Best Occupied Thoughts FMEP Podcasts (2025)

1
"One hour after an attack, we prepare to be attacked again": Survival in Masafer Yatta 1:10:14

15d ago1:10:14

1:10:14

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP's Sarah Anne Minkin speaks with writer and activist Ali Awad about life in Masafer Yatta, the part of the West Bank where he lives, which is subject to ongoing and escalating state-backed Israeli settler attacks. Ali describes life in his rural village, Tuba, on "a good day," a day without settler attacks,…

1
Memory Culture, Israel and Genocide: Criminalizing Speech in Germany 49:32

15d ago49:32

49:32

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with German journalist Hanno Hauenstein about Germany's memory culture and the treatment of the Holocaust as a unique historical event, as compared to the genocide of the Herero and Nama people and others. They discuss the idea of Germany's Staatrason - or reason for being - which …

1
Why are there so many child amputees in Gaza? 38:17

24d ago38:17

38:17

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart speaks with FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor about child amputees in Gaza, now estimated to number 3,000-4,000, the highest number of child amputees per inhabitant in the world. They discuss how Israel’s denial of medical supplies leads to amputation and what it's like to be a doctor in Gaza, an…

1
Protect Students, Don't Repress Them: The Hostile Environment for Human Rights on College Campuses 48:13

27d ago48:13

48:13

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Hilary Rantisi speaks with Gina Romero, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association, about the many human rights - including freedom of expression, assembly, association, and the right to education - that have been both invoked and repressed as …

1
Analyzing & Shifting U.S. policy towards Israel and Palestine 54:35

27d ago54:35

54:35

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with Josh Paul, former State Department official who resigned in October 2023 in protest against the Biden Administration's military support for Israel. They discuss Josh's decision to resign as well as how defense and foreign lobbying work in the United States. They also speak abo…

1
Palestinian Politics Under Israeli Occupation 1:06:16

1M ago1:06:16

1:06:16

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with Tahani Mustafa, Senior Palestine Analyst for the International Crisis Group, about Palestinian politics and the challenging predicament of cooperation or confrontation with Israel. The two discuss the evolution of the Palestinian Authority and its legitimacy today, including t…

1
Israeli Detention and Torture of Palestinian Medical Workers: Testimonies, Patterns, and Analysis 35:28

1M ago35:28

35:28

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart speaks with Naji Abbas, Director of the Prisoners and Detainees Department for Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI), about Israel targeting medical workers in Gaza for arrest and detention inside of Israel, an effort that is part of the overall destruction of the infrastructure fo…

1
Staying home or Having "Gaza on their mind in the ballot box": Revisiting the 2024 Elections 54:35

1M ago54:35

54:35

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with political strategist and former FMEP Fellow Rania Batrice together with Maya Berry, Executive Director of the Arab American Institute, and Margaret Zaknoen DeReus, Executive Director of the IMEU Policy Project. They discuss the role of Israel’s genocide in Gaza – and the U.S.’…

1
Gaza Genocide, Disinformation, and the Death of Truth, ft Assal Rad & Marc Owen Jones 1:00:57

1M ago1:00:57

1:00:57

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP President Lara Friedman speaks with Dr. Assal Rad and Professor Marc Owen Jones -- two of the most prominent voices and most astute analysts of the role that media and disinformation have played post Oct 7, 2023 -- and continue to play through the present day, in manufacturing consent for Israel’s war on G…

1
Ceasefire Possibilities, Political Dynamics, Regional Aspirations, and the Trump Administration 42:09

2M ago42:09

42:09

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart speaks with analyst Mouin Rabbani about the current state of affairs, including: the potential for Gaza ceasefire negotiations, Palestinian political dynamics and possibilities, Israeli aspirations and actions in Syria and the Syrian regime's response, and the Trump administration's "u…

1
Harvard Professors on Censorship, Repression, and Opportunities for Speaking Up on Palestine 39:40

2M ago39:40

39:40

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP non-resident Fellow Peter Beinart talks with two Harvard professors - Dr. Eman Ansari & Dr. Aaron Shakow - about censorship on college/university campuses and how scholars can respond.For more information, please visit: https://fmep.org/resource/harvard-professors-on-censorship-repression-and-opportunities…

1
The Boomerang Effect: Power and Resistance in the U.S. and Palestine 58:43

2M ago58:43

58:43

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with human rights attorney Professor Noura Erakat about her relationship to Palestine, the movement for Palestinian freedom, and the how she sees the ties among different and overlapping movements for justice and liberation. Drawing upon Noura's recent article in the Boston Review,…

1
Criminalize, Censor, Surveil: Escalating Repression Against Advocates for Palestinian Rights 41:26

2M ago41:26

41:26

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart speaks with Dima Khalidi, the founder and director of Palestine Legal, the leading organization defending the civil and constitutional rights of people in the U.S. speaking out for Palestinian freedom. They discuss the different mechanisms that the Trump administration uses criminalize…

1
Dissent & Resigning from Harvard 46:39

2M ago46:39

46:39

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with Jay Ulfelder, a political scientist and former Program Director of the Nonviolent Action Lab at Harvard Kennedy School’s Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation. The two discuss Jay's decision to resign from Harvard Kennedy School after the school adopted the IHRA …

1
Sumūd: Poetry, Art, Steadfastness, and Joy 38:14

2M ago38:14

38:14

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Hilary Rantisi speaks with Malu Halasa and Jordan Elgrably, editors of the new book Sumūd: A New Palestinian Reader. They discuss the meaning of sumūd to different people -- how it encompasses steadfastness, coping with ongoing oppression, as well as joy and celebration of Palestinian identity -- an…

1
"Centering Human Life, Disrupting Injustice Without Replicating It:" 2025 FMEP Fellow Hilary Rantisi 41:15

3M ago41:15

41:15

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP's Sarah Anne Minkin speaks with Hilary Rantisi, one of FMEP's 2025 non-resident Fellows. They discuss Hilary's work as a longtime educator seeking to teach the critique of power, her childhood and many years living in the West Bank, and how she understands the dynamics of the current moment in the context …

1
Mapping Life & Land: Beirut Urban Lab 1:06:01

3M ago1:06:01

1:06:01

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Dr. Nour Joudah speaks with Ahmad Gharbieh, professor at the American University of Beirut and co-founder of the Beirut Urban Lab, an interdisciplinary research space. They discuss the process and value of critical cartography, which analyzes maps as instruments of power, looking at who has the auth…

1
Genocide and self-involvement: on being Israeli as Israel commits a historic crime 47:22

3M ago47:22

47:22

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor interviews Israeli author, academic, and political commentator Ori Goldberg about how Israeli society reckons - or not - with Palestinians, with committing this genocidal war in Gaza, and with the centrality of the military in Israeli society. The two discuss Ori's path to becoming a diss…

1
The Escalation of Israel's Gaza-fication of the West Bank 49:47

3M ago49:47

49:47

In this episode of FMEP’s Occupied Thoughts, FMEP’s Lara Friedman speaks with preeminent journalist Dalia Hatuqa about the current realities of Israel violence carried out both by the Israeli military and Israeli civilians (settlers) against Palestinians in the West Bank -- including the situation in the months leading up to 10/7/23; the dangerous …

1
A toxic environment for those who dare to question: Prof. Katherine Franke w/ Peter Beinart 48:40

3M ago48:40

48:40

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart interviews Professor Katherine Franke, former faculty at Columbia University’s law school, about student activism and escalating repression at Columbia since October 7th, 2023. Katherine Franke just retired from Columbia, saying “I have come to the view that the Columbia University adm…

1
Introducing 2025 Fellow Ahmed Moor: When "the urgency of the need isn't met by the pace of change." 39:31

3M ago39:31

39:31

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP’s Sarah Anne Minkin speaks with writer Ahmed Moor, one of FMEP’s 2025 Palestinian Non-resident Fellows, about his family and background, the values that guide his writing, and how he understands and engages with Palestinian survival in this moment. They also discuss urgent questions around navigating activ…

1
Holding Israel & the US Accountable for Gaza 52:06

3M ago52:06

52:06

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP's 2025 Palestinian Non-residential Fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with Sarah Leah Whitson, Executive Director of DAWN, a research and advocacy organization focused on U.S. policy in the MENA (Middle East/North Africa) region. They discuss DAWN's approach to analyzing U.S. interests and policy as well as a range …

1
Why Some Israelis Refuse To Serve in the IDF 29:30

4M ago29:30

29:30

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart speaks with Atalya Ben Abba and Mattan Helman of the Israeli Refuser Solidarity Network. They discuss what makes a person refuse to serve in the Israeli military, how the Israeli military treats refusers, and the surprising solidarity inside military prisons. Resources: Refuser Solidar…

1
Phoenix of Gaza: a 360° view of Palestinian agency and life 1:08:35

4M ago1:08:35

1:08:35

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Nour Joudah speaks with Cal State University-San Bernadino Professor Ahlam Muhtaseb. Dr. Muhtaseb is co-founder of the Phoenix of Gaza XR, an interactive virtual reality experience that captures the untold stories of Gaza’s people and its transformation and provides a deep dive into the lives of tho…

1
Can Syria Rebuild? 30:44

4M ago30:44

30:44

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart and analyst Maha Yahya discuss the new developments in Syria. They look at how Syria's new leaders governed in the areas they controlled over the last few years, why some Syrian minorities are fleeing to Lebanon, and whether Turkey will pursue the Kurds in Syria.Maha Yahya is director …

1
Connecting the Bullets: Guns on the Kitchen Table to Organized Crime to Crimes Against Humanity 1:01:41

4M ago1:01:41

1:01:41

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP's Sarah Anne Minkin speaks with attorney and activist Meisa Irshaid, activist and author Rela Mazali, and Professor Jonathan Metzl about the proliferation of guns in civilian spaces in Israel/Palestine. They discuss the the acceleration of organized crime and gun violence in Palestinian communities inside …

1
Eyewitness to Israel's Intentionally Created Health Apocalypse in Gaza 1:25:49

4M ago1:25:49

1:25:49

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP President Lara Friedman speaks with Dr. Tammy Abughnaim, an American physician who has been to Gaza twice since 10/7/23, serving as a humanitarian physician and has worked at Al-Aqsa Hospital and Nasser Medical Complex; and Dr. Yara Asi, assistant professor at the University of Central Florida in the Schoo…

1
How and Why South African Care About Palestinians 36:03

4M ago36:03

36:03

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart speaks with writer and editor William Shoki about the history of South Africa and Israel, how South Africa's government sees its global role, and how South Africans think about Israel/Palestine in comparison to post-apartheid South Africa. William Shoki is a writer and editor of the on…

1
A Cartography of Genocide 38:56

5M ago38:56

38:56

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Non-Resident Fellow Peter Beinart talks to Eyal Weizman about his work at Forensic Architecture and the recently released "Cartography of Genocide" - an interactive platform that maps Israel's genocidal bombardment of Gaza and use of mass evacuation orders to destroy civilian life. Along with the platform,…

1
Understanding Palestinian Pain & Resistance: Reporting from the West Bank 49:14

5M ago49:14

49:14

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Nour Joudah speaks with journalist Mariam Barghouti about reporting from the ground in the West Bank, views on the Palestinian Authority and Palestinian resistance, and understanding Israeli violence in Gaza and the West Bank within the larger frame of Palestinian history. Mariam Barghouti is a Pale…

1
Beyond unipolarity and the 'rules-based international order' toward a "Better Order Project" 37:06

5M ago37:06

37:06

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart speaks with policy experts Zack Paikin and Trita Parsi about the the new report they co-authored, “Toward a Better Security Order,” the first report by the Quincy Institute's Better Order Project. The report is the result of discussions with over 130 experts, scholars, and practitioner…

1
Israel’s UNRWA Ban: What it means for Gaza, the UN and the World 1:14:06

6M ago1:14:06

1:14:06

On 11/28/24, despite warnings by the international community against such a step, Israel’s Knesset voted overwhelmingly to adopt two laws that effectively ban the United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA), the UN agency that has served the needs of Palestinian refugees since 1949, from operating in Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories (West…

1
Holding Israeli Media Accountable: Incitement to Genocide is a Crime 41:27

6M ago41:27

41:27

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP's Sarah Anne Minkin speaks with Israeli human rights attorney Alon Sapir about the legal complaint he recently filed, together with other Israeli attorneys, accusing Israeli media Channel 14 of incitement to genocide against Palestinians and other grave crimes. As Israel's genocidal assault on Gaza continu…

1
"The clash between the stories we tell & the reality of life on the ground" 40:17

6M ago40:17

40:17

FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart speaks with journalist and author Ta-Nehisi Coates about Coates' new book, The Message. Coates’ website describes this part of the book this way: “Coates travels to Palestine, where he sees with devastating clarity how easily we are misled by nationalist narratives, and the tragedy that lies in the clash between the storie…

1
Israel’s Plans for a “New Order” in the Middle East - a conversation with Mouin Rabbani 49:48

6M ago49:48

49:48

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP President Lara Friedman speaks with Mouin Rabbani about Israel's war on Gaza, its offensive in Lebanon, and how these and other developments fit into Israel's broader objectives in the region, most notably with respect to Iran. Mouin is widely published analyst and commentator on Palestinian affairs, the I…

1
The (Bipartisan) Betrayal of Arab Americans 43:25

7M ago43:25

43:25

FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart speaks with Maya Berry, Executive Director of the Arab American Institute to discuss Maya’s experience testifying on hate crimes before the Senate Judiciary Committee, where several Republican Senators challenged her in expressly anti-Arab ways. For more information and resources, please visit: https://fmep.org/resource/th…

1
Palestine in the 2024 U.S. Elections 46:56

7M ago46:56

46:56

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP President Lara Friedman discusses how Palestine is one of the defining issues of the 2024 elections with Rania Batrice, and FMEP 2024 non-Resident Fellow.Read more: https://fmep.org/resource/palestine-in-the-2024-u-s-elections/By Occupied Thoughts by FMEP

1
U.S. Policy Through the Looking Glass 37:46

8M ago37:46

37:46

FMEP Non-resident Fellow Rania Batrice talks with Matt Duss (Center for International Policy) about the current state of politics on Israel and Palestine in the U.S..By Occupied Thoughts by FMEP

1
The Accountability Archive 44:49

8M ago44:49

44:49

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Non-Resident Fellow Nour Joudah speaks with Philip Proudfoot and Mahdi Zaidan from the Accountability Archive (@archivegenocide), which describes itself as a “crowdsourced record of journalists, politicians, and public figures endorsing or encouraging the ethnic cleansing of Gaza and/or defaming pro-Palest…

1
Turning Pain into Power: Feeding Families & Bringing Attention to Gaza 32:26

9M ago32:26

32:26

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Rania Batrice speaks with Hani Almadhoun, Gaza native, Director of Philanthropy at UNRWA USA, and co-founder, along with his family in Gaza, of Gaza Soup Kitchen. They discuss survival and loss in Gaza, where Hani's parents, siblings, and extended family live, and the project his family created to p…

1
Harrison Mann on Immoral Policy, Looming Regional War, and Leaving the Biden Administration 33:47

9M ago33:47

33:47

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart speaks with Harrison Mann, a former U.S. Army major and executive officer of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) Middle East/Africa Regional Center who resigned in protest of his office’s support for Israel during its Gaza campaign. They discuss Harrison's decision to resign, why gov…

1
The Core Truths About Palestine and Israel 46:22

9M ago46:22

46:22

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart speaks with writer Ahmed Moor about why Israel/Palestine is not exceptional, why Palestinians turn to armed resistance, and why neither Palestinians nor Jewish Israelis will leave the land between the Jordan river and the Mediterranean Sea. Ahmed Moor is Palestinian-American writer who…

1
The Assault on the Khalidi Library in Jerusalem 32:00

10M ago32:00

32:00

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart speaks with Columbia Professor Emeritus Rashid Khalidi. They discuss how and why Jewish settlers are trying to take over the Khalidi Library in Jerusalem and the history of Israel's treatment of Palestinian educational institutions. They also reflect on the current war, looking at its …

1
Witnessing in the West Bank & Gaza with Riham Jafari 24:40

10M ago24:40

24:40

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Rania Batrice speaks with Palestinian communication and advocacy specialist Riham Jafari about Gaza and the West Bank, focusing specifically on the impact of the last nine months on women and girls, on the health system in Gaza, and on the use of starvation as a weapon against the Palestinians in Ga…

1
Israel is annexing the West Bank 33:20

10M ago33:20

33:20

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart speaks with Professor Yael Berda about Israel's de facto annexation of the West Bank. A few days ago, the Guardian reported that “[t]he Israeli military has quietly handed over significant legal powers in the occupied West Bank to pro-settler civil servants working for the far-right mi…

1
The Gaza Catastrophe, Part 2 — The U.S. Role & Responsibility 1:09:47

11M ago1:09:47

1:09:47

This session reviewed and analyzed the role Congress & the Executive have played vis-a-vis Israel and Palestine in general, and Gaza in particular, both before and since 10/7/23.Panelists: Josh Paul (former official at the U.S. Department of State), Zaha Hassan (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace), Tess McEnery (Middle East Democracy Center…

1
The Gaza Catastrophe, Part 3 — International Law & Humanitarian Crisis 1:17:32

11M ago1:17:32

1:17:32

This session examined humanitarian conditions and issues of international law and accountability, including the ongoing genocide case before the International Court of Justice. Panelists: Raz Segal (Stockton University), Sherine Tadrous (Amnesty International), Chris Gunness (Former UNRWA spokesperson); co-moderated by MEI’s Khaled Elgindy and FMEP…

1
The Gaza Catastrophe, Part 4 — What Comes Next? 1:23:04

11M ago1:23:04

1:23:04

What comes next? This session examined the prospects for reconstruction and governance in Gaza as well as implications of the ongoing crisis for internal Palestinian politics and the future of the Palestinian national movement.Panelists: Abdelhadi Alijl (Social & Political Scientist), Nour Odeh (Political Activist), Mouin Rabbani (Jaddaliya); co-mo…

1
Introduction to the Gaza Catastrophe: 2024 Congressional Briefing Series 22:48

11M ago22:48

22:48

Khaled Elgindy of the Middle East Institute (MEI) and Lara Friedman of the Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP) speak with Sarah Anne Minkin (FMEP) about "The Gaza Catastrophe: 2024 Congressional Briefing Series." The Congressional Briefing Series is an educational program conducted annually by the Middle East Institute’s Palestinian Affairs Pro…

1
The Gaza Catastrophe, Part 1 — How We Got Here 1:14:00

11M ago1:14:00

1:14:00

This session assessed the current situation on the ground in Gaza, how we got here, including the events of October 7, as well as conditions in the West Bank, along the Israel-Lebanon border, and broader regional dynamics.Panelists: Mkhaimar Abusada (Al-Azhar University of Gaza) & Mairav Zonszein (International Crisis Group); co-moderated by MEI’s …

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Occupied Thoughts FMEP Podcasts

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