This Is Palestine

Israel v. A Pediatrician - The Case of Dr. Husam Abu Safiya 02.07.2026 33min

When footage of renowned Palestinian pediatrician Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya appeared before Israel’s Supreme Court, many were shocked by how much he had changed. Shackled, visibly frail, and having lost nearly 40 kilograms in prison, he had already spent more than 18 months in Israeli detention without charge. In this episode of This Is Palestine, we unpack Dr. Abu Safiya’s case. We speak with Naji Abbas, Director of the Prisoners and Detainees Department at Physicians for Human Rights Israel, about Israel’s so-called “Unlawful Combatants Law,” the conditions Dr. Abu Safiya and other detained healthcare workers have endured, and what his imprisonment reveals about Israel’s targeting of Palestinian medical personnel since the outbreak of the genocide in Gaza.

“I Can See My Land, But in the Eyes of the Israelis, I Do Not Exist” 18.06.2026 57min

Since 1967, Israel has built and expanded settlements across occupied Palestine, fragmenting Palestinian communities and reshaping the landscape. In this episode of This Is Palestine, Dr. Jad Ishaq, Director General of the Applied Research Institute - Jerusalem (ARIJ) traces how Israeli governments have used military orders, legal mechanisms, and political agreements to facilitate the expansion of settlements and the confiscation of Palestinian land. From Jerusalem to the Jordan Valley, he explains how a process described as temporary became permanent, leaving Palestinians increasingly confined to isolated enclaves while settlement expansion accelerates.

Palestine at the 2025 FIFA Arab Cup: A Conversation with Player Ahmad Al-Qaq 11.06.2026 23min

In this episode of This Is Palestine, Diana Buttu speaks with midfielder Ahmed Al-Qaq about his journey from North Carolina to the Palestinian national team. Born and raised in the United States to Palestinian parents, Ahmed reflects on choosing to represent Palestine, the emotional experience of wearing the Palestinian jersey for the first time, and the bonds formed between players from Gaza, the West Bank, and the diaspora. This is a conversation about identity, belonging, representation, and what it means to play for Palestine on the world stage.

“Colonial Trauma”: Dr. Samah Jabr on the Psychological Toll of Israel’s Genocide in Gaza 22.05.2026 26min

As Israel’s genocide in Gaza continues despite the so-called ceasefire agreement, the psychological toll on Palestinians remains far less visible than the physical destruction. In this episode of This is Palestine, Samah Jabr examines the mental health impact of genocide, siege, starvation, displacement, and ongoing Israeli violence through the lens of what she calls “colonial trauma.” We discuss grief and despair beyond conventional psychiatric language, the long-term impact of violence on future generations, and the limits of providing mental health care under occupation and mass violence.

"And I too, Love Jerusalem “: Voices from Al Nakba 14.05.2026 17min

How Do You Remember the City That Was Stolen From You?! In this episode of This Is Palestine, ninety-year-old George Bahu revisits his childhood in al-Baqa’a al Foqa, a Palestinian neighborhood in West Jerusalem before the Nakba. He remembers school, cinema, Bus No. 6, and his father’s transportation company that once connected Jerusalem to cities across Palestine. George also recalls the violence that transformed the city: the King David Hotel bombing, armed Zionist attacks on Palestinian neighborhoods, and the mass displacement of Palestinians in 1948. Forced into exile with his family, George never returned home. But decades later, he still carries Jerusalem with him: in photographs, documents, dreams, and memory.

Inside Israeli Prison Walls: A Palestinian Prisoner’s Testimony 30.04.2026 26min

As Palestinian Prisoners’ Day is marked on April 17, this episode turns to life behind Israeli prison walls, where time itself becomes a site of struggle. Former detainee Husam Shaheen shares his testimony of more than two decades in prison, moving from early activism and repeated arrests to a 27-year sentence that became a lived experience of endurance, resistance, and survival. Through his account, we see how imprisonment shapes not only the body but also memory, identity, and time itself.

The Law of the Noose: Israel’s Discriminatory Execution Bill Targeting Palestinians 20.04.2026 19min

On March 30, 2026, Israel passed a new "death penalty law" that would impose the death penalty on Palestinians convicted of what Israel defines as “terrorism.” In this episode of This is Palestine, we speak with Qaddura Fares, former head of the Palestinian Commission for Prisoners’ Affairs and a former political prisoner himself, to unpack what this law actually changes and what it reveals about Israel’s discriminatory unequal legal system and political framework against Palestinians.

There are No Innocents: Beita 1988 and the Logic of Collective Punishment 02.04.2026 37min

This episode examines the 1988 Beita incident, a few months following the outbreak of the first Intifada, when an entire Palestinian community was punished for a crime they did not commit. Through eyewitness accounts and historical context, we trace how home demolitions, mass arrests, and forced exile became tools of Israel’s collective punishment and how similar patterns continue to shape the present today.

The Farthest Mosque and the Farthest Place to Reach: Israel’s Restrictions on Al-Aqsa 19.03.2026 28min

As Ramadan comes to an end, many Muslim Palestinians are bidding farewell to the holy month far from Al-Aqsa, in an atmosphere marked by grief and restriction, following Israel’s complete closure of the Al-Aqsa compound following the US/Israel attack on Iran. But access to Al-Aqsa, the basic right to worship, has never been easy for Palestinians. What does it take to reach one of Islam’s holiest sites in your own homeland? In this episode of This is Palestine, host Diana Buttu speaks with Jerusalem-based journalist Zena Tahhan to unpack Israel’s escalating restrictions on Al-Aqsa and the Old City. From permit systems and military checkpoints to full closures during Ramadan, this episode traces how access to Al-Aqsa has been systematically limited over decades. It also examines the political and ideological forces seeking to reshape control over the site, and what that means for Palestinians today.

The Voice of Hind Rajab - In Conversation with Director Kaouther Ben Hania 12.03.2026 25min

Two years ago, the world heard the voice of five-year-old Hind Rajab during her last phone call with the Palestine Red Crescent Society. Trapped in a car surrounded by Israeli tanks, Hind spoke to the dispatcher as she waited for help, alone, and surrounded by the bodies of her uncle and cousins, before her voice was lost… “The Voice of Hind Rajab.” The Oscar-nominated docudrama recreates that devastating call between Hind and the PRCS control room. In this episode of This is Palestine, we speak with filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania about her film “The Voice of Hind Rajab.” Kaouther takes us through the moment she first heard Hind’s voice, the decision to turn that devastating call into a film, and the process of making the film and recreating the call. As the film brings Hind’s voice to the world, it also serves as a powerful call to demand justice and accountability for Israel’s brutal crimes that stole her life.

Severed: Israel's Policy of Inflicting Disabilities in Gaza 26.02.2026 24min

When Mohammad was 12 years old, he saw an Israeli soldier aiming at him. Seconds later, he shot Mohammad in the leg during the Great March of Return. The bullet severed the main nerve in Mohammad’s leg. For months, Israel denied Mohammad his right to leave Gaza for urgent medical treatment. By the time he finally received care, it was too late. At 18, Mohammad was forced to make the brutal decision to amputate his own leg. In this episode of This is Palestine, we shed light on the documentary Severed, which follows Mohammad and his mother’s life in Egypt after evacuating to continue his medical treatment during Israel’s genocide in Gaza. We speak with Mohammad, the protagonist and co-producer of Severed, and with filmmaker and producer Jen Marlowe. Together, they explore what it means to survive injury, to be cut off from home, to carry the responsibility of telling the story of those still trapped in Gaza, and why Palestine must also be understood as a disability justice issue.

Why Did Human Rights Watch Block the Right of Return Report? 12.02.2026 33min

On February 3, Omar Shakir, Human Rights Watch’s Israel and Palestine Director, resigned in protest. In his resignation statement, Shakir said the organization’s new leadership blocked the publication of a report documenting Israel’s crimes against humanity by denying Palestinian refugees their internationally enshrined right of return. His resignation has reignited debate around the “Palestine exception”; the idea that speaking and writing about Palestine is treated differently than work on any other country. The discussion unpacks why the Palestinian right of return is often met with double standards and continues to be denied today. In this episode of This Is Palestine, host Diana Buttu speaks with Omar Shakir about his decision to resign, his long career in legal advocacy for Palestine, and the internal battle over the blocked report.

Palestine 36: A Conversation with Annemarie Jacir 29.01.2026 31min

In this episode of This Is Palestine, host Diana Buttu speaks with Palestinian writer and director Annemarie Jacir about her Academy Award shortlisted film, Palestine 36. The historical drama is set during the Great Palestinian Revolt against British colonial rule. At the heart of the film is Al-Basma, a fictional village inspired by the Palestinian villages of Lifta and Al-Bassa, which were destroyed and whose Palestinian residents were expelled by Zionist militant forces. Described as “epic” and a “masterpiece”, Palestine 36 weaves personal stories with the political realities of the era. Jacir reflects on the obstacles of bringing the film to life, the depth and complexity of its characters, and the importance of Palestinian cinema in confronting erasure and telling our history on our own terms. The film is Palestine’s official submission to the 98th Academy Awards for Best International Film.

The politics of Art: An interview with Sliman Mansour. 22.01.2026 21min

In this episode of This Is Palestine, we speak with renowned Palestinian artist Sliman Mansour to explore his childhood and artistic journey, shaped by pivotal moments in the Palestinian struggle and their influence on the art movement. From playing with clay alongside his grandmother for making beehives, to transforming clay into his symbolic works of art. From painting under Israeli military censorship to using materials from the land as symbols of identity, Mansour reflects on decades of cultural struggle, collective creation, resilience and belonging. As Israel’s ongoing attacks target Palestinian life and culture, he offers a powerful meditation on why art matters, how it preserves identity, and what it means to create in the face of erasure. The interview was originally conducted in Arabic and translated into English accordingly.

How Israel Uses Archaeology to Steal Land 17.12.2025 24min

The Palestinian village of Sebastia, a living place where history, memory, and daily life are deeply intertwined. In this episode of This is Palestine, Diana Buttu speaks with Zaid Azhari, a cultural heritage researcher from Sebastia and a member of the Save Sebastia campaign, about Israel’s plans to seize large parts of the town’s archaeological heart under the pretext of “heritage development.” Zaid explains how archaeology is being used to deprive Palestinians of their land, livelihoods, and identity, and why protecting Sebastia means protecting a living community, not just ancient ruins.

Dark Humor in the Digital Space: A Conversation with Palestinian Creator Adnan Barq 03.12.2025 29min

In this episode of “This is Palestine”, Adnan Barq, an outspoken Palestinian digital creator from Jerusalem, tells us “he thrives in chaos.” Barq unpacks how humor, sarcasm, and spontaneous storytelling help him navigate Israeli military checkpoints, censorship, and the daily absurdities of life under Israeli occupation. Barq explains how he uses sarcasm and dark humor to depict Israel’s oppression of Palestinian life, using his unique voice to share his absurd realities with the world.

Two Years of Genocide: Motherhood Under Fire in Gaza 12.11.2025 34min

Two years into Israel’s relentless bombardment of Gaza, we listen closely to Yaqeen Baker, a mother of two little daughters, Salwa (5) and Nusaiba (2). She shares what it means to be a mother under constant Israeli fire; to love, to fear, and to hope amid the destruction. We also hear the voice of little Salwa, who gives us a glimpse into her small, innocent world that the genocide has taken away. The interview was originally recorded in Arabic and translated into English accordingly.

Instead of Replicating the Barbarism of the Enemy, You Chose to Be Exceptional: The Hidden Reality Inside Israel’s Prisons 29.10.2025 25min

While the world witnessed Israel’s genocide in Gaza, another war has been unfolding inside Israeli prisons. Thousands of Palestinian prisoners, including women and hundreds of children, are held under brutal conditions, many without charge or trial. In this episode, we speak with Palestinian lawyer Nadia Daqqa, one of the first attorneys to visit Palestinians abducted from Gaza after long months of enforced disappearance. Nadia shares chilling testimonies of starvation, torture, and medical neglect. She also unpacks Israel’s policies that reinforce the illegal mass detention of Palestinians, revealing another war taking place quietly behind prison bars.

Israel’s Genocide in Gaza: Two Years Through a Doctor’s Eyes 08.10.2025 41min

Two years into Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza, the destruction has reached unimaginable levels. Starvation, disease, and systematic attacks on hospitals have turned survival itself into resistance. In this episode, we speak with Dr. Tarek Loubani, a Palestinian Canadian emergency physician who has spent months on the ground in Gaza. He describes Israel’s illegal attacks on Gaza’s healthcare system and deliberate targeting of aid distribution sites he calls “death traps.” We hear from Dr. Loubani, who describes how Palestinians have had to create makeshift hospitals and transform emergency medicine and the toll that this has taken on doctors, nurses and patients alike.

Israeli Settlers Kill Palestinian American in the West Bank: His Father Speaks 13.08.2025 24min

Sayfollah, a 20-year-old Palestinian-American from Florida, came to Palestine to visit his family, not knowing it would be his last trip home. On July 11, 2025, he was brutally beaten to death by Israeli settlers in the town of Sinjil, near Ramallah. This attack came amid a sharp escalation of settler violence across the West Bank. In this episode, we speak with Bahaa Fuqaha, the deputy chair of Sinjil municipality, about a town now under siege, and hear the heartbreaking account from Kamel, Sayfollah’s father, as he recounts the day his son was killed.