This Is Palestine

Over the past six months, Israel has internationally destroyed Gaza’s healthcare system as part of its genocidal campaign. By November 2023, Israel had repeatedly bombed more than 36 hospitals in Gaza. As of publishing, the Israeli military has besieged and attacked Al-Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza for over 11 days. Horrifying reports continue to emerge of Israeli soldiers killing Palestinians sheltering inside and abducting medical workers. Additionally, Israel has blocked the entry of food, water, and medical supplies into Gaza, creating an unprecedented public health crisis and famine. At least 27 Palestinians in Gaza have died of malnutrition, 23 of them children. In this episode, host Diana Buttu speaks with Palestinian neurologist Dr. Karameh Hawash-Kuemmerle, about Israel’s deliberate destruction of public health in Gaza and its devastating consequences on Palestinians. In 2023, before Israel’s current genocide, Dr. Hawash-Kuemmerle co-founded the organization “Doctors Against Genocide,” to address Israel’s sharp increase in attacks on Palestinian cities and refugee camps in the West Bank. Once Israel began its brutal campaign in Gaza, it became clear the organization and her work were needed more than ever. Thank you for listening to 'This is Palestine'!  Follow our host Diana Buttu on Twitter here  Follow us on Instagram here Follow us on Twitter here Follow us on Facebook here Visit our website here

In this episode, host Diana Buttu speaks with Palestinian human rights lawyer Ahmed Abofoul about South Africa’s case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), charging Israel with the crime of genocide in Gaza. Mr. Abofoul is a Legal Researcher and Advocacy Officer with Al-Haq, one of the oldest Palestinian human rights organizations. On January 26th, the ICJ ruled that Israel is plausibly committing the crime of genocide in Gaza and must take all measures to prevent acts of genocide. Since the ruling, Israel has repeatedly violated the ICJ-mandated measures, including blocking the entry of life-saving food, aid, and water into Gaza. Numerous humanitarian groups have raised alarm about Israel using starvation as a weapon in Gaza, stating that famine in Gaza is imminent due to Israel’s illegal blockade. Additionally, since the ICJ ruling, Israel has killed more than 3,500 Palestinians in Gaza, bringing the number of Palestinians Israel has killed in Gaza to more than 31,000. This includes Israel killing more than 13,000 children in Gaza since October. Mr. Abofoul, who is based in the Hague, discusses the significance of the ICJ’s case and why it is a critical step towards ending ongoing impunity for Israel’s horrific war crimes against the Palestinian people. In the episode, Mr. Abofoul and Ms. Buttu provide an in-depth discussion about Israel’s inherent and long history of ethnic cleansing and genocidal intent in Palestine, within the context of the ICJ. Mr. Abofoul also discusses the long history of U.S. and Western hypocrisy in applying international law and how the Israel-genocide ICJ case is a testament to the international legal system. Listen to the episode for everything you need to know about the ICJ case and why it is critical for holding Israel accountable. Thank you for listening to 'This is Palestine'!  Follow our host Diana Buttu on Twitter here  Follow us on Instagram here Follow us on Twitter here Follow us on Facebook here Visit our website here

In this episode, we take a deeper look into Israel’s deliberate targeting and killing of Palestinian journalists in Gaza. Killing journalists is a war crime. According to the UN, Gaza is the deadliest place in the world for journalists right now. Additionally, the International Journalist Federation has issued a statement describing Israel’s killing of Palestinian journalists over the past four months as “deliberate and systematic.” Host Diana Buttu speaks with Anan Quzmar, a representative from the Palestinian Journalist Syndicate (PJS). They discuss the critical role of Palestinian journalists, who are not only reporting the news about Israel’s genocide but are also living it. Over the past four months, Israel has killed at least 120 Palestinian journalists. The PJS has described the conditions of Palestinian journalists in Gaza, saying, “They lost their families and they continue their work…They are without houses and they continue their work... Without food, without the security for them, without their families.” Listen to learn more about the stories of Palestinian journalists and why they continue to remain absolute in their reporting and expose Israel’s war crimes to the world. Thank you for listening to 'This is Palestine'!  Follow our host Diana Buttu on Twitter here  Follow us on Instagram here Follow us on Twitter here Follow us on Facebook here Visit our website here

In the aftermath of October 7, Palestinian students at Israeli higher education institutions quickly faced attacks for their social media posts. These attacks, coordinated between Israeli government officials, Israeli institutions, and far-right groups, targeted students who expressed dissent against Israel's attacks on Gaza. This led to the expulsion or suspension of students for alleged violations of university codes of conduct. In other cases, students faced criminal charges, while others were physically attacked in their dorms. It's important to note that these measures were taken while the universities were out of session, in fact, before the semester had begun, and were based solely on social media posts, unrelated to any campus activities. Some of the so-called offensive posts involved students liking or sharing a post, sometimes providing context to the October 7 events or expressing solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. In some instances, students posted calls to end Israel's attacks, while others were unrelated, such as posting verses from the Quran. In most cases, fellow students reported these posts, and the repressive measures extended beyond just these actions. Host Diana Buttu speaks with Adi Mansour, a lawyer at Adalah, a civil rights organization for Palestinians in Israel. Adalah has represented more than 120 students facing disciplinary measures, yet there are hundreds more affected. Adi discusses with us the measures imposed on these students, the coordinated campaign against them, and the reasons behind it. We also explore the actions, or rather the inactions, of universities in addressing genocidal speech against Palestinians.Thank you for listening to 'This is Palestine'!  Follow our host Diana Buttu on Twitter here  Follow us on Instagram here Follow us on Twitter here Follow us on Facebook here Visit our website here

On October the 27th, Israel cut off all phone and internet communications to the Gaza Strip, further plunging the area into darkness. The cutting of internet and phone communications meant that vital life-saving systems such as ambulances, rescuers, and hospitals could not be reached to treat the injured or to rescue those trapped under the rubble. Cutting off the internet also meant that Israel's crimes would be carried out in the dark. But in the midst of this, the volunteer initiative 'Connecting Gaza' was formed, led by Mirna El Helbawi an author and activist, who decided to set up a system for donors around the world to purchase E-SIMs or virtual SIM cards. This was to help Palestinians skirt telecommunications blackouts amid Israeli bombing across the Gaza Strip.Thank you for listening to 'This is Palestine'!  Follow our host Diana Buttu on Twitter here  Follow us on Instagram here Follow us on Twitter here Follow us on Facebook here Visit our website here

The case in which South Africa accuses Israel of violating the genocide convention at the International Court of Justice began this week with oral arguments presented by South Africa and Israel. The court will base its decisions on whether to order several provisional measures, including instructing Israel to suspend all military operations in Gaza, solely based on these hearings. Our regular host, Diana Buttu, who was part of the team that assisted in the successful litigation against Israel's Apartheid Wall before the International Court of Justice in 2004, breaks down the events of this week.Thank you for listening to 'This is Palestine'!  Follow our host Diana Buttu on Twitter here  Follow us on Instagram here Follow us on Twitter here Follow us on Facebook here Visit our website here

This week, South Africa is accusing Israel of committing genocide in front of the International Court of Justice or the ICJ. Hearings are set to begin on January 11 and 12, when South Africa and Israel respectively will give their first oral arguments. To help us understand what this means and what we can expect as the case unfolds, we’re joined by our usual host, Diana Buttu, who happens to be a Palestinian lawyer and expert on international human rights law.Thank you for listening to 'This is Palestine'!  Follow our host Diana Buttu on Twitter here  Follow us on Instagram here Follow us on Twitter here Follow us on Facebook here Visit our website here

Last month, the Bethlehem municipality announced the cancellation of Christmas celebrations in the city of Christ’s birth, as a gesture of mourning and in honor of the tens of thousands of Palestinians killed in Gaza by Israel. Palestinian churches and local leaders emphasize that canceling Christmas in Palestine aims to send a message to the world and to those celebrating, highlighting that Israel is bombing the very birthplace of Christmas. They assert that if Jesus were alive today, 'he would be buried under the rubble.' Host Diana Buttu speaks with the renowned Palestinian Reverend and Professor, Dr. Mitri Raheb. A prominent Palestinian Christian leader and co-founder of the Dar Kalima University College of Arts and Culture in Bethlehem, Dr. Raheb is one of the most widely published Palestinian reverends and intellectuals. He also leads programs supporting artists and intellectuals in Gaza, some of whom have been killed by Israel during these past 10 weeks. Dr. Raheb shares insights on the deeply rooted Christmas traditions in Palestine, including those in Gaza, and discusses how Israel, with the support of the Biden administration, is brutally bombing the very people and land that brought Christmas to the world.Thank you for listening to 'This is Palestine'!  Follow our host Diana Buttu on Twitter here  Follow us on Instagram here Follow us on Twitter here Follow us on Facebook here Visit our website here

For our 100th episode, Diana Buttu speaks with Dr. Ghassan Abu-Sitta, a renowned British-Palestinian doctor. Just two days into Israel's brutal bombing campaign on the Gaza Strip, he decided to head to Gaza to provide life-saving medical treatment to Palestinians. He remained in Gaza for 43 days, giving the world a glimpse into the impact on Palestinians and the healthcare system in Gaza through his social media accounts and interviews, highlighting the effects of Israel’s siege and bombings. As we record this, today marks the 70th day of Israel’s bombing campaign, during which more than 20,000 Palestinians have been killed, with thousands more still under the rubble. Israeli bombs have injured an estimated 50,000 Palestinians. The UN has announced that the health system has collapsed, with infectious diseases spreading. Dr. Abu Sitta and his colleagues have had to conduct surgeries without disinfectants, sometimes in the dark, using only the light from a cellphone. Many doctors are forced to amputate limbs without anesthesia. Dr. Ghassan Abu-Sitta is a multi-award-winning Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, renowned as one of the world's leading specialists in craniofacial surgery, facial aesthetics, cleft lip and palate surgery, and trauma-related injuries. His pioneering research and innovation have transformed the faces and lives of patients across the globe. Le Monde has dubbed him 'the man who fixes broken faces.' In Gaza, he and other doctors and medical workers are heroes.Thank you for listening to 'This is Palestine'!  Follow our host Diana Buttu on Twitter here  Follow us on Instagram here Follow us on Twitter here Follow us on Facebook here Visit our website here

As of the time of this recording, Israel has temporarily halted its brutal bombing campaign on the Gaza Strip. As part of the agreement to “pause” the bombing, Israel is releasing Palestinian kids and women held in Israeli prisons in exchange for the release of Israelis held in Gaza. The vast majority of those released have never been convicted. In this episode, we highlight the story of a young Palestinian teenager who was released by Israel, how and why he ended up in Israeli prisons and the treatment of the prisoners before and after the start of the Israeli attack on the Gaza Strip.Thank you for listening to 'This is Palestine'!  Follow our host Diana Buttu on Twitter here  Follow us on Instagram here Follow us on Twitter here Follow us on Facebook here Visit our website here

It has been more than 46 days since Israel began its brutal bombing campaign against Palestinians in Gaza. During this period, Israel has killed more than 14,000 Palestinians, including more than 5,500 children in Gaza alone. Thousands of Palestinians remain trapped under the rubble. The Israeli military has deliberately bombed hospitals, mosques, churches, homes, ambulances, and vital infrastructure throughout Gaza. On top of the ruthless bombing campaign, Israel has intensified its blockade on Gaza, blocking the entry of food, water, and fuel and cutting off the electricity supply. Israel has destroyed more than half of the housing units in Gaza, and two-thirds of Palestinians have now fled their homes. In this episode, host Diana Buttu speaks with the former Director of the New York Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Craig Mokhiber. Mr. Mokhiber breaks down for us how Israel's military attack against Palestinians in Gaza constitutes the crime of genocide. On October 28, 2023, Mr. Mokhiber took the bold decision to publicly resign from his position at the U.N. for its failure to once again stop the crime of genocide. In this episode, he talks to us about how Israel's actions clearly meet the conditions for the crime of genocide, including proving intent, which is considered the most difficult to prove. We also discuss the role of countries like the U.S. and how they are directly complicit in Israel's war crimes, including genocide. We delve into why it is critical for the international community to hold Israel accountable for its repeated war crimes as a necessary step to stop its 75-year ethnic cleansing campaign against the Palestinian people. As of publishing, a temporary pause has been brokered, which stipulates a temporary halt in Israel's bombing of Gaza for up to four days and a 6-hour pause in the north of Gaza. The specifics of the agreement state that Israel will release over 150 unjustly imprisoned Palestinian women and children in exchange for the release of 50 Israeli captives. Thank you for listening to 'This is Palestine'!  Follow our host Diana Buttu on Twitter here  Follow us on Instagram here Follow us on Twitter here Follow us on Facebook here Visit our website here

Time and time again, we've witnessed the familiar cycle: Israel launches a brutal bombing campaign on Gaza, putting Palestine into the global spotlight. Palestinian voices are often sidelined in mainstream discourse. So, Palestinians turn to the only available tool they have: social media. It becomes their primary means to share their stories and amplify their voices. However, this very tool is frequently subjected to censorship. Since October 7, we've seen this censorship take on new heights. For example, WhatsApp’s AI image generator created emojis of gun-wielding children when prompted with ‘Palestinian,’ and Instagram’s AI-translation model replaced “Palestinianالحمد الله” with “Palestinian Terrorist”. Palestinian accounts are being shadowbanned and posts are throttled. But the problem, of course, is deeper than that. Palestinian voices, especially those of journalists and human rights defenders, face significant and disproportionate censorship and limited reachability in times of crisis. Host Diana Buttu speaks with Mona Shtaya to help make sense of it all. Mona is the Campaigns and Partnerships Manager and Corporate Engagement Lead at Digital Actions. She also holds the position of a non-resident fellow at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP), where her focus lies on surveillance and digital rights in the MENA region. She also serves as a non-resident scholar for the Middle East Institute (MEI) in the Cyber Security and Emerging Technology Program and the Palestine-Israel program. Prior to her current role, she worked as the Advocacy and Communications Manager at 7amleh - The Arab Center for the Advancement of Social Media.Thank you for listening to 'This is Palestine'!  Follow our host Diana Buttu on Twitter here  Follow us on Instagram here Follow us on Twitter here Follow us on Facebook here Visit our website here

Israel has been bombing the besieged Gaza Strip nonstop. Israel has cut off water supplies, fuel supplies, electricity supplies and even food and has prevented virtually all supplies from countries around the world from reaching the besieged Gaza Strip. Israel has killed over 10,000 Palestinians, including more than 4,100 children. Additionally, thousands remain trapped beneath the rubble, desperate for help. We shed light on the situation at al-Shifa, Gaza Strip's largest hospital, which has become both a medical center for treating the wounded and a refuge for over 40,000 Palestinians. Israel is threatening to bomb it. Our guest, Dr. Tarek Loubani, an emergency room physician and associate professor at the University of Western Ontario, shares his firsthand experiences, including being shot by the Israeli army while treating victims during the Great Return March. Please be advised that some of the descriptions in this episode are graphic. Thank you for listening to 'This is Palestine'!  Follow our host Diana Buttu on Twitter here  Follow us on Instagram here Follow us on Twitter here Follow us on Facebook here Visit our website here

Note the conversation of this podcast was recorded before the developments of November 3rd. The term '48'  refers to the Palestinian territories before the creation of Israel, specifically the areas that became part of Israel following the Nakba in 1948.  Thank you for listening to 'This is Palestine'! Follow our host Diana Buttu on Twitter here Follow us on Instagram hereFollow us on Twitter hereFollow us on Facebook hereVisit our website here

Today marks the 25th day of Israel's ongoing bombing campaign in Gaza. The death toll has tragically risen to over 8,525 Palestinians, including more than 3,542 children at the time of this recording. These numbers, however, don't capture the full extent of the human tragedy, such as the people killed today by Israel's bombing in the Jabilya refugee camp in northern Gaza. In recent days, a 10-page document dated October 13, 2023, has come to light, prominently featuring the logo of Israel's Intelligence Ministry. The document presents a comprehensive assessment of three potential courses of action concerning the future of Palestinians residing in the Gaza Strip, all within the context of the ongoing conflict. Notably, it advocates for a full-scale population transfer as the preferred strategy. Furthermore, the document calls upon Israel to seek international support for this proposed initiative. It is worth noting that the authenticity of this document has been officially confirmed by the Intelligence Ministry itself. Additionally, the document has been made available in its entirety in English on the +972 platform for further examination. This plan has evoked comparisons to the 1948 Nakba when 750,000 Palestinians were forcibly displaced from their homes. Diana Buttu breaks it all down and explains the attacks Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank and in Israel have been facing.Thank you for listening to 'This is Palestine'!  Follow our host Diana Buttu on Twitter here  Follow us on Instagram here Follow us on Twitter here Follow us on Facebook here Visit our website here

This podcast was recorded on October 22nd. Since then, the number of Palestinians killed has increased, with Israel now having killed over 6,547 Palestinians, including at least 2,704 children. We hear from several Palestinians in Gaza and the horrific experience they are enduring.Thank you for listening to 'This is Palestine'!  Follow our host Diana Buttu on Twitter here  Follow us on Instagram here Follow us on Twitter here Follow us on Facebook here Visit our website here

Israel gave the UN 24 hours to evacuate 1.1 million Palestinians from northern Gaza. That is impossible. Roads have been completely destroyed. Experts have warned that an Israeli ground invasion expected to follow would result in horrific mass violence against Palestinian civilians, including mass displacement. Palestinians are being told to leave, but they are completely trapped with nowhere to turn for safety. At the time of this recording, Israel has already killed more than 2000 Palestinians, and more than 700 children since Saturday. In that time, Israel has also killed at least 12 UN workers. We hear from several Palestinians in Gaza and the horrific experience they are enduring. Our first story comes from a mother, Both her family and her husband’s family are refugees, a harsh reality that nearly 80% of residents in the Gaza Strip face. Now, they find themselves reliving the ordeal their grandparents endured 75 years ago during the Palestinian Nakba or catastrophe. We now turn to Bisan, a content creator from the Gaza Strip. On a normal day, her Instagram would be filled with videos showing the beauty of Gaza and its people. However, now, her feed is documenting the daily atrocities she and the people of Gaza are facing from Israel’s attacks. Lastly, we hear from Afaf, who made the harrowing decision to flee with her family to the southern part of Gaza after the Israeli army dropped leaflets in neighborhoods, instructing Palestinians to evacuate their homes and head south in only 24 hours. Israel’s 24-hour evacuation order for 1.1+ million Palestinians in north Gaza isn’t just impossible—it’s a war crime.Thank you for listening to 'This is Palestine'!  Follow our host Diana Buttu on Twitter here  Follow us on Instagram here Follow us on Twitter here Follow us on Facebook here Visit our website here

Israel continues to rain bombs on Gaza, home to more than 2 million Palestinians—half of them children—who have been trapped there under a suffocating Israeli siege for over 16 years. With no route to safety, Palestinians in Gaza face each day with the dread of a potential airstrike on their community, unsure if their homes will remain standing by nightfall. Host Diana Buttu welcomes her former co-host, Omar Baddar, to discuss the current violence, the US response, and what’s to come.Thank you for listening to 'This is Palestine'!  Follow our host Diana Buttu on Twitter here  Follow us on Instagram here Follow us on Twitter here Follow us on Facebook here Visit our website here

It's been 30 years since the #OsloAccords, and Palestinians have received nothing but fewer rights, increased settler land theft, and more Israeli violence. The "peace process" was a sham. Host Diana Buttu breaks down the Oslo Accords and the legacy they left behind. Listen to part 2 of our Oslo Accords episode. Thank you for listening to 'This is Palestine'!  Follow our host Diana Buttu on Twitter here  Follow us on Instagram here Follow us on Twitter here Follow us on Facebook here Visit our website here

It's been 30 years since the Oslo Accords, and Palestinians have received nothing but fewer rights, increased settler land theft, and more Israeli violence. The "peace process" was a sham. Host Diana Buttu breaks down the Oslo Accords and the legacy they left behind. Thank you for listening to 'This is Palestine'!  Follow our host Diana Buttu on Twitter here  Follow us on Instagram here Follow us on Twitter here Follow us on Facebook here Visit our website here