Arab Talk with Jess & Jamal

On November 5, hundreds of thousands of workers, students, and trade union members took to the streets across France, demanding higher wages, better public services, and relief from the rising cost of living. What began as student protests over deteriorating schools and growing inequality quickly expanded into a nationwide movement reflecting widespread economic and political discontent. Although most demonstrations have been peaceful, incidents of looting and arson have drawn international attention. Political leaders, including Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, have portrayed the unrest as an immigration and Islamist threat, while misleading images and AI-generated videos have further distorted the narrative. But beneath the headlines are deeper grievances over economic insecurity, declining living standards, and failing public services—issues resonating across Europe and beyond. Joining us on Arab Talk from Paris is journalist Phil Pasquini, who has been observing the demonstrations firsthand. We'll discuss what's driving the protests, the political forces shaping the debate, and what France's unrest may signal for the future of Europe. Phil is a journalist and regular contributor to Arab Talk.

More than two decades after 9/11, Islamophobia remains a force in American public life. Government policies, post-9/11 surveillance, social media, and political rhetoric have contributed to persistent suspicion toward Muslim Americans, despite President George W. Bush’s early statement that Islam was not the face of terror. FBI statistics recorded 481 reported anti-Muslim hate crimes in 2001, up from 28 the previous year. Today, anti-Muslim rhetoric continues online and in electoral politics, while public opinion about Islam has become increasingly polarized. How did Islamophobia become embedded in American political discourse, and what role do government policies, social media, and election campaigns play in perpetuating it? Joining us on Arab Talk is Mobashra Tazamal, Associate Director of the Bridge Initiative, whose work examines the discourse surrounding the War on Terror and state-sponsored Islamophobia worldwide.

The documentary NAZA, by Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, features testimony from more than two dozen soldiers from Israel’s elite Unit 8200 intelligence brigade. The film exposes how civilian deaths were calculated and accepted during Israel’s bombardment of Gaza beginning in October 2023. While some see the film as potential evidence for war-crimes investigations, others question why Israeli soldiers’ testimonies receive attention when Palestinian journalists documenting the same devastation have so often been ignored. Today on Arab Talk, Ronnie Barkan, co-founder of the Jewish Anti-Zionist Congress and longtime Israeli Jewish dissident, joins us to discuss NAZA, its significance, and whether it can help advance justice for Palestinians.

What happens when a regional conflict threatens one of the world’s most important energy corridors? Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthi movement have been at the center of a long-running conflict with consequences that reach far beyond the Middle East. From attacks on shipping and energy infrastructure to rising security risks in the Red Sea, the confrontation has the potential to disrupt oil flows, drive up transportation costs, and send shockwaves through global energy markets. Today, we’re looking at what’s driving the tensions, how Saudi Arabia is responding, and what it all means for oil prices, global trade, and energy security. Because in an interconnected world, a conflict thousands of miles away can have an impact on what we pay at the pump.

In his recent UN speech, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed settler violence in the West Bank as the work of roughly 150 “juvenile delinquents,” arguing that reports of widespread violence have been exaggerated. Human Rights Watch and other organizations, however, have documented attacks on Palestinian communities, displacement, and what they describe as state support for violent settlers. A March 2026 investigation by +972 Magazine, Local Call, and The Nation found that 152 new outposts had been established in the West Bank since October 7, with grazing operations helping settlers expand control over surrounding land. Now, there are concerns that a similar model is emerging inside Israel proper. A recent report by Oren Ziv and Baker Zoubi examined a new settler outpost near the Palestinian town of Majd Al-Krum in the Galilee. After protests, the encampment was dismantled, although the grazing operation could resume. Joining us again on Arab Talk is Oren Ziv, a photojournalist and reporter for Local Call and a founding member of The Activestills Collective, who has closely documented settler activity for years.

Latin America is undergoing a significant diplomatic shift. While several governments have taken legal or diplomatic steps challenging Israel’s conduct in Gaza and emphasizing Palestinian rights, a growing number of right-wing governments are deepening political, security, military, and trade ties with Israel. Colombia offers a striking example. In August 2026, President Abelardo de la Espriella’s government recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, becoming only the second country after the United States to do so. So what does this emerging alignment mean for Israel’s international position—and for Latin America’s long-standing emphasis on international law? Our guest today on Arab Talk is Xavier Abu Eid, whose recent +972 Magazine article, “Why Latin America is Key to Israel’s Diplomatic Impunity,” examines Israel’s growing relationships with Latin America’s new right-wing governments and what they could mean as Israel faces increasing international legal and political pressure. Xavier is a political scientist, author of "Rooted in Palestine", and holds a PhD in Religion, Theology, and Peace Studies from Trinity College Dublin.

The UK is moving to ban goods from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, citing international law and the International Court of Justice’s 2024 advisory opinion. France and Canada have announced similar measures, as settler violence and settlement expansion intensify. The debate has also been sharpened by Israel’s planned E1 settlement expansion, which could further divide the West Bank and restrict Palestinian territorial contiguity. What does international law require of governments and companies—and could these trade restrictions have a meaningful impact? Joining us on Arab Talk is Emily Schaeffer Omer-Man, an international humanitarian law expert and founder of the Global Echo Litigation Center, which investigates corporate complicity in violations connected to Israel’s occupation.

Professor of Sociology David Miller has prevailed in a longstanding legal battle with the University of Bristol, which dismissed him in 2021 over comments critical of Zionism and its relationship to antisemitism. After Miller won a landmark appeal in 2024, the University challenged the decision. That challenge was rejected this August, with the Tribunal ruling that Miller’s criticism of Zionism constituted philosophical beliefs worthy of respect and protected under UK equality law. Miller sees the ruling as an important victory for academics and activists who criticize Zionism and advocate for Palestinian rights. He is now seeking compensation and reinstatement at the University of Bristol. On Arab Talk, Miller discusses the significance of his legal victory and what it could mean for free expression and Palestine advocacy in the UK.

The war in Gaza has sparked an intense and deeply contested debate over whether Israel’s conduct meets the legal definition of genocide. Genocide scholars, human rights organizations, and legal experts have advanced arguments supporting that characterization, while Israel and its supporters strongly reject it. At the same time, scholars, journalists, students, and others who have criticized Israel’s actions have faced contentious debates—and, in some cases, disciplinary, professional, and institutional pressure. On this episode of Arab Talk, we are joined by Raz Segal, a prominent scholar of Holocaust and Genocide Studies. In his widely discussed 2023 Jewish Currents essay, “A Textbook Case of Genocide,” Segal argued that Israeli officials’ rhetoric and actions in Gaza met several criteria established by the 1948 Genocide Convention.

Israel is dramatically expanding spending on hasbara—its international public-diplomacy and communications effort. The 2026 budget allocates roughly $730 million to public diplomacy, more than four times the approximately $150 million allocated the year before. The increase comes as Israel faces intense international criticism over the Gaza war and declining support in parts of the global public. Supporters say Israel needs a much stronger communications operation to counter what they describe as hostile or misleading narratives. Critics argue that public relations can’t overcome the political and humanitarian consequences of government policy—and that hundreds of millions spent on messaging may have limited impact if those policies remain unchanged. The question is whether Israel can change the narrative without changing the realities driving it.