Occupied Thoughts

In this new episode of “Occupied Thoughts,” Peter Beinart interviews Sulaiman Khatib and Penina Eilberg-Schwartz about their new book, In This Place Together, which the publisher describes as a “narrative meditation on joint nonviolence, opening a window to the questions of power, multiple narratives, and imagination that touch on struggles for justice everywhere.” More information at fmep.org Ori...

The Middle East Institute (MEI) and the Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP) hosted an eight-part webinar series for members of the House and Senate and Congressional Staff discussing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and U.S. policy. The series is co-moderated by FMEP’s Lara Friedman & MEI’s Khaled Elgindy. Access the series at FMEP.org Original "Occupied Thoughts" music by Jalal Yacoub

Ft. Peter Beinart, Dr. Hanan Ashrawi, Diana Buttu, and Orly Noy. Last week, Israelis went to the polls for the fourth time in two years to elect a new government. In parallel, Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem are now — for the first time in nearly 15 years — preparing for presidential and legislative elections, scheduled for May and June. What are the prospects for the...

In this episode of “Occupied Thoughts,” Peter Beinart interviews Nathan Thrall about Thrall’s new essay in the New York Review of Books, “A Day in the Life of Abed Salama.” The essay describes a Palestinian father’s search for his son following a bus accident, detailing layers of neglect, danger, and abuse faced by Palestinians living under Israeli control, whether in the Jerusalem, the West Bank,...

When Israeli citizens go to the polls on March 23rd, one thing they will be voting on is whether to bring followers of Rabbi Meir Kahane into the Knesset as part of a new party, “Religious Zionism.” The sudden political ascent of the Religious Zionism party was orchestrated by Benjamin Netanyahu in exchange for its support for keeping him in power, leading one Ha’aretz commentator to name him a “l...

Ft. Lara Friedman (FMEP), Ahmad Daraldik (FSU), Dima Khalidi (Palestine Legal) & Sherene Seikaly (UCSB) For more information, including speaker biographies and a list of resources shared during this conversation, please visit: https://fmep.org/resource/the-ihra-definition-the-fight-against-antisemitism-part-6-implications-and-impacts-of-the-ihra-definition-on-palestinians/ Original music by Jalal...

In this new episode of Occupied Thoughts, Peter Beinart interviews Sawsan Zaher, Deputy Director of Adalah: The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, about the recent decision by the International Criminal Court that opens the door for investigations into alleged war crimes perpetrated by “members of the Israeli Defense Forces, Israeli authorities, Hamas, and Palestinian armed groups.”...

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, Peter Beinart interviews Jerome Slater about his new book, Mythologies Without End: The U.S., Israel, and the Arab-Israeli Conflict, 1917-2020. Beginning in the British Mandate, covering the Partition plan, and decades of war and dispossession, the conversation reaches the 21st century negotiations, dynamics, and opportunities.

Peter Beinart speaks to Ben Rhodes, Deputy National Security Advisor from 2009-2017, about working on Israel, Palestine, and Iran in the Obama Administration. Rhodes draws insights from interactions with different lobby groups, presidential travel to Israel and a memorable meeting with young Palestinians in Ramallah, and talks about navigating the assumption by Israel advocates that Blackness tran...

In the latest episode of "Occupied Thoughts," host Peter Beinart speaks with James Zogby about a regional approach to the conflicts, problems, and politics of the Middle East. Building on Zogby's recent article in The Nation, "Biden Should Think Big in the Middle East," the discussion addresses the interconnected conflicts throughout the Middle East - from the Gulf to Turkey, Yemen to Iran, and Is...

In this episode of “Occupied Thoughts,” host Peter Beinart interviews Marc Lamont Hill and Mitchell Plitnick, co-authors of Except for Palestine: The Limits of Progressive Politics. This wide-ranging discussion covers progressive politics on Palestine & Israel as they are today and as they might become if progressives engage more deeply and consistently with Palestine & Israel. Marc, Mitchell, and...

In this episode of “Occupied Thoughts,” host Peter Beinart is joined by Palestinian human rights lawyer Jonathan Kuttab, who recently published the book “Beyond the Two State Solution.” Kuttab argues that a Palestinian state with no sovereignty or substance cannot deliver freedom or independence and it is time to look beyond the “false mirage of the Two State Solution.” He lays out in detail how a...

In this episode of “Occupied Thoughts,” host Peter Beinart is joined by Hagai El-Ad, Executive Director of Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem, to discuss B’Tselem’s new report, "“A Regime of Jewish Supremacy from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea: This is Apartheid.” Unlike frameworks that see the state of Israel as separate from the Occupied Territories, B’Tselem argues that there...

In this episode of "Occupied Thoughts," host Peter Beinart is joined by Palestinian academics Rashid Khalidi and Nadia Abu El-Haj to discuss a recent statement on the IHRA working definition of antisemitism, signed by 122 Palestinian and Arab thought leaders. Peter Beinart is a Non-Resident Fellow at the Foundation for Middle East Peace. He is also a Professor of Journalism and Political Science a...

The topic today is Israeli settlements, with our focus on Psagot -- a settlement located deep inside the West Bank that according to news reports will enjoy a history-making visit soon from US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo. To discuss this visit and Psagot settlement, this episode features Dror Etkes, settlement expert and founder of the organization Kerem Navot, together with Fadi Quran, Camp...

On this episode of “Occupied Thoughts” FMEP non-resident fellow Peter Beinart is joined by Ami Ayalon - a retired commander of the Israeli navy, the former head of the Shin Bet (Israel’s top internal security agency), and a former member of the Knesset. Peter and Ami discuss topics touched on in Ami's newly published memoir - "Friendly Fire: How Israel Became Its Own Worst Enemy, and the Hope for...

We are shining FMEP’s spotlight on Al-Shabaka: The Palestinian Policy Network, a necessary and transformative initiative cultivating and elevating the voices of Palestinian experts on policy issues which impact the Palestinian people. Listen to this podcast with Al-Shabaka’s co-founder and Board president, Nadia Hijab, and Senior Policy Fellow, Dr. Yara Hawari.

On this episode of "Occupied Thoughts"  FMEP non-resident fellow Peter Beinart is joined by Ghaith al-Omari and Neri Zilber to discuss the end of PA security cooperation with Israel -- including examination of what that cooperation has accomplished, how it has evolved over the years, and what are the context for and implications of the PA ending that cooperation now. Gaith and Neri are co-authors...

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FMEP's Sarah Anne Minkin speaks with Alison Carmel about the important work 7amleh is doing in Palestine and Israel to protect the digital rights of Palestinians. Find out more about 7amleh here: https://fmep.org/resource/grantee-spotligh…-rights-champion

Peter Beinart is joined by Tel Aviv University Professor Yael Sternhell to have a deep and rich conversation about how teaching about the history of race and inequality in the United States leads to important, sometimes explosive, conversations with her students.

FMEP non-resident fellow Peter Beinart discuss a range of issues impacting Palestinian citizens of Israel with the highest ranking woman on the Joint List, MK Aida Touma Sliman.

Peter Beinart is joined by Dima Khalida (Founder and Director of Palestine Legal)to discuss the Trump Administration's recent Executive Order regarding antisemitism on college campuses.

Peter talks to Salem Barahmeh - one of the creators behind a new virtual reality app taking people inside key places in Palestine - about the power of seeing and hearing stories of the Palestinian experience. The two also investigate the trends in political thought of Palestinian youth.