EP. 12 Maqluba: the upside down dish that is life on the West Bank

Life on the West Bank is upside down for Palestinians.  They have little of rights on their land that they have lived on for centuries. The towns that they do live in cannot grow because they are being strangled by encroaching Israeli settlements. East Jerusalem, internationally designated as the Palestinian capital - is not.  A journey that should take minutes takes hours and hours. The places where the are supposed to be safe - are not.It is, says today's guest Firas, like Maqluba - the beloved Palestinian upside down dish. Except it isn't. Unlike Maqluba,living on the West Bank is neither tasty nor beloved. This episode is co-hosted by Zoya (our half Palestinian half Ukrainian guest from episode 9) who brings her compassion, with and  experience of, the Palestinian tragedy to a thoughtful discussion that ranges from Firas' personal story to  questions of decolonizing minds and managing conflict where laws and governance do not apply. And it ends - as so many of our stories do -  with the ties of the heart: those profound emotional bonds  that define what it means to truly belong "with" a place and its people. Send us Fan MailSupport the show You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors.Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets.That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard.If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive.