Vegans for Palestine Podcast - Episode 26 - How can you be vegan if you are not pro-Palestine?

In this episode of the Vegans for Palestine podcast, Rayan speaks with Majdoleen, a Palestinian vegan activist, educator and content creator, about the connections between veganism, Palestinian culture, and social justice. Majdoleen reflects on her experiences as a Palestinian vegan and discusses how veganism strengthened her connection to Palestinian culture, food traditions and the land. Drawing on personal stories, she explains how traditional Palestinian cuisine contains many plant-based foods and highlights the importance of preserving cultural and agricultural practices. The conversation explores the concept of intersectional veganism, with Majdoleen arguing that vegan values of compassion, justice and opposition to harm should extend beyond animals to include all forms of oppression and violence. The two ask a very important question - how can you be vegan if you are not pro-Palestine? Spoiler alert - you can't! This episode is transcribed for Deaf and Hard of Hearing viewers here. Follow Majdoleen here Check out Majdoleen's tiktok account here This episode features the poem called 'Shades of Anger' by Rafeef Ziadeh. Palestinian poet, writer, and activist Rafeef Ziadeh is known for her powerful spoken-word poetry that explores themes of identity, resistance, displacement, and social justice. Her poem Shades of Anger challenges racist stereotypes, colonial narratives, and the dehumanisation of Palestinians, while affirming Palestinian resilience and dignity. Through personal storytelling and emotional imagery, the poem highlights the experiences of Palestinian women and communities living under occupation, while expressing anger as a legitimate response to injustice and oppression.You can view the poem here: Music in this episode:Dounana (Without Us) by Siba Alkhiami and Felix Spitta is a powerful Arabic protest song that confronts colonialism, displacement, cultural erasure, and the dehumanisation of oppressed peoples, asking the recurring question, “Who would you be without us?” as an affirmation of the contributions, resilience, and humanity of colonised communities. Written and performed by the Berlin-based Syrian artist Siba and produced by MONKYMAN, the song transforms anger, grief, and resistance into a message of collective empowerment and solidarity for people experiencing oppression around the world.Thank you so much for joining us, Majdoleen! We hope to one day celebrate freedom in the beautiful village of al-Na'ani - النعاني with you! Free Palestine!Send us Fan Mail