Today’s episode is a reckoning. A reflection. A refusal to forget.

We begin with the cost of truth. Not the abstract kind.
But the kind paid in blood, in exile, in silence shattered by airstrikes. The kind carried by journalists who filmed through rubble, by families who buried their children, by voices that refused to be erased.

We bring you the words of Norman Finkelstein—scholar, son of Holocaust survivors, and lifelong defender of Palestinian rights. His recent speech at the Islamic Center of Passaic County was not just a lecture. It was a moral indictment. A call to conscience. A challenge to every listener to confront the facts, not the fictions.

We’ll hear excerpts from that speech today. But more than that, we’ll reflect on what it means to speak truth in a world built to suppress it. To hold fast to memory when history is being rewritten in real time. To resist not just occupation, but erasure.

From Gaza to the West Bank, from refugee camps to classrooms, from Ferguson to Jenin—this episode traces the architecture of empire and the heartbeat of resistance.

We ask:
What does it mean to belong to a land that’s been stolen?
What does it mean to carry a name that’s been criminalized?
What does it mean to survive genocide and still sing?

As headlines fade and attention shifts, the truth remains:
Palestinians continue to resist.
Even as the threat of re-invasion looms.
Even as the ceasefire is sabotaged.
Even as the world watches in silence—or complicity.

So stay with us.
As we strip away the noise.
As we uplift the voices.
As we carry forward the flame of justice.

This is not just a broadcast.
It’s a lifeline.
It’s a thread between Gaza and the world.
Between shattered homes and unshaken hope.
Between the rubble and the resolve.

Let’s listen.

Today’s episode is not just a broadcast.
It’s a reckoning.
It’s a memorial.
It’s a refusal to forget.

We begin with the names of journalists—those who stood between the world and the abyss, armed only with cameras, microphones, and the audacity to document genocide.
Saleh Aljafarawi.
Mohammad Al-Salhi.
Ibrahim Lafi.
Saeed Al-Taweel.
Salam Mema.
Roshdi Sarraj.
Samer Abudaqa.
Mohammed Qreiqeh.
Ismail Alghool.
And the living witness: Wael Al-Dahdouh.

Each of them carried more than press credentials.
They carried the weight of a nation’s memory.
They filmed through tears, broadcast through rubble, and wrote through grief.
They were not collateral damage.
They were targeted.
Because truth in Gaza is dangerous.
And those who tell it are hunted.

Their stories are not just tragic.
They are sacred.

But this episode is not only about journalists.
It’s about every Palestinian who has been martyred under occupation.
Doctors who died treating the wounded.
Teachers who taught under drones.
Mothers who whispered prayers in the rubble.
Children who never got to grow old.

It’s about the land that mourns them.
The sky that cries them.
The sun that rises with their names.

It’s about the lie of “moral warfare.”
The myth of “precision.”
The silence of the world.

And it’s about the truth we carry forward—unapologetically, urgently, and with love.

You’ll hear a reflection today.
A personal reckoning.
A meditation on grief, belonging, and resistance.

It’s not polished.
It’s not detached.
It’s not polite.

It’s raw.
It’s rooted.
It’s Palestinian.

Because when the world forgets, we remember.
When the world turns away, we speak.
And when the world asks, “Why do you still resist?”—we answer:

Because we never left.
Because we belong.
Because it’s called Palestine.

After two years of relentless war, staggering loss, and global outrage, a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas has taken effect. Brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump and shaped through negotiations in Egypt, Qatar, and the UN, this deal marks the first phase of a 20-point framework aimed at halting violence in Gaza and initiating resolution.

The immediate terms: cessation of hostilities, release of Israeli hostages, freeing of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, and partial withdrawal of Israeli troops to a designated “yellow line.” Humanitarian aid is expected to surge into Gaza, where famine and devastation have left neighborhoods unrecognizable.

But beneath this diplomatic breakthrough lies unresolved tension and fragile trust. The deal’s success—or failure—hinges on several factors:

What Could Make the Deal Succeed

• Mutual Exhaustion: Both sides are battered. Israel faces growing isolation; Hamas faces pressure from allies and a devastated population. This weariness may create rare conditions for compromise.
• Hostage and Prisoner Exchange: A powerful symbolic and political gesture. If executed smoothly, it could build momentum for future phases.
• International Oversight and Aid: Arab states, European partners, and the U.S. could stabilize the situation and prevent relapse.
• Regional Diplomacy: Egypt, Qatar, and Italy have signaled support for reconstruction and peacekeeping. Their engagement could help mediate disputes.

What Could Make the Deal Fail

• Disarmament Disputes: Israel demands Hamas disarm; Hamas says it will only surrender weapons to a future Palestinian state. This core disagreement could derail the process.
• Netanyahu’s Calculations: He has a history of undermining ceasefires under pressure. Political shifts or provocations could collapse the deal.
• Lack of Trust and Accountability: Previous ceasefires were broken without consequence. Without enforcement, Netanyahu may obstruct justice by breaking the deal.
• Unclear Governance of Gaza: The deal doesn’t resolve who will govern Gaza post-conflict. Without a legitimate administration, chaos could return.

A Moment of Possibility
This ceasefire is not a resolution—it’s a fragile opening. Whether it becomes a bridge to justice or a brief pause before renewed devastation depends on choices made now. The people of Gaza and Palestine deserve more than gestures. They deserve safety, dignity, and a future free from siege and fear.

As this moment unfolds, we must ask: Will the world hold its breath—or hold its ground?

There is a chasm—wide and unforgiving—between those who speak truth at great personal cost and those who hide behind titles, paychecks, and polite silence. In every generation, we are given a choice: to stand with justice, even when it threatens our comfort, or to retreat into the safety of complicity, hoping history won’t notice.

Brave people do not wait for permission. They do not ask whether it’s convenient. They speak because silence is betrayal. These are the whistleblowers, the journalists who refuse to be censored, the artists who risk exile, the workers who walk out, the veterans who testify, the students who organize. They know the price—lost jobs, broken contracts, surveillance, smear campaigns. And still, they speak. Not because they are fearless, but because they are principled. Because they understand that truth is not a luxury—it’s a duty.

Then there are those who choose comfort over conscience. They write carefully worded statements that say nothing. They nod in meetings, avoid eye contact, and tell themselves it’s not their fight. They hide behind the lines of their profession, behind the pen that could have been a sword, behind the excuse that “it’s complicated.” They fear powerful political figures not because those figures are right, but because they hold the keys to their careers. They trade integrity for access. They trade justice for job security.

And the question must be asked: How do they look in the mirror every morning? How do they face their own children, knowing they stood on the wrong side of history—not out of ignorance, but out of fear? What will they say when their kids ask, “What did you do when Gaza was burning? When voices were silenced? When truth was punished?” Will they say, “I kept my head down”? Will they say, “I didn’t want to lose my job”?

The brave will say, “I spoke.”
The brave will say, “I stood.”
The brave will say, “I paid the price, and I would do it again.”

History does not remember the quiet collaborators. It remembers the disruptors. The ones who refused to be bought. The ones who chose the harder road. And while the cowards may enjoy temporary comfort, they will never know the peace that comes from doing what is right.

So to those still hiding: your silence is not neutral. It is a choice. And one day, when the world has shifted, and the truth is undeniable, you will have to answer for it—not to the powerful, but to your own reflection. To your own children. To your own soul.

And to the brave: we see you. We honor you. You are the pulse of conscience in a world that desperately needs it. Keep speaking. Keep standing. The future belongs to you.

TWIP-250928 In this interview titled "Susan Abulhawa: Gaza Will Define Humanity’s Future", Palestinian-American novelist and activist Susan Abulhawa joins journalist Ahmed Shihab-Eldin on Out Loud for a searing, emotionally charged conversation about Gaza, resistance, and the moral crossroads facing humanity.

Abulhawa speaks with unflinching clarity, refusing euphemisms and half-truths. She calls the ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza what it is: genocide, colonialism, and betrayal—not just by Israel, but by complicit Arab regimes and global powers. Her voice, sharpened by grief and defiance, insists that rage is not weakness but a form of survival. She argues that when rage is channeled into responsibility, it becomes a source of courage and hope.

Throughout the episode, Abulhawa explores Gaza not merely as a place under siege, but as a mirror of humanity’s future. She dismantles the psychology of helplessness, critiques the myth of Western “decorum,” and exposes the illusion of free speech that collapses when Palestine is mentioned. Her analysis is both literary and political, rooted in lived experience and historical truth.

Key themes include:

• Her recent visit to Gaza and the unbearable realities she witnessed firsthand.
• The role of language in masking violence—why terms like “conflict” or “war” obscure the reality of ethnic cleansing.
• The global architecture of complicity, including silence from cultural institutions and censorship of Palestinian voices.
• The resilience of Palestinians, especially children, and the cultural memory that sustains hope amid devastation.

Abulhawa also previews her upcoming literary projects, including a Gaza anthology, and reflects on the duty of artists, writers, and thinkers to speak truth in times of mass erasure.

The episode closes with a call to action: rage alone will not change the world—but rage, when multiplied and directed, becomes the power to shift history. Gaza, she insists, is not just a tragedy—it is a test. And how the world responds will define the moral trajectory of our time.

In this compelling episode of Downstream, host Ash Sarkar sits down with historian Rashid Khalidi, author of The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine and the Edward Said Professor of Modern Arab Studies at Columbia University. Their conversation offers not just historical insight, but a piercing indictment of colonialism, propaganda, and the systems of occupation that continue to shape Palestinian life and global politics.

Khalidi reframes the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a century-long colonial war, not a symmetrical dispute between two equal sides. He traces its origins to the Balfour Declaration of 1917, when Britain—then the imperial power in Palestine—pledged support for a “national home for the Jewish people” in a land overwhelmingly populated by Palestinian Arabs. This act, Khalidi argues, was not a neutral gesture but a declaration of war against the indigenous population, laying the groundwork for decades of displacement and denial.

The episode follows the structure of Khalidi’s book, which outlines six “declarations of war,” each marking a new phase of imperial aggression—from British colonialism to American complicity, from the Nakba of 1948 to the ongoing siege of Gaza. Khalidi emphasizes that this is a settler-colonial project, backed by global superpowers, designed to erase one people and replace them with another. This framing helps explain why peace talks fail, why international law is ignored, and why Palestinian resistance endures.

A key focus of the interview is U.S. foreign policy, which Khalidi critiques for shielding Israel from accountability while funding its military campaigns. He highlights the role of lobbying groups like AIPAC, which have entrenched bipartisan loyalty to Israeli interests and silenced dissent within Congress. From vetoing UN resolutions to enabling war crimes, the U.S. has played a central role in sustaining the occupation.

Ash Sarkar also explores the role of media and propaganda, prompting Khalidi to expose how dominant narratives invert reality—portraying Palestinians as aggressors and Israeli violence as “self-defense.” This distortion, Khalidi explains, is the result of decades of manipulation and cultural erasure. He calls on journalists, educators, and activists to challenge these narratives and center Palestinian voices.

The conversation turns to the current crisis in Gaza, where Israeli airstrikes have devastated civilian infrastructure and displaced thousands. Khalidi describes this as collective punishment, aimed at breaking Palestinian will. Without sustained international pressure, he warns, the violence will continue—and the cost will be measured in lives lost and futures stolen.

Yet Khalidi also offers hope. He speaks of a growing global movement for Palestinian liberation, from student-led divestment campaigns to mass protests. He emphasizes that change will come not from governments, but from grassroots resistance and a new generation that refuses to be silent.

The episode ends with a call to action: educate yourself, challenge the dominant narrative, and commit to justice. Because solidarity is not a slogan—it’s a moral obligation.

In the halls of Congress, where policy is supposed to reflect the will of the people, a shadow looms large—one cast not by voters, but by lobbyists. At the center of this influence stands the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a lobbying powerhouse whose reach has transformed the landscape of U.S. politics. While AIPAC presents itself as a bipartisan advocate for strong U.S.-Israel relations, its tactics reveal a deeper, more troubling reality: a system of political coercion, financial manipulation, and ideological enforcement that undermines democratic accountability and silences dissent.

AIPAC’s power lies not in persuasion, but in money. Through its affiliated PACs—such as the AIPAC PAC, the United Democracy Project, and the Democratic Majority for Israel—it has spent over $100 million in recent election cycles to reshape Congress. This spending is not neutral. It is targeted, strategic, and punitive. Lawmakers who dare to criticize Israeli policies, speak out against the occupation of Palestine, or advocate for human rights in Gaza find themselves in AIPAC’s crosshairs. The goal is clear: eliminate dissent before it gains traction.

In 2024 alone, AIPAC spent nearly $17 million to unseat Representative Jamaal Bowman of New York, and another $12 million to defeat Representative Cori Bush of Missouri—both Black progressive lawmakers who have spoken out against Israeli aggression. In 2022, it poured $4 million into defeating Representative Andy Levin of Michigan, a progressive Jewish congressman who dared to challenge the status quo. These campaigns weren’t just about winning elections—they were about sending a message: If you stand with Palestine, we will come for your seat.

Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, one of the few Republicans to defy AIPAC, described the group’s tactics bluntly: “Every congressman has a babysitter.” These babysitters—often constituents embedded in AIPAC’s network—maintain direct access to lawmakers, monitor their votes, and apply pressure to ensure compliance. Massie revealed that colleagues frequently tell him they agree with his positions but fear backlash from their “AIPAC person.” This isn’t lobbying—it’s surveillance. It’s political conditioning. And it’s happening in plain sight.

AIPAC’s influence extends beyond elections. It sponsors trips to Israel for lawmakers, curates briefings that frame Israeli policy in a favorable light, and mobilizes donor networks to reward loyalty and punish defiance. It has even donated to 106 Republican House members who voted to overturn the 2020 presidential election, revealing that its commitment to Israeli interests outweighs any concern for democratic norms.

The consequences of this corruption are profound. U.S. foreign policy remains tethered to Israeli military goals, even as evidence of war crimes in Gaza mounts. Humanitarian aid is blocked, ceasefire resolutions are stalled, and billions in weapons continue to flow—despite public opposition. According to polling, a majority of Americans now oppose unconditional military aid to Israel and support calls for accountability. Yet Congress remains largely silent, paralyzed by fear of AIPAC’s financial retaliation.

This is not just a foreign policy failure—it is a crisis of democracy. When lawmakers are afraid to vote their conscience, when truth becomes politically dangerous, and when lobbyists can buy silence with campaign checks, the integrity of governance collapses. AIPAC’s corruption is not just about Israel—it’s about who controls our government, whose voices are heard, and whose suffering is ignored.

But resistance is growing. Grassroots movements, student-led divestment campaigns, and coalitions like Reject AIPAC are challenging the narrative and demanding change.

The history of the Palestinian people is deeply rooted in the sacred texts of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In the Torah and Bible, the land now known as Palestine was home to ancient Semitic peoples—Canaanites, Philistines, and Israelites—whose cultures, languages, and traditions shaped the region long before the rise of modern nation-states. Cities like Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Hebron are central to biblical narratives and were inhabited by ancestors of today’s Palestinians. Many of these indigenous communities later became Muslim, while others remained Christian or Jewish, forming the diverse and continuous lineage of Palestinian identity. In the holy Quran, the region is referred to as Al-Ard Al-Muqaddasah—the Holy Land—and it affirms that righteousness, not ethnicity or conquest, determines rightful stewardship of the land.

The holy Quran acknowledges the presence of earlier communities, including the Children of Israel, but it does not grant eternal political entitlement to any one group. Instead, it emphasizes justice, humility, and moral responsibility. The sacredness of the land is tied to how it is treated—not who claims it.

It’s important to recognize that modern Israel is not part of this indigenous lineage. It is a state established through colonial intervention, mass displacement, and military occupation. The founders of today’s Israel were largely European settlers, not native to the land, and their arrival marked the beginning of a campaign to erase and replace the region’s original inhabitants. Modern Israel is not a continuation of biblical Israel—it is an occupying power, built on the ruins of Palestinian homes, villages, and lives. The sacred texts do not endorse this occupation; they speak of justice, compassion, and truth. And the truth is clear: Palestine has always existed—not just in scripture, but in history, in language, and in the memory of its people.

This brings us to a critical truth: modern Israel is not part of this indigenous lineage. It is a state established in the 20th century through colonial intervention, mass displacement, and military occupation. The founders of today’s Israel were largely European settlers, many of whom arrived during the British Mandate period with the backing of imperial powers. Their arrival marked the beginning of a campaign to erase and replace the region’s original inhabitants. Modern Israel is not a continuation of biblical Israel—it is an occupying power, built on the ruins of Palestinian homes, villages, and lives.

The myth that modern Israel fulfills biblical prophecy is a political invention, not a theological truth. It has been propagated through decades of media, religious manipulation, and geopolitical strategy. Christian Zionism, in particular, has played a major role in this distortion—convincing millions of believers that supporting Israel is a spiritual obligation, even when that support enables apartheid, ethnic cleansing, and genocide. But scripture, when read with integrity, tells a different story. It speaks of compassion, justice, and the protection of the oppressed. It does not endorse the bombing of hospitals, the starvation of children, or the theft of land.

To those who claim that Palestine never existed, consider this: the word Falisteen appears in ancient texts and oral traditions across the region. In the King James Bible, the term Palestina appears four times—Exodus 15:14, Isaiah 14:29, Isaiah 14:31, and Joel 3:4—referring to the land of the Philistines, a coastal people who lived in what is now southern occupied land and the Gaza Strip. The name Palestine itself was later adopted by the Romans, who renamed the province of Judea to Syria Palaestina in the 2nd century C.E., not as a neutral label, but as a deliberate act to sever Jewish ties to the land. This name endured through centuries of conquest, colonization, and cultural evolution—long before the est