Episodes

  • Israel Bans UNRWA: What is the future for Palestinian refugees?

    Israel Bans UNRWA: What is the future for Palestinian refugees?
    Feb 10 2025
    As Israel pushes to dismantle UNRWA, hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees face an uncertain future. In this episode, we visit Al Jalazon refugee camp to hear from Mahfouz Safi, whose family was forcibly expelled from Beit Nabala in 1948 by Zionist militias. Through his story—and the voices of his sister, Jihad, we uncover the far-reaching impact of Israel’s crackdown on the agency that has provided education, healthcare, and aid to millions for over seven decades. As we explore the history of displacement and the role of UNRWA, two questions emerge: What’s at stake if UNRWA disappears? And who will step in when an entire population is left without support? Please note that the voices you will hear are not those of Jihad and Safi. Our interviews with them were conducted in Arabic. To make their powerful stories accessible to a wider audience, we have translated and rerecorded their words using English-speaking voice actors.Thank you for tuning into This is Palestine, the official podcast of The IMEU! For more stories and resources, visit us at imeu.org. Stay connected with us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theimeu/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/theIMEU Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theIMEU/ For more insights, follow our host, Diana Buttu, on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/dianabuttu
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    20 mins
  • Ceasefire in Gaza: Israel Continues to Kill Palestinians

    Ceasefire in Gaza: Israel Continues to Kill Palestinians
    Jan 23 2025
    As the ceasefire in Gaza goes into effect, the Israeli army has launched widespread attacks against the West Bank. In this episode of “This is Palestine,” host Diana Buttu speaks with IMEU’s Sarah Abu Alrob about the ceasefire agreement breaking down what is means for Palestinians. The episode also delves into the Trump’s administration's actions giving Israel the green light to fully illegally annex the West Bank.Thank you for tuning into This is Palestine, the official podcast of The IMEU! For more stories and resources, visit us at imeu.org. Stay connected with us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theimeu/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/theIMEU Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theIMEU/ For more insights, follow our host, Diana Buttu, on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/dianabuttu
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    16 mins
  • Interview with Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac: The home of Christmas under rubble amid Israel's genocide

    Interview with Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac: The home of Christmas under rubble amid Israel's genocide
    Dec 20 2024

    As we approach 2025, Israel continues to bomb, attack, and occupy the birthplace of Christmas. This year, church officials have shared that Christmas services across Palestine will be somber and highlight the call to end Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

    Experts are even warning that Israel’s genocide against Palestinians could lead to the elimination of the Palestinian Christians in the Gaza Strip. Before the genocide, there were between 1,000 - 1,700 Palestinian Christians in Gaza. Following Israel’s relentless attacks, less than 600 Palestinian Christians remain. Over the past year, Israel has destroyed the homes of nearly every Palestinian Christian family in Gaza. The majority of the Palestinian Christians continue to take shelter in the Holy Family Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrius, both in Gaza City. Israel has repeatedly bombed both churches.

    In this episode, Diana Buttu spoke with Rev. Dr. Isaac about Israel’s increasing attacks on the Palestinian Christian community throughout all of Palestine, including the West Bank and Gaza. They discussed how these attacks are a part of Israel’s broader genocidal campaign and objective to ethnically cleanse Palestinians from their land.

    In a recent interview, Rev. Isaac said Israel has created “completely unlivable” conditions for Palestinians in the West Bank. He also posted a photo of the Israeli army building an additional checkpoint cutting off the city of Bethlehem from other key Palestinian cities. He described the photo with the caption: “Another gate installed by the Israeli military at the entrance of our town (and on the way to my kids' school). Bethlehem - like the rest of the West Bank - has become a parcel of isolated fragmented areas. “Oh little town of Bethlehem” is “Oh little besieged Bethlehem.”

    Thank you for tuning into This is Palestine, the official podcast of The IMEU! For more stories and resources, visit us at imeu.org.

    Stay connected with us:
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theimeu/
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/theIMEU
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theIMEU/

    For more insights, follow our host, Diana Buttu, on:
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/dianabuttu

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    24 mins
  • Will the ICC Arrest Warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant Lead to Justice?

    Will the ICC Arrest Warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant Lead to Justice?
    Dec 13 2024
    In this episode, we speak to Dr. Nimer Sultany, a law professor at SOAS. We discuss the ICC and the ICJ; what impact these cases will have and whether we should be optimistic about these legal developments. Dr. Sultany speaks with host Diana Buttu about the unprecedented number of legal actions taken before international courts, namely the International Court of Justice (also known as the World Court or the ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (known as the ICC). Dr. Sultany also expands on the international legal actions being taken to hold Israel to account within the context of the double standards that have historically existed within international justice mechanisms. Listen to this episode for the latest updates on international legal actions being taken to hold Israel accountable for its ongoing human rights violations and war crimes against Palestinians. Thank you for tuning into This is Palestine, the official podcast of The IMEU! For more stories and resources, visit us at imeu.org. Stay connected with us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theimeu/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/theIMEU Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theIMEU/ For more insights, follow our host, Diana Buttu, on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/dianabuttu
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    17 mins
  • What Does the Trump Presidency Mean for Palestinians?

    What Does the Trump Presidency Mean for Palestinians?
    Nov 29 2024
    In this episode of “This is Palestine,” host Diana Buttu speaks with Dalia Alahmad at IMEU’s Palestine office about the incoming U.S. Trump administration and its impact on Palestinians. Ms. Buttu speaks with Ms. Alahmad about the concerns Palestinians have for the impending administration while also addressing the Biden administration’s ongoing funding of Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza and human rights abuses against the Palestinian people. The episode dives into the topline concerns, including Israel’s complete theft and illegal annexation of the West Bank along with the targeting of the vital international refugee aid agency UNRWA. Listen to this episode to stay up-to-date on important analysis from Palestine as the US approaches this pivotal electoral shift. Thank you for tuning into This is Palestine, the official podcast of The IMEU! For more stories and resources, visit us at imeu.org. Stay connected with us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theimeu/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/theIMEU Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theIMEU/ For more insights, follow our host, Diana Buttu, on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/dianabuttu
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    32 mins
  • Poetry in the Time of Genocide, Part 2: A Conversation with 2024 National Book Finalist Dr. Fady Joudah

    Poetry in the Time of Genocide, Part 2: A Conversation with 2024 National Book Finalist Dr. Fady Joudah
    Nov 18 2024
    In this two-episode special, host Diana Buttu speaks with award-winning Palestinian-American writers Fady Joudah and Lena Khalaf Tuffaha, who are both finalists for the 2024 National Book Awards. Dr. Joudah and Ms. Tuffaha comprise two of the only five shortlisted writers for the 2024 National Book Award in Poetry, making this a foundational cultural honor for the Palestinian literary community and beyond. As Palestinians continue to endure Israel’s genocide and defy cultural erasure, Joudah and Tuffaha discuss literature as a foundational tool of cultural resilience. The two notable writers also expand on the meaning of the Book Award nominations, not just for themselves but for all Palestinians and oppressed communities around the world. Dr. Joudah is nominated for his powerful collection of poetry, entitled, “ […].” published by Milkweed Press. Joudah’s nominated work is described as an “urgent and essential collection of poems illuminating the visionary presence of Palestinians.” Joudah reminds us “Wonder belongs to all.” Fady Joudah is the recipient of multiple literary awards, including the 2024 Jackson Poetry Prize and more. New York Literary critics have said that Joudah’s poetry “thrives on dramatic shifts in perspective, on continually challenging conceived notions.” Along with being a multi-award-winning writer, Joudah is an internal medicine doctor. Thank you for tuning into This is Palestine, the official podcast of The IMEU! For more stories and resources, visit us at imeu.org. Stay connected with us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theimeu/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/theIMEU Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theIMEU/ For more insights, follow our host, Diana Buttu, on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/dianabuttu
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    27 mins
  • Poetry in the Time of Genocide, Part 1: A Conversation with 2024 National Book Finalist Lena Tuffaha

    Poetry in the Time of Genocide, Part 1: A Conversation with 2024 National Book Finalist Lena Tuffaha
    Nov 18 2024
    In this two-episode special, host Diana Buttu speaks with award-winning Palestinian-American writers Fady Joudah and Lena Khalaf Tuffaha, who are both finalists for the 2024 National Book Awards. Dr. Joudah and Ms. Tuffaha comprise two of the only five shortlisted writers for the 2024 National Book Award in Poetry, making this a foundational cultural honor for the Palestinian literary community and beyond. As Palestinians continue to endure Israel’s genocide and defy cultural erasure, Joudah and Tuffaha discuss literature as a foundational tool of cultural resilience. The two notable writers also expand on the meaning of the Book Award nominations, not just for themselves but for all Palestinians and oppressed communities around the world. Ms. Tuffaha is nominated for her compelling book of poetry, “Something About Living,” published by the University Akron Press as part of the “Akron Series of Poetry.” The nominated text explores Palestinian life through the lens of the American language, revealing a legacy of obfuscation and erasure. Lena Khalaf Tuffaha is a multi-award-winning poet, essayist, and translator who has authored three acclaimed books of poetry, translated award-winning plays, and published a range of literary essays, chapters, and more. Thank you for tuning into This is Palestine, the official podcast of The IMEU! For more stories and resources, visit us at imeu.org. Stay connected with us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theimeu/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/theIMEU Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theIMEU/ For more insights, follow our host, Diana Buttu, on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/dianabuttu
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    26 mins
  • Jenin in the Aftermath of Israel’s Military Attacks

    Jenin in the Aftermath of Israel’s Military Attacks
    Oct 30 2024
    Amidst Israel’s catastrophic genocide unfolding in Gaza, its military is escalating a relentless campaign of aggression across the Palestinian West Bank, marked by a daily barrage of military operations. Since October 2023, Israel has killed at least 760 Palestinians, including 165 children, and injured 6,300 others in both the West Bank and Jerusalem. Israel has also held thousands more Palestinians captive, underscoring an intense and sustained pattern of severe human rights violations. In this episode, we highlight Jenin in the northern West Bank, a Palestinian city that Israel has subjected to intense military campaigns in the West Bank for two decades. Each one of Israel’s invasions has left deep scars on the city’s infrastructure and people. This episode offers a close, unfiltered look at life under military occupation. We start with the story of Abu Mujahed, whose son was used as a human shield by the Israeli army, enduring torture under the harsh sun. Next, we hear from Khawla, a mother recounting the terror of being forcibly driven from her home under gunfire. Finally, we meet Om Mohammed, a mother mourning her 13-year-old son, who Israel killed as he tried to help deliver bread to the Jenin Refugee Camp’s residents living under full Israeli siege. Israel’s increasingly brutal attacks against Palestinian cities in the West Bank such as Jenin, have led local Palestinians to now refer to the area as “Little Gaza.” Palestinian human rights experts are urgently warning that Israel’s genocidal campaign of ethnic cleansing in Gaza is quickly spreading to the West Bank. These testimonies reveal the ongoing human cost of Israel’s occupation and remind us of the individuals behind the statistics. Through their voices, we witness the endurance and resilience of Palestinian families forced to confront the daily realities of displacement, destruction, and survival in what is now referred to as "Little Gaza." Thank you for tuning into This is Palestine, the official podcast of The IMEU! For more stories and resources, visit us at imeu.org. Stay connected with us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theimeu/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/theIMEU Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theIMEU/ For more insights, follow our host, Diana Buttu, on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/dianabuttu
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    24 mins