In this episode of Save The Olive Tree Podcast, host Omar Akhter sits down with Dr. Hatem Bazian, renowned Palestinian professor at UC Berkeley, activist, and co-founder of Zaytuna College and American Muslims for Palestine. Together, they explore the deep historical, political, and spiritual roots of the Palestinian struggle for liberation.

Dr. Bazian shares his insights on the ongoing genocide in Gaza, the global movement for Palestine solidarity, and how education and awareness are powerful tools in the fight against colonialism and occupation. This conversation dives into the meaning of decolonization, resistance, and the importance of preserving Palestinian identity and heritage in the face of systemic erasure.

🎧 Listen if you care about:

- Understanding the history of Palestine and Zionism’s colonial project.

- The role of American academia and activism in the

Palestinian cause.

- Building global solidarity movements rooted in justice and liberation.

- The power of narrative, culture, and education in resistance.

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction

01:42 - Thoughts on current ceasefire

10:30 - Dr. Bazian roots in Palestine

12:48 - Palestinian faith

20:55 - Islamophobia and Palestinian dehumanization

26:40 - Judeo-Christian myth

30:55 - Decolonization

36:00 - Path towards liberation

Guest Intro:

Hatem Bazian is a co-founder and Professor of Islamic Law and Theology at Zaytuna College, the 1st Accredited Muslim Liberal Arts College in the United States. In addition, Prof. Bazian is a lecturer in the Departments of Near Eastern and Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies at the University of California, Berkeley.

In Spring 2009, Prof. Bazian founded at Berkeley the Islamophobia Research and Documentation Project at the Center for Race and Gender, a research unit dedicated to the systematic study of Othering Islam and Muslims. Prof. Bazian in Spring 2012 launched the Islamophobia Studies Journal, which is published bi-annually through a collaborative effort between the Islamophobia Research and Documentation Project of the Center for Race and Gender at the University of California at Berkeley, the Arab and Muslim Ethnicities and Diasporas Initiative for the School of Ethnic Studies at San Francisco State University; the Center for Islamic Studies at the Graduate Theological Union, the International Centre for Muslim and non-Muslim Understanding at the University of South Australia, and Zaytuna College.

In addition to academic work, Dr. Bazian is founder and national Chair of American Muslims for Palestine, board member of the Islamic Scholarship Fund, Muslim Legal Fund of America, President of Dollar for Deen Charity, and Chair of Northern California Islamic Council.

🌿 Save The Olive Tree Podcast amplifies Palestinian voices and stories that challenge oppression and demand freedom. Subscribe to join a growing community standing with Palestine.

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