displacement, trauma and loss. Suzi also speaks about Handala, the beloved Palestinian icon created by artist Naji al-Ali — a barefoot child with his back turned to the world, representing the innocence of exile and the steadfast resistance of the Palestinian people. Handala stands as a timeless symbol of defiance, resilience, and the refusal to accept injustice. The episode concludes with Suzi reflecting on her lifelong compassion for animals, her journey into veganism, and how empathy and justice are deeply interwoven in her Palestinian identity and ethical practice.

Captioned for Deaf & Hard of Hearing people here. 

Naji al-Ali remembered: A Palestinian cartoonist gunned down in London. Read here.

Who is Handala? Read: Who is Handala, the barefoot, spiky-haired boy who symbolizes Palestinian resistance? Read here.

Handala is a 10-year-old refugee boy created by cartoonist Naji Al-Ali - watch summary here.

The music featured in this episode is by Rana Hamida, Adan Wakeem and Emsallam.

Rana Hamida is a Palestinian artist, yogi, director, and human rights advocate based in Aotearoa (New Zealand). In 2024, Rana joined the Freedom Flotilla Coalition aboard Handala, sailing in solidarity with Palestine. The following year, she was part of the Aotearoa delegation for the Global March to Gaza but was denied entry upon arrival at the Egyptian airport. Undeterred, Rana continues to organise locally, fostering unity, resilience, and solidarity within the movement. She serves as a spokesperson for the Aotearoa delegation and as the communications and media lead for the Global Sumūd Flotilla. Follow Rana’s work and activism on Instagram.

Adan Wakeem is a Palestinian musician from the village of Ma’liya in the Galilee, now based in Haifa. Wakeem gained recognition for her reinterpretation of “Bent el 48” (بنت الـ٤٨), a mash-up cover that highlights her connection to identity and place. She has collaborated with other Palestinian artists, including Emsallam on the track “Aref Innak,” and continues to build a body of work that celebrates Palestinian heritage while experimenting with modern soundscapes. Listen to Adan's music here.

Emsallam (Msallam Hdaib) is a Palestinian artist, musician, & painter currently based in Moscow. With a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts and a Master’s in Ceramics, he blends his passions for visual art and music. Follow Emsallam here  Check out his music here  and here on soundcloud

The Vegans for Palestine Podcast Team would like to thank Suzi for donating her time to talk to us, share her stories and her experiences. One day, Handala will no longer be in exile. Neither will we.

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This episode features Said, a Palestinian vegan from Nazareth now based in Jordan, who shares his journey into veganism, beginning with health reasons and evolving into a commitment to animal rights and human liberation.Said discusses co-founding Jordanian Vegans and Vegans for Palestine, veganizing traditional dishes like Mansaf, and the need to challenge “vegan-washing,” especially when Israel markets itself as 'vegan-friendly' while committing atrocities against Palestinians. Alongside activism, Said reflects on his family’s experiences during the Nakba, and the resilience of the people of Nazareth. The conversation with Rayan weaves together food, memory, resistance, and vision for a free, secular, democratic Palestine where returning home is a necessity.

This episode features edited auto captions for Deaf and Hard of Hearing viewers here.

Read Letter from Nazareth: The forgotten Palestinians here

Read Why Israel has silenced the 1948 story of Nazareth’s survival here

The music in this episode is credited to Wlad el-Hara (We7 - "Boys of the Hood") - a Palestinian group from Nazareth. Follow here 

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M'jaddara is what happens when brown lentils, rice (or bulgur), carmelized onions, cumin and golden olive oil come together. It is one of many Palestinian vegan dishes. You might think this episode is just about the dish, but you'll need to tune in to find out more! Dalal and Rayan discuss the warmth, versatility, and cultural significance of the dish. M'jaddara is both a comfort food enjoyed with salad, bread, or (vegan!) yogurt, and a symbol of simplicity, community, and resilience. The episode also traces m'jaddara's history, noting how colonialism, the Nakba, and refugee food aid turned it into both a survival meal and a reminder of loss, while also celebrating its place in Palestinian cookbooks, literature, and family memory. So this episode is not just about the dish itself, but how cuisine connects to identity and resistance. .

This episode has captions that are edited for Deaf and Hard of Hearing viewers. View here.

Recipes for M'jaddura:
Blanche Araj Shaheen: Blanche and her mamma Vera give you insider tips and tricks on how to make this popular vegan Arab dish--lentils, rice, topped with sweet caramelized onions! Watch here.
Plant Based Arab - Watch here for Mujaddara (Bulgur Lentils) 

The music in this episode is credited to various Palestinian artists:

Ahmed Muin is a Palestinian musician currently surviving the genocide in Gaza. He is the founder of Gaza Birds Singing which is a musical support group born during the displacement in Gaza.
Follow Ahmad here
Follow Gaza Birds Singing here

Mahmoud Shalabi is a Palestinian actor and artist based in Akka, Palestine. Mahmoud Shalabi plays the ney (Arab flute) here.

Noel Kharman is a Palestinian singer originally from a small village near Haifa. Follow Noel here:
Rola Azar  is a Palestinian singer originally from Nazareth. Follow Rola here: 

The Vegans for Palestine Podcast Team are proud to showcase such amazing Palestinian music talent. 

Sahtein and Free Palestine.

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They are back! Dr Leila and Rayan are here to discuss the taboo topic of white veganism - a reality often denied by several vegans across the globe. This episode explores how white veganism reproduces racism, colonialism, and Zionism. Dr. Leila and Rayan critique the appropriation of food, the marginalisation of BIPOC vegans, and how mainstream veganism prioritises whiteness, consumerism, and neo-colonial Zionism. They highlight how ex-vegans often shift toward Zionism and the far right, questioning whether such individuals were ever committed to the liberation of human and non-human animals. Cultural appropriation, tokenism, and complicity with oppressive institutions are also discussed. Dr Leila asks a very important question - is there any hope for the vegan movement? 

This podcast episode has edited captions for Deaf and Hard of Hearing viewers. To access - click here. 

The Palestinian Musician featured in this episode is Daboor - Please follow here. 

The Vegans for Palestine Podcast team would like to thank Dr Leila for joining us this episode. 

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In this episode, Dalal shares her journey to veganism, deeply rooted in Palestinian culture and her upbringing in a felahi community. Her blog "Vegan on Budget / Za’atar Queen" emerged from a desire to document her plant-based lifestyle while highlighting Palestinian culinary heritage, especially the cultural and political significance of za’atar. She explains how za’atar is not 'a seasoning' but a symbol of identity, resistance, and heritage for Palestinians. Also, Dalal reflects on growing up with fresh, homegrown vegetables and how veganism for her is a continuation of Felahi traditions. She critiques mainstream veganism's consumerist focus and emphasizes the need for Arabic-language vegan resources, leading her to create the podcast What the Bateekh. Through conversations with Arab vegans, she explored how veganism intersects with anti-colonial struggle, memory, and identity. Olive harvesting, za’atar preparation, and food sharing are presented as acts of cultural resilience and resistance to Israeli settler colonialism, apartheid and occupation. For Dalal, veganism in Palestine has emerged as a political and cultural expression of survival, memory, and Palestinian liberation.

Captioned version for Deaf and Hard of Hearing people available here.

Follow What the Bateekh Podcast here

The Palestinian artists featured in this episode include:

Dalal Abu Amneh (Palestinian Singer, Producer and Neuroscientist from Nazareth) - Follow Dalal here  and check out Dalal's website here.

Mariam Tamari (Palestinian-Japanese Soprano currently living in Paris) - Follow Mariam here.  Check out this interview with Mariam here. Also check out Mariam's website here. 

The Vegans for Palestine Podcast Team are so proud of Dalal and Mariam's amazing talent. 

Free Palestine.

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French activist Bouchara joins Rayan to discuss veganism, racism, Islamophobia and political activism in France. A long-time anti-speciesist and animal liberation advocate, Bouchara shares how her journey to veganism stems from childhood compassion for animals and scientific inquiry into animal exploitation. Her research focuses on the intersections between speciesism, sexism, racism, and other systems of domination, using a sociopsychological lens to explore how prejudice influences societal attitudes toward animals and veganism. For migrants and people of colour—especially Muslims—entering French vegan spaces is further complicated by systemic racism, Islamophobia, and exclusionary practices within white-dominated activist circles. Bouchara shares painful experiences of being sidelined from leftist and vegan movements for addressing racism or expressing her Muslim identity.

The transcript for this episode is edited for accessibility here.

Follow Vegans for Palestine here.

Clip used in this episode is from the following source: Unabated Police Brutality, Racism, And Islamophobia In France - watch here

The Palestinian Musician featured in this episode is Nai Barghouti  ناي البرغوثي

Nai Barghouti is a Flutist and Singer.

Follow Nai here or here on youtube. 

The Vegans for Palestine Podcast Team appreciate Bouchara's time in joining us and value the amazing work of Nai Barghouti.

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White veganism is not just about white vegans. It is not just about skin colour. We have emphasised that point throughout this special episode, where Dr Leila joins Rayan. Want to know more? tune in!

The transcript for Episode 12 - White Veganism is edited for accessibility. Click here to view captioned version.
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Follow Dr. Leila here

Follow Plant-based Health Justice - here

The music clip featured in this episode is available to view here. 

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White veganism is not just about white vegans. It is not just about skin colour. We have emphasised that point throughout this special episode, where Dr Leila joins Rayan. Want to know more? tune in!

The transcript for Episode 12 - White Veganism is edited for accessibility.
___________________________
Follow Dr. Leila here

Follow Plant-based Health Justice - here

The music clip featured in this episode is available to view here. 

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In the shadow of the horrific genocide that is taking place across the Gaza Strip, several vegans around the world have connected to fundraise for vegans in Gaza and animal rescue organisations in Palestine. Victoria and Rayan reflect on their activism and connections within Vegans for Palestine, and discuss how comradeship, education and resistance are part of intersectional pro-Palestinian veganism. 

Episode 11 - 'When vegan comrades unite for Palestine' has captions adjusted & edited for Deaf and Hard of Hearing viewers. Find here. 

Follow Victoria here. 

Follow Vegans for Palestine here.

Some Vegans in Gaza that you can support:

Mohammed Wishah  - Support here. 

Esraa - Support here. 

Amar - Support here. 

Mohammed Alkolak - Support here.

Ahmed - Support here.

Sulala Animal Rescue in Gaza - Support here.

Vegan in Gaza (Vegan food packages for Gaza families) - Support here.

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Want to read more about collective liberation? Check out the following:

Social Change Eco-System map.
No movement exists in Isolation.
On Resistance.

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The Palestinian musicians featured in this episode include:

Hosam Hassona (from Gaza, Palestine) - Follow here. 

Basel Nasralla (from Gaza, Palestine) - Follow here. 

Bashar Murad (from Jerusalem, Palestine) - Follow here and here on youtube 

Lina Makoul (from Akka, Palestine) - Follow here and here on youtube 

Interview with Lina Makoul. 

Please follow, share and support their work. 

The Vegans for Palestine Podcast team would like to thank Victoria for a great discussion! Thank you for your solidarity! We are honoured that you have joined us for this special episode and cannot wait for you to join us in a free Palestine! 

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Louis Theroux documentary 'The Settlers' is making waves across social media. In this episode, Dalal and Rayan look at both of Theroux's documentaries on Palestine and point out the importance of centring Palestinian narratives in charting the israeli colonial project's efforts to colonise Palestine.

This episode has captions adjusted & edited for Deaf and Hard of Hearing viewers.  Available here.

'If you were shocked by my film on Israeli settlers in the West Bank, you haven’t been paying attention' by Louis Theroux. Read here

What does H1 and H2 in Hebron mean?

Carolina Pedrazzi - 'They like parading their power': In Hebron, a case study in Israeli apartheid'. Read here 

Opening track (Palestine chant) listen here.

The Palestinian musician featured in this episode is Jowan Safadi (a vegan from Akka, Palestine). 

Follow Jowan here.

Read about Jowan here - Palestinian Art During Genocide: An Interview with Jowan Safadi and Haneen Odetallah.

The Vegans for Palestine Podcast team appreciate Jowan's outstanding music. Please follow and support Jowan's work.

From the River to the Sea.      

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