Ep. 017 — "Defend itself from whom?" Why we stand with Palestine (and you should too) w/ Rasha [EN]

In today’s episode we speak with Rasha Budeiri about the current situation in Palestine. Rasha tells us her very personal story of growing up in her family home in the neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah — one of the 28 houses that the Israeli side is trying to expropriate — and about her day to day experience of living under occupation. Other topics that we touch on include the current living conditions in Gaza and the West Bank, the historical roots of the current situation, the 73th anniversary of the Nakba, the stance of the Palestinian people towards Fatah and Hamas, and the changing tides of traditional media, social media, and public opinion. The discussion ends with a note on the BDS movement and ways in which we can stand in solidarity with, and take action in support of, the Palestianian liberation struggles, according to each’s capacities and possibilities. Re(Sources) Forced expulsions in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of Jerusalem https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/1/what-is-happening-in-occupied-east-jerusalems-sheikh-jarrah https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/11/sheikh-jarrah-residents-speak-out-on-israels-forced-expulsions Israel targeting media outlets in Gaza (15 May) https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/15/building-housing-al-jazeeera-office-in-gaza-hit-by-israeli-strike https://cpj.org/2021/05/israeli-air-strikes-destroy-buildings-housing-more-than-a-dozen-media-outlets-in-gaza/ Associated Press executive editor calls for independent inquiry into Israel’s claim that media building hosted Hamas assets (17 May) https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/17/gaza-bombing-ap-chief-independent-inquiry-al-jalaa Referenced NYT article (15 May) https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/15/world/middleeast/associated-press-gaza-israel-airstrike-media.html Transcript of US President Joseph R. Biden's call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in which the American chief of state supports “Israel’s right to defend itself” (15 May) https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/05/15/readout-of-president-joseph-r-biden-jr-call-with-prime-minister-benjamin-netanyahu-of-israel-3/ The Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement https://www.bdsmovement.net/call Example of protest against Israel’s attacks, one of the many around the world (15 May) https://www.itv.com/news/2021-05-15/thousands-march-in-free-palestine-protest-in-london-as-gaza-violence-continues US administration approves $735m weapons sale to Israel (17 May) https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/05/17/power-up-biden-administration-approves-735-million-weapons-sale-israel-raising-red-flags-some-house-democrats/ [sometimes asks for subscription] Israel to keep strikes at ‘full force’, says Netanyahu (17 May) https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-57131272 Israel’s hard right turn (2020) https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium.MAGAZINE-losing-hope-for-change-top-left-wing-activists-and-scholars-leave-israel-behind-1.8864499 [sometimes asks for subscription] artwork by Alis Balogh intro/outro song: Mesh Ma’ Enno by Makimakkuk https://soundcloud.com/makimakkuk https://open.spotify.com/artist/1foIEikUEDSL8sCj5BLFcv https://www.youtube.com/user/starmakan Further reading/listening Ilan Pappé, "The ethnic cleansing of Palestine" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYIyEEYogNM&t=835s Episode on The Palestine Pod (podcast) with Palestinian-American scholar Steven Salaita on decolonization in Palestine & North America https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jeS5VKEps4 Norman Finkelstein, on apartheid in Israel (Connections Podcast episode) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmfsJAF8ujc Noam Chomsky: Israel and Palestine (lecture) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUsXt8TmVfU