Olive Branch

Episode 1: Trailer

amhajne@stonehill.edu (Anwar Mhajne ) — Tue, 10 Aug 2021 21:00:00 -0400

Hello everyone, my name is Dr. Anwar Mhajne. I am an Assistant professor of Political Science at Stonehill College in Massachusetts. I created Olive Branch due to my frustration with the never-ending conflict affecting my family and friends in Israel and Palestine. I am hoping that this podcast will help restore our hope in achieving sustainable and equitable peace. Therefore, Olive Branch interviews activists with ties to Israel and Palestine who use non-violent means to promote peace and end the Israeli occupation of the Palestine Territories.

Join me as I talk with activists dedicated to their work, even though it sometimes alienates them from their families and communities. In these conversations, they think through alternatives to violence and how these concepts might disrupt cycles of bloodshed. Olive Branch provides ideas and tools for changing Israeli and Palestinian social attitudes, political ideologies, and policies.

Image Credit: Stef Murawsky
The music is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

23: Izat Elamoor

amhajne@stonehill.edu (Anwar Mhajne ) — Wed, 05 Apr 2023 10:00:00 -0400

In this episode, I speak to my friend Izat Elamoor about his activism and research on LGBTQIA+ issues in Israel and Palestine. Izat touches on the complexity of being gay and a Palestinian citizen of Israel for advocacy, solidarity, and belonging.

Organizations mentioned: Alqaws (http://alqaws.org/siteEn/index)
Recommended book: Queer Palestine and the Empire of Critique by SA’ED ATSHAN

Episode 22: Zachary Foster

amhajne@stonehill.edu (Anwar Mhajne ) — Fri, 24 Feb 2023 13:00:00 -0500

After a long break, I am happy to restart the conversation with inspiring activists working on a peaceful and just resolution to the Occupation. For this episode, I talk to Zachary Foster about his research on Palestine. This episode includes critical historical facts about the name Palestine. In addition, it challenges attempts by radical groups to undermine the Palestinian cause by claiming that Palestine is and was never a real place. We also discuss settler colonialism, Zionism, the recent government, and effective activism.

Palestine Nexus: https://palestinenexus.com
You can find Foster's Dissertation, The Invention of Palestine, here: https://dataspace.princeton.edu/handle/88435/dsp01g732dc66g

Episode 21: Itamar Feigenbaum

amhajne@stonehill.edu (Anwar Mhajne ) — Sun, 12 Jun 2022 15:00:00 -0400

I apologize for not posting the last episode before taking a break for the summer earlier. I traveled to attend my brother's wedding in Umm Al Fahem.

In this episode, I interview Itamar Feigenbaum, a longtime Combatant for Peace activist. In the episode, we discuss his work on the Joint Memorial Day Ceremony, meeting Arabs in "normal situations," and the segregation between Arabs and Jews even in mixed cities. We also chat about his experience at checkpoints both as an activist and as a soldier. We then touch base on his service in Lebanon as compated to Gaza, and speak about the tragic loss of people to suicide bombings in Israel during the Second Intifada.

Organizations mentioned: https://machsomwatch.org/en/content/home-page-machsomwatch

The Joint Memorial Day Ceremony: https://www.theparentscircle.org/en/pcff-activities_eng/memorial-ceremony_eng/

Support the Joint Memorial Day Ceremony: https://afcfp.org/take-action/memorial-campaign/

Episode 20: Michael Schaeffer Omer-Man

amhajne@stonehill.edu (Anwar Mhajne ) — Fri, 06 May 2022 13:00:00 -0400

In this episode, I talk to Michael Schaeffer Omer-Man about his work with DAWN and 972 Magazine, antisemitism, and the centrality of a supportive community to any activist. We chat about key moments shaping his ideology and activism. He explains how his family's advocacy for marginalized groups in the US and worldwide influenced his progressive liberal values. We also discuss, among other things, the importance of having Jewish allies, the privilege of code-switching, and archaeology as a displacement tool.

972 Magazine: https://www.972mag.com

DAWN MENA: https://dawnmena.org

Ta'ayush תעאיוש تعايش: https://taayush.org/?fbclid=IwAR3eAfu0Tm8Y4VmHh0xK3QG-YlEjPM20rwvQngh7red2emblV81JGSs5u2A

Episode 19: Sarai Aharoni

amhajne@stonehill.edu (Anwar Mhajne ) — Mon, 18 Apr 2022 14:00:00 -0400

In this episode, I interview Sarai Aharoni, a feminist scholar and a Senior Lecturer at Ben-Gurion University. We discuss her background as a Mizrahi Jewish woman, her research, her activism, and how they are connected. She highlights the challenges facing critical scholars in Israeli academia. She also reflects on the meaning of peace and security in the Israeli-Palestinian context and how that can help us achieve a just solution.

18: Shaqued Morag

amhajne@stonehill.edu (Anwar Mhajne ) — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, I speak to Shaqued Morag, Executive Director of Peace Now. We discuss her social and political activism, her views on land swaps and having allies in the government coalition, and her understanding of peace and justice. We also discuss the importance of strategic framing in changing your audience's view on issues such as the occupation.

Organizations mentioned:
Peace Now: https://peacenow.org.il/en
Mahpach-Taghir: https://mahapach-taghir.org/en/home/

Episode 17: Louis Fishman

amhajne@stonehill.edu (Anwar Mhajne ) — Fri, 18 Mar 2022 13:00:00 -0400

I had the privilege of speaking with Louis Fishman from Brooklyn College. I became aware of his academic and public scholarship through Twitter. Even though we never met in person, I feel like I got to know him well through this conversation. In the episode, you will hear more about his research on the Ottoman Empire and why it is crucial for understanding Zionism. You will also hear about his teaching and activism and his deep connections to Turkey, Israel, and the US.

Some of the organizations that were mentioned in the episode:

Standing Together: https://www.standing-together.org/en
Sadaka-Reut: https://www.reutsadaka.org/about-us-2/

16: Aida Touma-Suleiman

amhajne@stonehill.edu (Anwar Mhajne ) — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 14:00:00 -0500

I had the honor of speaking to Knesset Member Aida Touma-Suleiman in this episode. We chatted about feminism, political and social activism, elevating other women, and Ra'am. We also talk about the importance of intersectionality for understanding oppression and the challenges facing the Palestinian community and its leadership in Israel. Finally, Aida argues that peace should focus on bringing human security to everyone.

Episode 15: Yair Wallach

amhajne@stonehill.edu (Anwar Mhajne ) — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 12:00:00 -0500

In this episode, I chat with Yair Wallach about his research, antisemitism, colonialism, and the importance as well as the limitations of social media for sharing scholarship. We also talk about scholars' active duty of care toward students and how being an immigrant solidified his understanding of the Palestinian cause.

Declarations:
The Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism: https://jerusalemdeclaration.org

Scholars mentioned:
Salim Tamari: https://oldwebsite.palestine-studies.org/institute/fellows/salim-tamari
Raef Zreik: https://www.vanleer.org.il/en/members/dr-raef-zreik/
Avner Wishnitzer: https://afcfp.org/our_team/avner-wishnitzer/

Episode 14: Galia Golan

amhajne@stonehill.edu (Anwar Mhajne ) — Sat, 29 Jan 2022 08:00:00 -0500

In this episode, I interview Galia Golan, Professor emeritus in the Department of Political Science at the Hebrew University and a leader of Combatants for Peace. We chat about the Six-Day War, the history of the peace process, the marginality of the left, BDS, and feminism. Galia argues that in the early years, peace agreements were possible, but mistrust from Israeli leaders exacerbated the conflict. However, later on, the desire to hold on to the territories was stronger than the desire for peace. Distrust turned into ideology.

Episode 13: Thabet Abu Rass

amhajne@stonehill.edu (Anwar Mhajne ) — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 12:00:00 -0500

In this episode, I chat with Thabet Abu Rass, Co-Executive Director of The Abraham Initiatives, an NGO that promotes equality and Jewish-Arab partnership in Israel’s society, about promoting co-existence through promoting equal education, combating crime and violence, and engaging with NGOs. We also talk about what it means to be a Palestinian citizen of Israel, the connection between the occupation and discrimination against Palestinians in Israel, housing problems, the lack of police accountability, unemployment, and the issues in the Negav.

Initiatives mentioned:
Two States, One Homeland (https://www.alandforall.org/english/?d=ltr)

Episode 12: Rawan Odeh

amhajne@stonehill.edu (Anwar Mhajne ) — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 10:00:00 -0500

I interview Rawan Odeh, the managing CO-director of New Story Leadership, in this episode. We chat about how to infuse diplomacy with activism using personal stories, how the occupation is forcing people to be silent about their stories, on the importance of forming allyships between Palestinians and Israelis for building credibility and swaying the opinions of US lawmakers, and on being compassionate to yourself. We also discuss the importance of developing a community of young leaders from Israel and Palestine to sociopolitical and economic changes in the region and what it means to be an ally.

New Story Leadership: https://www.newstoryleadership.org/summer-2020-update

Episode 11: Edan Ring-Bittman

amhajne@stonehill.edu (Anwar Mhajne ) — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 12:00:00 -0500

In this Episode, Edan and I chat about the socioeconomic inequality facing the Palestinian community in Israel. We also talk about how a true partnership between the Jewish and Palestinian communities in Israel can be formed, the importance of learning Arabic, and the need to challenge and improve minority representation in Israeli media. Finally, Edan shares how his family's background led him to activism.

Sikkyu: https://www.sikkuy-aufoq.org.il/en/

10: Libby Lenkinski

amhajne@stonehill.edu (Anwar Mhajne ) — Fri, 03 Dec 2021 10:00:00 -0500

In this episode, I interview Libby Lenkinski from the New Israel Fund. We chat about art, film, and music as a tool for cultural change. We also discuss privilege, anti-Semitism, traveling to Hebron, Umm al Fahem, empathy, and finding spaces of resilience.

Recommended music:
DAM: https://www.damofficialband.com/about

Recommended series and films:
Our boys: https://www.hbo.com/our-boys
Comrade Dov: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8JbS679iSU
The Viewing Booth: https://www.theviewingboothfilm.com/en/the-film/
The Law In These Parts: https://www.thelawfilm.com/eng#!/the-film
In Betwenn (Bar Bahar): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzrnBg1uSaY

Episode 9: Jonathan Hempel

amhajne@stonehill.edu (Anwar Mhajne ) — Fri, 19 Nov 2021 15:00:00 -0500

In the episode, I chat with Jonathan Hempel about his database on Israeli security and military exports and how this export fuels conflict and violence around the world. We discuss the centrality of the military for constructing toxic masculine identities in Israeli society. We also chat about apartheid, occupation, intellectual influences, and feminist approaches to understanding and resolving the occupation.

Organizations mentioned:
New Profile: http://www.newprofile.org/english
Zochrot: https://zochrot.org

Database:
Database of Israeli Military and Security Export: https://www.dimse.info

8: Sahar Vardi

amhajne@stonehill.edu (Anwar Mhajne ) — Fri, 05 Nov 2021 13:30:00 -0400

In this episode, I chat with Sahar Vardi about the refusal movement, the militarization of Israeli society, the human costs to Israel's military industry, and what it means to be an effective Jewish ally to the Palestinians. We also talk about olive trees and the situation in the South Hebron Hills. Finally, Sahar suggests that we need to reclaim the term peace, which has been misused to pacify the Palestinian side, to tie it to justice and equality.

Organizations mentioned: American Friends Service Committee

Episode 7: Osama Elawat

amhajne@stonehill.edu (Anwar Mhajne ) — Fri, 22 Oct 2021 13:00:00 -0400

In this episode, I talk to Osama Elawat about his journey from spending time in Israeli prisons to becoming a peace activist. In the conversation, Osama highlights the importance of personal stories, meeting the other, and distinguishing between oppressive institutions and people for achieving justice for all. He also highlights the importance of focusing on the power of love and forgiveness than the love of power.

Episode 6: Kochav Shachar

amhajne@stonehill.edu (Anwar Mhajne ) — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 13:00:00 -0400

In this episode, we talk about how even though the Occupation is physically close to many Israelis, it is mentally far. We discuss the power of language as a tool for both Occupation and emancipation, settler-colonialism, the importance of education, the intersectionality of oppression, apartheid, and justice activism vs. peace activism. We also highlight how you can't be truly free if your freedom is based on the oppression of others.

Authors: Ilan Pappé

Episode 5: Ron Skolnik

amhajne@stonehill.edu (Anwar Mhajne ) — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 13:00:00 -0400

In the episode with Ron Skolnik, we talk about being an accidental activist, just compromises, the importance of history, narcissism, and political change. We also discuss Zionism in the context of peace activism.

Some of the books and organizations mentioned:

מלחמת שולל - מאת זאב שיף, אהוד יערי
Peace Now
Partners for Progressive Israel
Hashomer Hatzair

Episode 4: Nancy Stern

amhajne@stonehill.edu (Anwar Mhajne ) — Fri, 10 Sep 2021 14:00:00 -0400

In this conversation with Nancy Stern, we discuss the importance of generational trauma, letting go of myths, and our responsibility as scholars to create a democratic, just, and peaceful society.

Books mentioned:
The General's Son: Journey of an Israeli in Palestine by Miko Peled

Initiatives mentioned:
One Democratic State Campaign: https://onestatecampaign.org/en/

Episode 3: Michal Fux

amhajne@stonehill.edu (Anwar Mhajne ) — Fri, 27 Aug 2021 16:00:00 -0400

In this episode, I interview Michal Fux. In the episode, we talk about how her experiences in Northern Ireland and South Africa opened her eyes to her own biases and the oppressive structures she was made to believe are there to protect her.

Books mentioned in the episode:
1) The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine by Ilan Pappé
2) The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined is a 2011 by Steven Pinker

Episode 2: Aziz Abu Sarah

amhajne@stonehill.edu (Anwar Mhajne ) — Fri, 13 Aug 2021 15:00:00 -0400

In the first episode of Olive Branch, I interview Aziz Abu Sarah about the importance of building bridges while pursuing justice, why he carried onions to school, being an Arab boss, generational trauma, and joy as a form of resistance.