Arab Talk with Jess & Jamal

More than two decades after 9/11, Islamophobia remains a force in American public life. Government policies, post-9/11 surveillance, social media, and political rhetoric have contributed to persistent suspicion toward Muslim Americans, despite President George W. Bush’s early statement that Islam was not the face of terror. FBI statistics recorded 481 reported anti-Muslim hate crimes in 2001, up f...

The documentary NAZA, by Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, features testimony from more than two dozen soldiers from Israel’s elite Unit 8200 intelligence brigade. The film exposes how civilian deaths were calculated and accepted during Israel’s bombardment of Gaza beginning in October 2023. While some see the film as potential evidence for war-crimes investigations, others questio...

What happens when a regional conflict threatens one of the world’s most important energy corridors? Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthi movement have been at the center of a long-running conflict with consequences that reach far beyond the Middle East. From attacks on shipping and energy infrastructure to rising security risks in the Red Sea, the confrontation has the potential to disrupt oil flows, d...

In his recent UN speech, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed settler violence in the West Bank as the work of roughly 150 “juvenile delinquents,” arguing that reports of widespread violence have been exaggerated. Human Rights Watch and other organizations, however, have documented attacks on Palestinian communities, displacement, and what they describe as state support for violent...

Latin America is undergoing a significant diplomatic shift. While several governments have taken legal or diplomatic steps challenging Israel’s conduct in Gaza and emphasizing Palestinian rights, a growing number of right-wing governments are deepening political, security, military, and trade ties with Israel. Colombia offers a striking example. In August 2026, President Abelardo de la Espriella’s...

The UK is moving to ban goods from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, citing international law and the International Court of Justice’s 2024 advisory opinion. France and Canada have announced similar measures, as settler violence and settlement expansion intensify. The debate has also been sharpened by Israel’s planned E1 settlement expansion, which could further divide the West Bank a...

Professor of Sociology David Miller has prevailed in a longstanding legal battle with the University of Bristol, which dismissed him in 2021 over comments critical of Zionism and its relationship to antisemitism. After Miller won a landmark appeal in 2024, the University challenged the decision. That challenge was rejected this August, with the Tribunal ruling that Miller’s criticism of Zionism co...

The war in Gaza has sparked an intense and deeply contested debate over whether Israel’s conduct meets the legal definition of genocide. Genocide scholars, human rights organizations, and legal experts have advanced arguments supporting that characterization, while Israel and its supporters strongly reject it. At the same time, scholars, journalists, students, and others who have criticized Israel...

Israel is dramatically expanding spending on hasbara—its international public-diplomacy and communications effort. The 2026 budget allocates roughly $730 million to public diplomacy, more than four times the approximately $150 million allocated the year before. The increase comes as Israel faces intense international criticism over the Gaza war and declining support in parts of the global public....

Michigan Matters: Is the Democratic Primary the Party's Litmus Test? by News You Can Use with Jamal Dajani & Jess Ghannam

As U.S. military support for Israel faces growing scrutiny, Congress is considering legislation that could dramatically deepen defense cooperation between the two countries. Supporters say it's a necessary step to strengthen innovation and security. Critics argue it would create an unprecedented level of institutional integration with significant implications for U.S. policy and sovereignty. To he...

One of the biggest stories in the 2026 Michigan Democratic Senate primary isn't just the candidates—it's the money. AIPAC's affiliated Super PAC, United Democracy Project, has poured more than $10 million into the race backing Representative Haley Stevens, part of a broader wave of outside spending that has topped $40 million. The spending has far outpaced support for her opponent, Abdul El-Sayed,...

A new UN Commission of Inquiry report examines the impact of Israel's war on Palestinian children since 7 October 2023. Titled The Essence of Childhood Has Been Destroyed, the report says more than 20,000 Palestinian children have been killed and at least 44,000 injured. The Commission says its investigation builds on its September 2025 findings, which concluded that Israel had committed genocide...

A new UN commission report accuses Israeli authorities of deliberately targeting Palestinian children in Gaza, alleging actions that may constitute genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. Meanwhile, recent Democratic primaries, especially in New York City, have renewed debate over AIPAC's political influence and whether criticism of Israeli government policies is reshaping the Democrati...

This episode examines the Jewish Anti-Zionist Congress, taking place in Dublin from June 26–28. Building on last year’s inaugural gathering in Vienna, the Congress brings together Jewish activists and allies committed to equality, justice, and Palestinian rights. Under the theme “From Words into Action,” participants will focus on turning shared principles into practical strategies for change. Our...

Jess & Jamal examine a development that raises difficult questions about intelligence, alliances, and the future of U.S. foreign policy. The Pentagon has reportedly elevated its counterintelligence threat assessment regarding Israel, citing concerns about espionage and intelligence security. At the same time, lawmakers in Congress are advancing proposals aimed at deepening military integration bet...

The Global Sumud Flotilla, an international aid mission to Gaza, was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters, with activists detained and ships redirected to Israeli ports. Human rights groups allege detainees faced abuse, including beatings, humiliation, denial of medical care, and sexual violence. During the latest interception, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir fi...

A recent shooting attack targeting a mosque complex in San Diego, where two gunmen killed three people, has renewed concerns about the rising climate of Islamophobia in the United States. Many advocates say anti-Muslim hate has been fueled by the normalization of inflammatory rhetoric from political leaders and other high-profile public figures. In this episode, we speak with Jenin Younes, Nationa...

Gaza’s healthcare system is nearing collapse. Hospitals are damaged, supplies are blocked, and many doctors have been killed or detained. Now, Physicians for Human Rights Israel has petitioned Israel’s High Court, demanding the release of 14 Palestinian doctors held without charge. These detainees include senior surgeons and hospital leaders—some taken while on duty. Among them is Dr. Hussam Abu S...

The reported death toll in Gaza, now approaching 73,000, continues to rise. Even during the ceasefire, people are still being killed or dying from starvation and lack of medical care. Thousands more remain missing, detained, or buried under rubble, with families still searching for answers amid limited transparency and restricted access to forensic resources. On today’s episode of Arab Talk, we’re...

After initially refusing, the U.S. agreed to include Lebanon in ceasefire talks with Iran, backing a separate 10-day Israel–Lebanon truce that took effect April 17 at midnight. The deal follows Israel’s renewed invasion of southern Lebanon in March amid its broader conflict with Iran. Under the agreement, Israel retains control of occupied southern areas and reserves the right to respond to threat...

On March 31, the Knesset passed a controversial law mandating the death penalty for Palestinians, including both West Bank residents and Israeli citizens, while excluding Jewish settlers. The law makes execution the default sentence, to be carried out within 90 days with no option for appeal or pardon. Hanging is the designated method, and some lawmakers signaled support by wearing noose-shaped pi...

What began in late February as coordinated U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military facilities has rapidly expanded into a far more dangerous confrontation. In response, Iran has launched waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israeli cities, key strategic sites, and U.S. military bases across the region—fueling growing concern over a prolonged and widening conflict. To he...

Journalist Daoud Kuttab examines how Israel has used global attention on Iran to intensify settler violence and expand the seizure of Palestinian land in the West Bank. He also describes how attacks and harassment by the Israeli government and settlers against Palestinian Christians have increased, targeting their towns and villages as well as churches, schools, and other religious institutions. K...

Oren Ziv examines Israel’s wartime military censorship amid its conflict with Iran, shedding light on how information is controlled during periods of escalation. He also highlights a surge in violent settler attacks on Palestinian communities in the West Bank, particularly targeting herding communities in the Northern Jordan Valley under the cover of war. Oren is a photojournalist and a reporter f...