Kalam

Israel has hit several targets in Iran and Iran has retaliated with waves of ballistic missile barrages on Israeli targets. Hundreds of civilians have been killed, the overwhelming majority of them Iranian. In today's episode Sam and Edgar discuss the consequences of this dangerous escalation. To support Kalam Podcast, head to patreon.com/kalampodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Global public opinion has shifted dramatically in favour of the Palestinian cause in the last few weeks. The likes of Piers Morgan and Ehud Olmert would have called themselves anti-Semites just a few weeks ago. Edgar and Sam discuss these developments as well as the political ongoings in Syria. To support the show, go to patreon/kalampodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's news summary, Samuel and Edgar discuss the world historic decision made at last weeks PKK congress, and what it will mean for the Middle East. Also: The relentless killing and starving of Gaza shows no sign of letting up, but the souring relationship between Netanyahu and Trump does not bode well for Israels hopes for regional domination. How will Israel survive a multi-polar world order?Kalam Podcast depends on your support. If you like what were doing, please head over to patreon.com/kalampodcast and sign up to Klub Kalam for just 3 US$/month – for all episodes ad-free as well as lots of excellent bonus material. For continuous updates, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast. Image: PKK fighters playing volleyball in the Zagros Mountains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is in Swedish, apologies to all our non-Swedish speakers.Det här är avsnitt två i serien Kalam Suedi, Kalam Podcast på svenska, i samarbete med tidningen Flamman.Hela avsnittet går att höra på https://www.flamman.se/podd/kalam-suedi/Det här avsnittet handlar om Syrien – där en diktatur på över 50 år har fallit. Efter att den islamistiska milisen HTS störtat diktatorn Bashar al-Assad har religiösa och etniska minoriteter varit rädda för repressalier från den sunnimuslimska majoriteten. I början på mars månad blev deras värsta farhågor sanning, när extremistiska milismän utförde en pogrom mot syriska alawiter, den etnisk-religiösa minoritet som Assadfamiljen tillhörde. Uppemot tusen civil massakrerades på bara några dagar. Lama Alshehaby, född och uppvuxen i Damaskus, berättar om den etnisk och religiösa mångfalden i Syrien – och de motsättningar som giriga och hänsynslösa politiker länge utnyttjat. Avsnittet spelades in den 11 mars i år. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The human rights veteran Issa Amro recently featured in Louis Theroux's documentary "The Settlers", where he showed the absurdity of Israeli apartheid in his hometown of Hebron, Khalil in Arabic. Palestinians are forbidden to walk down high street in the old city of Hebron to provide security for Israeli settlers who are living in the city illegally. This episode was recorded in December 2024, when Issa Amro was visiting Sweden to receive the prestigious Right Livelihood Award, but his telling of the story of Hebron and how apartheid ruined it is as relevant as ever. If you'd like to support Kalam, listen to the podcast without ads and gain access to lots of great bonus content, sign up to Klub Kalam on Patreon! And follow us on Instagram for continuous updates. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's news summary, Sam and Edgar discuss the unrest in both Syria and Lebanon, caused by Israeli interference as well as sectarian tensions. If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and would like to make a donation, you can do so. Head to patreon.com/kalampodcast and sign up for just 3 USD/month. For continuous updates, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is in Swedish, apologies to our international listeners and features the Swedish journalist and pro Palestine activist Shora Esmailian Shora Esmailian har bevakat och varit involverad i Palestinarörelsen i 20 år. Förra året skrev hon boken Gaza: Att spränga ett getto, om den palestinska historian och Israels ockupation. Sedan den 7 oktober har delar av kultursverige tolkat Shoras uttalanden som antisemitiska och anklagat henne för att stödja terrorism. I dagens avsnitt talar Edgar och Shora om allt detta och mycket mer. Vill du stödja Kalam Podcast? Gå med i våran Patreon för bara 3 dollar i månaden. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Arab Socialism is deeply intertwined with Arab Nationalism, to the extent that they are sometimes used interchangeably. On this second episode in our series on Arab Socialism Samuel and Edgar discuss the man who more than any other has come to define the term Arab Socialism, as well as this particular combination of social revolution and national liberation: Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser.How did he rise to power, what did his ideas mean to ordinary Arabs, and how did his politics relate to Socialism?To listen to the full episode, sign up to our Kalam Podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/kalampodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The genocide in Gaza is still ongoing, but there are slivers of hope – the US and Israel could become increasingly isolated as European powers move to recognise the Palestinian state. In other news the crackdown on dissent in Turkey leaves critics of Erdogan disillusioned, while our colleague Joakim Medin languishes in a Turkish jail cell – Free Joakim now! Journalism is not a crime. Also on the show – Syria's government has taken form, with one (1!) single woman in the cabinet. If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3/month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcastPlease subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is in Arabic. Head over to the Kalam Podcast YouTube page to watch the full conversation with English subtitles.In the wake of the killing of 23-year-old Gazan journalist Hossam Shabat in an Israeli airstrike, we want to publish our conversation with the Palestinian journalist Lama Ghosheh.Lama Ghosheh has been in and out of the Israeli prison and correctional system after Israeli authorities accused her of inciting violence and supporting terrorism. She, and many journalism advocates, say that Israel is trying to make an example out of her in order to scare her Palestinian colleagues into obedience. If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3/month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

In the early hours of March 18 Isreal broke the ceasefire that had held between them and Hamas since January. Although, Israel killed over 150 Palestinians during the ceasefire itself, in various attacks – nothing the Western media felt compelled to report. At the moment of writing, nearly 1,000 Palestinians have been killed in airstrikes – many of them women and children. Muhammad Shehada is a Palestinian analyst originally from Gaza. He joins Kalam Podcast for a discussion about why Israel decided to unilaterally break the ceasefire right now. If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3/month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

In a shocking surprise attack Israel breaks the ceasefire and resumes its genocidal war on Gaza, killing at least 320 people overnight. This comes as Gazans celebrate the holy month of Ramadan. We're joined by 22-year-old student Tala Herzallah who expresses her shock to us as the sound of drones sound above. What does this mean for Israel, Palestine and the region? Listen to our analysis. If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3/month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

The Kalam team speak about the massacres against the Alawite minority in Syria and discuss the historic treaty between the Kurds and Damascus. If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3/month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

Over the past few days close to 1,000 civilians, overwhelmingly from the Awalite minority, have been killed in Syria.Beginning when clashes erupted between remnants of Assad loyalists and the new HTS-led government, mainly Sunni Muslim militias and civilians descended on Northwestern Syria and committed unspeakable crimes against their Alawite neighbours.Orwa Ajjoub is a Syrian analyst and friend of the show. He is born and raised in Damascus but currently lives in Malmö, Sweden.If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3/month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcastPlease subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

In this week's Kalam Digest, Edgar, Sam and Nora discuss the Israeli-Palestinian documentary "No Other Land" winning an Oscar, the violent clashes in Syria as well as Ramadan in war-torn Gaza. If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3/month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

This is a live show where I speak to the Syrian author Khaled Elesmael about queer rights in Syria, gay desire in Arab literature some exciting news at the end of the episode. Khaled Elesmael's books Salemlike and Gateway to the Sea are seminal works of literature and are a must-read if you want to understand modern-day Syria as well as the refugee tragedy following the war. Today, Assad has fallen and Khaled and millions of Syrians are considering returning to their homeland. This episode was recorded at Medelhavsmuseet, The Meditarranean Museum in Stockholm. If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3/month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

In February 2025 Israeli forces raided the Educational Bookshop in East Jerusalem. The bookstore is one of the oldest in the city and is frequented by Palestinians, Israelis and international patrons. It is a staple in Jerusalem, and the Israeli raid prompted international outcry. The Israelis claimed that the bookstore was promoting violence – something which is abjectly false. The Educational Bookshop sells books on a wide range of topics from Palestinian liberation to Zionism to English literature. It features authors from Palestine and Israel and beyond.If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3/month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

Biking in Palestine is virtually impossible. Not for a lack of interest – but for the hostile Israeli occupation and indiscriminate settler violence. The longest biking route is 20km, before one runs into a military checkpoint or veers too close to an illegal Israeli settlement. Mohammad Zarour was instrumental in launching and running several Palestinian biking initiatives – to support those passionate about biking and promote biking to interested Palestinian youth. Most of these initiatives, however, are not able to operate anymore as the occupation has clamped down on most Palestinian organising, especially since the 7th of October 2023. Israel routinely employs sportswashing to present itself in a preferable light. It hosts many biking events and has built biking trails in the state of Israel – many of which exist on the ruins of Palestinian villages that were depopulated during the Nakba of 1948.If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3/month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

Israel's military operations in the West Bank has lead to 40,000 Palestinians being displaced – the largest number since the 1967 war. In Gaza, Trump's plans on constructing a Middle Eastern "riviera" seems far-fetched, as hundreds of thousands of Gazans return to their destroyed neighbourhoods. Tala Emad Herzallah, 22-year-old student from Gaza, speaks to us directly from Northern Gaza where she has returned. In Syria, there is relative stability with the new HTS-government taking form, while in Lebanon chaos erupted at the airport when Hezbollah loyalists clashed with the army. If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3/month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

This podcast episode is in Swedish.Välkommen till Kalam Suedi, Kalam Podcast på svenska! I samarbete med tidningen Flamman. Följ länken för att lyssna på hela avsnittet. Det går att låsa upp avsnittet gratis genom att uppge en mailadress! https://www.flamman.se/podd/kalam-suedi/1-vad-ar-israel-med-goran-rosenberg/– Israel begår folkmord, säger Kalam Suedis första gäst, Göran Rosenberg. I dagens avsnitt försöker vi svara på VAD staten Israel är för något, och vad det har varit. För att bättre kunna svara på vart landet är på väg. Vi får även höra om Göran Rosenbergs resor i Israel och Palestina sedan Hamas krigsbrott den 7 oktober, 2023.Vi diskuterar även Tyskland och övriga Europas fortsatt problematiska förhållande till judar. För att stödja Kalam Podcasts arbete kan ni gå med i vår Patreon. Gå till www.patreon.com/kalampodcast.com och prenumerera för bara 35 kronor i månaden. Då får ni tillgång till massa spännande bonusmaterial. Följ oss på Instagram, @kalampodcast

Hiba Dlewati is a Syrian living in the US, since she was forced to leave her homeland in 2012 due to her political activity. A former medical student and journalist, Dlewati joined the anti-regime student movement and began protesting against the regime. Until she was caught. Listen to Dlewati's harrowing story exclusively on Kalam Podcast. To watch the full interview with her, head to our YouTube page. If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3/month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

The reactions to Trump's inflammatory statements have the Middle East reeling. Earlier this week, the US president said that Palestinians "have no alternative" but to relocate to Egypt and Jordan. This is a huge taboo and a red line for the Arab states that have peace treaties with Israel.If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3/month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians return to a more or less completely destroyed northern Gaza. Meanwhile, the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas seems to be holding, with a few exceptions in the form of Israeli violations leading to the deaths of several Palestinian individuals. The hostage-prisoner exchange is proceeding more or less as planned as well.However, the war in the West Bank is ratcheting up, with serious concern for ethnic cleansing.Meanwhile in Syria and Lebanon, the situation seems to be stabilising, with the US reentering as the dominant party and Lebanon getting on with the politics of politics. If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3/month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

A lot has been made of the terminology applied to Israeli "hostages" or "captives" and Palestinian "prisoners" or "terrorists". While the Israelis certainly are hostages and captives, thousands of Palestinians are languishing in Israeli prisons without a trial or formal charge. Many are tortured and sexually violated, and many are children and minors. Milena Ansari is the Israel-Palestine researcher for Human Rights Watch and specialises in documenting and analysing testimonies from Palestinian prisoners. If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3/month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

Arab-socialism is deeply intertwined with arab nationalism – to the extent that they are sometimes used interchangeably: Pan-arabism, Arab Nationalism and Arab Socialism, to talk about especially its most well known movements, of the 1950s-1970s. In this series however, we will focus specifically on the rise of a peculiar "arab socialism", as a part of understanding the back story of the regime that so recently fell in Damascus. In this introductory episode, Sam and Edgar explore the origins of Arab socialism from the late 1800's up until the end of WWII. This is a teaser, to hear the full episode please subscribe to Kalam Podcast on patreon.com/kalampodcast for just $3/month. KALAM NADWA:We are delighted to announce some good news to start of the new year. Starting from the end of January Kalam will branch out and start an online study group, with monthly seminars, and readings complete with study questions and background. The topic of the first semester so to speak will be Arab socialism. Starting from today then we will begin a special series of Kalam Shorts on this topic. To be able to participate in this new endeavour we will ask for 7$/month, but the first session will of course be avaliable to all Patreons. Leading these study sessions will be Samuel Carlshamre, PhD-student in Semitic languages and specialised in the intellectual history of the Arabs.

Direkt från Teater Tribunalen pratar Edgar och Sam om det brittiska mandatet i Palestina under mellankrigsåren. Vad var det för system, och hur bidrog det till Israels bildande och Nakba?Samtalet är inspelat inför en uppsättning av pjäsen Mandatet som behandlar samma tidsperiod, som sålt ut Teater Tribunalen i Stockholm i flera veckor.

At long last it seems we have a ceasefire in Gaza, after over a year of war and genocide. But just as we were all breathing a collective sigh of relief, the Netanyahu regime seemed to sabotage the deal in the last minute. What does this mean? In the 20th instalment of Kalam Digest, Edgar, Sam and Nora take us through the implications of the ceasefire agreement and how the f*ck it took this long to bring about.If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3/month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

Music has long been central to Palestinian culture in general and specifically to the culture of resistance. Reem Talhami is a Palestinian actress and singer who gained recognition for her singing during the First Intifada in the late 1980's. Today, she continues to sing and act, despite the situation for Palestinians deteriorating rapidly. During our conversation we speak about Palestinian folklore and political expressions of music – as well as what has been lost in today's generation. You can find Reem's music via her Youtube channel.Like all episodes from our Ramallah Series, this was recorded in the summer of 2024 in Sirdab Studio on the Occupied West Bank. If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3/month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

Minor military operations are still ongoing in Syria as HTS attempts to root out Assad loyalists in the city of Homs. In Gaza the genocide is ongoing, and Israel has forcibly disappeared doctor Hossam Abu Safiya, Director of the Kamal Adwan Medical Complex. Trump has promised to unleash hell in Gaza if hostages are not released – this comes just over a week before his inauguration on January 20. If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3/month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

In the fourth instalment of Munadama, where the team behind Kalam "shoot the shit over alcoholic beverages", Sam, Nora, Edgar and Arthur discuss everything from Arabic grammar to dive bars in Damascus. These episodes are usually exclusively available for our Patreon subscribers, but in the (belated) spirit of the holidays we're unlocking this episode for all our listeners. If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3/month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

The Syrian writer and political theorist, Yassin al-Haj Saleh, has lived a remarkable life. As a student activist affiliated with one of Syria's communist parties, Yassin spent 16 years in Hafez al Assad's prisons. Then, shortly after the revolution of 2011, Yassin's wife, Samira Khalil, was abucted by the Islamist militia Jaysh al Islam. Samira was also an activist and hasn't been heard from in over ten years. Yassin was kind enough to speak to us about the fate of his wife and the others abducted, the "Douma 4" and about his thoughts on Syria's past, present and future. If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3/month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

Why are Palestinians among the most educated populations in the world? Many people cite community education initiatives that came out of the non-violent resistance movement in the late 80's, the First Intifada. One such organisation is Tamer Institute and earlier this year we had the pleasure of speaking to the General Director of Tamer, Renad Qubbaj. In 2023, Tamer Institute won the prestigious Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (ALMA) for children and young peoples' literature. This episode, along with all of our Ramallah series, is video recorded. If you'd like to see the full video of Renad and Edgar speaking in Sirdab Studio in Ramallah then head over to our Youtube channel.

The Palestinian Authority is cracking down on non-state militias in Jenin on the occupied West Bank – find out why Fatah is fighting Fatah. Israel is making incursions into Syria and bombing its weapons arsenal to bits – why is it doing this, and what does it mean?Finally, the Kurdish-controlled area in northeastern Syria is coming into question. Raqqa, for example, is a majority sunni Arab city under Kurdish control. How will this be resolved in a new Syria?If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3/month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

The Islamist militia HTS (Hay't Tahrir al-Sham≈Committee for the Liberation of Syria) has toppled the dictatorial Assad regime. Its leader, 42-year-old Ahmed al-Sharaa, better known by his nom de guerre, Abu Mohammed al-Julani, started his career under the leadership of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, head of ISIS. This extremist jihadist background is worrisome, but al-Julani has proven to be a pragmatist. How far will this pragmatism go, however? Orwa Ajjoub, a PhD candidate at Malmö University, where he researches Sunni jihadi rhetoric, was kind enough to share his insights on al-Julani and HTS with us on Kalam Podcast. If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3/month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

When Bashar al Assad's government fell just a couple of days ago, after a two week whirlwind campaign by opposition forces which surprised the entire world, it signalled the end of more than 54 years of rule by the Assad family and it's the so called Ba'th-party. While it has been no secret that Syria under Assad was a repressive and violent state, the images and stories of the prisoners released after decades in it's notorious Sednaya prison as have raised awareness global to the plight of the Syrian people. But what was this peculiar beast we called the Assad-regime? How did the Assad family come to power, and manage stay in power for so long? And what does it's sudden collapse signal, for Syrians suddenly freed from its yoke, as well as for the future of the Middle East in general? With us today to answer these questions is Sune Haugbølle, professor of Global Political Sociology at Roskilde University, and author of numerous books and articles on The Middle East and Syria. He has spent years living and traveling in the country and studied it's regime, writing amongst other things on its infamous prison system and secret services. If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3/month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

It's official, at least if you ask the world's leading human rights organisation, Amnesty International: Israel is guilty of committing the crime of genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza. In today's episode the Secretary General of Amnesty International herself, Agnes Callamard, walks us through the organisation's damning report on the genocide in Gaza. We know there's a lot going on in Syria right now, and we are working on bringing you a special series on the developing situation there. But the war on Gaza is ongoing and this report from Amnesty International is historic. So please take the time to listen to the head of Amnesty, Agnes Callamard.If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3 a month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

The regime of Bashar al Assad has fallen and Syrians around the world are celebrating. So what happens now? Anything is possible in such times, and we must hope for the best for the people of Syria who so desperately deserve freedom, dignity and the right to choose their government. In today's episode we look at what recent events mean for regional and global players like Turkey, Israel, Russia, Saudi Arabia, the US and Iran as well as what the group who has taken over Syria says it wants to do moving forward. If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3 a month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

The Syrian conflict has reignited as opposition forces under the leadership of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) broke out of Idlib, capturing key cities like Aleppo, Hama and finally Damascus, with minimal resistance. What does the apparent fall of the Assad Family's half-century hold on power mean for the country? In today's episode, Nora Adin Fares interviews Dr. Neil Quilliam, an analyst and associate fellow at Chatham House as we dive deeper into what this means for the Syrian people. Are they welcoming this development, or is there more to the story? What does it mean for the region?If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3 a month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

The ripple effects of Israel's wars in the Middle East are spinning out of control. Just last week, the Islamist Syrian rebel group Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) retook the city of Aleppo, the second-largest city in Syria. How did they manage to do so, and how does the severe weakening of Hezbollah play into it? Will this spell the end of Bashar al Assad's regime?In other news we speak about the fragile ceasefire in Lebanon and the on-going killing of Gaza. If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3 a month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

In the second part of this miniseries Samuel and Edgar discuss the development of the Likud Party since its landslide victory in 1977. What demographic and political shifts cause its rise to dominance.How did the party of Benjamin Netanyahu come to dominate Israeli politics as massively as it has done for the last couple of decades? How did it achieve this position, who are its voters and support today, and how does its future look?This is a teaser. To listen to the full episode: join us on patreon.com/kalampodcast for only $3/month.

A lot has happened since our last news summary on Kalam Podcast. The ICC has officially issued an arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant and as of today, a ceasefire deal has taken effect in Lebanon. If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3 a month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

Palestinian theatre has been around for thousands of years through the tradition of the Hakawati, the storyteller. In modern times, the Palestinian theatre has inevitably served as an liberatory artistic platform. Palestinian theatre cannot be separated from the Palestinian struggle more generally. But as today's guest, Iman Aoun argues, there's a more universal dimension to this: Palestinian theatre serves not only to liberate Palestine but all of humanity, from the evils of colonialism, oppression and racism. Iman Aoun and her husband Edward Muallam founded Ashtar Theatre in 1991, riding the wave of the highly inspirational popular First Intifada. An innovative, non-violent, women and grassroots-led revolt against Israeli domination. In today's episode, Iman reflects on the particularities of Palestinian theatre as well as the abyss of our current moment. If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3 a month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

This episode is in Arabic! Sorry to all our non-Arabic speakers. You can watch the full episode with English subtitles on Youtube.Is there such thing as Palestinian cinema? And what has the genoc!de in Gaza meant for film in the strip?Ola Salama, herself from Gaza, is the Executive Director of Film Lab Palestine, an organisation aimed at revitalising the culture of films in Palestine, liberating it from the grasp of conventional European filmmaking industries and Hollywood.In this episode, Ola and Edgar speak about the war in Gaza and the destruction it has wrought on the strip's cultural life. If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3 a month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

What will a Trump presidency mean for the war in Gaza and Lebanon and for the Middle East more broadly? Probably complete disaster, but still worth a discussion. Sam and Edgar spend the lion's part of the 14th installment of Kalam Digest speaking about Trump's stunning and decisive victory. As well as the crucial Arab vote which mostly sided with the man who last time around implemented the "Muslim Ban". We also mention the firing of former Israeli Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant. What does this mean for the future of the Middle Eastern wars? If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3 a month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

Unbelievably, the destruction and killing of Gaza continues and is, in fact, escalating. Israel's relentless and genocidal war seems to know no bounds. In this week's news summary, Sam, Edgar and Nora speak about the impending doom that is the US elections. Muslims for Trump and floating piles of garbage aka Rudy Giuliani. The political opposition in Israel, Yair Lapid of the party Yesh Atid, admits to higher casualty figures than has been previously reported. Lapid also chastised Netanyahu for NOT going after more targets in the latest strike on Iran. If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3 a month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

What are the politics of Palestine, who can take over a Palestinian state when it is conceived? Aboud Hamayel, also known under his pen name Abdaljawad Omar is a writer and theorist and a Lecturer of Philosophy at Bir Zeit University on the Occupied West Bank. Abdaljawad gives us a detailed outline of the history of different political currents in Palestine. Interestingly, he does not give as much credence to the idea of an Islamist-secular split as other scholars of this field.This episode was recorded, as usual, in Sirdab Studio in Ramallah in the summer of 2024. If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3 a month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

In this the first part of a miniseries Samuel and Edgar discuss the origins of Likud Party. For the last 30 years the Likud has dominated Israeli politics, and thus set the tone for the international politics of the region, not to mention the question of Palestine. Today it is an ultra-conservative party with neoliberal economics, bent on making the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories permanent, but what are the roots of the Likud Party? What leading figures shaped its policy, and what does its founding charter actually say about its charachter?This is part one of a two part series on this political party. To hear the full episode head to patreon.com/kalampodcast and sign up for just $3/month. For continuous updates, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast

Once again we are delighted to have Lebanese political analyst and researcher Ralph Baydoun on the show. Ralph joins us live from Beirut, a city under constant Israeli bombardment. In today's episode Ralph and Edgar speak about Israel's plan to redraw the map of the Middle East, and how this can have unintended consequences as other powerful actors in the region attempt to take advantage – namely Erdogan's Turkey. If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3 a month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

The attack in the Turkish capital, Ankarra, considered by Turkish authorities to be a terrorist attack, seems to have been carried out by Kurdish militants affiliated with PKK. This has led to Turkey striking Kurdish positions in Syria and Iraq.At the same time, Israel is attempting to redraw the map of the Middle East - something Turkey wants to benefit from, many analysts believe. The war in Lebanon and Gaza is intensifying, Sam and Edgar look at a remarkable piece of journalism, where CNN interviewed Israeli soldiers openly admitting to have committed war crimes - where we are supposed to feel bad about them. If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3 a month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

There are 18 recognised religious "sects" in Lebanon, including various Christian denominations, Shia and Sunni Muslims, the Druze and Jews. Sects in this context does not refer to a kind of cult but rather different religious groupings. How did the Lebanese republic organise itself and how did the sectarian system contribute to the bloody civil wars fought in the mid to late 20th century?Find out in part two of a two-part series for Kalam Shorts about sectarianism in Lebanon, available exclusively for our Patreon subscribers. Sign up at patreon.com/kalampodcast for just $3/month. For continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.

This week we saw harrowing images of Gazans literally burning alive when Israel struck a makeshift hospital in Northern Gaza. One person was in a hospital bed hooked up to an IV when the flames engulfed and ultimately killed him. Why are we seeing this brutal escalation, and how is this affecting the front in Lebanon?Israel demanded that the UN peacekeeping troops in Lebanon be removed "from harms way", after several UN soldiers were injured as a result of Israeli fire. This request was denied by the governments of France, Spain and Ireland. If you enjoy Kalam Podcast and want to support the show, there is an excellent way to do so - by signing up to our Patreon. For just $3 a month you'll gain access to full length interviews with all our guests and lots of bonus material - including our series Kalam Shorts: 10-15 explainers of concepts like Zionism and Orientalism. Join at patreon.com/kalampodcastFor continuous updates on the podcast and content about Palestine and the Middle East, follow us on Instagram @kalampodcast Please subscribe to Kalam Podcast in whatever podcast application you're listening to right now - and give us a rating. It helps other people find out about us.