Podcast appearances and mentions of lara friedman

Lee Fang talks to Leighton Woodhouse about the first 100 years of the new Trump Administration. They discuss tariffs, free speech, corruption and much more. THEN: Lee is joined by Lara Friedman, of the Foundation for Middle East Peace, to discuss the barrage of laws banning criticism of Israel and how they open door for an escalation of censorship in the US. ----- Watch full episodes on Rumble, streamed LIVE 7pm ET. Become part of our Locals community Follow System Update:  Twitter Instagram TikTok Facebook   LinkedIn

On this edition of Parallax Views, host J.G. Michael engages renowned Israeli pollster Dahlia Scheindlin in a revealing discussion on the evolution of Israeli civil society and its dynamic relationship with both Palestinian civil society and internal societal shifts within Israel. Drawing from her insightful essay, “The Rise, Weakening, and Resurgence of Civil Society in Israel,” Dahlia navigates the complex interplay of historical, political, and social forces that have shaped civic life in the region. - Internal Transformation: Explore how the transition to the Likud government in the 1970s led to the weakening of Israel's welfare state, creating a vacuum that civil society eagerly filled with new social and political initiatives. - Historical Perspectives: Trace the development of Israeli civil society from its Zionist origins through the transformative eras of the Oslo Accords and beyond, while examining how these shifts have paralleled, intersected, and at times clashed with Palestinian civic movements. - Interplay of Resistance and Repression: Learn how grassroots resistance against occupation as well as anti-democratic movements in Israel has fueled a dynamic interplay between Israeli and Palestinian civil societies, fostering both collaboration and contention in the quest for justice and democratic reform. - Legislative and Social Backlash: Understand the impact of autocratic policies and legislative attacks under Netanyahu's government, which not only suppressed dissent but also galvanized a renewed civic activism among diverse groups. - Turning Points and Future Prospects: Delve into the dramatic civic mobilization following the events of October 7, 2023, and explore what this resurgence means for the future of democratic engagement and cross-community solidarity in a divided society. This episode offers a compelling narrative that weaves together historical context, political resistance, and the powerful role of civic action in shaping both Israeli and Palestinian futures. We will also discuss Dahlia's recent trip to the United States, where she is currently on a speaking tour. Additionally, Dahlia and will discuss into the gap between the perspectives of diaspora populations vs. those living in Israel/Palestine. You can currently obtain an ebook download of Suppressing Dissent, which features Dahlia's essay, for FREE at the Carnegie Endowment website. Contributors include such previous Parallax Views guests as Nathan J. Brown, Dana El Kurd, and Dahlia Scheindlin as well as Lara Friedman, Marwa Fatafta, Yael Berda, Jessica Buxbaum, and many others.

On this edition of Parallax Views, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace's Zaha Hassan returns to the program alongside first-time guest Yousef Munayyer, a Senior Fellow at the Arab Center Washington D.C., to discuss the new book she co-edited with H.A. Hellyer entitled Suppressing Dissent: Shrinking Civic Space, Transnational Repression, and Palestine-Israel. Yousef is a contributor to the Suppressing Dissent and, amongst other things, he will discuss his piece in the book entitled "Closing Spaces Beyond Borders: Israel's Transnational Repression Network". Zaha will discuss a number of topics related to the book as well including her contribution, co-written with Layla Gantus, called "Between a Rock and a Hard Place: The Impact of Israel's Occupation and Palestinian Authoritarianism on Community Organizing and NGOs". The conversation will begin, of course, with a discussion of a case that makes this book timelier than ever: the detainment of Columbia University pro-Palestinian student protester Mahmoud Khalil by the Trump administration. From there we will discuss such issues as the Israeli-based NSO Group's infamous Pegasus spyware being used against Palestinian civil society organizations, the long shadow of the Oslo Accords, the interplay between the Israeli occupation and the governance in Gaza and the West Bank, revisiting Zaha's paper on the Human Rights-centric approach to dealing with Israel/Palestine, the debanking of Palestinian civil society individuals and organizations, the Palestinian Authority vs. Palestinian civil society, and much, much more. You can currently obtain an ebook download of Suppressing Dissent for FREE at the Carnegie Endowment website. Contributors include such previous Parallax Views guests as Nathan J. Brown, Dana El Kurd, and Dahlia Scheindlin as well as Lara Friedman, Marwa Fatafta, Yael Berda, Jessica Buxbaum, and many others.

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This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comAntisemitism is sadly very much alive and well in the US, but conservatives want you to believe it is located in the placard-waving crowds at pro-Palestine rallies, or the student protests on college campuses, rather than within their own bigoted ranks, where talk of ‘great replacement' and Nazi-looking salutes are all the vogue right now.The conservative moment in the US has even taken to declaring liberal Jewish critics of Israel as not Jewish enough, says one leading Jewish expert on antisemitism, who warns against the conflating of antisemitism with anti-Zionism.“It's called us JINOs, ‘Jewish in name only,'” Lara Friedman, President of the Foundation for Middle East Peace, tells Mehdi on ‘Mehdi Unfiltered.'“It's a framing that started not with this Trump administration, it was there during the Biden administration, was there during the previous Trump administration… it has almost become a cult-like fealty that is demanded to Zionism and the state of Israel.”Friedman has not been shy to point out the hypocrisy displayed by people who are outraged by phrases like “from the river to the sea,” but are seemingly unbothered by Nazi-looking salutes on stage here in the US.“That brought forth the biggest wave or tsunami of vitriol against me I've ever experienced, which really boiled down to ‘shut up you… and fill in your epithets' followed by the word ‘Jew'. Outright anti-Semitism, including from Jewish people,” she says.Some of the concerns and fears that members of the Jewish community in the US are feeling right now are based on real trends, Friedman says, but those concerns and fears are aimed at the wrong group.“The people that they are afraid of are not the right wingers who…attacked a synagogue in Pittsburgh. The people they're afraid of are the people who are trying to speak out for Palestinian lives and rights.”If you are a paid subscriber, you can watch the full interview above to hear Friedman explain the way in which the right's cynical cozying up to Israel is a way of laundering antisemitism, the dangerous threat posed to free speech by the controversial IHRA definition of antisemitism, and why everyone should pay attention to what Steve Bannon and Elon Musk are saying and doing.Free subscribers can watch a 7-minute preview. Consider becoming a paid subscriber today to watch the full interview.In case you missed them, here are some recent stories from Zeteo:

In this episode of FMEP's Occupied Thoughts, FMEP's Lara Friedman speaks with preeminent journalist Dalia Hatuqa about the current realities of Israel violence carried out both by the Israeli military and Israeli civilians (settlers) against Palestinians in the West Bank -- including the situation in the months leading up to 10/7/23; the dangerous deterioration of conditions following 10/7/23, through the onset of the current Hamas-Israel ceasefire in Gaza;  and the ongoing -- rapid, dramatic -- escalation of Israeli violence and destruction in the West Bank in the wake of that ceasefire.

Negar Mortazavi in conversation with Steven Simon, Lara Friedman, Nader Hashemi, and Jon Hoffman, discussing US policy in the Middle East under Biden and Trump. This panel was hosted in person by the National Iranian American Council. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theiranpodcast/support

The Author of the Goldwater Rule Which Gagged Psychiatrists Now Calls For Trump to Be Evaluated For Dementia | Trump's Plans To Round Up Enemies Into Concentration Camps Are the Same as Hitler's Who Quickly Turned Democracy Into Dictatorship | The Abraham Accords Are Becoming a Pipe Dream as Netanyahu Drives Saudi Arabia and Iran Together backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.com/ianmastersmedia facebook.com/ianmastersmedia

The genocide in Gaza has brought the issue of Israel — and what it represents for Jewish people — into the forefront of Jewish communities worldwide. The powerful influence of the Israel lobby on Israel’s image in the United States makes this issue highly contentious and deeply complex. In this episode of the Scheer Intelligence podcast, host Robert Scheer and Lara Friedman, president of the Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP), a nonprofit dedicated to fostering peace between Israel and Palestine, explain — as two Jewish individuals — how they navigate these complex issues, both in their professional work and personal lives. Drawing on her experience working with the U.S. Foreign Service in Jerusalem around the time of the Oslo Accords, Friedman offers a complex view of the politics of the situation. Friedman discusses not only the evolving Jewish relationship to Israel but also the plight of the Palestinians who are often subjected to displacement, violence and death. Friedman highlights a critical distinction when discussing the Oslo Accords: unlike most treaties, which are based on a balance of interests, the Israel-Palestine agreement is rooted in a balance of power. This dynamic, which heavily favors Israel, was recognized by Friedman: “I think that became very clear as the underlying dynamic of Oslo very, very quickly.” When it comes to interpreting Israel, Friedman points out the difficulty in engaging with its defenders. “The entirety of Israel's existence has been grounded in a series of narratives, and it's almost a pick a long menu for which narrative best suits you at what moment,” she tells Scheer. The narrative turning Hamas’ recent attack on Israel into a justification of the genocidal attack on Gaza has made it very difficult for anti-Zionist or non-Zionist Jews to express themselves. Friedman conveys her frustration: “I'm now living in a world where it doesn't matter what your level of faith is, it doesn't matter what your genealogy is, it doesn't matter your self identification. If you're not deeply Zionist in your political outlook, then you're not really a Jew.”

This session examined humanitarian conditions and issues of international law and accountability, including the ongoing genocide case before the International Court of Justice. Panelists: Raz Segal (Stockton University), Sherine Tadrous (Amnesty International), Chris Gunness (Former UNRWA spokesperson); co-moderated by MEI's Khaled Elgindy and FMEP's Lara Friedman. Recorded 5-3-2024. For more information and resources, please visit:https://fmep.org/the-gaza-catastrophe-a-private-briefing-for-congress/

This session reviewed and analyzed the role Congress & the Executive have played vis-a-vis Israel and Palestine in general, and Gaza in particular, both before and since 10/7/23. Panelists: Josh Paul (former official at the U.S. Department of State), Zaha Hassan (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace), Tess McEnery (Middle East Democracy Center); co-moderated by MEI's Khaled Elgindy and FMEP's Lara Friedman. Recorded 4-26-2024. For more information and resources, please visit: https://fmep.org/the-gaza-catastrophe-a-private-briefing-for-congress/

What comes next? This session examined the prospects for reconstruction and governance in Gaza as well as implications of the ongoing crisis for internal Palestinian politics and the future of the Palestinian national movement. Panelists: Abdelhadi Alijl (Social & Political Scientist), Nour Odeh (Political Activist), Mouin Rabbani (Jaddaliya); co-moderated by MEI's Khaled Elgindy and FMEP's Lara Friedman. Recorded 5-10-2024 For more information and resources, please visit: https://fmep.org/the-gaza-catastrophe-a-private-briefing-for-congress/

Khaled Elgindy of the Middle East Institute (MEI) and Lara Friedman of the Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP) speak with Sarah Anne Minkin (FMEP) about "The Gaza Catastrophe: 2024 Congressional Briefing Series." The Congressional Briefing Series is an educational program conducted annually by the Middle East Institute's Palestinian Affairs Program and the Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP) to brief members of Congress and their staff on the most pressing issues facing Israel and Palestine today. Go to this link for the full series: https://fmep.org/the-gaza-catastrophe-a-private-briefing-for-congress/ Original music by Jalal Yaquoub.

The House and Senate Moves to Strip Non-Profit Status From Foundations That Support Palestinian Causes | The Damage the Supreme Court is Doing to the Rule of Law by Making Trump Above the Law | Biden's Reelection Chances According to a Prediction System That Has Got Every Presidential Election Right Since 1984 backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.com/ianmastersmedia facebook.com/ianmastersmedia

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP's Lara Friedman speaks with Dr. Assal Rad.  Dr. Rad is a scholar of Middle East history. She works on research and writing related to U.S. foreign policy issues, the Middle East, and contemporary Iran. Her writing can be seen in Newsweek, The National Interest, The Independent, Foreign Policy and more, and she has appeared as a commentator on BBC World, Al Jazeera, CNN, and NPR. She completed a PhD in History from the University of California, Irvine in 2018 and is the author of The State of Resistance: Politics, Culture, and Identity in Modern Iran (Cambridge University Press, 2022). Follow Assal on X/Twitter: @AssalRad

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP's Lara Friedman speaks to Middle East policy journalist, analyst, and author Omar Rahman about the regional impacts and implications of Israel's ongoing war on Gaza. Omar is currently a fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, where he focuses on Palestine, Middle East geopolitics, and American foreign policy in the region, and he is also a non-resident fellow at the Baker Institute for Public Policy. Omar is currently working on a book about Palestinian de-fragmentation in the post-Oslo era. Rahman is also a frequent speaker on panels, at conferences, and in the media.

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP's Lara Friedman speaks to international legal expert in business and human rights Tara Van Ho about the latest twist in the ongoing controversy involving the Chicago-based financial services company Morningstar Inc. and its subsidiary Sustainalytics, over how it deals with Israel and the Occupied Palestinian territories. Specifically, the podcast explores Morningstar's recently released (January 31, 2024) 37-page report, written by a pair of "independent experts," laying out recommendations regarding how Morningstar conducts its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) assessments, such that Israel and companies operating in Israel are absolved of any possible association with ESG risks, real or potential.

Young progressive Jews calling for a ceasefire in Gaza spent weeks since October 7 shutting down U.S. train stations, highways, and government buildings. But can their messages of solidarity reverberate beyond these demonstrations to cause change within government and Congress, especially as criticism of Israel is being increasingly shut down and classified as anti-semitism by US officials.   Today's episode is with Lara Friedman, president of the Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP), a nonprofit organization working to promote peace between Israel and Palestine/peaceful future for Palestinians and Israelis. 

Today's guests: - Lara Friedman, president, Foundation for Middle East Peace - Illinois Congressman Bill Foster, 11th District - Heartland Signal Executive Editor Tim Hogan - David Sedlak, Berkeley civil/environmental engineer and author of "Water for All: Global Solutions for a Changing Climate" - Greg Hinz, columnist at Crain's Chicago

Ralph welcomes back Chuck Collins, heir to the Hormel fortune and cofounder of Patriotic Millionaires to discuss his latest report “The True Cost of Billionaire Philanthropy” which asks the question, “Would society be better off if billionaires just kept their money and paid their fair share of taxes?” Plus, we speak briefly about the situation in Gaza with Lara Friedman, president of the Foundation for Middle East Peace and Francesco DeSantis keeps us up to date with the latest news with his segment “In Case You Haven't Heard.”Chuck Collins directs the Charity Reform Initiative at the Institute for Policy Studies, where he also co-edits Inequality.org.  Mr. Collins co-founded the Patriotic Millionaires and United for a Fair Economy, and he is the author of Born on Third Base and The Wealth Hoarders: How Billionaires Pay Millions to Hide Trillions.Here's our analysis: for every dollar that Elon Musk or Bill Gates - some of these billionaires - give, the rest of us chip in 74 cents in lost tax revenue. And that's at the federal level... So, these are our tax dollars at work. And yet they're completely unaccountable in terms of where the money goes.Chuck CollinsThe financial industry, the wealth advisors—I call them the wealth defense industry—the tax attorneys and accountants. They have started to capture corners of what we think of as philanthropy with the same kind of worldview—capital preservation, tax minimization, passing on as much wealth to the next generation. So, you see ultra-wealthy people creating family foundations. And the most important thing to realize is this is taxpayer-subsidized private power.Chuck CollinsWe need to change the laws governing philanthropy. The framework that we are living with now is from 1969, which was a zenith of relative equality in the United States. We wouldn't have necessarily known that 50 years later we would be living in an oligarchy where billionaires would use their charity as an extension of their influence and power as aggressively as they are now.Chuck Collins[Shareholder resolutions are] a good way to shine some light on the murky, narcissistic, self-enriching practices of these executives who often do so at the expense of their own companies in a conflict of interest. It would be good if this discussion sparked something like that… It's not a structural reform of our political economy, to be sure. But it does alleviate some of the poverty, some of the health care necessities, the housing necessities in the areas where these corporations operate.Ralph NaderLara Friedman is the President of the Foundation for Middle East Peace. She is a leading authority on the Middle East, with particular expertise on U.S. foreign policy in the region, on Israel/Palestine, and on the way Middle East and Israel/Palestine-related issues play out in Congress and in U.S. domestic politics, Ms. Friedman is a former officer in the U.S. Foreign Service, with diplomatic postings in Jerusalem, Washington, Tunis and Beirut. She also served previously as the Director of Policy and Government Relations at Americans for Peace Now.In Case You Haven't Heard with Francesco DeSantis1. The AP reports Hamas has released a third group of hostages – including 14 Israelis and the first American hostage – as part of a four-day truce with Israel. In return, Israel has released 39 Palestinian prisoners. The Biden administration has expressed that their goal is to extend the ceasefire as long as possible. This about-face in administration policy is a testament to the power of the sustained protest and public pressure campaigns in favor of a ceasefire. However, this truce is scheduled to expire at the end of this week.2. Going further, Vermont Senator Peter Welch has called for an “indefinite ceasefire,” following the horrific shooting of three Palestinian-American students in Burlington, Vermont. Senator Welch writes “The ceasefire must be extended...to stop the bombing and prevent further loss of civilian life. The United States cannot condone a resumption of the bombing when it causes death and injury to so many civilians.” It is noteworthy that the other Senator from Vermont, Bernie Sanders, still refuses to call for a ceasefire.3. The Nation has published a piece on the genocide in Gaza that was pulled from the Harvard Law Review at the last moment. The opening lines of this article read “Genocide is a crime. It is a legal framework. It is unfolding in Gaza. And yet, the inertia of legal academia, especially in the United States, has been chilling. Clearly it is much easier to dissect the case law rather than navigate the reality of death. It is much easier to consider genocide in the past tense rather than contend with it in the present. Legal scholars tend to sharpen their pens after the smell of death has dissipated and moral clarity is no longer urgent.”4. The Intercept's Ryan Grim has shared an excerpt from his new book The Squad: AOC and the Hope of a Political Revolution in which he seeks to explain Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman's intransigent stance in favor of Israel. Essentially, Grim argues that Fetterman made a deal with AIPAC and the Democratic Majority For Israel, with Fetterman pledging opposition to the BDS movement and support for unconditional military aid to Israel, and in exchange, “DMFI and AIPAC stayed out of his race.”5. Independent journalist Séamus Malekafzali reports “A member of Germany's ruling coalition from the Greens wants all German media to sign a pledge to support Israel and its ‘right to exist', similar to how Axel Springer's media organizations (like Politico) do.” To learn more about POLITICO's new ultra-Zionist German ownership, check out the first issue of the Capitol Hill Citizen.6. The Prospect is out with a blockbuster article on the first major anti-trust case in 25 years, U.S. v. Google. This piece traces how what was once billed as the “Trial of the Century” became “the Secret Trial,” and stresses the testimony of Al-Amyn Sumar, legal counsel for the New York Times who “listed the factors that separated this case from any other his legal team had seen before… [including] numerous closed-door proceedings, withholding of public evidence, and extensive confidentiality claims by companies (not just Google, but secondary parties to the case like Microsoft and Apple) that were granted all too liberally by the judge. [Sumar noted] Even access to trial transcripts were scant, trickling out weeks after examinations.” Sumar capped this off by saying “this simply can't be the best way to go about the legal process.”7. The Prospect also reports the Biden-appointed chair of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Rostin Behnam, is attempting to implement a Trump-era rule that would “roll back Dodd-Frank protections for swap trades, a major class of derivatives that led directly to the 2008 financial crisis, by relaxing margin requirements for certain categories of investment funds.” Several Democrats are coming out in opposition to this move. A letter from Senator Sherrod Brown decries this as “a step in the wrong direction… [which would] undermine the goals of Dodd-Frank.”8. A third story from the Prospect focuses on deceptive Medicare Advantage plans, and specifically how they have been able to legally circumvent ACA protections covering pre-existing conditions. Put simply, if one enrolls in a Medicare Advantage program before age 65, then wishes to transition to traditional Medicare, they can be forced to undergo “underwriting” or medical health screening. As of now, only four states – New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Maine – prevent Medigap, the Medicare supplemental insurance that covers the 20 percent of medical expenses not covered by Medicare, from underwriting Medicare Advantage patients attempting to switch back to traditional Medicare. As the article explains “The millions of Americans not living in those states are trapped in Medicare Advantage, because Medigap plans are legally able to deny them insurance coverage.” Yet another instance of the pernicious influence of Medicare Advantage on the health of American seniors.9. The Tuscon Sentinel has published a story which exemplifies the folly of the so-called school choice movement. Last year, Arizona became the first state to offer all families in the state public dollars to spend at private educational institutions. In response, nearly all private schools raised their tuition rates. As the article notes, “Critics…cite the tuition increases as evidence of what they've warned about for years: Universal school choice, rather than giving students living in poverty an opportunity to attend higher-quality schools, would largely serve as a subsidy for the affluent.”10. Finally, radical and cartoonish right-wing Libertarian Javier Milei has won the presidential election in Argentina. According to the AP, Milei has vowed to implement his signature “Chainsaw Plan” for “wholesale reform of the state to slash public spending, scrap half the government's ministries, sell state-owned companies and eliminate the central bank.” It remains to be seen how far Milei will go with this program, but signs point to turbulent times ahead in Argentina.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

In this program, we welcome guest speaker Lara Friedman, President of the Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP). She is a leading authority on the Middle East, with particular expertise on U.S. foreign policy in the region, on Israel/Palestine, and on the way Middle East and Israel/Palestine-related issues play out in Congress and in U.S. domestic politics, policies, and legislation. Lara is a former officer in the U.S. Foreign Service, with diplomatic postings in Jerusalem, Washington, Tunis, and Beirut.She also served previously as the Director of Policy and Government Relations at Americans for Peace Now. In addition to her work with FMEP, Lara is a non-resident fellow at the U.S./Middle East Project (USMEP). She holds a B.A. from the University of Arizona and a Master's degree from Georgetown's School of Foreign Service; in addition to English, Lara speaks French, Arabic, Spanish, (weak) Italian, and muddles through in Hebrew.

In this exclusive podcast edition of the Ralph Nader Radio Hour, we welcome the President of the Foundation for Middle East Peace, Lara Friedman, to further inform our listeners about the ongoing state of affairs in Israel/Gaza and the emergency unconditional $14 billion spending bill moving through Congress to aid Israel.Lara Friedman is the President of the Foundation for Middle East Peace. She is a leading authority on the Middle East, with particular expertise on U.S. foreign policy in the region, on Israel/Palestine, and on the way Middle East and Israel/Palestine-related issues play out in Congress and in U.S. domestic politics, Ms. Friedman is a former officer in the U.S. Foreign Service, with diplomatic postings in Jerusalem, Washington, Tunis and Beirut. She also served previously as the Director of Policy and Government Relations at Americans for Peace Now.I've been in meetings over the years, and I've had a member of Congress say to me, "Well, you know, land without a people for a people without a land." Or they've quoted back to me something like, "Well, listen, Israel can't make peace so long as the Palestinians hate Jews more than they love their children." That kind of stuff. I mean, it's just this basic language, which at a fundamental level dehumanizes Palestinians in such a way that you don't have to question whether what Israel is doing is right or wrong.Lara Friedman, President of the Foundation for Middle East PeaceThere are no innocent civilians because they're all somehow in their DNA, virulently, viciously anti-Semitic, and full of hate and full of terrorism. And, once you've established that as a baseline, deep racism, deep dehumanization, it's extremely effective. Because then anything goes.Lara Friedman, President of the Foundation for Middle East PeaceWe know that there was a period of time when the Israeli military literally calculated the number of calories it needed to allow entry into Gaza to prevent the population from starving. And that was all they were letting in.Lara Friedman, President of the Foundation for Middle East PeaceWe're in the most bizarre place where we have almost 10,000 Palestinians dead on the ground in Gaza. And the narrative that is being pushed out by the Israeli government and its supporters here, including in the US administration, is that to talk about ceasefire is repugnant. It's just utterly surreal.Lara Friedman, President of the Foundation for Middle East PeaceIf people still believe that you can defeat an ideology by killing a lot of people and essentially taking a whole generation and killing their parents and injuring them, and they think that's going to defeat an ideology, then they've learned nothing. They've learned nothing from the horrible experiences of the past few decades of the U.S. experience in the war on terror, and the know nothing about human nature.Lara Friedman, President of the Foundation for Middle East Peace Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

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Lara Friedman, President of the Foundation for Middle East Peace joins PTO to discuss the dire situation in Gaza and the West Bank, and the dramatic escalation of islamophobia and anti-Arab racism in the United States. In the second half of the episode, international security expert Paul Rogers joins the show again to talk about how Israel is likely to approach its attempt to destroy Hamas, and the risks of regional escalation. If you've been finding PTO useful please do consider becoming a supporter on patreon. £5 supporters get access to episodes of PTO Extra! Including the upcoming episode in which Richard Seymour will be responding to listener's questions regarding the interview on Gaza that we recorded last week.

In this episode of the Occupied Thoughts podcast, FMEP president Lara Friedman speaks with Professor Rebecca Ruth Gould, author of the newly published book, Erasing Palestine: Free Speech & Palestinian Freedom. The discussion digs into Professor Gould's own experience being attacked for an article she authored on Israel/Palestine, and more broadly into the ongoing campaign using the IHRA definition of antisemitism as a weapon to delegitimize and suppress criticism of Israel/Zionism, Palestinian voices, and Palestine rights activism in the UK and around the world.

In this episode of "Occupied Thoughts," FMEP's Lara Friedman speaks to journalist, filmmaker, and author Antony Loewenstein, about his new book, The Palestine Laboratory: How Israel Exports the Technology of Occupation Around the World, published by Verso books in May 2023.

In this episode of "Occupied Thoughts," FMEP's Lara Friedman speaks to Amal Thabateh, who is the Michael Ratner Justice Fellow at Palestine Legal, about the stunning attacks that have taken place targeting Fatima Mohamed for her May 12th commencement speech at the City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law's graduation ceremony and the broader context of the fight to defend free speech and activism in support of Palestinian rights.

In this episode of FMEP's Occupied Thoughts podcast, FMEP's Lara Friedman speaks with preeminent journalist Dalia Hatuqa on the 1-year anniversary of the killing of her friend and fellow journalist Shireen Abu Akleh's - killed by Israel on May 11, 2022 - including reflections on the continued efforts to secure justice and accountability for her death, and on Shireen's legacy. For more details & video see: https://fmep.org/resource/shireen-abu-akle…ight-for-justice/

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP's Lara Friedman speaks to Vito Todeschini (legal expert in human rights law, international humanitarian law and international accountability, focusing on Palestine/Israel and the wider MENA region) about ongoing efforts to enforce some measure of accountability on Israel for its actions vis-a-vis Palestinians via international legal bodies - most notably the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice. They also look at the stark contrast between the ICC's quick action vis-à-vis Russia's Vladimir Putin, and the ICC's very slow process with respect to Palestine. For more details & resources related to this podcast go to: https://fmep.org/resource/the-quest-for-justice-for-palestine-at-the-icc-and-icj-where-things-stand-today-why-it-matters/

Secretary of State Blinken's Meeting with Netanyahu and Israeli Drone Strike on Iran | Was Top FBI Agent Involved in Comey's Nothingburger and the NY Times's Dismissal of Trump's Russia Ties That Helped Elect Him? | The Systemic Problems From Elite Police Units and Militarized Policing backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.com/ianmastersmedia facebook.com/ianmastersmedia

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts -- which comes in the context of ongoing violence in Palestine that only lately broke through to mainstream headlines when the casualties were Israelis -- Inès Abdel Razek (Executive Director, the Palestine Institute for Public Diplomacy) speaks with FMEP's Lara Friedman about what journalists need to keep in mind when reporting on Palestine, and what the public needs to keep in mind as they consume Palestine-related news. For notes/links related to this podcast see: https://fmep.org/resource/commonsense-rules-for-reporting-consuming-news-on-palestine/

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP's Lara Friedman speaks to Francesca Albanese -- international legal expert and the UN's Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967 -- on ongoing and escalating actions by Israel to forcibly eject more than 1200 Palestinians from their homes in the West Bank region known as Masafer Yatta, located in the South Hebron Hills. For resources related to this podcast, see: https://fmep.org/resource/a-war-crime-in-the-making-the-uns-francesca-albanese-on-ethnic-cleansing-in-the-south-hebron-hills/

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP's Lara Friedman speaks to investigative journalist David Armiak about the role of the American Legislative Exchange Council, better known as ALEC, in drafting, promulgating, and promoting legislation in U.S. states targeting values-based protest and grassroots activism, These legislative efforts in the first instance targeted Palestine-related protest and free speech, but today have evolved into legislation targeting protest and free speech that relates to literally any industry or group that states might want to protect, all under the umbrella of fighting against “woke capitalism” and combating those who seek to hold the private sector accountable to concerns about the environment, social issues like human rights, and governance issues -- aka ESG. For resources related to this podcast, see: https://fmep.org/resource/alec-anti-esg-the-battle-against-palestinian-rights/

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP's Lara Friedman speaks to international legal expert in business and human rights Tara Van Ho about the current controversy involving the Chicago-based financial services company Morningstar Inc. and its subsidiary Sustainalytics, over how it deals with Israel and the Occupied Palestinian territories. Specifically, the podcast explores Morningstar's recently adopted policy changes with respect to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues in the context of Israel, and the questions these new policies raise both about the company's basic competence with respect to human rights in ESG research, analysis, and recommendations, and about the broader implications for the future of business and human rights work writ large. Podcast notes/further resources: https://fmep.org/?post_type=resource&p=24876&preview=true

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP's Lara Friedman speaks to Sarah Posner, renowned expert on American pro-Israel evangelicals, about U.S. pro-Israel evangelicals and their agenda in the context of both the recent Israeli elections, the recent US midterms, and the race for the 2024 White House.

It's election season! Across both Israel and the US, citizens have gone to the polls in the past week to vote on the future of their nations. While the results in the US are yet to be determined at the time of posting, Israel's results are clear—and they're concerning for those of us who are working towards a future of mutual flourishing for Israelis and Palestinians.How will this new government approach the Occupation and Palestinian communities, both within Israel and the Palestinian territories? Who is the controversial Itamar Ben-Gvir, who has called for the “expulsion” of Palestinians in Israel? And what will it mean for the future of the US-Israel relationship? Read and share the Principles and Practices of PeacemakingFollow Telos on Instagram @thetelosgroupIf you're enjoying the podcast, become a monthly donor to Telos!Leave a rating and review on Apple podcasts or SpotifyListen to the “Occupied Thoughts” podcast with Lara Friedman on the election results

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP's Lara Friedman speaks to Sheryl Nestel, co-author of a new report published by Canada's Independent Jewish Voices (IJV), entitled, Unveiling the Chilly Climate – The Suppression of Speech on Palestine in Canada. Sheryl discusses why the report was necessary, the research methodology it entailed, the key findings, what the authors and IJV hope the report will achieve, and why this report matters not just for Canada, but for the world.

In this episode of FMEP's Occupied Thoughts podcast, Jessica Montell, Executive Director of the Israeli human rights organization HaMoked, joins FMEP's Lara Friedman to discuss the latest version of Israel's new procedures -- published, updated, and due to be implemented on October 20, 2022 -- governing all entry of foreigners solely to the West Bank. As Hamoked has noted in its September 14, 2022 analysis of the new regulations, this new version includes a few substantive changes, but "most of the flaws remain and some even exacerbated." Hamoked further notes: "the new procedure is highly restrictive and needlessly hampers the entry of foreign passport holders to the oPt and their ability to stay there without interruption….All this, without any legal basis or reasonable grounds, and contrary to Israel's obligation to act for the benefit of the protected population living under occupation.” For more information and resources, please visit: https://fmep.org/resource/24402/

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP's Lara Friedman speaks with Israeli journalist Noam Sheizaf about the deepening love affair between the American and Israeli "new right" - a topic that Noam examined in his recent article in +972 Magazine, An Israeli home for America's New Right. Noam Sheizaf is a Tel Aviv based journalist, the founding editor of +972 Magazine where he still writes, along with Haaretz and other publications. Noam recently completed a documentary about Hebron, titled "H2: The occupation Lab," that premiered at the Doc Aviv film festival in Tel Aviv. Lara Friedman is President of FMEP. Original music by Jalal Yaquoub.

In this episode of FMEP's Occupied Thoughts podcast, FMEP's Lara Friedman speaks with Omar Shakir, Israel and Palestine Director at Human Rights Watch, about Israel's further targeting of Palestinian human rights/civil society, with the "ratification" 8/17/22 of Israeli decisions to designate 6 Palestinian NGOs as terror organizations, and Israel's move 8/18/22 to raid and shut down the groups. Further resources/links: https://fmep.org/resource/this-is-not-a-drill-israel-brings-the-hammer-down-on-the-palestinian-ngo-sector-ft-omar-shakir/

How Trump Mainstreamed Violence as a Political Tool | The Centerpiece of Biden's Israel Visit Will Be The Jerusalem Declaration, a US-Israel Strategic Partnership Against Iran | Biden at 44% to Trump at 41% in a 2024 Rerun of the 2020 Election backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.com/ianmastersmedia facebook.com/ianmastersmedia

In mid-July, President Biden is expected to make his first visit as President of the United States to Israel and the Persian Gulf. What is the point of his visit? What does it mean for U.S. policy vis-a-vis Israel and the Gulf? What does it mean for Palestinians? To explore these and other questions, FMEP and Jewish Currents held a conversation with U.S.-based experts Peter Beinart (CUNY), Dana El Kurd (University of Richmond), Lara Friedman (FMEP), and Trita Parsi (Quincy).  Participants:  ​​Peter Beinart teaches national reporting and opinion writing at the Newmark J-School and political science at the CUNY Graduate Center. He is editor-at-large for Jewish Currents, an MSNBC political commentator, and a fellow at the Foundation for Middle East Peace. He is also a nonfiction author and former Rhodes Scholar. His first book, The Good Fight, was published by HarperCollins in 2006. His second book, The Icarus Syndrome, was published by HarperCollins in 2010. His third, The Crisis of Zionism, was published by Times Books in 2012. Peter tweets at @PeterBeinart Dana El Kurd is an assistant professor at the University of Richmond, a non resident senior fellow at the Arab Center Washington, and non resident fellow at the Middle East Institute in the Palestine program. Her work focuses on authoritarianism, international intervention, and state-society relations in the Arab world. Her book, Polarized and Demobilized: Legacies of Authoritarianism in Palestine, was released in January 2020 with Oxford University Press. She tweets at @danaelkurd. Lara Friedman is the President of the Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP). With more than 25 years working in the Middle East foreign policy arena, Lara is a leading authority on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, with particular expertise on Israel/Palestine and the role of the U.S. Congress. In addition to her work at FMEP, Lara is a Contributing Writer at Jewish Currents and a non-resident fellow at the U.S./Middle East Project (USMEP). Prior to joining FMEP, Lara was the Director of Policy and Government Relations at Americans for Peace Now, and before that she was a U.S. Foreign Service Officer, serving in Jerusalem, Washington, Tunis and Beirut. She holds a B.A. from the University of Arizona and a Master's degree from Georgetown's School of Foreign Service; in addition to English, Lara speaks French, Arabic, Spanish, (weak) Italian, and muddles through in Hebrew. Lara tweets at @LaraFriedmanDC Trita Parsi is an award-winning author and the 2010 recipient of the Grawemeyer Award for Ideas Improving World Order. He is an expert on US-Iranian relations, Iranian foreign policy, and the geopolitics of the Middle East. He has authored three books on US foreign policy in the Middle East, with a particular focus on Iran and Israel. He was named by the Washingtonian Magazine as one of the 25 most influential voices on foreign policy in Washington DC in both 2021 and 2022, and preeminent public intellectual Noam Chomsky calls Parsi “one of the most distinguished scholars on Iran.” He tweets at @tparsi. Original music by Jalal Yaquoub.

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP's Lara Friedman speaks with preeminent journalist Dalia Hatuqa about the killing of her friend and fellow journalist Shireen Abu Akleh on May 11, 2022, the myriad investigations that have been carried out, and the imperative of getting justice, which requires accountability. For resources related to this podcast see: https://fmep.org/resource/the-imperative-of-accountability-for-shireen-abu-aklehs-killing/

Last month, the Israeli Knesset passed a new version of Israel's infamous “Citizenship and Entry into Israel Law.” This law denies to Palestinian citizens of Israel a fundamental right that Israel's Jewish citizens take for granted (and, indeed, citizens around the world hold dear): the right to make a life together with one's chosen spouse, in the country where one hold's citizenship. Adopted originally by the Knesset in 2003 as a “temporary” measure ostensibly for “security” reasons, the law has been repeatedly renewed for almost 20 years, most recently in March 2022. The renewed law includes explicit provisions referring to its “demographic” purpose, leading Adalah to call it “one of the most racist and discriminatory laws in the world.” In March, Israel's Minister of Interior Ayelet Shaked celebrated the law's passage on Twitter, saying; “Jewish & Democratic State – 1; State for all its citizens – 0”. Featuring: Dr. Morad El Sana, who was among the first petitioners against this law when his family was directly impacted by it; Dr. Hassan Jabareen, who leads Adalah's challenges against this law at the Israeli Supreme Court; Member of Knesset Aida Touma-Sliman, who has fought against this law since its first passage – all in conversation with FMEP's Lara Friedman. Original music by Jalal Yaquoub.

In this episode of the Occupied Thoughts podcast, FMEP's Lara Friedman speaks with Amnesty International's Saleh Hijazi about the root causes of the violence currently in the headlines -- i.e., Israel's policy of apartheid, and the structural violence they impose against Palestinians. and why Amnesty International is calling for an end to the “cycle of impunity” that supports and enables it. Saleh Hijazi is Amnesty International (UK)'s Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa. He is also advisor to Al-Quds University Human Rights Clinic where he worked as academic coordinator and lecturer, and a fellow at Al-Shabaka. Saleh holds a master's degree in human rights from the University of Essex and a bachelor's degree in philosophy and political science from Lawrence University. Lara Friedman is the President of the Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP). Click here to watch this conversation on YouTube  Also see: Amnesty International, Feb. 1, 2022: Israel's apartheid against Palestinians: Cruel system of domination and crime against humanity - https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde15/5141/2022/en/

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts podcast, FMEP's Lara Friedman speaks with Aviv Tatarsky about escalating tensions and violence on and around Jerusalem's Haram Al-Sharif/Temple Mount. Aviv is a researcher at the NGO Ir Amim (city of nations), which focuses on Jerusalem within the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The mission of Ir Amim is to render Jerusalem a more equitable and sustainable city for the Israelis and Palestinians who share it and to help secure a negotiated resolution on the city through sustained monitoring, reporting, public and legal advocacy, public education and outreach to re-orient the public discourse on Jerusalem. More about Ir Amim: https://www.ir-amim.org.il/

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts podcast, FMEP's Lara Friedman speaks with +972 Magazine's Amjad Iraqi about recent attacks against Israelis and related Israeli fears that are dominating the news cycle, and as well as the ongoing structural Israeli violence against Palestinians – including both day-to-day policies that implement Israeli apartheid and acts of collective punishment (which Amjad wrote about recently for +972 Magazine -- https://www.972mag.com/edition/collective-punishment-palestinians/) – that rarely makes headlines. Amjad also offers insights into how the current situation is both similar and different from the events that led to the outbreak of major violence and protest last summer.

Host Alistair Taylor speaks with Khaled Elgindy and Lara Friedman about the release of their recently completed 2022 congressional briefing series on Israel and Palestine: Hot topics in Congress. The eight-part webinar series features an array of Palestinian and Israeli voices, weighing in on some of the most pressing and timely Israel/Palestine-related topics in Congress. Recordings of all eight sessions of the congressional briefing series can be found on the MEI and FMEP websites at www.mei.edu and www.fmep.org.  

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts podcast, FMEP's Lara Friedman speaks with preeminent journalist Dalia Hatuqa about Palestinian domestic politics, this week's normalization "summit" in the Negev, and the long-feared/long-predicted escalation of tensions/violence in the entire area between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, coinciding with Ramadan, Easter, and Passover, which many fear will turn into an even bloodier re-play of the events of summer 2021.

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts podcast, Lara Friedman speaks with Peter Beinart about his recent article, Justifications for Destroying a People, examining similarities between arguments Putin is putting forward to dehumanize Ukrainians and arguments long used by Israel to dehumanize Palestinians. This podcast is a follow-up to Lara's March 3rd Occupied Thoughts episode featuring Yousef Munayyer, looking at the world's double standard on BDS – Russia/Ukraine vs. Israel/Palestine.