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UNAPOLOGETIC with Ashfaaq Carim

<p>UNAPOLOGETIC is a show that unapologetically looks at the life, times and views of some unapologetic and not so unapologetic humans. Hosted by Ashfaaq Carim</p>

Middle East Eye

"The story that I tell in the book is how this one Indian Empire passport became, by the 1970s, twelve independent passports." - Sam Dalrymple "The story that I tell in the book is how this one Indian Empire passport becomes, by the 1970s, twelve independent passports." — Sam DalrympleWe sat down with historian Sam Dalrymple, author of Shattered Lands: Five Partitions and the Making of Modern Asia, for UNAPOLOGETIC. His argument: the "Partition" most people know from 1947 was only one of five ruptures that broke apart the old British "Indian Empire" — a single administrative unit stretching from Aden in Yemen to the borders of Thailand — between 1937 and 1971, producing the twelve nation-states of today's South Asia and Arabian Gulf. This was a world where the Sultans of Oman were schooled in Rajasthan and grew up fluent in Urdu, where a Yemeni family's move to the Deccan gave the world haleem (Yemeni harees, remixed with Hyderabadi spice), and where Rangoon in 1933 briefly overtook New York as the world's busiest port of migration. Sam traces exactly how that world got torn apart, piece by piece.We go deep into the personal story behind Pakistan's founding, from Muhammad Ali Jinnah's transformation after the death of his wife Ruttie, to Gandhi's early opposition to a "Greater India," through all five partitions in turn: Burma in 1937, the Arabian states, the Great Partition of 1947, the forced integration of princely states like Hyderabad and Kashmir, and finally the 1971 war that created Bangladesh. We also talk about the scale of the devastation, the myths that have grown up around it, and Sam's own Project Dastaan, reconnecting Partition survivors with the homes they lost.UNAPOLOGETIC is hosted by Ashfaaq Carim.

Episode 89 - The story of how a Greater India was shattered into 12 modern states | Sam Dalrymple | UNAPOLOGETIC

We sat down with Middle East Eye journalist and author Sean Mathews on UNAPOLOGETIC to ask a question that unsettles a lot of assumptions: do Greeks actually have more in common with Arabs and Turks than they do with the rest of Europe?  Mathews is the author of The New Byzantines: The Rise of Greece and Return of the Near East, and his answer draws on years of reporting from Istanbul, Cairo and occupied Jerusalem. He argues that Greece's "Western" identity is a relatively recent import, imposed from outside, and that the country's deeper roots, culturally, religiously and geopolitically, lie in the wider Middle East.  The episode traces how the Greek revolution, the population exchange with Turkey, and the collapse of cosmopolitan cities like Alexandria all shaped the identity Greece wears today. We also get into the present: Greece's fast-deepening, and increasingly fraught, alliance with Israel, and what that could mean for Turkey, NATO and the wider region.  UNAPOLOGETIC is hosted by Ashfaaq Carim.

Episode 88 - Do Greeks have more in common with Arabs and Turks than Europeans | Sean Mathews | UNAPOLOGETIC

The US backed Khomeini's return to power, then a year later greenlit Saddam Hussein's invasion of Iran, the same country it had just warned Saddam might attack.In this latest episode of UNAPOLOGETIC, radio host and presenter of The Scott Horton Show, Scott Horton, sat down with MEE's Ashfaaq Carim to discuss the history of the US and its impact in the region.  They also touched on Netanyahu's "new Middle East" doctrine and whether real US pressure could actually force him to fall in line.   UNAPOLOGETIC is hosted by Ashfaaq Carim.

Episode 87 - How the US backed Khomeini, then armed Saddam | Scott Horton | UNAPOLOGETIC

We sat down with Andreas Krieg for the fourth time on UNAPOLOGETIC, this time in the aftermath of the war on Iran, to ask what it has done to the balance of power across the Middle East. His answer is stark: this is the most fundamental shift in regional order in thirty years, and it has undone the American empire in a way he does not think it can recover from.We get into why the Gulf no longer believes the United States can protect it, why its bases have become magnets for attack rather than deterrents, and why nobody in the region has a plan B for the order that is now crumbling. Andreas lays out the battle between the Israel lobby and the Gulf lobby that he believes will decide Washington's approach for years to come, the split between Marco Rubio and JD Vance, and why Iran has emerged able to impose its will without ever building a bomb.We also talk through Iran as a network state, the Strait of Hormuz as a chokepoint, Saudi Arabia's strategic drift, Qatar's network power, Egypt reduced to a beggar state, the violation of Iraqi sovereignty, Syria under Sharaa, and why Andreas argues Israel has become a hammer that sees everything as a nail, isolated and digging itself into a hole it may not climb out of.UNAPOLOGETIC is hosted by Ashfaaq Carim.

Episode 86 - How the US blunder in Iran accelerates its decline and dooms Israel | Andreas Krieg | UNAPOLOGETIC

"Now Netanyahu has failed. Iran was not broken. Arab countries now realise that relying on Israel is a death sentence."In this episode of UNAPOLOGETIC, we sat down in studio with Mustafa Barghouti, Palestinian physician, leader of the Palestinian National Initiative and co-founder of the Palestinian Medical Relief Society. Barghouti argues that Israel's two strategic goals, imperial domination of the Middle East and normalisation with Arab states, have both collapsed, and that this marks the beginning of its decline.Across the conversation he sets out the scale of the atrocity in Gaza, the slow strangulation of life in the West Bank, and the transformation of Israeli society towards what he describes as fascism. He explains why the regional war with Iran ended in strategic failure for Netanyahu, why Oslo and the 2005 Gaza disengagement were traps rather than concessions, and why he refuses to accept any framing that places oppressor and oppressed on equal footing.Barghouti also turns to the question of survival and resistance, from the 90 midwives employed in the first weeks of the war to the clinics rebuilt multiple times under bombardment, and makes the case that Palestine has become the global measure of commitment to justice. Despite everything, he ends on a note of defiance and hope.  UNAPOLOGETIC is hosted by Ashfaaq Carim.

Episode 85 - Israel's dream of ruling the region is over, its decline has begun | Mustafa Barghouti |UNAPOLOGETIC

Laleh Khalili is a professor of Gulf Studies at the University of Exeter and the author of Sinews of War and Trade and Extractive Capitalism. She is also Iranian-American, with family members displaced by the current war, a scholar with both the expertise and the personal stakes to speak to this moment with rare authority.In this episode of UNAPOLOGETIC, Ashfaaq Carim sits down with Khalili to understand what the US-Israeli war on Iran and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz actually means, not for markets, but for people. They discuss who is winning and who is losing, how Iran has used commercial disruption as a weapon, the deep colonial history that produced this crisis, Israel's periphery strategy and its long alliance with Iran before 1979, and why an empire in decline is always the most dangerous version of itself.UNAPOLOGETIC is hosted by Ashfaaq Carim.

Episode 84 - Why reaching a ceasefire was essential - Iran, Hormuz and US decline | Laleh Khalili | UNAPOLOGETIC

Cenk Uygur, founder of The Young Turks, was banned from entering the UK hours before this conversation - blocked by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood for criticising Israel. We speak to him live about what his ban indicates about the West's accelerating collapse, how governments are criminalising dissent on behalf of a foreign state, and whether the freedoms the West claims to stand for are already slipping away.

Episode 83 - Cenk Uygur on being banned by the UK and how it shows that the West has fallen | UNAPOLOGETIC

In this episode of UNAPOLOGETIC, we sit down with Daniel Trilling - journalist and author of If We Tolerate This: How the British Establishment Made the Far Right Respectable.We discuss who is actually responsible for the rise of the far right and how dangerous the global far right rise could be for freedoms across the globe.From Trump's assault on democratic institutions to Orban gutting Hungary's free press, Modi's rise during a period of extraordinary economic growth to Reform's promises of a British ICE - Trilling maps a global pattern of far right movements exploiting the failures of a governing class that never saw it coming, or simply didn't care.In the UK, he traces how David Cameron opened the door, Rishi Sunak presided over the ruins, and Keir Starmer arrived without a plan - leaving Nigel Farage as the unlikely beneficiary of decades of establishment failure.Could Farage be the next prime minister? What would a Reform government actually look like? And can any of this be stopped?UNAPOLOGETIC is hosted by Ashfaaq Carim

Episode 82 - How the establishment made the far right respectable | Daniel Trilling | UNAPOLOGETIC

UNAPOLOGETIC spoke to Errol Musk, father of Elon Musk, and the result is a conversation is an interesting foray into where ideology is formed and where it is inherited.Errol traces his journey from post-war poverty to building a life of considerable wealth and takes credit for funding the very first company Elon and Kimball started in 1995.But it is his views on race, politics and identity that are likely to stay with you longest and defines the conversation.He reflects on post-apartheid South Africa in terms that invite direct challenge, describing the country under a black government as being "in a terrible state" and expressing views on land, farming and black economic capability that are difficult to swallow and that are challenged directly throughout.On Tommy Robinson, Errol is equally direct. He defends the Musk family's financial support for Robinson's legal fees, calls him "a political prisoner," compares him to Mandela, a comparison that is contested at length, and suggests he will "very likely, very possibly one day" be prime minister of England. His views on immigration lead to a metaphor that, once heard, is difficult to forget.We also put to Errol the words Elon himself has used to describe his father, "a terrible human being" who has done "every crime you can possibly think of," and take some time to examine how their relationship has evolved over the years, from the early decades in which Errol was the provider, to where things stand today.  Draw your own conclusions.  UNAPOLOGETIC is hosted by Ashfaaq Carim

Episode 81 - Is Elon Musk a white nationalist? We asked his father | Errol Musk | UNAPOLOGETIC

"Palestinians are just the canvas upon which the Jewish psychodrama takes place."Simone Zimmerman, co-founder of IfNotNow and subject of the documentary Israelism, joins UNAPOLOGETIC to examine how Israel's genocide in Gaza has reshaped Jewish identity and politics.Simone traces her own journey from committed Zionist to anti-Zionist activist, describing the personal and communal ruptures that followed. She argues that the decades-long fusion of Zionism with Judaism has been a catastrophe for Jewish life globally, and that Israel's genocide has made liberal Zionism untenable.The conversation also tackles the growing anti-Israel voices within MAGA - and why, despite tactical overlaps on ending military aid, figures like Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens represent a fundamentally different and dangerous political project that the pro-Palestinian movement should not mistake for solidarity.Drawing on Palestinian writer Tariq Baconi, Zimmerman makes a stark argument: that for too much of the Jewish establishment, "Palestinians are just the canvas upon which the Jewish psychodrama takes place."UNAPOLOGETIC is hosted by Ashfaaq Carim.

Episode 80 - How Israel's Genocide Is Turning Jews Against Zionism | Simone Zimmerman | UNAPOLOGETIC

In this episode of Unapologetic, Hassan Ahmadian, political scientist at the University of Tehran, argues that US-Israeli aggression may inadvertently bring Iran, Turkey and the Arab world closer together.Ahmadian explains why Iran views every negotiation with Washington through the lens of betrayal, and why Tehran sees caving to Trump and Netanyahu as a worse outcome than war itself. He also explains how control of the Strait of Hormuz has handed Iran a card that no amount of US military hardware can easily beat.The conversation covers how Iran actually makes its biggest decisions, especially now after its former leadership has been decapitated, the long and complicated relationship between Iran and the Arab world, and what Israel's drift towards extremism ultimately means for its own survival and how their persistent violence is showing all the actors in the region why they need to look to each other for stability.UNAPOLOGETIC is hosted by Ashfaaq Carim.

Episode 79 - How US-Israeli aggression may unite Iran, Turkey & the Arab World | Hassan Ahmadian | UNAPOLOGETIC

"If you go to China, you'll never ever see the world in the same way again. Never."In this episode of UNAPOLOGETIC, Martin Jacques, author of the million-copy bestseller When China Rules the World, makes the case that China has already eclipsed the United States as the world's leading power, and that the West still fundamentally doesn't understand why.This episode explores China's identity as a civilisation-state, the century of humiliation, the Belt and Road Initiative, the Xinjiang question, the decline of American hegemony, Trump's failing strategy against China, and why Jacques believes the future global order will be built around China and the Global SouthUNAPOLOGETIC is hosted by Ashfaaq Carim.

Episode 78 - When China rules the world | Martin Jacques | UNAPOLOGETIC

In this episode of UNAPOLOGETIC, we speak to Mohsen Kadivar - Iranian scholar, Shia mujtahid, dissident cleric, and former political prisoner - about the Islamic Republic, its origins, and its contradictions.Kadivar offers a rare insider critique of Iran: opposing US imperialism and Israeli aggression, while also challenging the authoritarianism of the Islamic Republic from within Shia theology itself. He traces his own journey - arrested under both the Shah and the Islamic Republic - and explains how the revolutionary promise of freedom, democracy, and justice was only partially realised.We explore the theory of velayat-e faqih (guardianship of the jurist), how it reshaped Iran’s political system, and why Kadivar argues it is only one interpretation among many within Islamic thought. He also reflects on elections, reform movements, repression, and the limits of political freedom in Iran today.Throughout the conversation, Kadivar builds a compelling case for why Muslims - in both majority and minority contexts - should embrace democracy as the most just and viable form of governance for themselves and others.This is conversation takes a deep look into how power, religion, personalities and competing visions of destiny have interacted to make Iran, Iran.

Episode 77 - The ‘Ayatollah’ opposing US imperialism and Iran’s Islamic ‘regime’ | Mohsen Kadivar | UNAPOLOGETIC

In this episode of UNAPOLOGETIC, Norman Finkelstein unpacks the aftermath of the US–Iran war, beginning with the ceasefire and what it actually reveals about both sides. He argues there was no clear victory, before tracing the deeper roots of US strategy toward Iran over decades. The conversation explores Donald Trump’s highly personalised decision-making, the role Israel played in tipping the balance, and why expectations of regime collapse inside Iran failed. Finkelstein also examines the broader consequences: the collapse of legal norms around war, the destruction unfolding in Lebanon, and Iran’s justification for its response under international law. In the final stretch, the discussion turns to Trump’s political base, the rise of alternative media voices, and what this moment reveals about power, propaganda, and global order. Norman’s forthcoming book is Gaza’s Gravediggers: An Inquiry into Corruption in High Places (OR Books, 2026) https://orbooks.com/catalog/gazas-gravediggers/

Episode 76 - Norman Finkelstein thinks Trump is too humiliated to attack Iran again | UNAPOLOGETIC

In this episode of UNAPOLOGETIC, historian Abdallah Marouf connects the dots between the closure of Al-Aqsa, Israel’s ultra-right, Pete Hegseth, the dangerously expanding war in Iran, and the belief in a coming Messiah.He explains how a once-marginal religious Zionist movement now holds real political power in Israel, and how its vision of rebuilding the Temple and hastening the Messiah is shaping events on the ground.We explore the closure of Al-Aqsa, the rise of extremist factions, divisions within Israeli society, and the role of US evangelicals in reinforcing these ideas.Marouf breaks down competing Jewish interpretations of the Messiah, the red heifer, and the Temple Mount, and why some believe a world war may be necessary to trigger the end times.

Episode 75 - Al-Aqsa Mosque, Israel's ultra-right, the Temple Mount and Global War | Abdallah Marouf

In this episode of UNAPOLOGETIC, Mamoun Fandy, former professor of politics at Georgetown University and current head of the Global Strategy Institute in London, breaks down the escalating conflict involving Israel, the United States, and Iran.He argues this is not one war, but three overlapping wars, each with its own logic: regime change, regional dominance, and economic pressure. Together, they risk destabilising the Middle East and severely disrupting the global economy.We explore how this conflict could weaken entire states, threaten Gulf economies, and reshape global power, potentially benefiting actors like China.Beyond the headlines, this is a conversation about escalation, miscalculation, and why this may be a war that no one truly wins.

Episode 74 - Israel, USA, Iran, Arab States & China - How will war reshape power? | Mamoun Fandy | UNAPOLOGETIC

In this episode of UNAPOLOGETIC, Rabbi Elhanan Beck delivers one of the most striking critiques of Zionism and the current Israeli-US wars in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran, you'll hear. He argues that, according to the Torah, the state of Israel has no right to exist, and goes further—describing Benjamin Netanyahu as “Amalek,” a force that pulls people away from God. The Rabbi also claims that if necessary, Israel would use nuclear weapons and that “no price is too high,” even suggesting they would kill millions to secure their goals. We explore the theology behind these views, including the Messiah, the Temple, and the idea of Greater Israel - alongside his belief in Jewish-Muslim coexistence.

Episode 73 - Not just Iran, ' Israel would kill millions of people' | Rabbi Elhanan Beck | UNAPOLOGETIC

In this episode of UNAPOLOGETIC, Dr. Roy Casagranda unpacks 125 years of Iranian history - from the 1901 oil concession and the fall of the Qajar dynasty, to the rise of the Pahlavis, the 1953 CIA-backed coup, the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the Iran–Iraq War, and the emergence of the IRGC, the reform movement in Iran and the JCPOA. He then connects this history to the present moment - where a US-Israel war on Iran threatens to escalate into a much wider far-reaching war.

Episode 72 - The Modern History of Iran | Roy Casagranda | UNAPOLOGETIC

Neil Quilliam, who is a political analyst at Chatham House, joined the UNAPOLOGETIC podcast to discuss how Israel is plunging the USA, the GCC and Iran into an all-out war.By continuing to kill credible leaders and hit key economic infrastructure in Iran, it is diminishing the opportunity for this war to end via a settled compromise, and antagonising Iran to lash out with retaliatory strikes against its neighbours who also host US bases in the region.Who or what will rein Israel in?

Episode 71 - Israel’s drawing us into an all-out war, and nobody is stopping them | Neil Quilliam | UNAPOLOGETIC

David Hearst, editor in chief of Middle East Eye, appeared on the UNAPOLOGETIC podcast to discuss how Donald Trump may be losing control of the war he started against Iran.When will the war end? Will Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump achieve their goals? What will happen to the Iranian government? What is the future of relations between the GCC and Iran? Could the conflict escalate into a regional war - and could Israel resort to using a nuclear weapon if it finds itself losing?

Episode 70 - Iran is playing chess, Trump doesn't know where the board is | David Hearst | UNAPOLOGETIC

Foad Izadi is a professor of communication at Tehran University. He has been making the rounds across broadcasters recently where he generally conveys the Iranian government’s position.He spoke to UNAPOLOGETIC to discuss the rationale behind Iran’s defence strategy, how he sees Iranian society rallying behind the Iranian state under this attack, the legacy of US-Iranian relations, Iran’s own exercising of ‘brute’ foreign policy, as well as Israel’s attempt to fashion the region according to its own designs.

Episode 69 - Iran will ‘fight to the death’ and the USA does not get that | Foad Izadi | UNAPOLOGETIC

In this episode of UNAPOLOGETIC, we speak to foreign policy analyst Trita Parsi of the Quincy Institute about how long the US-Israel war on Iran will likely last and what its consequences will likely be. The conversation examines Iran’s incentives to keep fighting, Trump’s political calculations, pressure from Gulf states, Netanyahu's opportunism, and how powers like China and Russia may respond if the war drags on

Episode 68 - How long will the war on Iran last and who will win it | Trita Parsi | UNAPOLOGETIC

In this episode of UNAPOLOGETIC, we speak to writer and activist Hoda Katebi about the war involving Iran, the United States and Israel, and the complex political forces shaping Iran’s future. Katebi argues that the Iranian government is deeply repressive, but also warns that foreign intervention by the US and Israel risks strengthening that repression rather than weakening it. She explains why many Iranians reject both the Islamic government and attempts to reinstall the Pahlavi monarchy, and why outside military pressure can undermine internal democratic movements. The conversation also explores the fear many Iranians are experiencing as bombing escalates and communication with family members inside Iran becomes difficult. Katebi reflects on her own Iranian American identity, growing up in the United States after 9/11, and how those experiences shaped her political views.

Episode 67 - Israel, The US, the Ayatallohs and the Pahlavis are all bad for Iran | Hoda Katebi | UNAPOLOGETIC

Gulf security expert Andreas Krieg, a senior lecturer at King’s College London, joined the UNAPOLOGETIC podcast to discuss Iran’s response to the US-Israel war against it and the potential ramifications of it.

Episode 66: Will Iran’s ‘reckless’ response bring about its own downfall? | ANDREAS KRIEG | UNAPOLOGETIC

In this episode of UNAPOLOGETIC, we speak to writer, historian, and lifelong anti-imperialist Tariq Ali about the state of the US empire in an increasingly unstable world. From Trump’s erratic posture on Iran to the long arc of American imperial power, Ali places today’s crises in a deep historical context—stretching from Iran in 1953 to Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and Gaza. The conversation examines how US power has adapted rather than declined, how Trump differs from previous presidents in style rather than substance, and why imperial violence is now increasingly exposed rather than hidden. We explore the limits of American dominance, the rise of China as an economic counterweight, and whether the global balance of power is truly shifting. Ali also reflects on Gaza, Western complicity, Arab state paralysis, and what he describes as a process of recolonisation in the Middle East—alongside the dangers and possibilities that lie ahead.

Episode 65: Trump’s Iran games. The state of US empire. China's rise | Tariq Ali | UNAPOLOGETIC

In this episode of UNAPOLOGETIC, retired UK major general Charlie Herbert reflects on 34 years of military service, including Iraq and Afghanistan, and explains how those experiences shaped his views on Israel, Western power, and why he now calls Israel’s actions in Gaza genocide. Chapters 00:00 Intro 02:30 Military Silence Explained 11:30 Gaza And Genocide 22:00 Strategic Failure Israel 33:00 Iraq And Afghanistan 44:30 Western Intervention Hubris 55:30 Power Hypocrisy West 1:06:30 Why Wars Fail 1:17:30 What Justice Requires

Episode 64 - Retired UK major general on Israel, duplicity and past wars | Charlie Herbert | UNAPOLOGETIC

Andreas Krieg - a leading Gulf security expert - joined the UNAPOLOGETIC episode once again. This time, Andreas tried to unpack for us just how impactful the Saudi-UAE cold war is, why it is occurring and what and where are the fault lines of their differences. And what this cold war means for the USA, Israel, Iran and other actors in the region. UNAPOLOGETIC is hosted by Ashfaaq Carim Chapters 00:00 Intro  02:00 Iran Pressure Politics 11:00 Trump And Iran 21:00 Israel Chaos Strategy 30:00 Emirati Iran Calculus 39:00 Emirati Regional Project 49:00 Saudi Strategic Pushback 59:00 Cold War Fault lines 1:09:00 Israel Strategic Exposure 1:20:00 Regional Order Ahead

Episode 63 - What does the Saudi-Emirati cold war mean for Israel, Trump and Iran? | Andreas Krieg |

Brazilian activist and one of the organisers of the Global Sumud Flotilla Thiago Avila joins UNAPOLOGETIC.He recounts his detention by Israeli forces after being aboard one of the flotilla boats intercepted by Israel in international waters while en route to break the siege of Gaza.Avila describes the moments leading up to the interception at sea and his arrest, and details the conditions he and other activists faced while held in Israeli detention.He reflects on nightly raids inside prison cells, the use of intimidation and fear, and the psychological tactics used against the activists.UNAPOLOGETIC is hosted by Ashfaaq Carim.Chapters: 00:00 Intro 02:10 The Gaza flotilla mission 06:45 Interception at sea and arrest 13:30 First hours in Israeli detention 20:10 Prison conditions & interrogations 28:40 Shotguns, lasers & psychological warfare 34:20 The moment fear broke 38:50 Solidarity & resistance inside prison 43:30 Chanting “Free Palestine” after raids 48:40 'Nothing compared to what Palestinians endure'

Episode 62 - Inside Israel’s detention of the Gaza flotilla activists | Thiago Avila | UNAPOLOGETIC

In this conversation with UNAPOLOGETIC, Imam Omar Suleiman reflects on two decades of global politics, the Palestinian struggle, Islamophobia in America, and the meaning of justice in a collapsing world order. Through personal stories of exile, family history, racism, 9/11, and spiritual grounding, he offers a deeply human account of how identity, faith, and political reality have shaped his life. This episode moves between the intimate and the global - from his parents’ journey through displacement, to the trauma and resilience of Palestinians and Syrians, to the shifting political landscape in the US and the rising generational support for Palestine. Omar Suleiman argues that despite oppression, people power is growing, Zionist propaganda is weakening, and justice - while it may take a while - in his view remains inevitable. Chapters 0:00 Intro & Soundbites 2:03 Gaza & Global Indifference 8:11 Childhood & Exile 13:05 Media After 9/11 16:40 Family & Diaspora Roots 23:28 Homeland & Entry Denied 27:03 Syria’s Turning Point 36:42 U.S. Politics & Islamophobia 41:34 Final Reflections

Episode 61 - The story of Omar Suleiman and why his faith compels him to speak out | UNAPOLOGETIC

In this episode of UNAPOLOGETIC, we speak with journalist and historian Imran Mulla about his gripping new book The Indian Caliphate: Exiled Ottomans and the Billionaire Prince.The conversation uncovers a forgotten plot to relocate the Ottoman caliphate to India after its abolition in 1924 — a story involving exiled Ottoman royalty, the fabulously wealthy but austere Nizam of Hyderabad, British imperial paranoia, and an audacious vision for a modern, post-imperial caliphate rooted in the subcontinent.Imran walks us through the hidden alliances between Ottoman exiles and Indian Muslim thinkers, the astonishing marriage engineered to fuse two royal houses, the political stakes of Hyderabad’s autonomy under the British, and how the dream of an Indian-centred caliphate was ultimately crushed by partition and rising nationalism.This episode is a sweeping look at empire, modernity, loss, cosmopolitanism, and the forgotten place of India at the centre of the Islamic world — and why recovering this history matters today. UNAPOLOGETIC is hosted by Ashfaaq CarimChapters 0:00 Intro & Soundbites 2:00 Tomb in Rural India 9:00 How This Story Began 18:00 Reinventing the Caliphate 27:00 Hyderabad, Empire and Wealth 36:00 Archives, Travel and Tomb 45:00 Partition, Federation and Palestine 54:00 Empire, Freedom and Violence 1:03:00 Princes, Princesses and Exile 1:12:00 Modernist Pan-Islamic Politics 1:21:00 Anglicised Radicals at Oxford 1:30:00 What History Taught Imran 1:39:00 Writing the Book, Closing

Episode 60 - Ottoman exiles, a billionaire and the plot for an Indian caliphate | Imran Mulla | UNAPOLOGETIC

In this UNAPOLOGETIC episode from the Doha Forum, investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill examines how Israel has carried out a campaign that many experts believe meets the legal and moral definitions of genocide in Gaza, while simultaneously insisting that Palestinians must not resist and that neighbouring states must demilitarise. Scahill situates Israel’s assault within a wider history of US militarism, privatised warfare, and the global security industry, showing how Gaza has become a testing ground for surveillance, weapons and siege tactics.We also discuss the collapse of the 2025 cease-fire, the regional implications of Syria’s political shift, and the contrasting strategies of Gulf states as the war reshapes regional power.Jeremy Scahill is co-founder of The Intercept and author of Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army and Dirty Wars: The World Is a Battlefield.

Episode 59 - Israel commits genocide while demanding its neighbours demilitarise | Jeremy Scahill | UNAPOLOGETIC

Recorded at the Doha Forum, this episode of UNAPOLOGETIC is in conversation with political scientist Dr. Omar Ashour examines the shifting landscape of the Middle East through three major developments: Syria’s transformation under Ahmed Al-Sharaa, Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza, and the widening regional divide illustrated by the UAE’s military support for separatist groups versus Qatar’s increasingly active diplomatic strategy. Ashour breaks down how these dynamics are reshaping alliances, security calculations, and narratives of power across the region. We explore for how long Syria’s new leadership scan continue to allow Israel to bomb it with impunity, how the genocide in Gaza has redrawn regional moral and political lines, and why Gulf states are pursuing sharply divergent approaches to influence. Dr. Omar Ashour is the author of The De-Radicalization of Jihadists, Bullets to Ballots and How ISIS Fights and is a leading expert on military behaviour, armed groups, and security studies.

Episode 58 - For how long will Syria be able to allow Israel to continue bombing it? | Omar Ashour | UNAPOLOGETIC

In this episode of UNAPOLOGETIC, political strategist and CEO and founder of the Cordoba Foundation, Anas Altikriti speaks to us about the history of the Muslim Brotherhood and why Trump is looking to now proscribe the organisation in Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan. We examine how the Brotherhood evolved, why authoritarian governments frame it as a threat, and how Western policymakers adopted those narratives. Altikriti discusses Britain’s review of the organisation, the limits of proscription laws, and why banning political movements often strengthens regional dictatorships rather than weakening them. The conversation also explores wider issues: political Islam, public misconceptions, the role of civil society, and how counter-extremism frameworks shape policy. A clear, structured look at an organisation widely debated but rarely understood.Chapters:00:00 Opening and introduction 07:40 What is the Muslim Brotherhood 15:20 Why regimes fear it 22:55 UK review and findings 31:10 Misconceptions about Islamism 39:05 Authoritarian influence abroad 47:00 Proscription laws explained 55:10 Counter-extremism as politics1:03:00 Public narratives and bias 1:10:55 Civil society and power 1:18:20 Western policy contradictions 1:26:15 Future of the movement 1:34:30 Final reflections and outro

Episode 57 - The story of the Muslim Brotherhood and why they can’t be banned | Anas Altikriti | UNAPOLOGETIC

Former South African ambassador to the United States Ebrahim Rasool sits down with Ashfaaq Carim for an unflinching conversation on power, punishment, and principle. Rasool explains how South Africa’s ICJ genocide case against Israel triggered U.S. retaliation—from tariffs to blocked HIV/AIDS funding—while dismantling the “white genocide” narrative pushed by Trump-aligned networks.He also traces the global resurgence of white supremacism, drawing on South Africa’s struggle history to show why Gaza has become the defining moral battleground of our time. The discussion explores MAGA’s evolution, collapsing U.S. soft power, student uprisings, and the growing fractures inside Western politics.From BRICS realignments to ethnic cleansing and global solidarity, Rasool attempt to provide a historically grounded analysis of the world as it is—and where it may be heading.Chapters 00:00 Intro 03:14 Washington appointment tensions 06:09 Maga and lobby pressure 09:10 White genocide narrative 10:14 Timeline of U.S. retaliation 19:40 U.S. wars and isms 39:26 Pro-Israel tactical schisms emerging 43:32 Lessons from apartheid 46:04 ICJ soft power victory 58:07 BRICS and geopolitics 01:14:37 Israel’s endgame and personal reflections

Episode 56 - Why South Africa is taking on Trump and Israel | Ebrahim Rasool | UNAPOLOGETIC

In this episode of UNAPOLOGETIC, we speak to Dr Andreas Krieg — a leading Gulf security expert — about how the UAE has pursued an aggressive statecraft strategy since 2011. Andreas unpacks how Abu Dhabi has shaped the region through covert interventions, proxy forces and political engineering. From Egypt to Libya, Yemen to Sudan, we examine how the UAE has empowered secessionist, authoritarian and anti-democratic actors to build a regional order aligned with its own interests and often at the expense of social stability and cohesion, and in the case of Sudan, plausible genocide. He explains the ideology and strategy driving this approach, why the UAE views political Islam and more representative government as existential threats, and how these policies have fuelled instability across the Middle East. A crucial conversation on power, repression and the region’s future. Chapters 00:00 Intro2:00 UAE’s pursuit of dominance 12:00 MBZ’s authoritarian worldview 22:00 Blueprint for counterrevolution 32:00 Engineering Egypt’s repression 42:00 Yemen as a testing ground 52:00 Dividing allies, breaking states 1:02:00 Sudan’s gold-fuelled militias 1:12:00 Moscow, mercenaries, money flows 1:22:00 Washington’s blind partnership 1:32:00 Abu Dhabi’s influence machine 1:42:00 A region remade by fear

Episode 55 - Not just Sudan - How the UAE have wrecked Libya, Yemen and Egypt | Andreas Krieg | UNAPOLOGETIC

British journalist and commentator Sami Hamdi was detained by ICE for 18 days. He recounts here on UNAPOLOGETIC how he was arrested after being informed that his valid tourist visa had been suddenly revoked, and how he was eventually allowed to leave after a federal judge was concerned that there had been serious breaches of his freedom of speech. Hamdi describes in detail how he was arrested, what he witnessed in ICE facilities and processing centres, how ICE routinely obstructs and evades the justice system, and how, through his observations, many ordinary Americans are turning against Israel as they discover how deeply the U.S. government has been drawn into financing Israel’s war crimes while ordinary Americans continue to require government assistance in numerous areas.

Episode 54 - I got detained by ICE and learnt that America is turning against Israel | Sami Hamdi | UNAPOLOGETIC

David Adler - a Jewish American writer, activist, and organiser - joins UNAPOLOGETIC where he reflects on what it means to be Jewish in the age of Israel’s genocide on Gaza — and why silence is no longer an option. From his family’s divided Zionist and anti-Zionist roots to his experience being detained by Israel after joining the Summud Flotilla, Adler recounts how Jewish identity, power, and solidarity are being redefined. He explains why Israel poses an existential threat to Judaism itself — and why resisting in the name of justice is the only path left. 

Episode 53 - Being Jewish in a time of Israel - resist or be usurped | David Adler | UNAPOLOGETIC

Unapologetic’s host Ashfaaq Carim speaks to Dr Roy Casagranda about what Zohran Mamdani's election victory means for the USA and it's political future

Episode 52 - What does Zohran Mamdani's victory mean for the USA | Dr. Roy Casagranda | UNAPOLOGETIC

In this episode of UNAPOLOGETIC, peace negotiator Gershon Baskin takes us inside the Trump-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas — from backchannel talks with Hamas leaders to the Doha strike that nearly derailed the deal, and the moment Trump forced Netanyahu to apologize on camera. Baskin explains how the agreement came together, why it almost collapsed, and whether it can survive Netanyahu’s politics and the trauma of two years of war. He also reflects on 48 years in Israel, the country’s moral decline, and the difficult question of whether he can still call it home. Chapters 00:00 - Intro 02:00 - Backchannel Reborn Through Gaza 06:00 - Deal Delayed by Bombs 08:00 - The Three-Week Peace Plan 13:00 - Doha Strike and Betrayal 19:45 - Trump Forces Netanyahu’s Apology 23:00 - Will the Ceasefire Hold? 41:00 - Aftermath and Two-State Hope 48:00 - Israel Beyond Repair?

Episode 51 - Will Trump's ceasefire deal survive Netanyahu's scheming? |Gershon Baskin | UNAPOLOGETIC

Green Party leader Zack Polanski joins UNAPOLOGETIC to talk about his plans to stop the right wing’s rise in the UK. Just weeks after being elected leader — and as the Greens gain over 30,000 new members — Polanski speaks about the party’s growing momentum in a political moment defined by Reform UK’s surge and the launch of Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana’s Your Party. We discuss whether the Greens can turn their surge in support into real political power — and what it will take to build a credible alternative to the far right and a drifting Labour. 

Episode 50 - How to stop a right-wing takeover of the UK | Zack Polanski | UNAPOLOGETIC

Political scientist and historian Norman Finkelstein joins this special edition of UNAPOLOGETIC that marks two years since the October 7 Hamas-led attack and Israel’s devastating retaliation against Gaza, which the majority of genocide scholars around the world have labelled a genocide.In this nearly three-hour conversation, we ask whether Hamas regrets its actions, probe the realities of Trump’s Gaza plan - and question if this is just another ruse to create cover for more of Netanyahu’s atrocities.Norman laments the depth of Israel’s brutality over the past 24 months and the roles of Israeli society, Arab states, Western governments, and the media in enabling it.He also reflects on the collapse of international law and shifting global politics.We discuss whether recognition of Palestine makes any difference, where the genocide leaves the future of the Palestinian liberation struggle, and why the horrors of Gaza defy facts alone.

Episode 49 - October 7th, Two years on : “Genocide is the means, not the ends” | Norman Finkelstein | UNAPOLOGETIC

Kenneth Roth, former executive director of Human Rights Watch, joins UNAPOLOGETIC to discuss his new book Righting Wrongs. Part memoir, part strategy guide, part global analysis, the book offers a rare inside look at how human rights advocacy really works. In this conversation, we explore how Roth built HRW from a team of just 60 people into a global organisation with more than 550 staff. He reflects on political strategy, the limits of “naming and shaming,” and the constant struggle to fund independent rights work. We also dive into HRW’s landmark reports—on apartheid and genocide in Gaza, the devastation of Syria’s war, Rwanda, China, Russia, and more. Roth shares what he learned from world leaders, victims, and dictators, and how those encounters shaped his understanding of power and human nature. A wide-ranging conversation on justice, accountability, and whether the world is becoming a better place.

Episode 48 - Three decades on the frontlines of battling abusive governments | Kenneth Roth | UNAPOLOGETIC

“An Israel for all its citizens has disappeared, it has literally been extinguished, and it's a myth that Israel is a nice friendly state”David Hearst, editor-in-chief of Middle East Eye, joins us on this episode of UNAPOLOGETIC to discuss what he describes as the ‘worst evil the world is witnessing’ in the 21st century.Hearst shares his views on why Israel’s genocide is not just intentional but ‘calculated’. He also speaks about the UK’s complicity and how Israel, through its actions, has isolated not just the global public opinion, but former reliable allies such as Tucker Carlson and Piers Morgan, who are now among the most damning and articulate (if not necessarily sober and coherent) critics of Israel. 

Episode 47 - Netanyahu’s gamble: Build greater Israel or make it a doomed pariah | David Hearst | UNAPOLOGETIC

Palestinian writer and analyst, Muhammad Shehada joins UNAPOLOGETIC in this special episode to explain how Israel's bombing of senior Hamas leaders in Qatar along with its order for 1 million Palestinians in Gaza city to evacuate once again to the South of Gaza has one common objective - to coldly and calculatedly make its ethic cleansing of Gaza inevitable.

Episode 46 -  Israel’s bombing of Qatar explained | Muhammad Shehada | UNAPOLOGETIC

"You have to think about people who are sitting in war rooms and plan the next bombing on civilians populations who are actually in tents in one place that they cannot move (from)"Al Jazeera has been at the center of one of the deadliest assaults on journalists in modern history. Since October 2023, Israel’s war on Gaza has killed more than 270 journalists, including at least 11 from Al Jazeera. Despite losing colleagues, facing office bombings, and being banned from reporting inside Israel and the West Bank, Al Jazeera continues its coverage of Gaza.In this episode of UNAPOLOGETIC, Ashfaaq Carim speaks with Salah Negm, the head of news for Al Jazeera English. With more than 45 years of experience in international journalism, Negm reflects on what it means to cover a genocide, how Israel targets reporters to silence coverage, and why eyewitness accounts remain essential.Negm discusses:The pressures and dangers faced by his newsroomThe killings of Shireen Abu Akleh and other Al Jazeera journalistsHow Western media often relies on Israeli narrativesWhy objectivity is misunderstood and misused in journalismAl Jazeera’s process for recruiting and protecting local reportersThis is a rare inside look at how a newsroom endures grief, censorship, and political attacks while trying to hold power to account amidst an unfolding genocide in Gaza. Editors Note: This episode was filmed on August 21st, before Monday deadly by Israel that killed another Al Jazeera Journalist, Muhammad SalamaChapters:0:00 Intro3:40 Israel’s war on journalism7:00 Media bias and objectivity10:50 Why Al Jazeera hires locals15:30 Fear and character attacks19:00 Press freedom under threat23:40 Gaza reporting under siege29:00 Covering genocide in real time47:20 Shireen Abu Akleh’s killing51:00 Journalists killed in Gaza1:00:00 Bans, raids, and censorship1:08:00 Future of journalism in war

Episode 45 - How Al Jazeera covers Gaza even when Israel kills their reporters | Salah Negm | UNAPOLOGETIC

Muhammad Shahada grew up in Gaza during two decades of blockade and repeated wars. His father died after being denied medical treatment outside the Strip — one of countless lives lost to Israel’s permit system.Now a journalist and analyst, Shahada joins UNAPOLOGETIC to trace Gaza’s story from 2005 to 2025 — years that saw the removal of Israeli settlers, the imposition of siege, and the shift from Apache helicopters to F-16 bombardments, culminating in genocide.The conversation covers Hamas’s attempt to reach a political settlement  that was rejected by Israel after its election victory, Israel’s role in fuelling a Palestinian civil war, daily life under siege, and the repeated wars waged under Israel's “mowing the lawn” doctrine.Shahada also reflects on the short period of relief when Egypt opened the Rafah crossing under President Morsi, the tunnelling economy and its risks, Israel’s policy of maiming protesters during the Great March of Return, the events of 7 October, and Israel’s ongoing 22-month assault on Gaza — alongside the silence and complicity of world leaders, media and policymakers.

Episode 44 - Siege to Genocide: Gaza’s history from 2005–2025 | Muhammad Shahada | UNAPOLOGETIC

Orly Noy is the chairperson of B’Tselem, the Israeli human rights organisation that has been documenting Israel’s atrocities against Palestinians since 1989. In this episode, we discuss B’Tselem’s new report, titled ‘Our Genocide’. Through rigorous research, the report makes the case that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. We also discuss the sociological culture in Israel that has led to a society that largely supports the Israeli state’s annihilation of Gaza and its people, and the lies and myths that have produced a global narrative where power brokers enable or are complicit in the genocide. 

Episode 43 - The lies and culture that made Israeli society support genocide | Orly Noy (B'Tselem) | UNAPOLOGETIC

In this episode of UNAPOLOGETIC Professor John Esposito — one of the world’s foremost scholars on political Islam — unpacks 120 years of modern Islamic movements. From Afghani and Abdu’s 19th-century reformist vision, through Hassan al-Banna and Maududi’s activism, to Sayyid Qutb’s radical turn, we trace the intellectual and political forces that shaped the Muslim world. We explore the Iranian Revolution, the Afghan war, democratic Islamists, authoritarian crackdowns, and how the West’s perceptions of Islamism were forged. This is a masterclass in the history, ideas, and global impact of political Islam. UNAPOLOGETIC is hosted by Ashfaaq Carim Chapters0:00 – Intro & episode setup 2:33 – Esposito’s unlikely journey 5:41 – Immersion in Muslim scholarship 10:14 – Plan: 120 years’ history 12:14 – Afghani & Abdu’s vision 15:45 – Islam as civilization & faith 18:09 – Abdu’s modernist reform ideas 22:02 – Anti-colonial political Islam roots 23:54 – Al-Banna & Maududi emerge 26:44 – Movements spread transnationally 30:58 – Ideas spread without media 33:15 – Critique of elites & clerics 38:58 – Sayyid Qutb’s radical turn 43:39 – America through Qutb’s eyes 47:14 – Nasser’s crackdown & prisons 50:33 – Cross-pollination of movements 52:47 – Iranian revolution reshapes politics 55:03 – Authoritarianism fuels radicalisation 57:12 – Gradualists vs violent factions 1:04:05 – Revolution’s impact on perceptions 1:09:58 – Shah, hostage crisis, US errors 1:18:22 – Afghan jihad to al-Qaeda 1:27:05 – Democratic Islamists in power 1:35:48 – Post-Cold War Islamism shifts 1:40:19 – 9/11 & war on terror 1:49:15 – Arab Spring & Brotherhood 1:53:32 – Egypt’s coup & repression 2:02:08 – Islamism, democracy & inclusion 2:07:39 – Misrepresentation in Western discourse

Episode 42 - Political Islam’s 120-year story - from anti-colonial struggle to now | John Esposito | UNAPOLOGETIC

“Every inch of that precious city is Rome and Paris and New York put together, and these barbaric savages go, ‘Oh Isfahan, we just bombed Isfahan’; they don’t even know where Isfahan is.” Hamid Dabashi, is an American and Iranian professor at Columbia University. He joined UNAPOLGETIC on this episode to give a scathing critique of US and Israeli adventurism and aggression in Iran and the region. Dabashi rebukes both states for having “absolutely no moral legitimacy” to export either freedom or democracy, especially while Israel continues to carry out a “genocide” in Gaza and the US under Trump cracks down on its own democratic institutions. The episode also delves into Iran's contemporary history, looking at how the CIA orchestrated coup of Iran’s elected leader allowed the Pahlavi dynasty to reestablish “autocratic” rule in Iran, which led to a popular uprising that paved the way for Ayatollah Khomeini to opportunistically establish Iran’s theocracy that has presided over Iran with a “totalitarian” fist, ever since. UNAPOLOGETIC is hosted by Ashfaaq Carim Chapters 00:00 - Intro 02:22 - Israel-US no legitimacy on nuclear bombs 07:08 - Iran belongs to Iranian people 12:33 - US-Israel actions will be remembered 17:06 - The empire’s collapse 21:40 - West’s hypocrisy on Iran 26:55 - Israel’s war on Iran 33:18 - West's history with Iran 38:11 - The 1953 CIA coup 44:20 - Pahlavi and autocracy 49:35 - Khomeini seizes opportunity 55:58 - Iran’s totalitarian theocracy 1:02:41 - Trump and democratic decline 1:10:25 - Freedom as imperial excuse 1:17:04 - Moral clarity from the South 1:24:45 - Final reflections

Episode 41 - The Shah, the Ayatollahs and 74 years of American bullshit in Iran | Hamid Dabashi | UNAPOLOGETIC

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Chris Hedges joins us on UNAPOLOGETIC for a conversation on what the consequences could be if Israel draws the USA into a full-blown war with Iran.Hedges reflects on his years reporting from war zones, the cynical nihilism driving Netanyahu’s assault, and how Israel’s genocide in Gaza has become a “spectacle” that has irreparably broken trust between North and South.Are Israel’s and the Pentagon’s stated shifting priorities real, or a façade to continue diminishing societal infrastructure in the region? Will the complicity of Arab states in the genocide lead to blowback? Is regime change the goal, or is this just an excuse?UNAPOLOGETIC is hosted by Ashfaaq Carim

Episode 40 - Iran, Israel, USA and World War 3  | Chris Hedges | UNAPOLOGETIC |

“It’s left me with a deep and simmering anger against the western powers who imposed this nightmare on us.”Palestinian physician, author and Nakba survivor Ghada Karmi joins UNAPOLOGETIC to speak about how her life has been shaped by exile and how, as she tried to find a new home in the UK, she was confronted by experiences that enhanced her desire to reconnect with her Palestinian identity and eventually made her want to embrace a life where she lived in service of liberating Palestinians from Zionist occupation.She also reflects on the current unfolding genocide in Gaza, what she calls Arab and western complicity and how this event will traumatise future generations of Palestinians Chapters0:00 Intro and context setup 2:00 Two Nakbas, 77 years apart 4:32 Predicting 7 October’s logic 8:09 Fleeing Jerusalem in 1948 14:46  Remembering home, dog, Fatima 17:29  Life as a refugee child 21:28  1967 war changed everything 27:19  Reclaiming identity through activism 29:16  Visiting her old home 34:04  Learning the deeper history 43:58  Zionism’s effect on region 44:54  Arab states and complicity 55:57  The one-state vision today 1:09:00 Final reflections

Episode 39 - “This nightmare” was created due to Europe’s antisemitism | Ghada Karmi | UNAPOLOGETIC

Ben Jamal, director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, joins UNAPOLOGETIC for a wide-ranging conversation about who has been complicit for the genocide in Gaza, the global shift in rhetoric, and what it takes to organise 20 months of continous mass protest across the UK.He unpacks the gap between what Western governments say and what they do - from condemning Israeli actions as “indefensible” while continuing to arm them, to criminalising peaceful protesters demanding justice. Jamal also reflects on his arrest and upcoming trial, the police’s systematic efforts to repress the movement, and why those tactics have failed to break the solidarity movement.In deeply personal moments, Jamal shares the story of his Palestinian father, his own political awakening, and what it has meant to sustain this movement through exhaustion, grief and hope.We ask: What does the future look like for Gaza? For Palestinian liberation? And for a world that has tolerated so much horror in real time?Chapters:00:00 Intro03:12 Shifts in media and government10:01 Words mean nothing without action15:30 Divestment wins and public pressure21:12 The arrest: what happened27:03 How police target protests32:47 BBC march and police trap38:55 Criminalised for peaceful protest44:11 Holding a movement together49:35 Building a resistance community54:20 Ben’s Palestinian family story1:00:07 Organising through trauma and grief1:05:05 Family, kids and solidarity1:10:10 What happens to Gaza now1:14:58 Will Palestinians be erased?1:20:10 Movement grows through genocide1:26:30 What keeps Ben going1:32:10 Final reflections

Episode 38 -  What I’ve learnt by organising 20 months of anti-genocide protests| Ben Jamal | UNAPOLOGETIC

What were the Crusades really about - and why do they still matter today?In this deep-dive episode of UNAPOLOGETIC, historian and political scientist Professor Roy Casagranda comes back to the show to unpack the history, legacy and weaponisation of the Crusades. We begin by exploring why Jerusalem holds such profound spiritual and political importance to Judaism, Christianity and Islam - and how that shared reverence resulted in periods where the city was pluralistic and multicultural, and other periods where it was subject to conquest, ethnic cleansing, colonisation and occupation. From the First Crusade and the fall of Jerusalem, to the leadership of Salahuddin, to the devastation of the Mongol invasions, Roy walks us through a thousand-year arc of conflict, ideology and empire. But this isn’t just about the past.We examine how the logic of the Crusades impacts our current political landscape and geopolitics. Was the partition of the Middle East by colonial powers after World War I an extension of the Crusades? What about the War on Terror, drone strikes and ongoing Western interventions in the Muslim world?UNAPOLOGETIC is hosted by Ashfaaq Carim. Chapters0:00 Intro collage  3:00 Why Jerusalem matters  7:40 Jewish roots and the Temple  12:20 Rise of Christianity  17:00 Islam and early rule  21:40 Muslim rule of Jerusalem  26:20 What triggered the Crusades  31:00 The call to crusade (1095)  35:40 Norman warriors and motives  40:20 The first massacres  45:00 Taking Jerusalem (1099)  49:40 Crusader brutality revealed  54:20 Crusader states form  59:00 Muslim response builds  1:03:40 Zengi, Nur ad-Din and resistance  1:08:20 Rise of Salahuddin  1:13:00 Egypt campaigns begin  1:17:40 Salahuddin becomes wazir  1:22:20 The Fatimids fall  1:27:00 Power struggles with Nur ad-Din  1:31:40 Salahuddin unifies Syria  1:36:20 The peace treaty  1:41:00 Breaking the peace  1:45:40 Battle of Hattin  1:50:20 Retaking Jerusalem  1:55:00 The Third Crusade begins  1:59:40 Legacy of the Crusades  2:04:20 The fifth Crusade?  2:09:00 Zionism as settler project  2:13:40 Clash of civilizations  2:18:20 Anti-Arab hatred in the West  2:23:00 Demographic shifts and Gen Z

Episode 37 - Why the Crusades occurred and what is their legacy | Roy Casagranda | UNAPOLOGETIC

In this episode of UNAPOLOGETIC, Chinese political analyst Victor Gao joins UNAPOLOGETIC for a wide-ranging and often conflictual discussion about China's global image, western condescension towards it, human rights and democracy,Gao, a former translator for Deng Xiaoping and a vocal defender of the Chinese state, argues that China is a force for stability, free trade, and development - and rejects western narratives around repression in places like Xinjiang and Tibet.He is challenged on China's human rights record, especially concerning the treatment of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang. The clash exposes fundamental differences in how each views evidence, legitimacy, and sovereignty.Also discussed:- How does representation and governance work in China?- Why is China rising while liberal democracies fragment?- Can China be trusted as a global leader?UNAPOLOGETIC is hosted by Ashfaaq CarimThis episode was filmed on 14 May 2025.Chapters00:00 Intro04:15 Why the West misunderstands China08:30 China’s view on democracy and modernisation12:10 The century of humiliation16:00 Is criticism of China racist?19:50 Taiwan, Tibet and Xinjiang: the one China argument24:30 Pushing back on human rights violations29:00 “You are my enemy”: dissent and denial33:45 China’s stance on Palestine and Gaza38:00 Democracy in China: consensual vs confrontational44:00 Can China handle more free speech?50:30 Xi Jinping’s legacy and global role55:00 Winning global trust

Episode 36 - Is China ready to lead the world?  | Victor Goa | UNAPOLOGETIC

“A mixture of stupidity and nastiness… The liberal establishment is primarily responsible for the genocide of the Palestinians.” In this episode of UNAPOLOGETIC, Yanis Varoufakis unleashes a fierce critique of Western liberalism, and tells us why he feels that the global system is in crisis.This episode explores the facade of Western moral superiority, the role of empire past and present, how liberal hypocrisy has given rise to fascism, the climate crisis, Gaza and why Varoufakis places his hope in the Global South.UNAPOLOGETIC is Hosted by Ashfaaq CarimChapters00:00 Intro02:01 Western civilisation and its hypocrisy  04:57 Gaza, genocide and colonial legacies  10:59 2008: The collapse of capitalism  17:28 Technofeudalism and the rise of cloud capital  20:06 Trump’s tariffs and the new Nixon shock  25:18 Liberal complicity in Gaza  30:55 Europe’s civil liberties crackdown  34:59 Palestine and the loss of moral resistance  39:19 Why protesters lack hope in the West  44:56 China vs. Russia: A critical distinction  50:02 China’s authoritarianism vs. local democracy  54:42 Climate collapse and cloud capital  58:46 Organising after collapse: What’s the alternative?  01:01:51 "Another Now": Varoufakis' vision for change  

Episode 35 - The West Is collapsing under its own lies | Yanis Varoufakis | UNAPOLOGETIC

In this episode of UNAPOLOGETIC, we speak with Sudan’s ambassador to the UK, Babiker al-Siddig Mohamed al-Amin, about the Sudanese government's case against the UAE at the International Court of Justice. The conversation explores Sudan’s accusations of genocide, the origins of the RSF, alleged atrocities, foreign interference and the path forward for a democratic Sudan.We also address difficult questions about the Sudanese Armed Forces, the role of the international community and the geopolitical interests driving the conflict.UNAPOLOGETIC is Hosted by Ashfaaq Carim00:00 Intro00:44 Opening remarks and episode overview01:28 Sudan's case against the UAE04:55 Evidence linking UAE to RSF06:09 Origins of Sudan conflict and army-RSF tensions09:02 The RSF: History and origins10:53 UAE's motives: Gold, ports, and proxy power13:00 Sudan’s gold industry and UAE smuggling16:36 Red Sea ports and strategic interest17:30 Atrocities committed by RSF22:10 Accusations against Sudanese Armed Forces28:57 Towards elections: Transition plans32:04 International mediation and critique of the narrative36:16 Jeddah Declaration and failed ceasefire40:58 Tribalism and redrawing Sudan’s borders42:48 Regional interests and external destabilisation43:31 Egypt’s role and historical ties45:22 Final message to Sudanese people and the world50:02 Outro and thanks

Episode 34:  Unpacking Sudan’s civil war and genocide case against the UAE | Sudan’s ambassador | UNAPOLOGETIC

Stephen Kapos survived the Holocaust as a child in Nazi-occupied Hungary. In this candid interview, he recalls his time in a Jewish refugee home—hiding his identity with other children to avoid Nazi detection.He reflects on memory, survival, and the different paths his family took after the war, including his journey to London. Kapos also shares how visits to Israel opened his eyes to the country’s racism—both systemic and societal.We explore what justice looks like after atrocity, how Holocaust memory is politicised by Israel to justify war crimes, and what “Never Again” really means in today’s world. Kapos speaks about Palestine and why he continues to protest for justice. UNAPOLOGETIC is hosted by Ashfaaq CarimChapters0:00 Opening and Introduction2:28 What Kapos Wants Audiences to Take Away6:27 Growing Up Jewish in Rural Hungary9:02 German Invasion and First Encounters with Soldiers15:02 Wearing the Yellow Star and Early Dehumanisation19:01 The Kasztner Train: Bargaining With the Nazis26:22 Bergen-Belsen: Hostages in a Camp of Death33:42 Life in Hiding: False Papers and Refugee Homes37:15 Budapest Under Siege: The Final Battle44:46 Memories of Escaping Bombed-Out Buildings48:20 Arrow Cross Atrocities and Hospital Massacres53:04 Liberation by Soviet Troops56:18 Returning Home: The Destruction of a Life1:02:01 A Missed Escape: Family Wiped Out in Auschwitz1:08:27 Sorting Her Parents’ Clothes at the Camps1:11:02 Family Reunited, Then Rebuilding Begins1:14:41 Postwar Public Health and Communist Party Life1:16:48 Anti-Semitism Returns in the 1956 Uprising1:21:04 Visiting Israel and Confronting Racism1:26:04 Leaving Hungary After 1956 and Settling in the UK1:30:32 Joining Labour, Momentum and Corbyn's Rise1:33:23 The Manufactured Antisemitism Crisis1:36:46 A Tense Confrontation with Keir Starmer1:42:00 Holocaust Survivors Against Gaza Genocide1:48:00 Israel’s Global Impunity and the Role of the Holocaust1:54:00 One-State Solution and Hopes for Justice

Episode 33 - The Holocaust survivor who leads pro-Palestine protests | Stephen Kapos | UNAPOLOGETIC

In this episode, historian Rudolph “Butch” Ware joins us for a conversation about the global system slavery built — and how its legacy still shapes the modern world.He breaks down the myths we’ve been taught about abolition, the spiritual legacy of resistance, and how white supremacy was not just a byproduct of history, but an architecture that still defines our institutions.We also talk about Gaza, the erasure of truth in public life, and how protest and free speech are being crushed in the U.S.Butch is running for governor of California, so we ask him if this is the best way to make change, considering that he is operating in a political system that often rewards self-promotion and aggrandizement over fundamental reform.UNAPOLOGETIC is Hosted by Ashfaaq CarimChaptersUNAPOLOGETIC is Hosted by Ashfaaq CarimChapters00:00 The hidden hands behind the slave trade  03:00 The scale of the Euro-American trade  06:15 Slavery and modern capitalism  09:05 Africa’s stagnation, Europe’s rise  11:50 Early African resistance: King Afonso  14:00 Commodifying African bodies as currency  16:15 How European slavery was different  19:00 Sexual violence and trauma under slavery  22:00 Destroyed families, lost spiritual legacies  24:40 Guns, warlords, and destabilized Africa  27:15 The myth of British abolition  30:05 African Muslims fought slavery first  33:30 Gaza and the legacy of colonial brutality  36:40 White supremacy: These aren’t people  39:30 End of empire: The extinction burst  42:00 Campus repression and the imperial boomerang  45:00 Malcolm X and the betrayal of liberalism  48:00 Why Butch joined the Green Party  52:15 From mobilizing to organizing  55:00 California 2026: Breaking the duopoly  60:00 A revolutionary political strategy  65:00 Truth-telling in political theater  70:00 Student resistance and corporate campuses  74:00 A generation that’s built different  77:00 The urgency of third-party power  80:00 A final word on faith and freedom  

Episode 32 - What the slave trade can teach us about Trump and US decline | Rudolph Ware | UNAPOLOGETIC

In this episode of UNAPOLOGETIC, we speak with Eyal Weizman, architect, scholar, and founder of Forensic Architecture — a research agency that uses spatial investigation to expose state violence and human rights abuses.We dive deep into the ongoing genocide in Gaza, examining how Israel’s military campaign is not just a war of bombs, but one of deliberate spatial erasure. Eyal breaks down how architecture becomes both a target and a witness — revealing the design, intent, and systematic logic behind the destruction of homes, hospitals, and infrastructure.But this didn’t start on October 7th. We trace the roots of what Eyal calls an architecture of occupation and ethnic cleansing — a project stretching back to 1948 and unfolding across Gaza, the West Bank, and inside Israel itself. From settlements to bypass roads, from home demolitions to surveillance towers, we look at how space is used to control, fragment, and displace Palestinian life.We also explore the politics of documentation — how Forensic Architecture builds cases for truth and justice in a world that rewards impunity. And why, in the face of silence and suppression, bearing witness through spatial forensics becomes an act of resistance.This is a conversation about violence, memory, and the radical potential of architecture as a tool for liberation.UNAPOLOGETIC is hosted by Ashfaaq Carim0:00 – The Architecture of Genocide1:10 – Meet Eyal Weizman & Forensic Architecture2:40 – Loss in Gaza: Partners, Friends, Colleagues5:00 – Is Documentation Enough? Facing Total Destruction7:40 – Gathering Evidence at Scale: A New Method10:10 – Destruction with Intent: Gaza as a Planned Kill Zone13:00 – Safe Zones That Kill: Al-Mawasi & Rafa15:00 – Ungrounding Gaza: Bulldozers & Memory Erasure18:00 – Rubble as Weapon: Sniper Towers, Earthworks & Traps21:30 – Making Gaza Uninhabitable: A Slow, Designed Death25:00 – Palestinian Resilience & Indigenous Survival28:30 – Architecture Against International Law30:30 – Ethnic Cleansing by Design: Since 194834:00 – The Gaza Envelope: Settler Fortresses as Siege Tools37:30 – The Tunnel Network: History, Ingenuity, Resistance42:00 – From Wells to Warfare: Indigenous Knowledge Reborn45:00 – Hollow Land: Origins of Eyal’s Work49:30 – Architecture as a Tool of Oppression53:00 – How Forensic Architecture Builds the Record57:00 – Rebuilding Gaza or Repeating Genocide?1:01:00 – The Only Just Future: Return, Equality, and One State

Episode 31 - Architecture of violence - how Israel engineered genocide in Gaza | Eyal Weizman | UNAPOLOGETIC

Helena Cobban is a journalist who has covered events in the Middle East for more than four decades. Through her reporting, she has interviewed senior leadership across Palestinian movements and political organisations and senior members of Israel’s government.Recently, she co-authored a book with Rami Khouri, an academic and journalist who has also been writing about the Middle East for decades. The book is largely a transcript of a series of conversations that the authors had with five experts who have a deep knowledge of who Hamas is, what it stands for, how it operates and what it is trying to achieve.We sat down with Helena Cobban in this episode of UNAPOLOGETIC to speak about who Hamas is, what it wants and why understanding it matters. This episode was filmed on March 12, 2025UNAPOLOGETIC is hosted by Ashfaaq Carim00:00 Intro02:15 About the book07:15 Laws that make it difficult to speak about Hamas12:30 The genesis of Hamas20:00 Misconceptions around Hamas29:50 Introspection on their own actions34:00 Hamas beyond being a liberation movement41:00 Helena's journey covering the conflict51:00 Helena’s learnings from compiling the book56:30 How global power shifts change narratives01:04:30 Does Hamas introspect?01:12:30 What will happen to Gaza

Episode 30 - Understanding Hamas and why it matters | Helena Cobban | UNAPOLOGETIC |

“We have not even scratched the surface of the crimes Israel has truly committed”Former BBC journalist Karishma Patel left the BBC because of what she perceived as its editorial “double-standards” while reporting on Israel's military assault on Gaza.In this episode of Unapologetic, she takes us into the newsroom of the BBC and show’s us just how the BBC built an “Orwellian” atmosphere around coverage of Israel’s war crimes in Gaza.UNAPOLOGETIC is hosted by Ashfaaq CarimChapters01:01 Intro01:15 Welcome to unapologetic01:36 BBC an 'Orwellian' space03:20 Confronting management at the BBC08:05 Her role at the BBC09:47 Are BBC journalists ignoring or dismissing the evidence against Israel14:14 BBC coverage post October 202318:02 confrontational organising in the BBC19:41 journalists self censoring themselves25:19 her own self censoring30:56 embarrassment of the BBC's coverage36:45 the term 'Genocide'40:34 the bias of the BBC continuing until this day44:19 the BBC relying on 'authority sources'47:55 Palestinian journalists killed by Israel54:16 her aspirations when joining the BBC59:54 what she's learned the last 16 months01:03:18 Miss universe great britain01:04:46 how will history judge the BBC coverage / where will the BBC be in a decade01:10:28 outro

Episode 29 - Inside the nuts and bolts of the BBC’s “Orwellian” coverage of Gaza | Karishma Patel | UNAPOLOGETIC

In this episode of UNAPOLOGETIC, we speak with Gideon Levy, one of Israel’s most outspoken and controversial journalists. A longtime Haaretz journalist and columnist, Levy has spent decades documenting the occupation and challenging dominant Israeli narratives. We discuss Israel’s latest assault on Gaza, Netanyahu’s political calculations, and how Israeli society has responded. We also explore how the media and culture has eroded Israeli Israel’s, the future of Gaza and the West Bank, Palestinian leadership, and what a just resolution to the conflict might look like.Finally, Levy reflects on his own political transformation and what it has cost him to tell the truth in his society.UNAPOLOGETIC is hosted by Ashfaaq Carim

Episode 28 -  My life, covering Israeli war crimes for decades | Gideon Levy | UNAPOLOGETIC

Author, thinker and activist Iyad el-Baghdadi joins us on this episode of UNAPOLOGETIC to break down the impact of Israel’s war in Gaza and its wider consequences for the region.We explore Baghdadi’s hypothesis on whether Israel can survive as a Jewish supremacist state beyond the 2030s and whether a Palestinian state is still viable. We also discuss what the Arab response to Trump’s Gaza proposal reveals about regional politics. How has Israel’s genocide reshaped alliances, including Saudi-Iran relations, Egypt’s role and the UAE’s stance? What kind of normalisation is possible now, and how does it differ from the pre-Gaza war landscape?Baghdadi also reflects on his own exile from the UAE, the fragility of Arab regimes, and Mohammed bin Salman’s vision for Saudi Arabia. Is the crown prince building a new regional order, and what is the opportunity cost of his ambition?Baghdadi has also co-authored of The Middle East Crisis Factory and is the founder of the Kawaakibi FoundationUNAPOLOGETIC is Hosted by Ashfaaq Carim

Episode 27: This is why Israel as an ethno-nationalist state, won’t last beyond the 2030s | Iyad el-Baghdadi | UNAPOLOGETIC (Full)

Egyptian activist and blogger Hossam el-Hamalawy joins us on this episode of UNAPOLOGETIC to speak about how Egypt has changed under Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and how Israel’s war and genocide in Gaza has affected his rule.In this extended interview el-Hamalawy recalls the context of the revolution that overthrew Hosni Mubarak’s rule, why Mohamed Morsi lost power and Sisi’s coup. We explore how suppression and economic mismanagement under Sisi have weakened the Egyptian state. When Israel’s war on Gaza broke out, an injection of loans into Egypt kept the economy afloat, but 16 months later that now means Egypt’s national debt is much higher. That, coupled with uneasiness over what may still happen to the people in Gaza and Sisi’s conduct during the war and his 11-year suppression of his people, has left him vulnerableUNAPOLOGETIC is hosted by Ashfaaq Carim 

Episode 26:  How has Israel's war in Gaza weakened Sisi's rule? | Hossam el-Hamalawy | UNAPOLOGETIC

In this extended interview, Mustafa Barghouti, general secretary of the Palestinian National Initiative, reacts to the statements and plans and remarks of U.S. President Donald Trump, who has made it clear that his intention is for the U.S to “have” Gaza and to clear out the Palestinians so that it can be rebuilt.Barghouti also speaks about how Israel has stepped up attacks on the West Bank, and how ethnic cleansing there has accelerated. He draws on the history of the conflict to show how Israel has always intended to ethnically cleanse historical Palestine completely. Despite this, Mustafa Barghouti remains defiant and says that Palestinians would rather “die”, than be forced to leave their homelands, again.Chapters:00:00 Intro01:55 reaction to Trump and King Abdullah presser11:45 What do you know of the Arab response?18:30 Gaza’s defiance27:00 West Bank and prisoners33:45 How much legitimacy has the PA lost?38:15 Palestinian liberation connected to greater Arab liberation42:00 Is there an ally in the new Syria?45:30 Do you fear for your own life, final thoughts

Episode 25: Palestinians defiantly would “die here and not leave”| Mustafa Barghouti | UNAPOLOGETIC

In an extended interview, Norman Finkelstein, the political analyst and author who has studied Palestine and Israel for decades, speaks to us about the fate facing Palestinians.Finkelstein gives his frank views on how Israel, along with the Trump administration, will continue and accelerate its plan to ethnically cleanse Palestinians as much as they can in the area between the River Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea.Over the course of the discussion, Finkelstein speaks about how the current ceasefire is just a temporary respite. We discuss the feasibility of Donald Trump and BenjaminNetenyahu’s idea to transfer the people of Gaza elsewhere, how Jordan and Egypt will react to that, what it means for broader Israeli and Arab normalisation, international law and Israel’s record of trying to evade international justice, the tenuous position of the current president of the International Court of Justice, Julia Sebutinde. We also take in a short history of Palestinian resistance and Hamas’ historical efforts at diplomacy. And we speak about Finkelstein’s reflections over the last year on the devastation that Israel’s genocide has wreaked, his family and why he has dedicated so much of his time to studying and advocating for justice.Chapters:00:00 Intro02:57 Ceasefire and potential transfer13:05 How feasible is a forced exodus31:04 Scale of destruction and annexation of the West Bank47:04 What about Egypt and Jordan53:06 Israel and the long arc of history01:05:00 Israel’s dark arts with international justice01:24:00 Julia Sebutinde compromised01:42:00 Does international law still matter?01:53:00 A short history of Palestinian resistance02:08:00 Finkelstein’s family and interest in Palestine02:16:30 Is this the lowest point for the Palestinian struggle?

Episode 24: "Israel's masterplan…to ethnically cleanse Gaza" | Norman Finkelstein | UNAPOLOGETIC

Anat Matar is an Israeli academic and philosopher who is leading an open call from Israelis to have sanctions imposed on their own country.Since Israel’s genocide in Gaza began after the events of 7 October, Matar and a few other Israelis have seen the social space around them get narrower and narrower, as mainstream Israeli society, educators, media institutions and leaders have stood behind Israel’s war. As we reflect in our conversation, some parts of Israeli society may differ on the tactics being used, but the vast majority stand behind the army's actions on the whole and defend or deny their country’s obvious and very visible atrocities.This episode was recorded on 11 November 2024.00:00 Intro05:25 Macabe Tel Aviv slogans and Israeli media08:30 How Israeli society justifies war crimes11:30 What are anti-government protests in Israel all about?16:20 The open letter to sanction Israel20:20 What was the societal discourse like 18 months ago24:00 Academic and social media freedoms in Israel33:00 Situation for Palestinians who are Israeli citizens37:40 What has happened to the media in Israel - Haaretz41:51 Is Israel safe for you?45:00 Anat’s early life and childhood48:00 Oslo accords’ shortcomings and settlers53:45 Endgame for Gantz, Lieberman and Lapid58:30 Israel’s expansionist nature01:03:30 Zionism’s future and normalisation01:09:40 Will the call for sanctions work?01:14:20 What will the legacy of the genocide be in Israel

Episode 23 - How large parts of Israeli society have come to justify war crimes | Anat Matar | UNAPOLOGETIC

Gamal Mansour is a Syrian-Palestinian who was forced to move to Canada in 2012, as the Syrian uprising was turning into a civil war.Mansour is also a political scientist who is currently researching strategies that the business sector under the Assad regime employed so that they could remain autonomous from the state.In this marathon three-hour conversation, Gamal Mansour and the host Ashfaaq Carim discuss the genesis of the Syrian uprising amidst the Arab Spring and how it turned into a civil war; what the impact and scale of the war was both in terms of human devastation and in terms of ideological impact it had in the West and the Arab world, as Europe and North America moved to the right and Islamic State was born; and how brutal and devastating Assad's tactics in the war were.They try to make sense of all the conflicting voices that are clashing over what the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham liberation of Damascus means, and are critical of the reluctance amongst the anti-US-imperial left to embrace the new reality in Damascus as most Syrians are.

Epiosde 22 - What exactly happened in Syria’s 13-year civil war | Gamal Mansour | UNAPOLOGETIC

“In Israel they are either bigots, fanatics, sometimes murderous ones… and they are cowards… and unfortunately there is no brave figure that I can see” - Offer Cassif, Israeli MPIsraeli MP Offer Cassif has been staunchly against Israel’s long occupation of Palestine and has been highly critical of Israel’s genocide in Gaza. The coalition he is a part of  consists of only five seats out of 120 in the Israeli Knesset.He joined us for a second time on UNAPOLOGETIC to discuss how Israeli society is largely embracing its leadership’s descent into a “fully fledged fascist dictatorship”.Chapters00:00 Intro01:10 The war and Israeli society’s response07:37  Understanding the thinking of the Israeli government - subjugation plan16:58 The genocide and the international reaction to it23:02 How can this war be scaled back and ICC warrants?28:52 The make-up of the Israeli Knesset34:02 Going back to Rafah36:58 Unpacking the forged documents scandal42:00 Would Gantz or Lapid be any different?52:58 How a negotiated peace can occur - South Africa1:03:03 Unpacking resistance inside Israel1:07:00 Internal repression in Israel01:11:07 Is Israel sustainable? 01:16:30 Juxtaposing Palestinian dignity with Israel

Episode 21 -  Is Israel descending into a ‘fully fledged fascist dictatorship’? | Israeli MP Offer Cassif | UNAPOLOGETIC

Professor Roy Casagranda is an expert in history and political science.He has hosted a series of lectures that are available on YouTube explaining the history of the Americas, the slave trade, colonialism, and the Arab world and the Middle East.In this extended interview, Casagranda takes us on a history lesson that includes the Sykes-Picot agreement, CIA-orchestrated coups in Syria and Iran, various wars, doctrines, betrayals and policies that show just how damaging and cynical US meddling in the Middle East has been over the last century.

Episode 20 - 100-year history of US meddling, coups and wars in the Middle East | Roy Casagranda | UNAPOLOGETIC

South Africa’s former minister of international relations, Naledi Pandor, speaks to us about the why South Africa took Israel to court for genocide. We also speak about why the world has still not yet intervened decisively and has allowed Israel to continue its onslaught in Gaza, whether international institutions will break down under a new Trump presidency and in the aftermath of Israel’s impunity, changes in global power away from the North towards a more multipolar reality, and what can be done to stop Israel.Pandor grew up in a political family and as a child she was exiled from South Africa to go to Lesotho, Zambia and the United Kingdom, where her family contributed to South Africa’s freedom struggle. She draws on that experience and from her experience as being part of South Africa’s democratic government for three decades to tell us the challenges that lie ahead for Palestinian liberation and offers advice on how that road can be trodden.

Episode 19 - The global fight to isolate Israel as a “pariah state” | South Africa’s Naledi Pandor | UNAPOLOGETIC

“Fighting racism in silos that was invented by racism doesn’t make any sense.”Rachel Shabi is an author, journalist and commentator, and she has recently published her second book, Off-White: The Truth About Antisemitism.Shabi joined us for a conversation about her book, the fate of Arab-Jewish identity, how Israel’s war on Gaza is polarising global society and how the racist logic that defined so many colonial crimes is still at play today, justifying war crimes in the last few decades.Chapters00:00 Intro 02:04 How significant is the war in Gaza06:24 Why you chose to write Off-White and being an Iraqi Jew12:30 How did 7th October impact Off-White15:30 The wealth and loss of her Arab-Jewish identity19:25 Arab-Jewish displacement from origin countries27:30 Journey with Palestinian liberation31:10 The Iraq war36:20 The fakery of whiteness and origins of antisemitism42:20 Haven't all empires weaponised racism?47:54 How the US policy in the Middle East fuels antisemitic tropes53:15 Why does racist bias self-perpetuate and its consequences01:03:02 How can Jewish societies be safe01:08:12 What will be the future of Israel-Palestine?01:10:14 The single takeaway from your book, Off-White

Episode 18 - The problem with "whiteness" and how its unleashed all types or racisms | Rachel Shabi | UNAPOLOGETIC

“I think the Arab leaders are going to be the victims of this genocide in Gaza.”Wadah Khanfar is the founder and executive director of the Al-Sharq Forum. He is also the former director general of the Al Jazeera Media Network.We speak to Khanfar about Gaza, the prospect of regional war, what it means to be a Palestinian and an Arab at this moment in time, and how the frustration being felt by Arabs due to “genocide” in Gaza will manifest itself.Khanfar also recalls his time as a journalist in Afghanistan and Iraq and how the challenges he faced there compare with what journalists in Gaza are going through now. And he speaks about what inspired him to write his book, The first Spring, which is about what drove the strategic goals of the Prophet Muhammad. 

Episode 17: "The more the US interfere, the more they are hated" | Wadah Khanfar | UNAPOLOGETIC

In a conversation with Dr. Azzam Tamimi - who is a scholar of political science and has written books on the history of Hamas - we discuss the legacy of Yahya Sinwar.Was it a miscalculation for Israel to release footage of how the Hamas leader was killed? What will it mean for the war? What are Israel's war ambitions and will they succeed?

Episode 16: Has Israel immortalised the memory of Yahya Sinwar ? | Dr. Azzam Tamimi | UNAPOLOGETIC

“It’s not just that the US is complicit in this genocide, the US itself is responsible for this genocide”.A year after the events of 7 October, Joseph Massad speaks about Israel's response and what it has all meant and could mean for the region.Massad speaks about how Israel acts as an extension of US imperial policy. His unapologetic analysis is that it’s an “absurd argument” that the US is being dragged into wars it does not want by Israel and rather the the US has “pushed Israel to be more aggressive in the region since 1967”.We also speak about the prospect of regional war and how that will play out, the response of Arab countries which in his view have continued to support Israel, how the media have covered the last year, what has driven the devastation in Gaza, the future of the region and so much more.

Episode 15 - How Israel functions as an extension of US Imperial interests | Joseph Massad | UNAPOLOGETIC

Saying it is antisemitic to oppose genocide is the most antisemitic statement of all"Who is Jill Stein?In this extended interview, Jill Stein speaks about what drives her to want to change the way the USA is governed. We speak about her early life and the events and ideas that inspired her, and the experiences that convinced her that the best way to make the USA a better country - and more responsible global power - is to try and challenge the political status quo, in particular the machinery of the Democratic and Republican parties. She talks about why she chose to do this from outside the machine as a Green Party candidate.She speaks about how “the squad” of Democratic progressives in Congress have inevitably lost their ability to influence change due to the corrosive nature of party politics. Stein believes that the Democrats and Republicans are “evil parties”, one “conducting a genocide” and the other wanting to “dismantle nuclear weapons treaties”, and that neither party represents the American people.She is hopeful that the Green Party could quadruple the vote it achieved in the 2016 election, meaning it could gain almost six million votes.She says that in the unlikely event that she wins the election, she would immediately stop the “genocide in Gaza”.

Episode 14: The woman trying to upend the U.S political system | Jill Stein | UNAPOLOGETIC

“That’s part of an empire that has grown rich and grown powerful but refuses to grow up” - Cornel West.In an impassioned and lengthy conversation, Dr Cornel West unapologetically shares moments from his life that shaped him and his ideas and inspired his decision to run as a US presidential candidate.He reflects on his upbringing in the West household, the influence that his parents had on him, how his grandmother was left to bleed to death on the stairs of a whites-only hospital at the age of 31 and how his uncle was lynched.Dr West also speaks about the influence that Malcolm X and Dr Martin Luther King had on him, his years studying and teaching at Harvard, Princeton and Yale, and how the civil rights movement has evolved throughout his life. He addresses his “critical” support for and eventual disillusionment with Barack Obama, as well as the reasons behind his current presidential run, Israel’s war crimes in Gaza and the “hypocrisy”, “mendacity” and “criminality” of the US political system.

Episode 13: The life and thoughts of Dr Cornel West | UNAPOLOGETIC

Andrew Feinstein was born in South Africa in the 1960s, during the era of grand apartheid. He joined the struggle for a free South Africa, and was deployed by Nelson Mandela to serve in South Africa’s democratically elected parliament.The corruption he saw in the higher echelons of power through arms deals led him to move to the UK, where he subsequently wrote multiple books that investigated corruption in the global arms trade.Feinstein is a Jew. His mother survived the Gestapo by hiding in a coal cellar for three and a half years. His broad conviction to uphold human dignity and stand against all forms of discrimination was embedded in him through his mum’s nurturing. For this reason he opposes Israel, which he believes is an apartheid state that is much worse than the apartheid he witnessed and benefited from as a white South African.Feinstein is now running as an independent candidate for his constituency in central London, Holborn and St Pancras, against the Labour Party leader, Keir Starmer.If he succeeds, Labour may be forced to choose a new leader, who is also heavily tipped to be the UK’s next PM.In this episode of UNAPOLOGETIC Andrew Feinstein shares his life experiences and tells us why international law and civility are at stake at this present moment.

Episode 12 - The anti-apartheid activist who could stop the UK’s likely next PM | Andrew Feinstein | UNAPOLOGETIC

“There shall be no trace of Palestinian society, culture, history because they going to be wiped out… This is I think the plan for the Zionists.”Mads Gilbert is a Norwegian anesthesiologist and emergency medicine specialist who has made frequent trips since 1982 to Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, the West Bank and Gaza to help deliver urgent medical care to Palestinian victims of Israeli atrocities.On UNAPOLOGETIC he shares his experiences, and how by providing medical services he has come to understand both Israel and the Palestinian liberation struggle against occupation and colonisation. He is a firm advocate on the right for Palestinians to resist the occupation with arms within the confines of International law.He is a firm advocate on the right for Palestinians to resist the occupation with arms within the confines of International law.

Episode 11: The doctor who’s witnessed Israel’s wars on Palestinians since 1982 | Mads Gilbert | UNAPOLOGETIC

Ofer Cassif represents the Hadash Party in the Israeli Knesset and he has been openly calling Israel’s actions in Gaza a ‘genocide’.In this extended interview, Cassif gives insights into the political climate inside Israeli society and the Israeli government. He speaks about the “subjugation” plan, a document put forth by far-right members of the Israeli government (who are now key figures in the leading coalition) which details how what he says is a plan to either ethnically cleanse greater Israel from Palestinians or have them continue living under an ever-increasing brutal occupation that makes life for Palestinians in the occupied territories unliveable.Cassif also speaks about how Netanyahu is “terrified” about proceedings at the ICJ, how Israeli society is becoming increasingly polarised, how Israel has already moved towards a “fascist” reality and how the government is using October 7th to make Israel a fully fledged "autocratic state".He also speaks about his early life and how his political views developed despite of the cultural climate in Israel where “brainwashing” was rampant.00:00 Intro01:15 How has the knesset responded to you03:40 What kind of home and society did Ofer live in07:30 Brainwashing in Israeli society12:30 being conscripted into the Israeli army14:25 being the first person imprisoned to refuse to serve 17:00 Studying in London influence of Yeshayahu Leibowitz19:30 How "Judaeo Nazism" was born21:45 Losing friends on October 7th and Israel's brutal reaction24:45 Fascism becoming mainstream in Israel and police brutality28:00 We are "in the midst of a cold civil war"30:30 Climate in Israel before October 7th - protests33:00 How the government is using Gaza to make Israel an autocratic state36:00 The subjugation plan39:00 How would you have responded to October 7th if you were PM41:57 Cassif's vision for a solution44:30 What to do about settlers and right of return48:29 Gaza, Rafah and international pressure50:30 Netanyahu is a "psychopath"53:30 Biden's double standards55:30 Factors that determine a "wider operation in Gaza"58:30 Netanyahu is terrified about the ICJ1:00:30 how does international pressure impact Israeli society1:03:00 False claims of anti-semitism1:05:00 Will Israeli society have a reckoning1:07:25 How the society is being split1:10:05 Justice for Gaza - How?1:13:15 Let's hope there is no wider operation against Rafah

Episode 10: The Israeli MP standing against his own country’s ‘genocide’ | Ofer Cassif | UNAPOLOGETIC

Hamid Dabashi is an Iranian-American professor at Columbia University. He has authored more than 20 books and has expertise in subject areas including Iran, US foreign policy, the Middle East, identity politics and empire. Dabashi grew up in Ahvaz in Iran, moved to Tehran in the 1970s and then relocated to the USA with his family in 1976.In this interview he speaks about what life was like growing up in an Iran that was ruled by the CIA-backed shah and what it was like experiencing the Iranian revolution from afar, seeing the repressive regime of the Shah being replaced by a repressive theocracy.Dabashi then touches on confronting the US empire and white supremacy as a brown-skinned Muslim in a period when the US has been engaged in wars in Arab and Muslim lands. He recollects his long-standing friendship with the Palestinian intellectual Edward Said and how they as faculty of Columbia University along with other colleagues planted seeds that have blossomed into what have become solidarity protests with the Palestinian national cause on Columbia’s campus, which he describes as a “glorious sight”.Dabashi believes that zionism, white supremacy and any other settler colonial ideology will inevitably be doomed.  Hosted by Ashfaaq Carim00:00 Intro00:55 Impact of growing up in Iran, two years after Mossadegh was removed by the CIA04:58 Life in Ahwaz, cosmopolitan family, vodka and Umm Kulthoom07:49 Was the repression under the shah apparent and June 1963 uprising10:10 Political discussion inside the Dabashi household11:10 Going to study undergraduate degree in Tehran in the 1970s13:20 Getting an education be reading banned books15:00 The sense of subversiveness in1970s Iran under the Shah 17:30 Gained in translation - learning from anti-colonials around the world20:08 Immigrating to the USA in 1976 - did you feel a revolution was on the way24:15 Living in the USA while the Iranian revolution is taking place26:15 Your own sentiments on the Iranian revolution28:00 How Khomeini crushed opposition 30:45 Limited media access in the USA to understand the revolution32:15 What does't the west understand about Iran - immigrants civilising the pallet of the USA35:00 On becoming more rooted in the USA37:00 Did you think the Mullahs would still be in charge of Iran for so long39:00 Edward Said and the exilic condition40:48 Why would Iran unravel42:15 How has living inside of empire changed you - 9/11 and the Gulf Wars45:00 Becoming more conscious of being a muslim after 9/1148:15 U.S moving away from real politik and into ideological white supremacy51:00 When BLM took statues down and the racism of European enlightenment55:00 How has Zionism used white supremacy59:45 When Hamid Dabashi and Edward Said first tried to do a divestment campaign at Columbia01:03:00 On being a subversive academic01:06:00 The importance and diversity of the present protests01:07:30 Attempts to delegitimise the protests are futile - The NYT should be studied for bias01:10:30 The juxtaposition of calling out empire while being in the centre of empire01:12:50 When Edward Said was demonised01:16:20 Being critical of everything is liberating01:18:20 What would Edward Said's reaction be to all that is going on01:22:00 When will we see Palestinian liberation01:24:30 One state solution is the only solution01:27:00 The protestors are the moral conscious of the time01:28:00 Judaism is being liberated from zionism01:29:14 Who's gonna save humanity from white supremacy

Episode 9 - The decline of the US empire and what replaces it | Hamid Dabashi | UNAPOLOGETIC

“You (the coloniser) must punish them (the colonised) with a scale of violence that mocks the resistance”Professor Rudolph Ware, also known as Butchware on social media, speaks about his upbringing and how reading the autobiography of Malcolm X inspired him.He shares his thoughts on how he believes Malcolm X would have responded to the 7 October attacks, the important legacy and “moral obligation” to resist colonialism and how that applies to Palestinians.Professor Ware explains how ‘exemplary violence’ was used to dehumanise slaves and how it is being applied by Israel in Palestine right now, while “liberal” media and “liberal” powers provide cover.He also speaks about white supremacy. He criticises people who are platforming Candace Owens on Palestine as “hurtful” to the black community and damaging to fostering true solidarity. He pulls no punches. Shaun King, LeBron James, Colin Kaepernick, Trevor Noah and the “crocodile tears” that are used to justify the spilling of the blood of brown and black people all come under the microscope.00:00 intro00:57 Professor Rudoplh Ware aka Dr. Belal01:48 Any thinking black man in America is an expert on white supremacy02:26 The drumbeat for dehumanization after October 7th06:12 expand on 'they will kill your name and say that you liked it' 07:40 "Do you condemn Hamas" as the question that precedes all other questions08:50 Butchware's upbringing11:30 world flips when moving to white suburbs13:17 Deciding to study history and Malcolm X15:00 Reading the autobiograohy of Malcolm X19:45 how would Malcolm X would have responded to the events of Oct 7th?23:40 Hamas's resistance within the framework of the power imbalance27:30 The fiqh of fighting, resistance and being outnumbered29:18 Exemplary violence, how it works and how it is being applied in Palestine34:00 Zionism as White supremacy and disparity of violence38:00 On being ambivalent about the genocide41:20 on Mandela, if peace is not an option to move forward then you should fight42:18 Weaponising white femininty to unleash violence on non-whites47:20 White supremacy being dismantled47:39 do you think that white supremacy is on the decline and why?52:30 Zionims on its last gasp55:40 support for Palestine vs opportunism, Candace Owen and Tucker Carlson01:02:00 Palestinian Resistance does not need Shaun King01:10:20 liberalism as a cover for Atrocities and how that works01:16:22 white supremacists vs liberal white supremacists01:19:40 liberal white supremacists' biggest fight with white supremacists is over the story that is being told01:22:25 are these protests different because the kids protesting are dissasociating from the problem of liberalism01:29:13 Nixon pulled out of Vietnam01:33:13  Lebron James, Colin Kaepernick and Trevor Noah01:37:19 the double standards of the media, the shift in the official/media narrative, no lessons learnt from the Iraq war 01:44:04 unfinished question - on Israel losing/the Palestinians not giving up1:46:30 Can the USA save itself01:49:43 outro

Episode 8  - Malcolm X, Resistance, Palestine and dismantling white supremacy | Prof. Rudolph Ware | UNAPOLOGETIC

Miko Peled is the son of a decorated Israeli general. His grandfather was one of 37  Israelis who signed Israel’s declaration of independence.His mother came from a wealthy family of “blue-blooded” Zionists, yet even though she has lived her whole life in support of Israel, she would lament to her son about the unfortunate ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from Jerusalem in 1948. Peled had his doubts about Israel’s occupation ever since its actions in Lebanon in 1982, but his eyes were fully opened after he did a tour of the occupied territories in the early 2000s. It was then clear to him that Israel was involved in what is now an “eight decades-long ethnic cleansing and genocide” of Palestinians.Peled believes that Israel will stop at nothing if given the opportunity to completely ethnically cleanse Gaza and the West Bank; it’s just a matter of when and how.The only thing that will stop Israel, he believes, is if the international community forces it to, by imposing "sanctions immediately".00:00 Intro00:57 Growing up as the proud son of an Israeli general02:30 Grandfather was on of 25 people who signed Israel's declaration of Independence03:30 Father's role in pushing a two-state solution05:15 Influence of Mother who was "zionist blue blood" 07:00 Mom's recollection of the ethnic cleansing of Jerusalem in 194808:45 Cognitive dissonance and living with contradictions10:25 Israel's invasion of Lebanon in 198212:30 Sabra and Shatila Massacres and the bombing of Beirut being eye-opening13:45 Embarking on the Journey of an Israeli in Palestine and meeting Palestinians15:45 Niece killed in 1997 by a suicide bomber17:30 Confronting Ehud Barak at the funeral19:05 The two state solution was never taken seriously by Israel21:15 The path of tears24:00:00 The only solution a complete solution with full rights to Palestinians25:50:00 Has Israeli society changed much in the last 20 years?28:00:00 Israeli society has been racist for eight decades now29:30:00 I've always been weary that Israel's brutality could get more horrific31:30:00 The only way to stop this "genocide" is to force an end to it33:00:00 October 7th  and Israel being a "paper tiger"35:00:00 The U.S, UK and others are completely complict and their stances will not change37:00:00 Protests are great but we need to be meeting with those in power39:00:00 This could be a watershed moment or a footnote40:00:00 Israel's end game is ethnic cleansing - the world needs a response42:00:00 Conditions in Gaza, people are dying from small cuts43:30:00 Israel is the problem45:00:00 We need sanctions now, not the next generation

Episode 7 - Miko Peled: The Israeli dissident whose family was the "who's who of Zionism" | UNAPOLOGETIC

“It became almost part of American values, post 9/11, to demonise the Middle East.”Jess Natale created the Instagram account So.Informed in 2020 so that she could keep her colleagues who were campaigning for Bernie Sanders up to date with information and facts that were well sourced.Once Bernie dropped out, the account became a reference that sourced reliable information that aimed to pushback against misinformation being spread by Donald Trump supporters.Now, four years later, So.informed has 3.1 million followers, unapologetically criticises Israel’s occupation and atrocities, and strongly advocates for a free Palestine.In this episode of UNAPOLOGETIC we speak with the person behind the account, Jess Natale, who tells us why she started the account, how her perspectives were shaped by her country’s and father’s reaction to 9/11. How she learnt about Israel’s occupation of Palestine and the content journey she has been on with so.informed since it began.Other episodes of UNAPOLOGETIC can be seen here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMyaP73Ho1ySmZCDwUxqccJkdFSC27TTI&si=nmawha50CjsLmV4wChapters00:00 Intro01:00 Lessons from the last six months01:45 Starting so.informed, Trump and Bernie05:10 How do you manage to run so.informed07:30 Thoughts on mainstream media11:00 Moving from presenting information to having a voice13:05 May 2021 Covering West Bank and the reaction to that15:00 Receiving death threats17:30 influence of the Iraq War and 9/1120:00 hate crime at a gas station and relationship with her father23:30 How has the page been received since doubling down on Palestine.25:00 Shutting down thinking about followers27:15 Being disappointed with Bernie Sanders and AOC reaction to Gaza31:30 Will the U.S government become more humane on Palestine?34:00 Special interest groups or plain old white supremacy36:00 What will the USA be like in 2040?38:30 Stuck between Genocide Joe and Donald Trump, what do voters do?41:00 Would Obama or Bernie done a better job the Joe on Gaza43:30 Will the world heal from this atrocity46:00 Iran has had no affect of protest action47:30 The settler apartheid state needs to come to an end50:00 The spirit of PalestiniansSubscribe to our channel: http://ow.ly/AVlW30n1OWHSubscribe to MEE Telegram channel to stay up to date: https://t.me/MiddleEastEye_TGMiddle East Eye Website: https://middleeasteye.netFollow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@middleeasteyeFollow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/MiddleEastEyeLike us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/MiddleEastEyeFollow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiddleEastEye

Episode 6: So.Informed - The Instagram account with 3.1 million followers and why it supports Palestine | UNAPOLOGETIC

Rabbi Elhanan Beck has lived outside of Israel since he was three years old, this is despite the fact that his family lineage in what he calls “Palestine” goes back seven generations.Beck stands with what he says are the vast majority of Orthodox Jews who strongly oppose Israel. Their reason: The Jewish religious principle that Jews need to live in exile until the “peaceful” arrival of the messiah, and because of the “oppression” and “brutality” that Israel is built upon.In this in-depth interview Rabbi Elhanan speaks about Judaism, Israel and Zionism and reacts to what he openly calls Israel’s “genocide” in Gaza.00:00 Intro00:56 Rabbi early life and connection to the holocaust04:41 Life in England and anti-Israel activism09:02 Judaism as a religion vs a race or state12:53 The idea of Jewish people being in exile and what it means13:30 What is Zionism15:49 Zionism and Judaism - compatibility22:20 The Rabbi's perception of non-religious Jews28:28 The Problem with Zionism32:27 Orthodox Jews and the state of Israel35:27 How Zionism adopted some Orthodox Rabbis38:27 The Orthodox Rabbi's who support Israel?40:27 Jewish persecution in Europe 42:27 Jews who live in the muslim world44:27 How Mossad created a rift between Jews and Muslim Arabs46:27 Jewish rabbi speaks about no anti-semitism in Iran48:27 What about having a fair and just Jewish state52:49 Why some Orthodox Rabbi's support Zionism - protection vs belief58:49 Isreal is the most unsafe place for Jewish people01:03:54 Media doesn't show Orthodox Jews who are anti-zionist01:04:59 taking a moment to break fast01:06:33 Did he Rabbi always want to be a Rabbi01:07:55 When did the state of Israel first hurt you?01:09:12 How would you feel if you were in Gaza01:11:55 Palestinian relationship with Jews01:15:15 The Rabbi's feelings on Hamas and October 7th01:18:15 Why Israel as a state cannot succeed01:21:27

Episode 5: The story of the orthodox Jews that oppose Israel | Rabbi Elhanan Beck | UNAPOLOGETIC

This is Al Jazeera’s Youmna El Sayed’s harrowing, nearly three hour account of all that she witnessed while covering Gaza.Youmna El Sayed has reported from Gaza for more than a decade. She was in Gaza on 7 October when Hamas attacked Israel and then remained in Gaza covering Israel's assault on the strip. In this in-depth conversation over nearly three hours she recollects events as she remembers them unfolding. From waking to the sound of rockets being fired into Israel on 7 October, to then finding herself and her family forcibly displaced five times in the ensuing bombardment as she covered the war.She speaks about the scarcity of food and water, losing colleagues who were killed, needing to evacuate her family while fearing for their lives, literally stepping over the remains of dead bodies, and so much moreThrough all of the above El Sayed continued her work as a journalist for Al Jazeera until she and her family managed to evacuate Gaza to Cairo, where they are presently living.She also speaks about the challenges that now face her and her family and the residents of Gaza as many of them face a future where they do not know if they will ever be able to go back to their homes which now lie in ruins.CHAPTERS00:00 Intro01:10 what can you remember about October 7th04:00 Going to the bureau and starting to cover the war06:30 thoughts on what Israel's retaliation would have been 09:30 Preparing your family for what is going to happen12:11 Not being able to be close to your family as bombs are falling on your neighbourhood 18:15 My kids we terrified, only able to sleep in my arms20:12 Palestinians don't have choices, they just need to endure23:23 Bombardments of the night vs bombardments of the day26:44 Leaving home37:06 Having no water or food38:04 how what you see changes your soul39:52 Bearing witness to what I never thought I would see43:45 The child with the blue backpack01:00:55 On Joe biden01:09:24 Bombing Jabaliyah refugee camp and almost dying01:14:17 If we die, we all die together as a family01:17:38 anonymous call 01:24:39 we will be killed because of you01:26:40 when I started to feel that I would be killed because I was a journalist01:27:52 Youmna and family leave Gaza city for a 2nd time01:32:29 taking shelter with 60  people in a small apartment building01:39:57 bodies decomposing on roads and crossings01:44:36 having conversations on leaving Gaza and where to go01:52:26 Walking to Khan Younis with Wael Dahdouh01:56:43 Walking through the corridor of death02:00:39 ceasefire and going to the beach02:05:44 Isreal begins ground operation in Khan Younis, going to Rafah02:09:39 How Youmna and family left Gaza02:14:38 having fate that they would be able to leave02:17:08 adjusting to life in Cairo and PTSD02:23:40 On losing Al Jazeera colleague and friends - Samer and Hamza02:28:47 What if there is no Gaza to return to02:32:48 Where will Palestinians in Gaza go to02:34:05 Will Gaza be ethnically cleansed02:37:19 What does accountability look like02:41:00 consequences of there being no accountabilitySubscribe to our channel: http://ow.ly/AVlW30n1OWHSubscribe to MEE Telegram channel to stay up to date: https://t.me/MiddleEastEye_TGMiddle East Eye Website: https://middleeasteye.netFollow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@middleeasteyeFollow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/MiddleEastEyeLike us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/MiddleEastEyeFollow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiddleEastEye

Episode 4: Youmna El Sayed’s harrowing journalistic account of what is unfolding in Gaza | UNAPOLOGETIC

Over the course of a lengthy discussion, Mustafa Barghouti recollects his life from growing up as a child in Ramallah, which was then controlled by Jordan, to the present Israeli assault on Gaza. Topics covered include how the 1967 War and subsequent Israeli occupation changed his life and propelled him to become a medical doctor and into political activism, studying medicine abroad. He describes life under occupation and the hopes that the First Intifada brought, the failed Oslo peace process and his role in those negotiations, how he was shot in 1996 by Israeli security forces, the decades-long brutality of the Israeli army, the Second Intifada, the death of Yasser Arafat, Palestinian elections in 2006 and the civil war, the siege of Gaza. He talks about the 7 October, how the media perceives the current assault by Israel on Gaza, and the future of Palestinian liberation.Recorded on 22nd February 2024Topic breakdown00:00 - Intro00:37 - Growing up in Ramallah02:44 - Impact of the 1967 War and occupation05:55 - How occupation changed regular life07:17 - How long did you think the occupation will last08:54 - Why he studied Medicine in Russia13:25 - Life after returning home15:00 - The occupation tightening it's grip on Palestinians17:24 - Contributions as a medical doctor18:55 - Palestinian resistance before the 1987 uprising23:37 - Circumstances around the Oslo peace process26:35 - Israel's policy of breaking bones28:30 - The Oslo accords33:00 - How Oslo was doomed to fail34:31 - Netanyahu come to power in 199637:10 - thoughts on the 2nd uprising39:20 - Reflections on Yasser Arafat41:39 - 2006 election and civil war and siege45:27 - The situation on October 6th49:02 - October 7th and crisis in Gaza55:13 - Response to Israel's genocide and US position1:11:00 - Media bias and racism1:14:30 - Israel's intentions in Gaza1:18:30 - Inadequate world reaction1:22:15 - the way forward for Palestinians1:24:00 - hopes for the year 2050UNAPOLOGETIC is hosted by Ashfaaq Carim

Episode 3: Mustafa Barghouti - how his life changed in 1967, how he was short in the arm and the "terrible racism" he has faced in the media about Gaza | UNAPOLOGETIC

“I saw evidence that really challenged everything that I knew”Ilan Pappe shares how he came across historical documents back in 1978 that debunked  Zionist myths and set him off on his journey to becoming an Israeli dissident, why what is going on in Gaza is a ‘genocide’ that is much worse than the Nakba of 1948, and why he thinks Zionism is near its end.Episode Outline00:00 Introduction00:30 What was the Nakba?04:23 Zionist fabrications around the Nakba09:15 Gaza compared to 1948 Nakba12:12 Why did you decide to study the Nakba14:34 Meeting Palestinian academics17:00 False assumptions I took for granted19:07 How did you approach the documents21:10 how I became secure in my work and my findings21:45 being forced out of Haifa University24:40 life in Israel as a dissident27:30 Getting sh*t parcels in the mail29:30 Observations on Israeli society becoming racist32:30 The Israeli education system indoctrinating a new society36:25 Israel's ruthlessness in Gaza now38:30 Gaza a strategic challenge to Zionist project40:15 What happens in Gaza now43:30 What Israel is doing now will lead to a strategic loss for Israel45:00 Reasons why Zionism will come to an endUNAPOLOGETIC is hosted by Ashfaaq CarimRecorded on the 22nd February 2024Middle East Eye Website: https://middleeasteye.net

Episode 2: Ilan Pappe - how he became an Israeli dissident and on why Zionism will fail soon | UNAPOLOGETIC

‘I mean from October we were saying this is ethnic cleansing and these are war crimes… If you follow the statements from Israeli leaders and the indiscriminate bombing of Gaza…. It was clear what they doing…they were eliminating Gaza, making sure that life in Gaza would never be back [to] the same way it was.’In an extended interview, Reverend Dr Munther Isaac, the Lutheran pastor of Bethlehem, speaks about growing up under occupation, how Palestinian Christains have often been failed by the international Church, how the war in Gaza in an extension of colonialism and the world’s inaction to stop  what he says is a clear case of genocide and ethnic cleansing 