The Enlightenment Podcast

In Episode 80 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan are joined by Hala Sabbah—a London-based Palestinian of Gazan origin and co-founder of The Sameer Project, alongside Lena Dajani and Translating Falasteen.After losing her uncle, Samir Abu Salim, in an Israeli bombing in Gaza, Hala transformed unimaginable grief into action. Just four weeks later, she helped establish The Sameer Project, a grassroots humanitarian initiative that has since raised more than $21 million, distributed over 60 million litres of clean water, and established Refaat Alareer, providing shelter and care for displaced families with critically ill and injured children.In this powerful conversation, Hala shares the personal story behind one of the largest grassroots humanitarian efforts supporting Palestinians in Gaza. She reflects on loss, resilience, community-led aid, and why ordinary people around the world have become essential in keeping families alive during one of the worst humanitarian crises in modern history.This episode offers a rare, first-hand perspective on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza through the eyes of someone leading life-saving relief efforts every day. It is an essential conversation about solidarity, resilience, and the power of ordinary people to make an extraordinary impact.If you enjoyed this episode, please Like, Subscribe, and Share. Your support helps amplify Palestinian voices and enables more people to discover these important conversations.The Sameer Project’s Social Media:Website → thesameerproject.org Instagram → instagram.com/thesameerproject Substack → tr.ee/CQmEF4GgZW Donations → linktr.ee/thesameerproject The Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast#Palestine #Gaza #TheSameerProject #HalaSabbah #HumanitarianAid #GazaCrisis #CleanWater #PalestinianVoices #FreePalestine #TheEnlightenmentPodcast #Podcast #HumanRights #MiddleEast #ChildrenOfGaza #GrassrootsAid

What happens when speaking out for Palestine makes you a target?In Episode 79 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan are joined by Randa Abdel-Fattah—Palestinian-Australian writer, sociologist, lawyer, Future Fellow at Macquarie University, and the multi-award-winning author of more than 12 books.Randa shares her remarkable journey growing up as a Palestinian in Australia, becoming one of the world's most influential Muslim authors, and why storytelling has always been an act of resistance.The conversation also explores the extraordinary events that followed her disinvitation from Adelaide Writers' Week, where more than 180 writers—including Zadie Smith and former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern—withdrew in solidarity, leading to the resignation of the festival board and the cancellation of the event.Together, they examine anti-Palestinian racism, academic censorship, media narratives, decolonization, Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS), freedom of expression, and why defending Palestinian rights is inseparable from defending human rights everywhere.If you're looking for thoughtful conversations that go beyond mainstream media coverage of Palestine, you've come to the right place.Randa Abdel-Fattah’s Work:Does My Head Look Big in This? → https://bit.ly/4xRmEi2 Discipline → https://bit.ly/4vDry0W Ceasefire Now: A Zine About Action for Palestine → https://bit.ly/4gHpbVW Eleven Words for Love → https://bit.ly/43XqB7q Randa Abdel-Fattah’s Social Media:Website → randaabdelfattah.comInstagram → instagram.com/randaafattahX → https://x.com/RandaAFattah The Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast#Palestine #RandaAbdelFattah #TheEnlightenmentPodcast #FreePalestine #Gaza #AcademicFreedom #Decolonization #PalestinianVoices #BDS #HumanRights #Censorship #Australia #Podcast #MiddleEast #JusticeForPalestine

What does it mean to be a Palestinian Christian living under occupation? How has Christian Zionism shaped Western support for Israel? And why did Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac's sermon Christ in the Rubble resonate with millions around the world?In Episode 78 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Hanan and Shamim speak with Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac, Palestinian Christian theologian, pastor, author of Christ in the Rubble, Academic Dean of Bethlehem Bible College, and founder of the Christ at the Checkpoint movement.Born and raised in Bethlehem, Rev. Isaac offers a powerful perspective on Palestinian Christianity, Christian Zionism, Gaza, faith, justice, and the ongoing struggle for Palestinian freedom.This is an essential conversation for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of Palestine, Christianity, and the role faith plays in the struggle for justice.Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac is a Palestinian Christian theologian, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem, Academic Dean of Bethlehem Bible College, and Director of the Bethlehem Institute for Peace and Justice.Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac’s Work:Christ in the Rubble → https://bit.ly/3QpVnCLFrom Land to Lands, from Eden to the Renewed Earth: A Christ-Centred Biblical Theology of the Promised Land → https://bit.ly/4vU7zKRChrist at the Checkpoint: Blessed are the Peacemakers → https://bit.ly/4ejbWt9Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac’s Social Media:Instagram → instagram.com/munther.isaac X (Twitter) → x.com/MuntherIsaacFacebook → facebook.com/munther.isaac Website → Bethlehem Institute for Peace & Justice https://bipj.infoThe Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast#Palestine #MuntherIsaac #ChristianZionism #ChristInTheRubble #Gaza #PalestinianChristians #Bethlehem #PalestinePodcast #IsraelPalestine #TheEnlightenmentPodcast

Noura Erakat joins Shamim Sarif and Hanan Kattan on Episode 77 of The Enlightenment Podcast.A Palestinian-American human rights lawyer, Rutgers University professor, author of Justice for Some, and co-author of Confronting Zionism, Noura Erakat has become one of the most influential voices explaining Palestine, international law, and decolonisation.In this conversation, Noura examines why international law has failed to stop Israel's assault on Gaza, the growing gap between legal rulings and enforcement, and how Palestine has become a test case for the future of global justice.She discusses the ICC arrest warrants, the ICJ genocide case, Project Esther, attacks on free speech and academic freedom, and why the suppression of Palestinian solidarity movements is reshaping civil liberties across the West.Noura also reflects on Palestinian futurism, decolonisation, accountability after genocide, and why she believes Palestine sits at the centre of a much larger struggle over democracy, power, and the future of the international order.Noura Erakat’s Work:Justice for Some: Law and the Question of Palestine → bit.ly/4e8dnJy Confronting Zionism: Decolonizing Palestine and Building the World Anew → Available on 2026 NovemberNoura Erakat’s Social Media:Instagram → instagram.com/nouraerakat/ X (Twitter) → x.com/4noura Facebook → facebook.com/noura.erakat/ Website → www.nouraerakat.comThe Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast#NouraErakat #Palestine #Gaza #InternationalLaw #ProjectEsther #ICC #ICJ #FreePalestine #PalestinianVoices #TheEnlightenmentPodcast #HumanRights #MiddleEast #Decolonisation #PoliticalPodcast #PalestinePodcast

Steve Cutts, CEO of Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP), joins Shamim Sarif and Hanan Kattan in Episode 76 of The Enlightenment Podcast to discuss why MAP refused Israel’s demand to hand over the names of its Palestinian staff — a decision that led to Israel deregistering the organisation in 2025 after more than 40 years of medical and humanitarian work supporting Palestinians.Drawing on his experience inside the UN and international institutions, Steve examines the systematic targeting of Palestinian healthcare, the weaponisation of humanitarian aid, the silencing of medical witnesses from Gaza, and the wider failure of the international system to enforce accountability despite overwhelming evidence of war crimes and collective punishment.Steve Cutts also reflects on hope, solidarity, international justice, and why silence in the face of atrocities becomes complicity.📚 Hanan Kattan’s new book Palestine Revealed supports Palestinian charities including MAP.Get the book at www.palestinerevealed.com👇 WATCH, SHARE & SUBSCRIBE to help amplify Palestinian voices and independent journalism.Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) Social Media:Steve Cutts Linked In→ linkedin.com/in/stevejohncuttsInstagram → instagram.com/medicalaidpal X (Twitter) → x.com/MedicalAidPal Facebook → facebook.com/MedicalAidforPalestinians Website → map.org.ukDonate Here → linktr.ee/MedicalAidforPalestinians The Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast#Palestine #Gaza #MedicalAidForPalestinians #MAP #SteveCutts #TheEnlightenmentPodcast #FreePalestine #GazaGenocide #PalestinianVoices #IsraelPalestine #HumanRights #ICJ #ICC #UN #HealthcareUnderAttack #PalestinianRights #MiddleEast #Podcast #PoliticalPodcast #PalestineRevealed

In Episode 75 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan are joined by Dr. Ahmed Massoud, a Palestinian consultant pediatrician, endocrinologist, and chairman of the Hanoon Foundation, a British charity that has spent nearly three decades supporting Palestinian healthcare and medical education.Through the Hanoon Foundation’s work, Palestinian doctors, nurses, and medical students have received vital training, educational opportunities, and support despite the immense pressures created by occupation, siege, and repeated attacks on Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure.Dr. Massoud has dedicated his career not only to treating children, but also to strengthening the future of Palestinian medicine itself—helping ensure that expertise, education, and care continue even under conditions designed to break them.This is a conversation about resilience, responsibility, and the long struggle to protect life under impossible conditions.Dr. Ahmed Massoud’s Work:The Hanoon Foundation → https://hanoon.org/ The Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast#TheEnlightenmentPodcast #AhmedMassoud #HanoonFoundation #PalestinianHealthcare #MedicineInGaza #FreePalestine #MedicalEducation #Gaza #HealthcareUnderAttacK #DoctorsForPalestine #PalestinianChildren #EndTheOccupation

In Episode 74 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan are joined by Professor Nick Maynard, Consultant Upper GI Surgeon at Oxford University Hospitals, and one of the most important medical voices speaking out on Gaza today.Professor Maynard is the Chairman of the International Medical Education Trust (IMET2000) and Chair of the Board of Trustees for Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP). He is also the author of a widely read Guardian article documenting the deliberate starvation of children in Gaza, based on his firsthand experience working under siege conditions. In recognition of his humanitarian work, he was awarded the UK Humanitarian Medal by King Charles in February.Having worked directly inside Gaza’s collapsing healthcare system, Professor Maynard brings urgent, eyewitness testimony to what is happening on the ground—testimony that challenges official narratives and demands global attention.Professor Nick Maynard’s Work:The Guardian Article → theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jul/22/gaza-israel-deliberate-starvation-ceasefire-aid IMET2000 → imet2000.org Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) → map.org.ukProfessor Nick Maynard’s Social Media:Instagram → instagram.com/nickmaynard.surgeon X (Twitter) → x.com/maynard_nickThe Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast#TheEnlightenmentPodcast #NickMaynard #Gaza #GazaGenocide #MedicalAidForPalestinians #MAP #HealthcareUnderAttack #DoctorsInGaza #HumanitarianCrisis #FreePalestine #EndTheOccupation #WarCrimes #TruthToPower #MedicalWitness

In Episode 73 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan are joined by Professor Ilan Pappé, one of the world’s most important and controversial Israeli historians, whose work has fundamentally reshaped global understanding of the history of Palestine.Professor Pappé is the author of numerous groundbreaking books, including The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine, Lobbying for Zionism on Both Sides of the Atlantic, and his latest work, Israel on the Brink (2025). He is also the current Chairman of the Nakba Memorial Foundation, continuing his commitment to preserving historical truth and Palestinian memory.Through meticulous research in Israeli state archives, he has exposed the systematic policies of displacement, dispossession, and narrative control that underpin the creation of Israel—work that has led to fierce backlash, including condemnation by the Israeli parliament.Now based in the UK, Professor Pappé continues to challenge dominant narratives and speak out on Palestine, despite decades of political pressure, professional attacks, and attempts to silence his scholarship.Prof. Ilan Pappé’s Work:The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine → bit.ly/482bImH Lobbying for Zionism on Both Sides of the Atlantic → bit.ly/4dMQ35D Israel on the Brink (2025) → bit.ly/4erpVNU Nakba Memorial Foundation → nakbamf.org/ The Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast#TheEnlightenmentPodcast #IlanPappe #EthnicCleansingOfPalestine #PalestineHistory #FreePalestine #Zionism #IsraelPalestine #Nakba #DecolonizePalestine #HistoricalTruth #EndTheOccupation #Gaza #AcademicFreedom #TruthToPower

In Episode 72 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan are joined by Jamal Kanj, a Palestinian-American author, political commentator, and one of the most widely read columnists writing today on Palestinian liberation, identity, and the narratives used to justify dispossession.Jamal is the author of several influential books, including Children of Catastrophe: Journey from a Palestinian Refugee Camp to America, a deeply personal and political account of exile, survival, and identity. Through his writing and commentary, he has consistently challenged dominant Western narratives, exposing the myths and distortions that underpin the ongoing displacement of Palestinians.His work has been featured in leading international outlets, where he writes on Middle East politics, Palestinian rights, cultural erasure, and historical memory, bringing clarity and urgency to issues often misrepresented in mainstream discourse.Jamal Kanj’s Work:Children of Catastrophe: Journey from a Palestinian Refugee Camp to America  → amazon.com/Children-Catastrophe-Journey-Palestinian-Refugee-ebook/ Jamal Kanj’s Social Media:Facebook → facebook.com/jamal.kanjInstagram → www.instagram.com/instajamalkWebsite → jamalkanj.comThe Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast#TheEnlightenmentPodcast #JamalKanj #PalestinianHistory #FreePalestine #PalestinianStories #EndTheOccupation #Gaza #Palestine #DigitalResistance

In Episode 71 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan are delighted to be joined by Billy Howle, the acclaimed British actor whose work spans film, television, and theatre. Audiences know Billy from projects such as On Chesil Beach, Dunkirk, The Serpent, and The Perfect Couple. Most recently, he appears in Anne-Marie Jacir’s powerful new film Palestine 36, where he plays Thomas Hopkins, a British civil servant caught up in the historic events of the 1936 Palestinian Revolt against British colonial rule.Beyond his work on screen, Billy has also been an outspoken supporter of Palestinian human rights, publicly calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and supporting Artists for Palestine UK, joining a growing number of cultural figures using their platforms to challenge silence and censorship.Billy Howle’s Work:Palestine ‘36 → palestine36film.com/buy-ticketsPalestine ’36 theatrical run in North America: 📍 New York City – March 20📍 Select cities – March 27📍 Nationwide expansion – AprilArtists4Palestine UK → artistsforpalestine.org.uk The Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast#TheEnlightenmentPodcast #BillyHowle #Palestine36 #PalestinianHistory #1936Revolt #FreePalestine #ArtistsForPalestine #CinemaAsResistance #AnneMarieJacir #Dunkirk #OnChesilBeach #PalestinianStories #EndTheOccupation #Gaza

In Episode 70 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan are joined by Peter Oborne, one of Britain’s most respected political journalists and the author of Complicit: Britain’s Role in the Destruction of Gaza.Peter is a veteran journalist who spent years at the heart of the British media establishment before taking the extraordinary step of resigning from the Daily Telegraph over what he described as the paper’s failure to report honestly on powerful interests. Since then, he has become one of the most prominent voices exposing media bias, political complicity, and the role of Western governments in enabling Israeli violence against Palestinians.Today, Peter writes as an associate editor at Middle East Eye, and as a columnist for Byline Times and Declassified UK, where he continues to investigate the intersection of politics, media power, and foreign policy.In this episode, we discuss Britain’s historical and political role in the Gaza catastrophe, the failure of Western media to report truthfully on Palestine, and why honest journalism has become one of the most powerful forms of resistance.Peter Oborne’s Work:📰 Middle East Eye → middleeasteye.net📰 Byline Times → bylinetimes.com📰 Declassified UK → www.declassifieduk.org Complicit: Britain's Role in the Destruction of Gaza  → bit.ly/4rOupC3 Fate of Abraham → bit.ly/4b2RAkT Peter Oborne’s Social Media:X (Twitter) → x.com/OborneTweets The Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast#TheEnlightenmentPodcast #PeterOborne #ComplicitBook7 #Gaza #GazaGenocide #FreePalestine  #BritishMedia #MediaBias #JournalismAndTruth #MiddleEastEye #DeclassifiedUK #BylineTimes #Palestine #EndTheOccupation #TruthToPower

“From Palestinian independent cinema to Hollywood blockbusters, she has carried Palestine with her onto every screen—never compromising, never erasing who she is.”In Episode 69 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan are honored to be joined by Hiam Abbass, the award-winning Palestinian actress whose extraordinary career spans some of the most important films and television series of our time.Hiam Abbass has appeared in landmark Palestinian films such as Paradise Now and The Lemon Tree, while also breaking barriers in global cinema and television with roles in Blade Runner 2049, Succession, and many more. Most recently, she stars in Anne-Marie Jacir’s powerful new film Palestine 36, continuing her lifelong commitment to telling Palestinian stories with integrity and courage.This conversation is about art as resistance, visibility without compromise, and the power of Palestinian voices in spaces that were never designed to include them.Hiam Abbass’ Work:Palestine ‘36 → watermelonpictures.com/films/palestine-36Bye Bye Tiberias → imdb.com/title/tt22857256/Hiam Abbass’ Social Media:Facebook → facebook.com/HiamAbbassActress/ X (Twitter) → x.com/Hiam_Abbass The Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast#TheEnlightenmentPodcast #HiamAbbass #PalestinianCinema #PalestinianActors#Palestine36 #FreePalestine #EndTheOccupation #Gaza#ArtAsResistance #PalestinianCulture #ArabCinema#Succession #BladeRunner2049 #ParadiseNow #TruthInFilm

“She’s known to many as the co-founder of The Enlightenment Podcast, but Hanan Kattan is so much more—a visionary entrepreneur, award-winning film producer, and cultural advocate reclaiming Palestinian identity through art, cuisine, and now literature.”In Episode 68 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim sits down with Hanan Kattan, the podcast’s founder and co-host, to discuss her brilliant new book, Palestine Revealed, which uncovers hidden histories and challenges mainstream narratives about Palestine.Hanan’s career spans multiple creative and cultural industries. She is an award-winning film producer whose projects—including Despite the Falling Snow (starring Rebecca Ferguson and Charles Dance)—have won over 50 international awards. She is also the creator of Tabun Kitchen, a modern Palestinian restaurant in London’s Soho, which sought to reclaim Palestinian culinary heritage from cultural appropriation while earning accolades like Lots Magazine’s Restaurant Award and a nomination for one of London’s best new casual dining concepts.This is a deeply personal and illuminating conversation about Palestinian identity, heritage, and liberation, offering insight that is missing from mainstream narratives.Hanan Kattan’s Work:Palestine Revealed → palestinerevealed.comProduced Films → enlightenment-productions.comHanan Kattan’s Social Media:Facebook → facebook.com/hananfkattan Instagram → instagram.com/hananfkattanX (Twitter) → x.com/HananFKattan Palestine Revealed Social Media:linktr.ee/palestinerevealedbook The Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast#TheEnlightenmentPodcast #HananKattan #PalestineRevealed #PalestinianHeritage #FreePalestine #PalestinianCulture #CulturalResistance #PalestineHistory #Gaza #EndIsraeliOccupation #PalestinianEntrepreneurs #ArtAndActivism #PalestinianCuisine #PalestinianStories

In Episode 67 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Hanan and Shamim are honored to be joined by Cherien Dabis, the Emmy-nominated Palestinian-American filmmaker, writer, and actress whose work has reshaped how Palestinian stories are told on screen.Cherien’s latest film, All That’s Left of You, shortlisted for Best International Feature Film at the Oscars, is being hailed as a definitive cinematic chronicle of Palestinian dispossession, memory, and survival. The film confronts the realities of loss, exile, and endurance with rare emotional honesty and artistic power.Her debut feature Amreeka won the FIPRESCI International Critics Prize at Cannes and became the most screened Arab-directed film in U.S. cinema history. Since then, Cherien has built a remarkable career bridging independent Palestinian cinema and mainstream Hollywood, directing episodes of major television series including Ramy, Only Murders in the Building, and Ozark.This is a vital conversation about storytelling, erasure, and why Palestinian narratives matter now more than ever.Cherien Dabis’ Work:All That’s Left of You → watermelonpictures.com/films/all-thats-left-of-you Amreeka → amazon.com/Amreeka-Yussuf-Abu-Warda/dp/B002T921C0 Cherien Dabis’ Social Media:Facebook → facebook.com/cheriendabisInstagram → instagram.com/cheriendabisX (Twitter) → x.com/CherienDabis The Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast#TheEnlightenmentPodcast #CherienDabis #PalestinianCinema #AllThatsLeftOfYou #Amreeka #FreePalestine #Gaza #PalestinianStories #EndTheOccupation #CinemaAsResistance #ArtAndJustice #Palestine #IsraelGaza #OscarShortlisted

“She helped run one of the most transformative political campaigns in modern U.S. history—and then turned her attention to a different battlefield: culture. From Capitol Hill to Hollywood, she is helping reshape how Palestine is seen, heard, and defended.”In Episode 66 of The Enlightenment Podcast, hosts Hanan and Shamim are honoured to be joined by Rania Batrice, a Palestinian-American political strategist, organiser, and cultural advocate who went from serving as Deputy Campaign Manager for Bernie Sanders to mobilising Hollywood’s most influential artists and cultural workers for Palestine.Rania played a key role in one of the most significant progressive political movements in U.S. history. Since then, she has redirected her strategic expertise toward cultural organising, working behind the scenes to help actors, filmmakers, musicians, and public figures speak out against Israel’s genocide in Gaza, despite intense censorship, intimidation, and career threats.In this episode, we explore how art, politics, and advocacy intersect, and why culture has become one of the most powerful battlegrounds in the global struggle for Palestinian liberation. Rania explains how narrative control shapes public opinion, why Hollywood matters politically, and what it takes to build effective solidarity in an era of mass repression of pro-Palestinian voices.This episode is about power, storytelling, and resistance—and how movements grow when political strategy, culture, and moral clarity come together. At a time when Gaza is under genocide and truth is under attack, Rania Batrice’s work shows how culture can become a tool for liberation rather than complicity.Rania Batrice’s Work:Website → batrice.associates/rania Palestine Children Relief Fund (PCRF)  → pcrf.net/donate Rania Batrice’s Social Media:Facebook → facebook.com/raniabatricepage Instagram → instagram.com/rbatrice X (Twitter) → x.com/RaniaBatrice The Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast#TheEnlightenmentPodcast #RaniaBatrice #FreePalestine #GazaGenocide #PalestineSolidarity #HollywoodForPalestine #ArtAsResistance #CulturalActivism #EndIsraeliApartheid  #CeasefireNow #PoliticalStrategy #BernieSanders #TruthToPower #PalestinianLiberation

 “She picked up a paintbrush at fourteen, inside a besieged strip of land the world prefers to see only through rubble and statistics. What emerged instead were explosions of colour—women, nature, memory, and life—painted from inside Gaza itself.”In Episode 65 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Hanan and Shamim are honoured to be joined by Malak Mattar, a young Palestinian artist from Gaza whose work has become one of the most recognisable visual languages of contemporary Palestinian resistance.Born in Gaza in 1999, Malak is a self-taught artist who began painting as a teenager during Israel’s repeated assaults on the Strip. In just a few years, her vibrant, emotionally charged paintings have reached international audiences, exhibited across Europe and beyond. Her work is instantly recognisable for its bold use of colour, recurring imagery of women and nature, and its deep grounding in Palestinian daily life, memory, and survival.Malak’s art does not document destruction—it insists on presence. It speaks to hope, resilience, femininity, and the lived experience of growing up under siege, offering a powerful counter-narrative to how Gaza is usually portrayed in Western media.This episode is a reminder that Palestine is not only a site of suffering—but of imagination, creativity, and enduring life.Malak Mattar’s Work:Website → malak-mattar.com Etsy → etsy.com/shop/MalakArtStore Malak Mattar’s Social Media:Facebook → facebook.com/people/Malak-Mattar / facebook.com/MalakMattarArtistInstagram → instagram.com/malakmattarart/X (Twitter) → x.com/MalakMattarart The Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast#TheEnlightenmentPodcast #MalakMattar #PalestinianArt #Gaza #ArtAsResistance #GazaUnderSiege #FreePalestine #PalestinianArtists #WomenInArt #CultureIsResistance #PalestinianCulture #GazaGenocide #EndTheOccupation #VisualResistance

“In July 2025, two Israeli soldiers were dancing at a music festival in Belgium. Hours later, they were in handcuffs—being questioned by federal police on war crimes charges. For the first time in 77 years, a European country arrested Israeli soldiers for crimes committed against Palestinians.”In Episode 64 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Hanan and Shamim are joined by Dyab Abou Jahjah, the Lebanese-Belgian activist, writer, and political organiser who is co-founder of the Hind Rajab Foundation—an organisation that is fundamentally reshaping how war crimes against Palestinians are pursued under international law.For more than three decades, Dyab has fought for Palestinian rights—from grassroots organising in Antwerp to legal advocacy at the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice. Through strategic legal filings, jurisdictional challenges, and relentless pressure on European institutions, the Hind Rajab Foundation has launched what many consider the most serious legal challenge to Israeli impunity in generations.This conversation is about more than one arrest—it’s about the collapse of impunity, the power of legal resistance, and why accountability is no longer theoretical.Dyab Abou Jahjah Works: Hind Rajab Foundation → https://www.hindrajabfoundation.org/donate March 30 Movement → https://30-3.org/ Hind Rajab Foundation Social Media:Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/HindRajabFoundation/Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/hindrajabfoundation/X/ Twitter → https://x.com/HindRFoundation Dyab Abou Jahjah Social Media:Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/aboujahjah/Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/aboujahjah/ X/ Twitter → https://x.com/Aboujahjah Youtube → https://www.youtube.com/@AbouJahjahD The Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast#TheEnlightenmentPodcast #DyabAbouJahjah #HindRajabFoundation #WarCrimes #AccountabilityNow #EndIsraeliImpunity #JusticeForPalestine #FreePalestine #GazaGenocide #InternationalLaw #ICJ #ICC #HumanRights #ArrestWarCriminals #Palestine

“For six years, he documented Israeli war crimes when most institutions refused to look. Then, in the middle of a genocide the world claimed was ‘too complicated,’ he helped organise something many said was impossible—a sold-out Wembley Arena concert, 12,500 people strong, raising £1.5 million for Palestine.”In Episode 63 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Hanan and Shamim are joined by Frank Barat — documentary filmmaker, activist, organiser, and one of the most important behind-the-scenes figures in the global Palestine solidarity movement.Frank spent six years documenting Israeli war crimes through the Russell Tribunal on Palestine, helping to build one of the most comprehensive people’s archives of international law violations. He has edited landmark books with Noam Chomsky, Angela Davis, and many others, preserving testimony and analysis that mainstream institutions worked hard to suppress.Just three months ago, Frank helped pull off what many believed could never happen: a sold-out Wembley Arena benefit concert for Palestine, featuring major artists and raising £1.5 million for Palestinian relief—proving that culture, when mobilised with integrity, remains one of the most powerful tools of resistance.Frank is also Executive Producer on Annemarie Jacir’s acclaimed new film Palestine 36, which recently premiered to standing ovations and is a must-see on the big screen.This episode is about movement-building, cultural resistance, and what it really means to stand with Palestine when it matters most.Frank Barat’s Works:On Palestine → https://bit.ly/3MwCT0Y Freedom Is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement → https://bit.ly/3KTYm3p Other Mentioned Books and Films:Understanding Power: The Indispensible Chomsky → https://bit.ly/3KsfZHzPalestine 36 → https://www.watermelonpictures.com/films/palestine-36The Voice of Hind Rajab → https://www.imdb.com/title/tt36943034/All That’s Left of You → https://www.watermelonpictures.com/films/all-thats-left-of-you The Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast#TheEnlightenmentPodcast #FrankBarat #Palestine36 #RussellTribunal #CulturalResistance #ArtistsForPalestine #GazaGenocide #FreePalestine #EndTheOccupation #SolidarityInAction #StopTheGenocide #IsraelPalestine #AntiColonialism #TruthToPower #BDS

“In October 2023, while the world watched Gaza burn from their screens, one man walked into the inferno. A plastic surgeon who could have been earning millions on Harley Street instead chose to operate—43 days straight—under relentless bombardment. Sometimes without anesthesia. Sometimes sleeping on operating tables, wiped down with disinfectant. Today, that surgeon, now Rector of the University of Glasgow, joins us.”His eyewitness testimony helped bring Gaza’s genocide case to the International Court of Justice. Germany banned him. France banned him. Pro-Israel groups attempted to end his medical career. His only ‘crime’: speaking out and bearing witness to the genocide in Gaza.In Episode 62 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Hanan and Shamim are honored to be joined by Dr. Ghassan Abu-Sittah, the British-Palestinian plastic and reconstructive surgeon and one of the world’s leading experts in conflict medicine. Dr. Abu Sitta has worked in 12 war zones and, over the past two years, has become perhaps the most indispensable medical witness to Israel’s atrocities in Gaza.This episode is a devastating, urgent, and necessary conversation about truth-telling under fire and the courage it takes to document a genocide in real time.Dr. Ghassan Abu-Sittah's Work:The Ghassan Abu-Sittah Children’s Fund → https://gascf.org/ American University of Beirut Global Health Institute → https://ghi.aub.edu.lb/The Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast#TheEnlightenmentPodcast #GhassanAbuSittah #DrAbuSittah #GazaGenocide #Gaza #Palestine #ConflictMedicine #MedicalWitness #EndTheOccupation #FreePalestine #StopTheGenocide #GazaUnderAttack #HealthcareUnderSiege #ProtectMedicalWorkers #TruthToPower #ICJGenocideCase #IsraelPalestine

Over 110 family members. That’s how many Dr. Ramzy Baroud has lost in Gaza’s genocide. And he stopped counting a year ago. Among them: his sister, Dr. Soma — the 166th doctor murdered by Israeli forces. And his 11-year-old cousin Lema, an aspiring journalist who hoped to be the voice of her generation, killed alongside her parents and four siblings when Israeli warplanes flattened their shelter. Lema had been documenting the genocide on her phone.In Episode 61 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Hanan and Shamim are joined by Dr. Ramzy Baroud, the Palestinian author, historian, journalist, and lifelong refugee from the Nuseirat camp whose work has become indispensable during the genocide in Gaza. For 25 years, Dr. Baroud has chronicled Palestinian life and resistance with unmatched clarity and courage through the Palestine Chronicle, one of the only remaining independent outlets publishing Palestinian voices from Gaza in real time.Dr. Baroud is the author of several seminal books on Palestinian identity and struggle—works that have shaped global understanding of the Palestinian experience. He testified before the Gaza Tribunal that found Israel guilty of genocide, and his journalism has become essential reading as Western media continues to obscure, distort, and sanitize Israeli atrocities.This is a conversation about grief, courage, and the refusal to let a people’s story be erased.Dr. Ramzy Baroud’s Work:The Palestine Chronicle (Independent news outlet)  → www.palestinechronicle.comMy Father Was a Freedom Fighter: Gaza's Untold Story  → https://bit.ly/44yXXdcThe Last Earth: A Palestinian Story → https://bit.ly/4rfEjwGBooks Mentioned:Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid → https://bit.ly/484kYXR A People's History of the United States → https://bit.ly/4ojQhmo The Enlightenment Podcast Feed:feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast#TheEnlightenmentPodcast #RamzyBaroud #PalestineChronicle #GazaGenocide #PalestinianJournalism #PalestineHistory #EndTheOccupation #FreePalestine #StopTheGenocide #GazaUnderAttack #DecolonizePalestine #IsraelPalestine #JournalistsUnderFire #ProtectPalestinianVoices #TruthToPower

For over a century, we’ve all been told that Britain lawfully governed Palestine — that the League of Nations mandated Britain to create a Jewish homeland, and that the international community supported these actions. Professor John Quigley has spent 40 years in legal archives uncovering the truth, and his assertion is that every single one of these claims is a lie.In Episode 57 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Hanan and Shamim are joined by Professor John Quigley, one of the world’s foremost authorities on international law and the legal history of Palestine. For four decades, Professor Quigley has meticulously examined the British Mandate, the Balfour Declaration, and the legal maneuvers that shaped — and distorted — the fate of Palestine. His conclusion is seismic: Britain’s entire presence in Palestine from 1917 to 1948 was unlawful, and the foundational myths that have justified displacement, partition, and ongoing atrocities are built on legal fraud.Professor Quigley is Professor Emeritus of International Law at The Ohio State University, and the author of numerous landmark books. His newest work, Britain and Its Mandate Over Palestine: Legal Chicanery on a World Stage, exposes the manipulation, forged legitimacy, and political engineering that set the stage for over a century of Palestinian dispossession.This conversation is essential for anyone who wants to understand not just history — but the legal foundations of the violence unfolding today.Professor John Quigley’s Work:Britain and Its Mandate Over 📚 Palestine: Legal Chicanery on a World Stage https://bit.ly/446WY3S📚 The Legality of a Jewish State: A Century of Debate over Rights in Palestine https://bit.ly/484QWSG Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:https://feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast#TheEnlightenmentPodcast #JohnQuigley #MandateForPalestine #BritishMandate #PalestineHistory #InternationalLaw #LegalChicanery #EndTheOccupation #FreePalestine #AccountabilityForBritain #DecolonizePalestine #IsraelPalestine #GazaGenocide #HistoricalTruth #BritainOwesPalestine

"She’s a Palestinian-American filmmaker who’s breaking boundaries in Hollywood, amplifying Arab and queer voices, and using cinema as a form of resistance.”In Episode 59 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan sit down with Rolla Selbak, the award-winning Palestinian-American filmmaker, activist, and podcaster whose work challenges stereotypes and reclaims the narrative for marginalized communities through the power of storytelling.Rolla first made waves with her debut feature film Three Veils, the first Arab-American lesbian feature film, which she wrote, directed, and produced. The film broke new ground for Middle Eastern representation and earned international acclaim for its courage and honesty. She’s also the creator of the Safina Filmmaker Project, an initiative that supports and uplifts independent Arab and Palestinian filmmakers around the world, and the host of the Safina Filmmaker Lounge Podcast — available on Apple Podcasts — where she features conversations with filmmakers redefining Arab cinema.Beyond her creative work, Rolla is a passionate advocate for inclusive filmmaking, authentic representation, and creative freedom in spaces that have long silenced Palestinian and Arab voices.This episode celebrates not just cinema — but the courage to tell your story when the world tries to erase it.🎥 Rolla Selbak’s Work:Three Veils → https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1470173/CHOKE (Short film) → https://vimeo.com/rollaselbak/chokeFinjan (Short film) → https://vimeo.com/rollaselbak/finjan Safina Filmmaker Project → https://www.safinafilmmakerproject.com/about Safina Filmmaker Lounge Podcast → https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/safina-filmmaker-lounge/id1785331690 🌍 Rolla Selbak’s Social Media:Rolla Selbak Official → Website https://www.rollaselbak.com/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/rollaselbak/Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:https://feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast#TheEnlightenmentPodcast #RollaSelbak #ThreeVeils #SafinaFilmmakerProject #SafinaFilmmakerLounge #PalestinianFilmmaker #ArabCinema #QueerCinema #WomenInFilm #PalestinianStorytelling #FreePalestine #ArtAsResistance #FilmmakersForPalestine #DecolonizeTheScreen #ArabRepresentation #PalestineWillBeFree

 “He’s treated the wounded under fire, been shot by an Israeli sniper, and spent over five decades fighting for Palestinian liberation through medicine, unity, and nonviolent resistance.”In Episode 58 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan are joined by Dr. Mustafa Barghouti — a Palestinian physician, political leader, and General Secretary of the Palestinian National Initiative (Al-Mubadara) — whose lifelong mission bridges the frontlines of healthcare and the frontlines of freedom.For more than 50 years, Dr. Barghouti has embodied the spirit of steadfastness (sumoud) — healing the injured, documenting Israeli war crimes, and building Palestinian democracy from within. From his political awakening during the 1967 war, to being shot by an Israeli sniper while treating the wounded, to his ongoing efforts to unify Palestinian leadership across divisions, Dr. Barghouti’s journey stands as a testament to moral courage and national resilience.This episode is not just about politics — it’s about humanity, healing, and the unstoppable will of a people fighting for life against all odds.Dr. Mustafa Barghouti’s Work:🩺 Palestinian Medical Relief Society → https://www.pmrs.ps Infrastructure and Health Services in the West Bank (Red Book) → https://bit.ly/43GlUPsThe Ploy of the Century : Dimensions and Confrontational Strategies → https://bit.ly/3LnfkqO Dr. Mustafa Barghouti’s Social Media:Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/mbarghouti1/Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/mustafa_barghouti/X (Twitter) → https://x.com/MustafaBarghou1?Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:https://feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast#TheEnlightenmentPodcast #MustafaBarghouti #AlMubadara #PalestinianResistance #FreePalestine #GazaGenocide #MedicalResistance #NonviolentResistance #PalestinianUnity #PalestineWillBeFree #EndTheOccupation #DecolonizePalestine #PalestinianLiberation #Sumoud #JusticeForPalestine #HealthcareUnderOccupation

In Episode 57 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan are joined once again by Dr. Victor Kattan, the distinguished British-Palestinian legal scholar and historian whose groundbreaking legal campaign may redefine the world’s understanding of colonial responsibility.In September 2025, Dr. Kattan and a team of leading barristers and scholars filed a 400-page petition to the British government, demanding accountability for Britain’s unlawful occupation of Palestine. This historic initiative — titled Britain Owes Palestine — was the brainchild of Munib Al Masri, the renowned Palestinian industrialist, philanthropist, and lifelong advocate for justice, whose vision has united some of the world’s top legal experts to challenge a century of British colonial impunity.Supported by top legal minds including Ben Emmerson KC, Danny Friedman KC, and scholars such as John Quigley and Avi Shlaim, this historic petition is the first of its kind to hold a former colonial power legally accountable under international law.In this powerful conversation, Victor traces how Britain’s actions from the Balfour Declaration (1917) to the Nakba (1948) directly enabled Israeli settler-colonialism and today’s atrocities in Gaza. He discusses the legal and moral implications of empire, deconstructs British archival records, and reflects on how the struggle for justice in Palestine is also a struggle against historical amnesia.Dr. Kattan previously joined the podcast in November 2024 to discuss Palestinian history and international law — but this time, he returns with what could become one of the most consequential legal movements in modern history.Dr. Victor Kattan’s Work:Britain Owes Palestine Petition  → https://www.britainowespalestine.org/ ABC Article: The hidden history of British war crimes in Palestine — and the campaign for an apology → https://bit.ly/british-war-crimes-in-palestine From Coexistence to Conquest: International Law and the Origins of the Arab-Israeli Conflict, 1891-1949 - https://bit.ly/from-coexistence-to-conquest Making Endless War: The Vietnam and Arab-Israeli Conflicts in the History of International Law (Law, Meaning, And Violence) → https://bit.ly/making-endless-warPrevious Episode with Dr. Victor Kattan (Ep. 9 ) → youtube.com/watch?v=HuhQH7L9JsIBritain Owes Palestine: A Petition for Justice → https://bit.ly/4oPhcar Dr. Victor Kattan’s Social Media:Facebook  →  facebook.com/KattaninSingapore/ Instagram  → instagram.com/vmkattan/ X  (Twitter) →  x.com/VictorKattan? Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:https://feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast #TheEnlightenmentPodcast #VictorKattan #BritainOwesPalestine #ColonialAccountability #InternationalLaw #PalestinianLiberation #FreePalestine #EndTheOccupation #BalfourDeclaration #DecolonizeHistory #GazaGenocide #JusticeForPalestine #PalestinianHistory #EmpireAndResistance #LegalAccountability

“He’s been called one of the most important Palestinian historians of his generation — a scholar who not only documents resistance but defends the very right of Palestinians to produce knowledge under siege.”In Episode 56 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan are joined by Dr. Abdel Razzaq Takriti, the leading Palestinian Oxford-trained historian who developed the contemporary definition of scholasticide, a concept that was coined by the renowned Palestinian scholar and Prof Takriti’s old mentor at Oxford Karma Nabulsi. He has also played a key role in disseminating frameworks and campaigns related to this concept, in an effort to organize the global academic community against the Gaza genocide. Together, they explore how the erasure of Palestinian history is central to the colonial project and how reclaiming that history is an act of resistance.Dr. Takriti is an Associate Professor of History and the Arab-American Educational Foundation Chair of Arab Studies at Rice University. He is also one of the principal co-founders of Scholars Against the War on Palestine, and the co-creator (with Karma Nabulsi) of the Palestinian Revolution Digital Archive, which won the 2019 MESA Education Award for its groundbreaking preservation of revolutionary memory. Dr. Takriti is the North American representative on the Emergency Committee of Universities  in Gaza, a body that was created after the genocide, uniting all the major non-profit higher education institutions in the occupied territory. He is also a co-founder of the ISNAD program that supports these higher education institutions.In this episode, Dr. Takriti traces the continuum of Palestinian resistance from 1908 to today’s genocide in Gaza, revealing how every generation of Palestinians has fought not only for land, but for the right to think, write, and teach freely.This conversation is both intellectual and revolutionary — an exploration of how knowledge itself becomes a battleground in the struggle for liberation.Dr. Abdel Razzaq Takriti’s Work: 📚 Tradition of War → https://www.amazon.com/Traditions-War-Occupation-Resistance-Law/dp/0199279470 🎙Thawra Podcast → https://open.spotify.com/show/0e0eE7aKt5EQdg07CzeVoI Dr. Abdel Razzaq Takriti’s Websites: 📚 The Palestinian Revolution Digital Archive → https://learnpalestine.politics.ox.ac.uk 🎓 Scholars Against the War on Palestine → https://sawpal.orgThe Enlightenment Podcast: The Enlightenment Podcast Feed #TheEnlightenmentPodcast #AbdelRazzaqTakriti #PalestinianHistory #Scholasticide #DecolonizeKnowledge #PalestinianLiberation #EndTheOccupation #FreePalestine #GazaGenocide #IsraelPalestineWar #PalestinianResistance #AcademicFreedom #PalestineArchives #VoicesForPalestine #HistoryAsResistance

“She’s been called a pioneer of Palestinian cinema — the filmmaker who broke barriers, rewrote history, and built a cinematic revolution for her people.”In Episode 55 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan are joined by Annemarie Jacir, the award-winning Palestinian filmmaker and writer whose body of work has not only made history but also given Palestine a lasting voice on the global stage. Together, we explore Annemarie’s artistic journey, the challenges of making films under occupation, and the transformative role of cinema in Palestinian resistance.Annemarie Jacir has written, directed, and produced over 16 films, with her work premiering at Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Locarno, Rotterdam, Toronto, and more. All of Annemarie’s feature films have been selected as Palestine’s official Oscar entry — a historic achievement in itself. Annemarie’s groundbreaking short film Like Twenty Impossibles became the first Arab short film ever selected for Cannes, cementing her place in film history.Annemarie’s latest feature, Palestine 36, was created in the midst of the Gaza genocide, literally while missiles flew overhead. The film premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, earning the longest standing ovation in TIFF history, according to festival director Cameron Bailey. Palestine 36 will also premiere this October at the BFI London Film Festival, and will be in cinemas across UK and Ireland starting Oct. 31.Annemarie has served on the juries of Cannes, Sundance, and Berlin, and is a member of both BAFTA and AMPAS. Annemarie continues to inspire a new generation of Palestinian filmmakers, proving that art itself can be an act of defiance and liberation.This episode is not just about filmmaking — it is about cultural survival, creative resistance, and why stories are among Palestine’s most powerful weapons.Annemarie Jacir’s Work: 🎬 Like Twenty Impossibles  → https://www.netflix.com/ae-en/title/81474205 🎬 Salt of This Sea → https://www.netflix.com/ae-en/title/70117041 🎬 When I Saw You → https://vimeo.com/ondemand/19606 🎬 Wajib → https://www.netflix.com/watch/80211283🎬 Palestine 36 → Festival screenings (TIFF, BFI London 2025, Rome 2025, Chicago International, AFI, Tokyo, Sau Paulo) – distribution TBA. UK Distribution Curzon, France Haut et Court , USA Watermelon Pictures, Germany Alamode Films, Turkey TRT) Annemarie Jacir’s Social Media:Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/annamariajacir/?hl=en X (Twitter) → https://x.com/annemariejacir?lang=en Palestine 36 Film → https://www.instagram.com/palestine36film/?hl=enThe Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:https://feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast #TheEnlightenmentPodcast #AnnemarieJacir #PalestinianCinema #PalestinianFilmmakers #PalestinianCulture #PalestinianLiberation #FreePalestine #GazaGenocide #EndTheOccupation #CinemaAsResistance #ResistanceThroughArt #Palestine36 #GazaUnderAttack #StorytellingAsResistance #VoicesForPalestine

“I've never had an M16 pointed at me before. After just one hour in Bil'in! The Palestinians I met weren't terrorists but human beings — kind, resilient, and oppressed — fighting for the most basic right of all: freedom. What shocked me most was the deep-rooted racism among the majority of Israelis — a society taught to dehumanize Palestinians.” – Robert Martin, Bil'in, West Bank (2014)In Episode 54 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan are joined by Robert Martin, the Australian filmmaker and activist who went from being anti-Palestinian to risking detention and psychological torture for breaking the Gaza blockade. Together, we explore Robert’s extraordinary transformation, his frontline experiences in Palestine, and his unflinching commitment to justice.Robert was detained and tortured by Israeli forces in July 2024 during the Handler Humanitarian Mission. Once a real estate professional with little awareness of Palestine, his first visit to Bil’in changed everything. Since then, Robert has become a leading voice exposing Israel’s occupation and brutality, reaching millions worldwide through his films and activism—despite facing ongoing threats for speaking truth to power.This episode is not just about Robert’s story—it is about awakening, the price of resistance, and why solidarity with Palestine is a moral imperative for us all.Robert Martin’s Social Media:Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/robert_martin_palestine_/?hl=enFacebook → https://www.facebook.com/robert.martin.767615/ X (Twitter) → https://x.com/Robert_Martin72? Books mentioned:The 51 Day War by Max Blumenthal → https://www.amazon.com/51-Day-War-Ruin-Resistance/dp/156858511X The Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:https://feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast  #TheEnlightenmentPodcast #RobertMartin #FreePalestine #EndTheOccupation #PalestinianLiberation #GazaSiege #HandlerMission #TruthToPower #ExposeApartheid #JusticeForPalestine

“He’s been called ‘one of the most self-hating Jews on earth,’ faced death threats from fellow Jews, and in November 2023, Senator Chris Coons had him removed from an Amtrak train by police after he confronted him about opposing a Gaza ceasefire...”In Episode 53 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan are joined by Aaron Maté, the award-winning Jewish-Canadian journalist who has become one of the most fearless voices exposing Israeli genocide and apartheid. Together, we discuss Aaron’s journey into journalism, his relentless work debunking Israeli propaganda, and the moral imperative of standing for Palestinian liberation.Aaron is a journalist at The Grayzone, host of Pushback, and co-host of Useful Idiots. The son of Holocaust survivor Dr. Gabor Maté, Aaron has risked both his career and his safety to speak out on Palestine. He has called Israel’s onslaught in Gaza—where one out of every 50 people has been killed—“one of the worst crimes in human history.”This episode is not just about journalism—it is about truth-telling in the face of empire, the personal costs of resistance, and why silence in the face of genocide is never an option.Aaron Maté’s Work:📰 The Grayzone → https://www.youtube.com/@thegrayzone7996 🎙️ Pushback Podcast → https://open.spotify.com/show/5H4mm4a8gXLVbBGDoiYcsN?si=b67e1e32e16041d9 🎙️ Useful Idiots → https://www.youtube.com/@usefulidiotsTheir Blood, Our Bullets: The Hidden Story of US-Russia War for Ukraine Useful Idiots → https://www.amazon.co.uk/Their-Blood-Our-Bullets-US-Russia/dp/1682193659 Social MediaInstagram → https://www.instagram.com/aaronjmate/?hl=en X (Twitter) → https://x.com/aaronjmate/ Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/aaronjmate/ Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:https://feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast #TheEnlightenmentPodcast #AaronMate #TheGrayzone #PushbackPodcast #UsefulIdiots #ExposePropaganda #JournalismAndJustice #EndTheOccupation #PalestinianLiberation #FreePalestine #TruthToPower

In Episode 52 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan are joined by Huwaida Arraf, the Palestinian-American human rights attorney, activist, and co-founder of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM). Huwaida has dedicated her life to building international solidarity networks that confront Israeli apartheid and injustice.Huwaida co-founded ISM, which brought over 10,000 international witnesses to Palestine, challenging Israel’s impunity on the ground. She is also a survivor of the 2010 Gaza Freedom Flotilla, when Israeli commandos violently attacked humanitarian ships attempting to break the blockade on Gaza. Beyond her activism, Huwaida ran for U.S. Congress in Michigan, continuing her fight for justice within the political arena.In this episode, Huwaida reflects on the role of international solidarity in dismantling structures of oppression, the costs of resistance, and the urgent need for global action. Her life’s work is a defiant reminder that standing with Palestine means standing against apartheid everywhere—and that silence, in the face of injustice, is complicity.Follow Huwaida Arraf’s work: 🌍 International Solidarity Movement → https://palsolidarity.org/ 🌍 Freedom Flotilla Coalition → https://freedomflotilla.org/ Huwaida Arraf’s Social Media:Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/huwaidaarraf/ Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/huwaida.arraf/X → https://x.com/huwaidaarraf/ Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:https://feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast #TheEnlightenmentPodcast #HuwaidaArraf #InternationalSolidarity #ISM #FreedomFlotilla #JusticeForPalestine #EndTheBlockade #DismantleApartheid #FreePalestine #HumanRights #ResistanceVoices #RachelCorrie #ThomasHurndall #RememberRachelCorrie #JamesMiller #BrianAvery #AysenurEygi #MarkPerlmutter

In Episode 51 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan are joined by Vivien Sansour, the Palestinian artist, conservationist, and visionary founder of the Palestine Heirloom Seed Library. Through her groundbreaking work, Vivien is preserving endangered Palestinian seed varieties and ensuring that stories of land, food, and heritage remain alive—one harvest at a time.Vivien established the Palestine Heirloom Seed Library in Battir in 2014, creating a living repository of seeds at risk of extinction. Beyond conservation, she founded the Traveling Kitchen to reconnect farms and kitchens, bringing food, culture, and community together. Her work has been featured at the V&A in London and the Venice Biennale, and she has held fellowships at Harvard and Bard.In this episode, Vivien reflects on the intimate relationship between seeds, memory, and resistance, and how the preservation of agriculture is not only cultural heritage but an act of defiance against erasure. By saving Palestinian seeds, she is reclaiming identity, defending land, and refusing the systematic attempts to uproot a people’s existence.Palestine Heirloom Seed Library:Website → palestineheirloomseedlibrary.com/ The Seed Protector’s Project → palestineheirloomseedlibrary.com/projects/the-seed-protectors Vivien Sansour nad PHSL Social Media: 🌱 Palestine Heirloom Seed Library → instagram.com/paliheirloomseedlibrary 🌱 Vivien Sansour Instagram → instagram.com/viviensansour Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:https://feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast #Palestine #VivienSansour #SeedLibrary #FoodSovereignty #CulturalResistance #PalestinianHeritage #LandAndLiberation #SaveTheSeeds #EnlightenmentPodcast #FreePalestine

In Episode 50 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan are joined by Bob Suberi, a Yemeni-American Jew, Vietnam veteran, and activist who was recently arrested by Israeli forces while attempting to break the Gaza blockade aboard the Freedom Flotilla. Bob joins us to share his remarkable journey, his fight for justice in Palestine, and his work dismantling Zionist propaganda.Bob is a 77-year-old former St. Louis restaurant owner who spent nearly six decades as a committed Zionist—until a profound awakening during his 2019 visit to the West Bank changed the course of his life. Since then, he has become an outspoken advocate for Palestinian liberation, leading Veterans for Peace St. Louis and regularly joining protective presence missions in Masafer Yatta, where Palestinian communities face relentless harassment and displacement under Israeli occupation.In this uncompromising conversation, Bob lays bare his transformation from decades of Zionist belief to becoming a frontline witness to Israeli crimes. He challenges the myths that sustained his former worldview, exposes the brutality of the blockade and occupation, and makes a fierce call for solidarity with Palestinians. This episode is not just a story of awakening—it’s a defiant challenge to propaganda and silence.Bob’s Work and Affiliations: 🌍 Freedom Flotilla Coalition → https://freedomflotilla.org/Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s Social Media:Facebook  →  facebook.com/FreedomFlotillaCoalition/ Instagram → instagram.com/gazafreedomflotilla/ X (Twitter) → https://x.com/gazafflotilla Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:https://feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast #TheEnlightenmentPodcast #BobSuberi #FreedomFlotilla #VeteransForPeace #EndTheBlockade #MasaferYatta #JusticeForPalestine #DismantleZionism #FreePalestine #Solidarity

In Episode 49 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan are joined by Omar El-Akkad, the award-winning Egyptian-Canadian journalist and novelist whose viral tweet about Gaza later became the title of his explosive nonfiction debut—now a New York Times bestselling book.Omar is an award-winning journalist who spent over a decade covering conflicts from Afghanistan to Guantánamo Bay for The Globe and Mail. He is the acclaimed author of the novel American War, praised by the BBC, and the Scotiabank Giller Prize-winning novel What Strange Paradise. His latest work, the explosive nonfiction debut One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This, is a searing indictment of Western complicity in the genocide of Palestinians and has been shortlisted for the 2025 Palestine Book Award.In this powerful episode, Omar discusses the urgent need to dismantle Zionist propaganda, the role of literature in the fight for liberation, and the personal costs of speaking truth to power. His courage, moral clarity, and willingness to risk his career in pursuit of justice make his voice one of the most important of our time.Omar’s Work: 📘 American War → https://www.amazon.com/American-War-Omar-El-Akkad/dp/0451493583 📘 What Strange Paradise → https://www.amazon.com/What-Strange-Paradise-Omar-Akkad/dp/1984899244/ 📘 One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This → https://www.amazon.com/Everyone-Will-Have-Always-Against/dp/0593804147/ Support the People of PalestineThe Sameer Project → https://www.instagram.com/thesameerproject The Ghassan Abu-Sittah Children’s Fund → https://gascf.org/ Palestine Children’s Relief Funds → https://www.pcrf.net/ Medical Aid for Palestinians → https://www.map.org.uk/ Gaza Funds → https://gazafunds.com/all The Hind Rajab Foundation → https://www.hindrajabfoundation.org/ Omar on Social Media: X (Twitter) → https://x.com/omarelakkad?lang=en Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/oelakkad/?hl=en Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:https://feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast#TheEnlightenmentPodcast #OmarElAkkad #AmericanWar #WhatStrangeParadise #PalestineBookAwards #PalestinianLiberation #OneDayEveryoneWillHaveAlwaysBeenAgainstThis #DismantleZionism #WesternComplicity #JusticeForPalestine #FreePalestine #TruthToPower #LiteratureForJustice #EndTheOccupation

In Episode 48 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan are joined by Professor Omer Bartov, one of the world’s foremost Holocaust and genocide scholars, whose moral clarity and scholarly rigor have led him to unequivocally describe Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide—a position he reached through a deeply personal and professional journey.Professor Bartov is the Dean's Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Brown University and has been described by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum as one of the world’s leading specialists in genocide. Born in Israel, he served in the Israeli Army and fought in the 1973 Yom Kippur War, eventually rising to the rank of company commander before embarking on an academic career that would make him a globally respected historian.He is the author of multiple award-winning books, including Anatomy of a Genocide and his latest, Genocide, the Holocaust and Israel-Palestine – First Person in History in Times of Crisis. His forthcoming book, Israel: What Went Wrong?, is due to be published in April 2026. In a principled stand, Professor Bartov resigned from the editorial board of Yad Vashem Studies after two decades, when his colleagues refused to confront Israel’s killing and maiming of thousands of Palestinian children.In this compelling episode, Professor Bartov reflects on his own transformation from soldier to outspoken critic of Israeli policies, unpacks the historical and legal frameworks for understanding genocide, and speaks about the ethical responsibility of scholars in times of moral crisis.Professor Bartov’s Work:Anatomy of a Genocide → https://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Genocide-Death-Called-Buczacz/dp/1451684533Genocide: The Holocaust and Israel-Palestine – First Person in History in Times of Crisis → https://www.amazon.com/Genocide-Holocaust-Israel-Palestine-First-Person-History/dp/1350332321Israel: What Went Wrong? (Coming April 2026) → https://www.amazon.co.uk/Israel-What-Wrong-Omer-Bartov/dp/0374618186 The Eastern Front, 1941-45: German Troops and the Barbarisation of Warfare (St Antony's Series) → https://www.amazon.com/Eastern-Front-1941-45-Barbarisation-Warfare/dp/0333949447/Hitler's Army: Soldiers, Nazis, and War in the Third Reich (Oxford Paperbacks) → https://www.amazon.com/Hitlers-Army-Soldiers-Oxford-Paperbacks/dp/0195079035/ Professor Bartov on Social Media:X (Twitter) → https://x.com/bartov_omer LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/omer-bartov-6336343a/ Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/OmerBartov/ Website  → https://vivo.brown.edu/display/obartov Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:https://feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast#TheEnlightenmentPodcast #OmerBartov #GazaGenocide #HolocaustScholar #GenocideStudies #EndGazaGenocide #JusticeForPalestine #BrownUniversity #IsraelWhatWentWrong #DecolonizeHistory #MoralCourage #GenocideAwareness #PalestinianRights #HumanRightsNow #ScholarActivism

In Episode 47 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan are joined by Ahed Tamimi, the iconic Palestinian girl, national hero, freedom fighter, and symbol of resistance whose unwavering defiance in the face of Israeli military occupation has inspired people around the world.As a teenager, Ahed became internationally known when videos of her confronting heavily armed Israeli soldiers in her village of Nabi Saleh went viral. Her courage and dignity in those moments made her a global symbol of Palestinian resistance—described by many as “the face of Palestinian defiance.”Now in her early twenties, Ahed continues her activism on the ground in the occupied West Bank. She previously pursued international law at Birzeit University, driven by her commitment to justice and Palestinian liberation. Although she ultimately chose not to complete the degree, her pursuit of education remains part of a broader resistance—one shaped by relentless restrictions on her freedom and movement under occupation.Her powerful memoir, They Called Me a Lioness, co-written with Dena Takruri, offers a gripping and emotional portrait of life under occupation—where childhood, resistance, and survival are inseparable.In this deeply moving episode, Ahed reflects on growing up under military rule, the emotional weight of being a national symbol, and how she continues to fight—through storytelling, advocacy, and an unshakable love for her people.Ahed’s Work:📘 They Called Me a Lioness: A Memoir→ https://www.amazon.com/They-Called-Me-Lioness-Palestinian/dp/0593134583 Dena Takruri on Social Media:Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/denatakruri/ X (Twitter) → https://x.com/dena Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/denatakruri/ Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:https://feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast#TheEnlightenmentPodcast #AhedTamimi #TheyCalledMeALioness #PalestinianResistance #FreePalestine #BirzeitUniversity #YouthActivism #LegalAdvocacy #JusticeForPalestine #LifeUnderOccupation #DecolonizeNow #PalestinianVoices #EndTheOccupation #PalestinianLiberation #SymbolOfResistance

In Episode 46 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan are joined by Heather Masoud and Catherine Pawson, the visionary co-founders of Zaytoun, a pioneering social enterprise that launched the world’s first Fairtrade certified olive oil in 2009. For over two decades, Zaytoun has supported Palestinian farmers through ethical trade and solidarity, while celebrating the deep cultural heritage of Palestinian food. Zaytoun is more than a brand—it’s a movement grounded in economic resistance. Through direct partnerships with suppliers in Palestine, they’ve offered high-quality Palestinian products to the UK market, helping to sustain communities living under military occupation. From olive oil to maftoul, their work uplifts both land and people. Heather brings a background in natural resource management, while Catherine’s journey began through Arabic and Islamic studies, giving her the linguistic and cultural foundation to connect deeply with West Asia—commonly referred to as the Middle East. In this episode, Heather and Catherine reflect on two decades of solidarity work, the challenges of building ethical supply chains under occupation, and the joy and resilience embedded in Palestinian culinary heritage. Zaytoun’s Work:🌿 Zaytoun Official Website→ https://www.zaytoun.uk🛒 Shop Palestinian Products→ https://zaytoun.uk/products/Zaytoun on Social Media:Instagram → https://instagram.com/zaytoun_cicBluesky → @zaytouncic.bsky.socialFacebook → https://facebook.com/ZaytounCICEnlightenment Podcast Social Media:https://feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast#TheEnlightenmentPodcast #Zaytoun #FairtradePalestine #PalestinianOliveOil #PalestinianFarmers #HeatherMasoud #CatherinePawson #PalestinianHeritage #CulinaryResistance #BuyPalestinian #EconomicJustice #FoodSovereignty #PalestinianVoices #DecolonizeTrade #JusticeForPalestine #FairTradeNotAid

In Episode 45 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan are joined by Dr. Raz Segal, an Israeli-American Holocaust and genocide scholar who made headlines for courageously stating that what is unfolding in Gaza is a “textbook case of genocide”—just days after October 7th.Dr. Segal is an associate professor of Holocaust and genocide studies and an endowed professor in the study of modern genocide at Stockton University, where he also directs the Master of Arts in Holocaust and Genocide Studies program. With a background rooted in both Israeli and American academia, his work critically examines how systems of power and identity shape state violence, memory, and denial.In this episode, Dr. Segal offers a rigorous scholarly analysis of genocide as a legal and historical concept, unpacks the structures of violence in Gaza, and reflects on the responsibility of scholars, especially those rooted in Jewish history, to speak truth to power.Dr. Segal’s Work:Genocide in the Carpathians → https://www.amazon.com/Genocide-Carpathians-Breakdown-Violence-1914-1945/dp/0804796661 Days of Ruin → https://www.amazon.com/Days-Ruin-Munkacs-During-Holocaust/dp/9653084283 Gaza is a Textbook Case of Genocide (Jewish Currents) → https://jewishcurrents.org/gaza-is-a-textbook-case-of-genocideJewish Currents Social Media: X (Twitter) → https://x.com/JewishCurrents Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/jewishcurrentsmag/ LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/jewish-currents/ Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:https://feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast#TheEnlightenmentPodcast #RazSegal #GazaGenocide #HolocaustStudies #GenocideScholarship #StopGazaGenocide #JewishVoiceForJustice #AcademicActivism #ModernGenocide #GazaCrisis #DecolonizeHistory #SpeakTruthToPower #GenocideAwareness #JusticeForPalestine #StocktonUniversity #HumanRightsNow

In Episode 44 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan sit down with Gregory Khalil, a Palestinian-American lawyer, peacemaker, and co-founder of the Telos Group, to explore the complexities of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the role of American evangelical engagement in shaping public discourse and policy.Greg is a Yale-trained lawyer who previously advised Palestinian leadership on peace negotiations. Born in San Diego, his roots trace back to Beit Sahour, a town near Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank. Through his work with the Telos Group, Gregory focuses on transforming how U.S. Christians—particularly evangelicals—understand justice, peacemaking, and the realities on the ground in Palestine.In this episode, Gregory unpacks dominant narratives around peace, shares insights from his legal and political work, and discusses how faith-based communities can become powerful advocates for equity and truth in the Holy Land.Gregory’s Work: 🌐 Telos Group → https://www.telosgroup.orgTelos Group Social Media:Youtube → https://www.youtube.com/@thetelosgroup Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/thetelosgroup/ Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/telosgroup Mentions in the Podcast:Undaunted Series → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vy-iQ9MJ9jk Across the Divides → https://open.spotify.com/show/5PrVCyafdQdh8Jpz5gZNyR The Holocaust and the Nakba → https://www.amazon.com/Holocaust-Nakba-Grammar-History-Religion/dp/0231182961 The Iron Wall → https://www.amazon.com/Iron-Wall-We-Arabs-1923/dp/B0CS72LQK9/ Christ at the Checkpoint → https://www.amazon.com/Christ-Checkpoint-Blessed-are-Peacemakers/dp/1723976075 Christ in the Rubble → https://www.amazon.com/Christ-Rubble-Faith-Bible-Genocide/dp/0802885543/ Mitri Raheb → https://www.mitriraheb.org/ Diyar University → https://www.diyar.ps/Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:https://feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast#TheEnlightenmentPodcast #GregoryKhalil #PalestineVoices #JusticeForPalestine #ChristianityAndJustice #FaithInAction #PalestinianChristians #EndTheOccupation #HumanRightsInPalestine #DecolonizeFaith #MiddleEastConflict #PeacemakingInPalestine #FreePalestine #EvangelicalsForJustice #BethlehemVoices #IsraelPalestineConflict #FaithBasedActivism #PalestinianLiberation #TelosGroup #StopEthnicCleansing

In Episode 43 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan engage in a powerful conversation with Laith Marouf, a Palestinian-Syrian award-winning journalist, media analyst, and activist, to explore Zionism, the politics of journalism, and the struggle for Palestinian justice and liberation.Laith is the founder of Free Palestine TV, an independent platform dedicated to amplifying Palestinian voices and countering mainstream media narratives. His work is deeply informed by his own history—his mother’s family, the Al-Kilani, lived in Haifa in 1948, and his father’s side, the al-Kilanis, hail from Nablus, Iraq, and ultimately Mecca. His lineage traces back to Abdelkader al-Kilani, a prominent figure in Sunni Islam and Sufism, and to Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad.In this episode, Laith offers a deep critique of Zionism as a colonial project, reflects on the erasure of Palestinian narratives in Western journalism, and highlights the importance of reclaiming media as a tool for resistance and truth-telling.Laith’s Work:   Free Palestine TV  → ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@TVFreePalestine⁠Free Palestine TV Social Media:X (Twitter) → ⁠https://x.com/TVFreePalestine⁠Instagram → ⁠https://www.instagram.com/free.palestine.tv/⁠ Facebook → ⁠https://www.facebook.com/TVFreePalestine#⁠Enlightenment Podcast Social Media: ⁠https://feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast⁠#TheEnlightenmentPodcast #LaithMarouf #FreePalestineTV #ZionismExposed #PoliticalMedia #PalestinianLiberation #DecolonizeJournalism #MediaActivism #ResistanceVoices #MiddleEastPolitics #JusticeForPalestine #ArabNarratives #ColonialismUnmasked #IslamAndPolitics #TruthInMedia

In Episode 42 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan engage in a compelling conversation with Dr. Azzam Tamimi, a Palestinian academic, political theorist, and author based in the UK, to examine the intellectual foundations of political Islam, the framing of Islamic resistance movements, and the struggle for Palestinian liberation.Dr. Tamimi is the former director of the Institute of Islamic Political Thought and the author of Hamas: Unwritten Chapters, Islam and Secularism in the Middle East, and a biography of Rachid Ghannouchi. Through his academic work and public commentary, he has challenged dominant Western narratives about Islamism and offered critical decolonial readings of political Islam. His perspective bridges scholarly rigor with on-the-ground political insight.In this episode, Dr. Tamimi explores how the West misreads Islamic movements, and underscores the importance of understanding resistance through the lens of decolonization. He also reflects on his personal journey to Islam and the political consciousness it shaped.Dr. Azzam’s Work: 📘 Hamas: Unwritten Chapters→ https://www.amazon.com/Hamas-Unwritten-Chapters-Azzam-Tamimi/dp/185065834X 📘 Islam and Secularism in the Middle East→ https://www.amazon.com/Islam-Secularism-Middle-Azzam-Tamimi/dp/0814782612 📘 Rachid Ghannouchi: A Democrat Within Islamism→https://www.amazon.com/Rachid-Ghannouchi-Democrat-Islamism-Religion/dp/0195140001🎧 My Journey to Islam YouTube Playlist → https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLci-TEpAYR2486Ug6d_Mcj2RAlb2TgEL-Dr. Azzam's Social Media: X (Twitter) → https://x.com/AzzamTamimi Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/AzzamSTamimi Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/azzam_s_tamimi/ #TheEnlightenmentPodcast #AzzamTamimi #PoliticalIslam #Hamas #MuslimBrotherhood #PalestinianLiberation #IslamAndPolitics #DecolonizePalestine #ResistanceVoices #MiddleEastPolitics #Islamism #IslamAndSecularism #RachidGhannouchi #IslamicThought #JusticeForPalestine

In Episode 41 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan engage in a powerful conversation with Sharmine Narwani, a Beirut-based geopolitical analyst and journalist, to unpack the ongoing struggle for justice in Palestine, the historical roots of Zionism, and the failures of Western media narratives.Sharmine is the Editor-in-Chief of The Cradle, a news outlet focused on West Asian geopolitics. Over the past two decades, she has reported extensively from conflict zones including Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Gaza, offering rare on-the-ground insights often omitted by mainstream Western outlets. Her work has appeared in a wide range of publications including The New York Times, The Guardian, The American Conservative, and RT, reflecting a diverse media footprint that defies easy categorization.In this episode, Sharmine discusses the political evolution of Zionism, the complicity of Western institutions in perpetuating apartheid in Palestine, and the importance of independent journalism in exposing power and propaganda. She also reflects on the regional landscape of resistance and the urgent need for justice for the Palestinian people.Sharmine’s Work: 📰 Columns by Sharmine Narwani on The Cradle → https://thecradle.co/columns/sharmine-narwani 🎥 The Cradle Media on YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@thecradlemedia/videos 📄 Excuse Me, But Israel Has No Right To Exist – Article by Sharmine Narwani → https://mideastshuffle.com/2012/05/19/excuse-me-but-israel-has-no-right-to-exist/#TheEnlightenmentPodcast #SharmineNarwani #Zionism #PalestinianLiberation #MediaNarratives #DecolonizePalestine #WestAsia #Geopolitics #CradleMedia #JusticeForPalestine #AntiImperialism #MiddleEastPolitics #ResistanceVoices #IndependentMedia

In Episode 40 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan engage in a compelling conversation with Chris Doyle, Director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding (Caabu), where he has led advocacy and education efforts on Palestine and the wider Arab world for over two decades.Chris is a leading voice on UK foreign policy in the Middle East, and a trusted advisor to parliamentary groups on Arab affairs. As a frequent commentator on UK media—including The Guardian, Al Jazeera, and the BBC—he works to challenge misinformation, amplify Palestinian voices, and hold British institutions accountable for their historical and ongoing complicity in the region.He has authored and co-authored numerous reports on Zionism, the political framing of Palestine in the UK, and Britain's colonial legacy. Under his leadership, Caabu has organized dozens of parliamentary delegations to the occupied Palestinian territories and Arab countries, deepening political understanding and engagement.In this episode, Chris discusses the challenges of advocacy in the British political system, the impact of historical narratives on public discourse, and the urgent need for truth-telling, justice, and accountability in UK policy toward Palestine.Chris Doyle’s  Work: 🌐 Council for Arab-British Understanding (Caabu) – Website → https://www.caabu.org/ 📰 Articles and Video Contributions by Chris Doyle → https://www.caabu.org/news 🐦 Follow Chris on X (formerly Twitter) → https://x.com/doylech?lang=en#TheEnlightenmentPodcast #ChrisDoyle #Caabu #PalestinianRights #UKForeignPolicy #MiddleEastPolitics #EndApartheid #JusticeForPalestine #ColonialLegacy #ResistanceVoices #AdvocacyAndAccountability #PoliticalFraming #MediaNarratives

In Episode 39 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan engage in a compelling conversation with Dr. Marwan Muasher, a distinguished Jordanian diplomat and scholar whose career has centered on advocating for democratic reform, inclusive governance, and justice in the Arab world.Dr. Muasher has played a pivotal role in shaping Jordan’s foreign and domestic policy. He served as Jordan’s first ambassador to Israel following the 1994 peace treaty, and later held the roles of foreign minister, deputy prime minister of Jordan, and ambassador to the United States.Currently, he is Vice President for Studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where he leads research on the Middle East and focuses on political reform and pluralism in the Arab region.A vocal proponent of justice and dignity for the Palestinian people, Dr. Muasher is the author of The Arab Center: The Promise of Moderation and The Second Arab Awakening and the Battle for Pluralism. His work emphasizes the urgent need for inclusive, democratic transformation across the region.In this episode, Dr. Muasher discusses the challenges facing reform movements in the Arab world, the failures of authoritarian governance, and the role of international actors in shaping regional outcomes—particularly in relation to Palestinian self-determination and rights.Marwan’s Work: 📘 The Arab Center: The Promise of Moderation→https://www.amazon.com/Arab-Center-Promise-Moderation-Search-ebook/dp/B001CXM39A?ref_=ast_author_mpb 📘 The Second Arab Awakening and the Battle for Pluralism →https://www.amazon.com/Second-Arab-Awakening-Battle-Pluralism/dp/0300186398/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=apKA2&content-id=amzn1.sym.0fb2cce1-1ca4-439a-844b-8ad0b1fb77f7&pf_rd_p=0fb2cce1-1ca4-439a-844b-8ad0b1fb77f7&pf_rd_r=147-5700860-0680937&pd_rd_wg=c9465&pd_rd_r=7e233666-b6f6-4c72-bf7a-07d3ede11825&ref_=aufs_ap_sc_dskReferenced in the Episode:📄 Amnesty International Report: Israel’s apartheid against Palestinians: Cruel system of domination and crime against humanity→https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde15/5141/2022/en/📄 Full text of UN General Assembly Resolution 194 – via UNISPAL→ https://www.un.org/unispal/document/auto-insert-210170/#TheEnlightenmentPodcast #MarwanMuasher #ArabReform #DemocracyInTheMiddleEast #PalestinianRights #InclusiveGovernance #ArabWorld #Pluralism #MiddleEastPolitics #CarnegieEndowment #JusticeForPalestine #ResistanceVoices #PoliticalTransformation #SecondArabAwakening

In Episode 38 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan engage in a profound conversation with Mouin Rabbani, a Dutch-Palestinian analyst and writer renowned for his incisive commentary on Palestinian politics, international law, and Middle Eastern geopolitics.Rabbani has dedicated his career to analyzing the Arab-Israeli conflict and Palestinian affairs. He has held significant positions, including Senior Analyst and Special Adviser on Israel-Palestine with the International Crisis Group, and Principal Political Affairs Officer with the United Nations Office of the Special Envoy for Syria. Currently, he serves as a nonresident senior fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Dialogue, and Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN). He is also a co-editor of Jadaliyya, where he also hosts the Connections podcast and co-hosts Long Form Conversations with Bassam Haddad. Mouin is a staunch critic of the Oslo Accords, and opposed them from the very outset because they demonstrably failed to address the key issues of occupation and self-determination. His writings delve into themes of Zionism, settler colonialism, and the shortcomings of the so-called “peace process”. His analyses are featured in esteemed publications such as the London Review of Books, The Nation, and Middle East Report. In this episode, Mouin discusses why the Oslo Accords have failed, how Western powers have enabled and sustained the Israeli occupation, and why Zionism must be understood as a settler-colonial project. Mouin’s Work: 📰 Selected articles in The Nation, London Review of Books, and Middle East Report → https://www.thenation.com/authors/mouin-rabbani/ → https://www.lrb.co.uk/contributors/mouin-rabbani🎧 Connections Podcast with Mouin Rabbani – Analyses on Palestine, geopolitics, and the Global South → https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLkT5TSHWFSYKY_6vrNn_vZAmfunA_s9gReferenced in the Episode:📘 A History of False Hope: Investigative Commissions in Palestine by Lori Allen → https://www.amazon.com/History-False-Hope-Investigative-Commissions/dp/1503614182 📄 Tyranny of the Veto: PLO Diplomacy and the January 1976 United Nations Security Council Resolution by Colter Louwerse → https://www.researchgate.net/publication/363025715_Tyranny_of_the_Veto_PLO_Diplomacy_and_the_January_1976_United_Nations_Security_Council_Resolution#TheEnlightenmentPodcast #MouinRabbani #PalestinianLiberation #InternationalLaw #OsloAccords #MiddleEastPolitics #DecolonizePalestine #Zionism #SettlerColonialism #Jadaliyya #ConnectionsPodcast #FreePalestine #PoliticalAnalysis #StopOccupation #ArabWorld #ResistanceVoices

In Episode 37 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan speak with Professor Haim Bresheeth-Žabner, a British-Israeli academic, filmmaker, and author, whose life has been marked by a profound personal and political transformation.Born in a refugee camp to Holocaust survivors, Haim was raised in Israel under Zionist ideology — an ideology he would later reject entirely. His scholarship and activism over the past several decades have exposed the militarization of Israeli society and the foundational role of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in building and maintaining a settler-colonial state.Haim is the author of An Army Like No Other: How the Israel Defense Forces Made a Nation, a piercing study that argues the IDF is not merely a tool of the state—it is the state. He also co-authored Introducing the Holocaust: A Graphic Guide, a widely translated volume that critiques the impact of Zionism on Holocaust memory and challenges dominant narratives.Now retired from SOAS University of London, Haim continues his work as a Professorial Research Associate. His approach crosses disciplines — from cultural theory to film — with a lifelong commitment to justice through decolonization, demilitarization, and unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian people.He is the co-founder of the Jewish Network for Palestine (JNP) in Britain, a collective of anti-Zionist Jews advocating for Palestinian liberation. Haim is also a vocal supporter of the academic and cultural boycott of Israel, and a fearless voice in confronting genocide, settler colonialism, and Western complicity.🔗 Upcoming Event:📍 First Jewish Anti-Zionist Congress in Vienna → https://stop-zionism.at/Haim’s Works: 📚 An Army Like No Other: How the Israel Defense Forces Made a Nation → https://www.versobooks.com/products/950-an-army-like-no-other📖 Introducing the Holocaust: A Graphic Guide → https://www.amazon.com/Introducing-Holocaust-Graphic-Haim-Bresheeth/dp/1848315147📄 “Zionist Settler-Colonialist Identity: From Ethnic Cleansing to Genocide” → https://brill.com/view/journals/mjcc/17/3/article-p239_4.xml?language=en&srsltid=AfmBOooC-EhU8JUVQ0THw9oWUtvm9mu8T-H7Zp9TeFLZGymqTXaGePc5📘 “Reality Denial: The War to Resuscitate the Myth” in From the River to the Sea: Essays for a Free Palestine → You can read this for free by getting the ebook from Verso Books. Just click “Buy Now” on this page, and you won’t be charged (Haim’s essay appears at page 357): https://www.versobooks.com/en-gb/products/3293-from-the-river-to-the-sea?srsltid=AfmBOoqAyervsxby2h74N_0zOk7YJ2qf4Lh4kHmArLBLKMnAFsLocQEV Haim’s Website: http://www.haimbresheeth.comWatch More from Haim:🎥 Under The Rubble - Haim Bresheeth Zabner→ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByIYowZ9W5U🎥 State of Danger – BBC documentary by Haim Bresheeth and Jenny Morgan → https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=9uismOe7nxE🎥 The Israeli Army: The End of an Affair? – Middle East Monitor → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyUvhJTMCl4🎥 Conversations with an Anti-Zionist Jew – IHRC → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xi0efl9d1i4#TheEnlightenmentPodcast #HaimBresheethZabner #AntiZionism #JewishVoiceForPalestine #FreePalestine #DecolonizePalestine #IDF #IsraeliApartheid #SolidarityWithPalestine #SettlerColonialism #PalestinianLiberation #StopGenocide #AntiZionistCongress

In Episode 36 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan speak with Thomas Suárez — a London-based historical researcher, acclaimed author, and professional violinist — about Zionism, colonial violence, and the ongoing pursuit of justice for Palestine.His work as a meticulous researcher and author has made him one of the most fearless voices confronting the violent history of Zionism and its impact on Palestine.Thomas is the author of Palestine Hijacked: How Zionism Forged an Apartheid State from River to Sea, State of Terror: How Terrorism Created Modern Israel, and Writings on the Wall: Palestinian Oral Histories, and Palestine 60 Years Later. His newest book, Palestine Mapped: From the River to the Sea in Early Geographic Thought, will be released in summer 2025.In this episode, Shamim and Hanan discuss Tom’s decades of archival research, the silenced voices of Palestinians under British Mandate rule, and how Zionist militias used terror to establish the Israeli state — tactics that still echo in today’s violence and displacement.They also touch on personal resistance. In 2011, Tom’s partner, Nancy Elan — a violinist with the London Philharmonic — was, along with three colleagues, suspended without pay for seven months and placed under a gag order for co-signing a letter supporting BDS and opposing the BBC’s invitation to the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. It was a bold stand for justice that came at great personal cost — and a reminder of the silencing faced by those who speak out.Learn more about Tom Suárez’s work: 🔗 Website: thomassuarez.com 📚 Palestine Hijacked: palestinehijacked.net 🗺️ Palestine Mapped: palestinemapped.net#theenlightenmentpodcast #thomassuarez #palestinehijacked #zionismexposed #palestinianhistory #decolonizepalestine #palestinemapped #resistance #justiceforpalestine #nakba #colonialviolence #palestinianvoices #stateofterror #bdsmovement #endtheoccupation #podcastforjustice #freepalestine

In Episode 35 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan speak with Mohammad Nawajhaa — a Palestinian activist from the village of Susya in the South Hebron Hills.Mohammad became involved in activism at a young age. At just 13, he traveled with a youth delegation to South Africa — a formative experience that opened his eyes to the deep parallels between apartheid there and the occupation in Palestine. Inspired and outraged by the settler violence, demolitions, and military restrictions surrounding his village, Muhammad began dedicating his life to resistance and advocacy.He has worked extensively with international activists and human rights organizations to spotlight the ongoing attempts to forcibly displace Palestinian communities in Masafer Yatta, one of the most at-risk areas in the West Bank.In this episode, Shamim and Hanan talk to Mohammad about growing up under occupation, what solidarity means in practice, and how communities like Susya continue to resist erasure with strength, unity, and hope.Follow Mohammad Nawajhaa:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mohammad__nawajhaa/Interview at age 13 about life in Susiya village: https://youtu.be/RTpTAgb9vk4#theenlightenmentpodcast #muhammadnawajaa #susiya #masaferyatta #palestinianvoices #endtheoccupation #southhebronhills #freepalestine #palestineresistance #settlercolonialism #apartheid #podcastforjustice #palestinianrights

In Episode 34 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan speak with Diana Buttu — a Palestinian-Canadian lawyer, political analyst, and former legal advisor to the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). Diana played a pivotal role in the early 2000s as a spokesperson and negotiator for the PLO’s Negotiations Support Unit — one of the few women at the table during peace talks between Israeli and Palestinian representatives.She holds degrees from the University of Toronto, Queen’s University, Stanford Law School, and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management . Diana has also been affiliated with Stanford University and Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and is currently associated with the Institute for Middle East Understanding.Born and raised in Canada to Palestinian parents, Diana moved back to Palestine in 2000. She lived in Ramallah from 2000 to 2005, then moved to Gaza, where she stayed until mid-2006. After being denied reentry into Gaza, she returned to Ramallah briefly before moving to Nazareth to live with her grandmother. In 2010, she purchased a home and settled in Haifa, where she continues her legal and advocacy work today.​Diana’s work has long focused on exposing the imbalance of power in so-called “peace processes” — and on highlighting the human cost of occupation. In interviews and op-eds, she has been a powerful voice for Palestinian rights, speaking out against land theft, apartheid, and the international community’s complicity in maintaining the status quo. In this episode, Shamim and Hanan discuss Diana’s legal background, her behind-the-scenes experience in negotiations, and her evolving perspective on why justice — not just diplomacy — must be the foundation of any future for Palestine.Follow Diana Buttu:📍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dianabuttu/📍 X (Twitter): @dianabuttuFurther Reading:🔗 “Point-Blank Range”: How Israel Executed 15 Medics in Gaza (Zeteo) - https://zeteo.com/p/point-blank-range-israel-executed-medics-gaza?r=a61yu&utm_medium=ios&triedRedirect=true&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAactdZmJZCeuZ_Gw1HSd_Pp_IgiuRlQYAGrTkjwsRHseiUYxkoPWVBGcjQJimA_aem_Cj_xpD5nho-AaxhmpMJXag✍️ Articles by Diana Buttu (Al Jazeera) - https://www.aljazeera.com/author/diana_buttu_161207133658884Learn more about the movement:🌍 BDS Movement - https://www.bdsmovement.net/#theenlightenmentpodcast #dianabuttu #palestine #palestinianvoices #legalactivism #humanrights #justiceforpalestine #palestinianlawyer #endtheoccupation #freepalestine #palestinianrights #resistance #palestinefreedom #podcastforjustice #middleeastexplained

In Episode 33 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan speak with Joudie Kalla — a Palestinian-British chef, food writer, artist, and passionate activist for Palestinian rights.Joudie is the author of the critically acclaimed cookbooks Palestine on a Plate and Baladi, which showcase her deep connection to Palestinian culture through food — and stories passed down from her family’s history in Palestine.After completing her master’s degree at the Sorbonne in Paris, Joudie trained at the prestigious Leith’s School of Food and Wine in London. She went on to hone her culinary skills at renowned restaurants, including Gordon Ramsay’s Pengelley’s, Daphne’s, and Papillon under Chef David Duverger.From 2010 to 2013, Joudie ran her own catering business and owned a London deli called Baity Kitchen (“My Home” Kitchen). She also hosted Palestinian supper clubs at The Phene and other restaurants in the city — bringing people together over rich flavors and deeply rooted traditions.Beyond the kitchen, Joudie is an artist and a fearless advocate for Palestinian rights. She doesn’t just cook Palestinian food — she tells stories of identity, belonging, and resilience through every ingredient. For Joudie, food is a powerful form of resistance against colonialism. It’s a way to reclaim heritage, preserve memory, and challenge the erasure of Palestinian culture. Her dishes are declarations — of existence, of history, and of home.In this episode, Shamim and Hanan explore Joudie’s journey from culinary excellence to activism — and how food serves as both a cultural bridge and a tool for social change.What others say about Joudie’s books:Nigella Lawson“This book goes to the heart of the relationship between food and identity, and conveys a sense of belonging through beautiful, compelling and, yes, joyous recipes. I just want to eat everything in it.”Anthony Bourdain“An important cuisine and culinary tradition that needs to be understood, celebrated and enjoyed.”Sami Tamimi“The food of Palestine is mouth-watering and colourful. This treasure-trove of a book shows it at its best.”New York Times“Joudie Kalla looks homeward for inspiration... ‘I want to pay homage to the Palestine that my family knew and remembers.’ And that’s exactly what this book does so gracefully.”Learn more about Joudie and her work:- Palestine on a Plate: https://www.palestineonaplate.com- Baladi: https://interlinkbooks.com- Follow Joudie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/palestineonaplate/On the ground in Gaza – additional reading:- Gaza Journalist Fatima Hassouna Killed in Israeli Airstrike - https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/18/middleeast/fatima-hassouna-killed-israeli-airstrike-gaza-intl-latam/index.html#TheEnlightenmentPodcast #JoudieKalla #PalestinianFood #FoodIsResistance #PalestinianVoices #PalestinianCulture #Baladi #PalestineOnAPlate #JusticeForPalestine #FoodActivism #PalestinianCuisine #GazaUnderAttack #EndTheOccupation #PodcastForJustice #CulinaryActivism

In Episode 32 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan speak with Anna Lippman — a Canadian Jewish activist, scholar, and outspoken anti-Zionist. Anna is currently pursuing a PhD in Sociology at York University in Toronto, where her research and activism intersect around justice, solidarity, and decolonization. Raised in Canada in a family deeply rooted in Jewish tradition — as the granddaughter of an Auschwitz survivor — Anna was initially enmeshed in mainstream Jewish institutions and Zionist ideology, believing it to be inseparable from her Jewish identity. Her journey into Palestinian solidarity activism began at the age of 19 when she volunteered on a kibbutz just five kilometers from Gaza. Witnessing the stark realities of the occupation, Anna began to question the narratives she had been taught. She later joined If Not Now, a movement of American and Canadian Jews working to end U.S. support for the Israeli occupation, and has become a committed advocate for Palestinian rights. Anna is actively involved in Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) and Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ). In this episode, Shamim and Hanan explore Anna's personal transformation from believing in Zionism to becoming a passionate advocate for Palestinian liberation, as well as the significance of challenging oppressive systems from within the Jewish community. Learn more about Anna's activism and related initiatives:Palestinian Solidarity Campaign: https://palsolidarity.org/ Vote Palestine: https://votepalestine.ca/Labour for Palestine: https://www.labourforpalestine.com/Resources: Rachel Corrie: https://www.npr.org/2024/03/30/1241231447/rachel-corrie-gaza-palestinians-aid-israel-hamas-warAysenur Eygi: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/09/06/middleeast/american-activist-killed-west-bank-intl/index.html#EnlightenmentPodcast #AnnaLipman #JewishVoiceForPalestine #AntiZionist #FreePalestine #PalestinianLiberation #EndTheOccupation #IfNotNow #IndependentJewishVoices #JewishSolidarity #JusticeForPalestine #ResistanceFromWithin #SocialJustice #HumanRights #BDSMovement

In Episode 31 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan speak with Ronnie Barkan — a Jewish Israeli dissident, human rights activist, and outspoken anti-Zionist.Ronnie is the co-founder of Boycott from Within, a group of Israeli and Palestinian citizens (from 1948 territories) who support the Palestinian-led BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement. His activism is rooted in a principled stance against apartheid, colonialism, and all forms of racial supremacy. He describes the Israeli state as a racial supremacist entity founded on ethnic cleansing and apartheid.Since refusing to serve in the Israeli military as a conscientious objector in 1997, Ronnie has been involved in nonviolent direct action. He has been arrested multiple times for his protests and has represented Palestinian rights in international forums, including the European Parliament. His activism draws inspiration from the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa.Ronnie is also a member of Anarchists Against the Wall and Palestine Action. On Nakba Day 2022, he participated in a direct action targeting the UK headquarters of Elbit Systems — Israel's largest weapons manufacturer — whose technology is used in the ongoing assault on Gaza.Most recently, Ronnie faced harassment by the German secret police following a talk he gave in Munich at Professor-Huber-Platz, where he drew connections between the legacy of the White Rose resistance to Nazism and contemporary direct action against Zionism.In this episode, Shamim and Hanan explore Ronnie’s personal journey from within Israeli society to becoming an international advocate for Palestinian liberation — and his unrelenting commitment to justice, solidarity, and direct action.📖 Learn more about Ronnie’s activism:Boycott from Within: https://boycottisrael.info/Palestine Action: https://palestineaction.org/📚 Resources:Made in Bristol, Tested in Palestine: https://www.bristol247.com/news-and-features/news/made-bristol-tested-palestine/Jewish National Fund in Violation of International and Domestic Law: https://www.palestineremembered.com/Articles/JNF/Story1513.html🐦 Ronnie’s Twitter:https://x.com/ronnie_barkan?lang=en☕ Support Ronnie:https://buymeacoffee.com/ronniebarkan#RonnieBarkan #EnlightenmentPodcast #AntiZionism #PalestinianRights #BDS #BoycottFromWithin #DirectAction #AnarchistsAgainstTheWall #PalestineAction #NakbaDay #AntiApartheid #JewishDissident