Arab Talk with Jess & Jamal

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...

Jess and Jamal discuss the war between the United States, Israel, and Iran as it enters its second week. U.S. and Israeli forces continue striking Iranian military and energy infrastructure, including targets near Tehran, while Iran has launched retaliatory missile and drone attacks against Israel and U.S.-linked sites in the region. Leaders on all sides say operations will continue, raising fears...

Jess and Jamal discuss the latest developments and global repercussions following U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran. Nathan Kalman-Lamb, Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of New Brunswick, joins the show to discuss a complaint filed with the International Criminal Court against the heads of FIFA and UEFA. The case centers on allegations that the organizations permit Israeli footbal...

Close to 11,000 Palestinians are currently held in Israeli prisons and detention centers, the majority without formal charges or convictions. During this recent period, nearly 100 Palestinians have died in custody, with extensive evidence indicating that many of these deaths resulted from torture and medical neglect. Based on its findings, Physicians for Human Rights has stated that these patterns...

In his opinion piece published in Al Jazeera, titled “Here’s Why Israel Is Allowing Record Murder Rates in Its Palestinian Towns,” Dr. Neve Gordon argues that the crime epidemic within Palestinian communities inside Israel is not merely a failure of governance, but part of a broader political strategy. He contends that the state has effectively allowed violence to escalate while simultaneously wea...

In the aftermath of the war on Gaza, a proposed “Board of Peace” emerged on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September 2025. The body was envisioned as a temporary entity with a two-year mandate to oversee Gaza’s reconstruction and economic recovery. Louis Charbonneau, UN director at Human Rights Watch, discusses the proposed Board of Peace and examines the impact of the United States’...

President Donald Trump stated that he was holding off on striking Iran out of respect for what he claimed was Iran’s agreement to cancel 800 executions of protesters. Separately, but around the same time, officials from several Arab countries—Egypt, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar—as well as Israel reportedly urged Trump not to strike Iran, citing fears of Iranian retaliation. Joining us to discuss...

Dr. Andrew Hammond discusses the UAE’s notable involvement in multiple conflicts around the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, in partnership with Israel. The two small countries seek to maximize their regional power by controlling key positions along the Red Sea’s maritime corridor, while also gaining a foothold in Africa to secure future influence there. Dr. Hammond is a Senior Lecturer at the Centre...

On January 1, 2026, Israel banned 37 international humanitarian aid organizations from operating in Gaza. Among those affected were Doctors Without Borders, Save the Children, Oxfam, Caritas, ActionAid, the International Rescue Committee, and World Vision. Bushra Khalidi, Oxfam’s policy lead in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, explains the underlying reasons behind Israel’s ban and its impact...

Jess and Jamal look back at 2025 and the turmoil in the Middle East. While global attention remained fixed on Gaza, Israel accelerated land seizures in the West Bank. The year saw a record number of new settlement approvals, alongside a sharp rise in settler violence.

Dr. Ezequiel Jimenez discusses his article published in Opinio Juris, “The 24th Session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute: Time to Act.” In the article, he explains that, given the ICC’s current state of polycrisis, it is imperative for member states of the Rome Statute to take concrete action to confront the Court’s existential challenges rather than continue the status quo of...

Supported by Israeli security forces and enabled by government policies, settler violence has become a central component of the Israeli state’s strategy to forcibly displace Palestinian communities in the occupied territory. This approach aims to establish full Israeli control over the area and facilitate further settlement expansion, despite such settlements being illegal under international law....

A March 2025 report by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry found that sexual violence by Israeli forces and settlers was extensive enough to be considered systematic. Dr. Samah Jabr, co-author of the paper "Torture as a Tool of Domination: The Logic Behind the Use of Torture Against Palestinians," discusses the long-term impact of sexual and gender-based violence used against Pa...