There are No Innocents: Beita 1988 and the Logic of Collective Punishment

This episode examines the 1988 Beita incident, a few months following the outbreak of the first Intifada, when an entire Palestinian community was punished for a crime they did not commit. Through eyewitness accounts and historical context, we trace how home demolitions, mass arrests, and forced exile became tools of Israel’s collective punishment and how similar patterns continue to shape the present today. Thank you for tuning into This is Palestine, the official podcast of The IMEU! For more stories and resources, visit us at imeu.org. Stay connected with us:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theimeu/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/theIMEU Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theIMEU/ For more insights, follow our host, Diana Buttu, on:  Twitter: https://twitter.com/dianabuttu     

As Ramadan comes to an end, many Muslim Palestinians are bidding farewell to the holy month far from Al-Aqsa, in an atmosphere marked by grief and restriction, following Israel’s complete closure of the Al-Aqsa compound following the US/Israel attack on Iran. But access to Al-Aqsa, the basic right to worship, has never been easy for Palestinians. What does it take to reach one of Islam’s holiest sites in your own homeland? In this episode of This is Palestine, host Diana Buttu speaks with Jerusalem-based journalist Zena Tahhan to unpack Israel’s escalating restrictions on Al-Aqsa and the Old City. From permit systems and military checkpoints to full closures during Ramadan, this episode traces how access to Al-Aqsa has been systematically limited over decades. It also examines the political and ideological forces seeking to reshape control over the site, and what that means for Palestinians today.  Thank you for tuning into This is Palestine, the official podcast of The IMEU! For more stories and resources, visit us at imeu.org. Stay connected with us:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theimeu/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/theIMEU Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theIMEU/ For more insights, follow our host, Diana Buttu, on:  Twitter: https://twitter.com/dianabuttu     

Two years ago, the world heard the voice of five-year-old Hind Rajab during her last phone call with the Palestine Red Crescent Society. Trapped in a car surrounded by Israeli tanks, Hind spoke to the dispatcher as she waited for help, alone, and surrounded by the bodies of her uncle and cousins, before her voice was lost… “The Voice of Hind Rajab.” The Oscar-nominated docudrama recreates that devastating call between Hind and the PRCS control room. In this episode of This is Palestine, we speak with filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania about her film “The Voice of Hind Rajab.” Kaouther takes us through the moment she first heard Hind’s voice, the decision to turn that devastating call into a film, and the process of making the film and recreating the call. As the film brings Hind’s voice to the world, it also serves as a powerful call to demand justice and accountability for Israel’s brutal crimes that stole her life. Thank you for tuning into This is Palestine, the official podcast of The IMEU! For more stories and resources, visit us at imeu.org. Stay connected with us:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theimeu/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/theIMEU Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theIMEU/ For more insights, follow our host, Diana Buttu, on:  Twitter: https://twitter.com/dianabuttu     

When Mohammad was 12 years old, he saw an Israeli soldier aiming at him. Seconds later, he shot Mohammad in the leg during the Great March of Return. The bullet severed the main nerve in Mohammad’s leg. For months, Israel denied Mohammad his right to leave Gaza for urgent medical treatment. By the time he finally received care, it was too late. At 18, Mohammad was forced to make the brutal decision to amputate his own leg. In this episode of This is Palestine, we shed light on the documentary Severed, which follows Mohammad and his mother’s life in Egypt after evacuating to continue his medical treatment during Israel’s genocide in Gaza. We speak with Mohammad, the protagonist and co-producer of Severed, and with filmmaker and producer Jen Marlowe. Together, they explore what it means to survive injury, to be cut off from home, to carry the responsibility of telling the story of those still trapped in Gaza, and why Palestine must also be understood as a disability justice issue. Thank you for tuning into This is Palestine, the official podcast of The IMEU! For more stories and resources, visit us at imeu.org. Stay connected with us:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theimeu/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/theIMEU Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theIMEU/ For more insights, follow our host, Diana Buttu, on:  Twitter: https://twitter.com/dianabuttu     

On February 3, Omar Shakir, Human Rights Watch’s Israel and Palestine Director, resigned in protest. In his resignation statement, Shakir said the organization’s new leadership blocked the publication of a report documenting Israel’s crimes against humanity by denying Palestinian refugees their internationally enshrined right of return. His resignation has reignited debate around the “Palestine exception”; the idea that speaking and writing about Palestine is treated differently than work on any other country. The discussion unpacks why the Palestinian right of return  is often met with double standards and continues to be denied today. In this episode of This Is Palestine, host Diana Buttu speaks with Omar Shakir about his decision to resign, his long career in legal advocacy for Palestine, and the internal battle over the blocked report. Thank you for tuning into This is Palestine, the official podcast of The IMEU! For more stories and resources, visit us at imeu.org. Stay connected with us:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theimeu/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/theIMEU Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theIMEU/ For more insights, follow our host, Diana Buttu, on:  Twitter: https://twitter.com/dianabuttu     

In this episode of This Is Palestine, host Diana Buttu speaks with Palestinian writer and director Annemarie Jacir about her Academy Award shortlisted film, Palestine 36. The historical drama is set during the Great Palestinian Revolt against British colonial rule. At the heart of the film is Al-Basma, a fictional village inspired by the Palestinian villages of Lifta and Al-Bassa, which were destroyed and whose Palestinian residents were expelled by Zionist militant forces. Described as “epic” and a “masterpiece”, Palestine 36 weaves personal stories with the political realities of the era. Jacir reflects on the obstacles of bringing the film to life, the depth and complexity of its characters, and the importance of Palestinian cinema in confronting erasure and telling our history on our own terms. The film is Palestine’s official submission to the 98th Academy Awards for Best International Film. Thank you for tuning into This is Palestine, the official podcast of The IMEU! For more stories and resources, visit us at imeu.org. Stay connected with us:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theimeu/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/theIMEU Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theIMEU/ For more insights, follow our host, Diana Buttu, on:  Twitter: https://twitter.com/dianabuttu     

In this episode of This Is Palestine, we speak with renowned Palestinian artist Sliman Mansour to explore his childhood and artistic journey, shaped by pivotal moments in the Palestinian struggle and their influence on the art movement. From playing with clay alongside his grandmother for making beehives, to transforming clay into his symbolic works of art. From painting under Israeli military censorship to using materials from the land as symbols of identity, Mansour reflects on decades of cultural struggle, collective creation, resilience and belonging. As Israel’s ongoing attacks target Palestinian life and culture, he offers a powerful meditation on why art matters, how it preserves identity, and what it means to create in the face of erasure. The interview was originally conducted in Arabic and translated into English accordingly. Thank you for tuning into This is Palestine, the official podcast of The IMEU! For more stories and resources, visit us at imeu.org. Stay connected with us:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theimeu/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/theIMEU Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theIMEU/ For more insights, follow our host, Diana Buttu, on:  Twitter: https://twitter.com/dianabuttu     

The Palestinian village of Sebastia, a living place where history, memory, and daily life are deeply intertwined. In this episode of This is Palestine, Diana Buttu speaks with Zaid Azhari, a cultural heritage researcher from Sebastia and a member of the Save Sebastia campaign, about Israel’s plans to seize large parts of the town’s archaeological heart under the pretext of “heritage development.” Zaid explains how archaeology is being used to deprive Palestinians of their land, livelihoods, and identity, and why protecting Sebastia means protecting a living community, not just ancient ruins. Thank you for tuning into This is Palestine, the official podcast of The IMEU! For more stories and resources, visit us at imeu.org. Stay connected with us:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theimeu/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/theIMEU Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theIMEU/ For more insights, follow our host, Diana Buttu, on:  Twitter: https://twitter.com/dianabuttu     

In this episode of “This is Palestine”, Adnan Barq, an outspoken Palestinian digital creator from Jerusalem, tells us “he thrives in chaos.” Barq unpacks how humor, sarcasm, and spontaneous storytelling help him navigate Israeli military checkpoints, censorship, and the daily absurdities of life under Israeli occupation. Barq explains how he uses sarcasm and dark humor to depict Israel’s oppression of Palestinian life, using his unique voice to share his absurd realities with the world. Thank you for tuning into This is Palestine, the official podcast of The IMEU! For more stories and resources, visit us at imeu.org. Stay connected with us:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theimeu/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/theIMEU Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theIMEU/ For more insights, follow our host, Diana Buttu, on:  Twitter: https://twitter.com/dianabuttu     

Two years into Israel’s relentless bombardment of Gaza, we listen closely to Yaqeen Baker, a mother of two little daughters, Salwa (5) and Nusaiba (2). She shares what it means to be a mother under constant Israeli fire; to love, to fear, and to hope amid the destruction. We also hear the voice of little Salwa, who gives us a glimpse into her small, innocent world that the genocide has taken away. The interview was originally recorded in Arabic and translated into English accordingly. Thank you for tuning into This is Palestine, the official podcast of The IMEU! For more stories and resources, visit us at imeu.org. Stay connected with us:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theimeu/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/theIMEU Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theIMEU/ For more insights, follow our host, Diana Buttu, on:  Twitter: https://twitter.com/dianabuttu