Occupied Thoughts

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with analyst Yousef Munayyer about shifts in US public policy and public opinion over the past 20 years and especially the last 2.5 years, including an analysis of the Biden Administration's support for Israeli genocide. They discuss the BDS movement and the impact of the Palestinian boycott of the New York Times in light of dispersed media access. Finally, drawing from the current landscape, they look ahead at coming threats and shifts. The conversation references this Intercept article, '“Between the Hammer and the Anvil”: The Story Behind the New York Times October 7 Exposé," from February 2024. Yousef Munayyer is Head of the Palestine/Israel Program and Senior Fellow at Arab Center Washington DC. He also serves as a member of the editorial committee of the Journal of Palestine Studies and was previously Executive Director of the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights. Dr. Munayyer holds a PhD in International Relations and Comparative Politics from the University of Maryland. Ahmed Moor is a Palestinian-American writer born in Gaza and a 2025 Fellow at FMEP. He is an advisory board member of the US Campaign for Palestinian rights, co-editor of After Zionism (Saqi Books) and is currently writing a book about Palestine. He also currently serves on the board of the Independence Media Foundation. His work has been published in The Guardian, The London Review of Books, The Nation, and elsewhere. He earned a BA at the University of Pennsylvania and an MPP at Harvard University. You can follow Ahmed on Substack at: https://ahmedmoor.substack.com Original music by Jalal Yaquoub.

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with Sarah Leah Whitson and Michael Omer-Man of DAWN, an organization supporting human rights and democracy in the Middle East & North Africa. They discuss the recently-published book that Whitson and Omer-Man co-authored, From Apartheid to Democracy: A Blueprint for Peace in Israel-Palestine. Practically, the book acts as a blueprint for ameliorating the conditions in Palestine-Israel today, such that the residents of the country may decide through democratic means how to organize society in the future. See more about the organization here: https://dawnmena.org/ and about the book here: https://www.ucpress.edu/books/from-apartheid-to-democracy/paper. Michael Omer-Man is Israel-Palestine Director at DAWN and former Editor in Chief of +972 Magazine. Sarah Leah Whitson is Executive Director of DAWN and former Executive Director of Human Rights Watch's Middle East and North Africa Division. Ahmed Moor is a Palestinian-American writer born in Gaza and a 2025 Fellow at FMEP. He is an advisory board member of the US Campaign for Palestinian rights, co-editor of After Zionism (Saqi Books) and is currently writing a book about Palestine. He also currently serves on the board of the Independence Media Foundation. His work has been published in The Guardian, The London Review of Books, The Nation, and elsewhere. He earned a BA at the University of Pennsylvania and an MPP at Harvard University. You can follow Ahmed on Substack at: https://ahmedmoor.substack.com Original music by Jalal Yaquoub.

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Hilary Rantisi speaks with Dr. Yousef Kamal AlKhouri, Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies and Academic Dean at Bethlehem Bible College and a Christian Arab Palestinian theologian from Gaza. They discuss the Christian community in Gaza, the importance of Gaza in Christianity and Christian history, and the destruction of Christians in Gaza, which Dr. AlKhouri has termed 'ecclesiocide.' They also discuss the new Kairos document, called Kairos II, launched in Bethlehem in November 2025. According to the Kairos Palestine Initiative, Kairos II "declares the reality in Palestine as genocide and ethnic cleansing, challenges Western silence, and introduces a theology of resistance linking faith with justice. It exposes internal crises and reshapes the role of Christians in the struggle for liberation." Read the Kairos II document here. Dr. Yousef Kamal AlKhouri (Ph.D., Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) is a Christian Arab Palestinian theologian from Gaza. He serves as Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies and Academic Dean at Bethlehem Bible College. He is a member of the steering committee of Christ at the Checkpoint and the board of Kairos Palestine. His research and publications, in Arabic and English, center on Palestinian theology, contextual biblical interpretation, and the witness of Christianity within the Palestinian experience. Hilary Rantisi grew up in Palestine and has been involved with education and advocacy on the Middle East since her move to the US. She is a 2025 Fellow at FMEP and was most recently the Associate Director of the Religion, Conflict and Peace Initiative (RCPI) and co-instructor of Learning in Context: Narratives of Displacement and Belonging in Israel/Palestine at Harvard Divinity School. She has over two decades of experience in institution building at Harvard, having been the Director of the Middle East Initiative (MEI) at Harvard Kennedy School of Government prior to her current role. She has a BA in Political Science/International Studies from Aurora University and a master’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Chicago. Before moving to the US, Hilary worked at Birzeit University and at the Jerusalem-based Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center. There, she co-edited a photo essay book Our Story: The Palestinians with the Rev. Naim Ateek. Original music by Jalal Yaquoub.

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with author Naomi Klein about her new essay, "Surrealism Against Fascism," (published in the Equator, 11/26/25), and the questions of whether we need new institutions, what happens next in Palestine, the meaning of fascism and what resistance to it can and may look like. Naomi Klein is an award-winning journalist, columnist, and the international bestselling author of nine books published in over 35 languages including No Logo, The Shock Doctrine, This Changes Everything, No Is Not Enough, On Fire, and Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World which won the inaugural Women's Prize for Non-Fiction in 2024. A columnist for The Guardian, and contributor to Zeteo, her writing has appeared in leading publications around the world. She is the honorary professor of Media and Climate at Rutgers University and is Associate Professor in Geography at the University of British Columbia where she is founding co-director of UBC's Centre for Climate Justice. Ahmed Moor is a Palestinian-American writer born in Gaza and a 2025 Fellow at FMEP. He is an advisory board member of the US Campaign for Palestinian rights, co-editor of After Zionism (Saqi Books) and is currently writing a book about Palestine. He also currently serves on the board of the Independence Media Foundation. His work has been published in The Guardian, The London Review of Books, The Nation, and elsewhere. He earned a BA at the University of Pennsylvania and an MPP at Harvard University. You can follow Ahmed on Substack at: https://ahmedmoor.substack.com Original music by Jalal Yaquoub.

FMEP fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with Peter Beinart (also an FMEP fellow) about Peter's decision to speak at Tel Aviv University, his apology for doing so, and criticisms of both.

FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor is joined by Palestinian analyst Tareq Baconi to discuss his newly published book, "Fire in Every Direction." For bios and resources, please visit: https://fmep.org/resource/queerness-and-li…ith-tareq-baconi/

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with Arielle Angel and Alissa Wise about Jewish navel-gazing, Jewish institutions, and growing the anti-Zionist movement. For bios and resources, please visit: https://fmep.org/resource/jewish_institutions_anti_zionism/

In this episode of FMEP's Occupied Thoughts podcast, FMEP President Lara Friedman speaks with Zo Brown (an alias), the founder of Databases for Palestine about the project, and about why actively working to preserve evidence and memory of Israel's genocide of Gaza -- and actively working to fight the erasure of both -- is central to the achievement of accountability and justice. You can follow the work of Databases for Palestine on X (https://x.com/databases4pal) and at https://databasesforpalestine.org/, and you can support it via Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/databases4pal).

FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with Annelle Sheline of the Quincy Institute about Jordan, the Gulf and US policy on Palestine. They also discuss the Biden administration's complicity in genocide, who is profiting from the mass killing, and what careerism means for those who have chosen to continue to serve in the State Dept. Resources and bios at: https://fmep.org/resource/jordan-the-gulf-and-american-policy-in-palestine/

FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with author and journalist Antony Loewenstein about his upbringing in Australia, his film "Germany's Israel Obsession", and the seminal book he published in 2023, "The Palestine Laboratory: How Israel Exports the Technology of Occupation Around the World", and the possibility of a one-state outcome after a genocide.

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with civil rights attorney and activist Huweida Arraf about Huweida's work to co-found the International Solidarity Movement as well as the different flotilla efforts, including the 2008 Freedom Flotilla, which arrived in Gaza; the 2010 Mavi Marmara, which was stormed by Israeli troops, who killed and injured participants; and the latest attempts to enter Gaza by sea to break the blockade. Original music by Jalal Yaquoub.

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with Mondoweiss editor Adam Horowitz about the role that Mondoweiss, an independent news organization, has played in the struggle for Palestinian rights over the past 25 years. They also discuss the moral case for the cultural boycott of Israel and what constitutes justice after genocide. Adam Horowitz is the Executive Editor of Mondoweiss, where he has worked since 2008. He is the former Director of the Israel/Palestine Program for the American Friends Service Committee and holds a master’s degree in Near Eastern Studies from New York University. Ahmed Moor is a Palestinian-American writer born in Gaza and a 2025 Fellow at FMEP. He is an advisory board member of the US Campaign for Palestinian rights, co-editor of After Zionism (Saqi Books) and is currently writing a book about Palestine. He also currently serves on the board of the Independence Media Foundation. His work has been published in The Guardian, The London Review of Books, The Nation, and elsewhere. He earned a BA at the University of Pennsylvania and an MPP at Harvard University. Original music by Jalal Yaquoub.

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with Jenin Younes, National Legal Director at the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC). They focus on Freedom of Speech in the United States, looking at the Covid pandemic and speech restrictions at that time and the acceleration of the assault on speech by Israel advocates. They discuss the contours of a principled speech position in the United States today. Jenin Younes is National Legal Director at the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC). She is a civil liberties attorney with a focus on free speech. In September 2025, the Washington Post published this profile of Jenin: "This free-speech defender makes enemies left and right." Ahmed Moor is a Palestinian-American writer born in Gaza and a 2025 Fellow at FMEP. He is an advisory board member of the US Campaign for Palestinian rights, co-editor of After Zionism (Saqi Books) and is currently writing a book about Palestine. He also currently serves on the board of the Independence Media Foundation. His work has been published in The Guardian, The London Review of Books, The Nation, and elsewhere. He earned a BA at the University of Pennsylvania and an MPP at Harvard University. Original music by Jalal Yaquoub.

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with human rights attorney Sari Bashi and policy expert Bushra Khalidi about the current state of humanitarian aid in Gaza, the bureaucracy of restrictions -- including the stated purpose of restricting aid -- and whether international law continues to carry meaning after two years of genocide. Recorded on October 14, 2025. Ahmed Moor is a Palestinian-American writer born in Gaza and a 2025 Fellow at FMEP. He is an advisory board member of the US Campaign for Palestinian rights, co-editor of After Zionism (Saqi Books) and is currently writing a book about Palestine. He also currently serves on the board of the Independence Media Foundation. His work has been published in The Guardian, The London Review of Books, The Nation, and elsewhere. He earned a BA at the University of Pennsylvania and an MPP at Harvard University. Sari Bashi is a human rights lawyer, writer, analyst, senior leader and public speaker with 20 years of experience advocating for human rights, litigating international humanitarian duties, leading multidisciplinary teams in complex and dynamic situations, creating systems to enhance organizational effectiveness, forging strategic partnerships based on shared values, fundraising and managing risk. She is the co-founder and former executive director of Gisha-Legal Center for Freedom of Movement (www.gisha.org), the Israeli human rights organization promoting the right to freedom of movement for Palestinians, especially residents of the Gaza Strip. She served as Program Director for Human Rights Watch and as a member of its Executive Committee, leading the organization’s global research and supervising a staff of 270 people in 80 countries working on 16 regional and thematic human rights issues. She is an award-winning author of Maqluba: Upside-Down Love, a memoir-love story published in Hebrew, Italian and Dutch (forthcoming). She has also served as the Israel/Palestine country director at Human Rights Watch and research director at Democracy for the Arab World Now. She is currently working as an independent consultant and human rights lawyer, writing expert legal opinions, conducting mapping, research and analysis for international organizations, lecturing publicly and writing short and long form narrative pieces. Bushra Khalidi is the Policy Lead for the Occupied Territories at Oxfam, where she leads advocacy, campaigns, and humanitarian policy to address pressing global challenges. At Oxfam, Bushra prioritizes collaborative efforts to influence policy reforms and drive impactful campaigns that support vulnerable communities worldwide. Her work reflects a deep commitment to advancing equitable policies and fostering sustainable development. Original music by Jalal Yacquoub.

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with Matt Duss, Executive Vice-President at the Center for International Policy and former foreign policy advisor to Senator Bernie Sanders. They discuss the Israeli genocide in Gaza and the new ceasefire; changes in public assessments of Israel's standing in the U.S. and political relationships with Israel, including changing relationships with Israel among prominent Trump supporters as well as Bernie Sanders's late recognition of genocide; and what accountability looks like for the genocide, including for members of the Biden administration. Matthew Duss is Executive Vice-President at the Center for International Policy. Before joining CIP, Duss was a visiting scholar in the American Statecraft Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. From 2017-22, Duss was foreign policy advisor to Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt). From 2014-17, Duss was the president of the Foundation for Middle East Peace. From 2008-14 Duss was a National Security and International Policy analyst at the Center for American Progress. Ahmed Moor is a Palestinian-American writer born in Gaza and a 2025 Fellow at FMEP. He is an advisory board member of the US Campaign for Palestinian rights, co-editor of After Zionism (Saqi Books) and is currently writing a book about Palestine. He also currently serves on the board of the Independence Media Foundation. His work has been published in The Guardian, The London Review of Books, The Nation, and elsewhere. He earned a BA at the University of Pennsylvania and an MPP at Harvard University. Original music by Jalal Yaquoub.

and scholar Emmaia Gelman about the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), including the history and current activities of the ADL and the ADL's approach to advocacy for Palestinian rights and criticism of the state of Israel. They also discuss the ADL's relationship with the U.S. government, including including the ADL surveilling Americans and FBI Director Kash Patel's recent decision to suspend the ADL's longstanding partnership with the ADL. Mari Cohen is an associate editor at Jewish Currents, a.magazine committed to the rich tradition of thought, activism, and culture of the Jewish left, where she reports, edits, and contributes to shaping the magazine's editorial direction. See Mari's reporting on the ADL in Jewish Currents: "Top Executive Leaves ADL Over CEO’s Praise of Elon Musk," January 2024 (with Alex Kane); "The ADL’s Antisemitism Findings, Explained," April 2023; "ADL Staffers Dissented After CEO Compared Palestinian Rights Groups to Right-Wing Extremists, Leaked Audio Reveals," March 2023 (with Alex Kane); "The ADL Doubles Down on Opposing the Anti-Zionist Left," May 2022 (with Isaac Scher); "The Numbers Game," April 2022. Emmaia Gelman is the founding Director of the Institute for the Critical Study of Zionism, which examines the political and ideological work of Zionist institutions beyond their direct advocacy for Israel. Her research and writing investigate the history of ideas about race, queerness, safety, and rights, and their production as political levers in the realm of hate crimes policy, surveillance, anti-terror measures, and war. Her teaching has spanned NYU, Sarah Lawrence College, freedom schools, encampments, and many other community spaces. Emmaia is at work on a critical history of the Anti-Defamation League (1913-1990) as a Cold War neoconservative institution, as well as an edited volume of social justice movement writings and academic research on resistance to the ADL. She is the co-chair of the American Studies Association Caucus on Academic and Community Activism, and a longtime activist in New York City. See these publications by Emmaia Gelman: "It’s Time to Break With the ADL as a Source for News and Research on Extremism," Truthout December 2023; "The Anti-Democratic Origins of the ADL and AJC," Jewish Currents March 2021; "The Anti-Defamation League Is Not What It Seems," Boston Review May 2019. Ahmed Moor is a Palestinian-American writer born in Gaza and a 2025 Fellow at FMEP. He is an advisory board member of the US Campaign for Palestinian rights, co-editor of After Zionism (Saqi Books) and is currently writing a book about Palestine. He also currently serves on the board of the Independence Media Foundation. His work has been published in The Guardian, The London Review of Books, The Nation, and elsewhere. He earned a BA at the University of Pennsylvania and an MPP at Harvard University. Original music by Jalal Yaquoub.

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Hilary Rantisi speaks with analyst Mouin Rabbani about political and diplomatic developments relating to the Israeli genocide in Gaza. They discuss the "20 Point Plan" that President Donald Trump released today, as well as his joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, asking about actual provisions to limit Israel's genocidal behavior and noting the colonial structure of the internationally-headed "Board of Peace" that will rule Gaza, according to the proposal. They discuss the symbolic measure of many countries recognizing Palestinian statehood at the UN last week; Mouin notes that this recognition is the first time that Western governments have taken steps for Palestinians in response to pressure from their own constituencies, and suggests that this action demonstrates that popular pressure can affect policy. Finally, Hilary and Mouin look at current initiatives, including the "United for Peace" proposal and the Gaza Sumud Flotilla, that aim to intervene directly in the genocide. Mouin Rabbani is a nonresident fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs. He is a researcher, analyst, and commentator specializing in Palestinian affairs, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and contemporary Middle East issues. Among other previous positions, Rabbani served as principal political affairs officer with the Office of the UN Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria, head of the Middle East unit with the Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation, and senior Middle East analyst and special advisor on Israel-Palestine with the International Crisis Group. He was also a researcher with Al-Haq, the West Bank affiliate of the International Commission of Jurists. Rabbani is a co-editor of Jadaliyya, where he also hosts the Connections podcast and edits its Quick Thoughts feature. He is also the managing editor and associate editor of the Journal of Peacebuilding and Development and a contributing editor of Middle East Report. In addition, Rabbani is a nonresident fellow at the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies (CHS) and at Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN). Hilary Rantisi grew up in Palestine and has been involved with education and advocacy on the Middle East since her move to the US. She is a 2025 Fellow at FMEP and was most recently the Associate Director of the Religion, Conflict and Peace Initiative (RCPI) and co-instructor of Learning in Context: Narratives of Displacement and Belonging in Israel/Palestine at Harvard Divinity School. She has over two decades of experience in institution building at Harvard, having been the Director of the Middle East Initiative (MEI) at Harvard Kennedy School of Government prior to her current role. She has a BA in Political Science/International Studies from Aurora University and a master’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Chicago. Before moving to the US, Hilary worked at Birzeit University and at the Jerusalem-based Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center. There, she co-edited a photo essay book Our Story: The Palestinians with the Rev. Naim Ateek.

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart speaks with UC Berkeley Professor Ussama Makdisi, who was recently informed that UC Berkeley shared his name, along with those of 159 other Berkeley faculty & students, with the federal government for "alleged incidents of antisemitism." Peter & Ussama discuss the absurdity of experience -- the accused have not been informed of any details of the allegations against them -- while looking at why UC Berkeley is not defending its faculty and students, how the Berkeley experience compares with how other universities have capitulated to the Trump administration, and whether academic freedom on campus will survive. Most urgently, they discuss how the attacks on universities are meant to distract from the genocide Israel is carrying out right now against Palestinians. Resources on this topic include "UC Berkeley shares 160 names with Trump administration in ‘McCarthy era’ move," The Guardian 9/12/25; "UC Berkeley professor warns of 'unprecedented crackdown' on academic freedom." NPR interview with Ussama Makdisi on 9/18/25 "When Universities Become Informants," by Judith Butler, 9/13/25 "Kafka-land at UC Berkeley," by Judith Butler, The Nation, 9/16/25 Dr. Ussama Makdisi is Professor of History and Chancellor’s Chair at the University of California Berkeley. He was previously Professor of History and the first holder of the Arab-American Educational Foundation Chair of Arab Studies at Rice University in Houston. During AY 2019-2020, Professor Makdisi was a Visiting Professor at the University of California at Berkeley in the Department of History. Makdisi was awarded the Berlin Prize and spent the Spring 2018 semester as a Fellow at the American Academy of Berlin. Professor Makdisi’s most recent book Age of Coexistence: The Ecumenical Frame and the Making of the Modern Arab World was published in 2019 by the University of California Press. He is also the author of Faith Misplaced: the Broken Promise of U.S.-Arab Relations, 1820-2001 (Public Affairs, 2010). His previous books include Artillery of Heaven: American Missionaries and the Failed Conversion of the Middle East (Cornell University Press, 2008), which was the winner of the 2008 Albert Hourani Book Award from the Middle East Studies Association, the 2009 John Hope Franklin Prize of the American Studies Association, and a co-winner of the 2009 British-Kuwait Friendship Society Book Prize given by the British Society for Middle Eastern Studies. Makdisi is also the author of The Culture of Sectarianism: Community, History, and Violence in Nineteenth-Century Ottoman Lebanon (University of California Press, 2000) and co-editor of Memory and Violence in the Middle East and North Africa (Indiana University Press, 2006). He has published widely on Ottoman and Arab history as well as on U.S.-Arab relations and U.S. missionary work in the Middle East. Peter Beinart is a Non-Resident Fellow at the Foundation for Middle East Peace. He is also a Professor of Journalism and Political Science at the City University of New York, a Contributing opinion writer at the New York Times, an Editor-at-Large at Jewish Currents, and an MSNBC Political Commentator. His newest book (published 2025) is Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning. Original music by Jalal Yaquoub.

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellows Ahmed Moor and Peter Beinart speak about the new developments with Palestinian statehood and their meaning and implications. They also discuss American politics and culture, discussing the shifts on the Right regarding Israel and looking ahead at the 2026 midterms. Peter Beinart is a Non-Resident Fellow at the Foundation for Middle East Peace. He is also a Professor of Journalism and Political Science at the City University of New York, a Contributing opinion writer at the New York Times, an Editor-at-Large at Jewish Currents, and an MSNBC Political Commentator. His newest book (published 2025) is Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning. Ahmed Moor is a Palestinian-American writer born in Gaza and a 2025 Fellow at FMEP. He is an advisory board member of the US Campaign for Palestinian rights, co-editor of After Zionism (Saqi Books) and is currently writing a book about Palestine. He also currently serves on the board of the Independence Media Foundation. His work has been published in The Guardian, The London Review of Books, The Nation, and elsewhere. He earned a BA at the University of Pennsylvania and an MPP at Harvard University. Original music by Jalal Yaquoub.

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Hilary Rantisi speaks with zehra imam, who launched Poetry of the Camps, a poetry program in Gaza with young writers. Basman Aldirawi and Duha Hassan Al Shaqaqi, former participants in the program who have become co-leaders of it, joined in the conversation. Basman and Duha shared what it meant for each of them to be writing poetry in Gaza during the genocide. They discussed the process of bringing students together virtually from all over the Gaza Strip, with different backgrounds and experiences, to write poetry. The themes of their sessions were miracles, homeland, the concept of colorism, love letters to Palestine, and freedom. They share a poem titled “Balsam” written by a student participant about her friend who was killed in the Israeli assault and discuss their experiences during the genocide: Basman, who was in Egypt on 10/7/23 and could not return to Gaza and Duha, who survived the genocide and was evacuated from Gaza just a few weeks ago. Basman Aldirawi (also published as Basman Derawi) is a physiotherapist and a graduate of Al-Azhar University in Gaza in 2010. Inspired by an interest in music, movies, and people with special needs, he contributes dozens of stories/poems to the online platform We Are Not Numbers and other platforms including Vivamost, Mondoweiss, ArabLit, and Written Revolution. He has contributed to the Arabic poetry anthology, Gaza: Land of Poetry, 2021 and to the English anthology, Light in Gaza: Writing Born in Fire, 2022. Basman was Illuminated Cities’ inaugural Fall 2024 Poetry of the Camps-Gaza fellow. He is now part of the Illuminated Cities program team. Duha Hassan Al Shaqaqi is a Palestinian writer, student, and storyteller who finds power in words, resilience in education, and purpose in advocacy. She was a 2024 inaugural Poetry of the Camps-Gaza fellow. Duha is now part of the Illuminated Cities program team, and her poem was featured in the 2025 Harvard Divinity School commencement speech. Raised in Gaza, she has experienced firsthand the challenges of war, displacement, and interrupted education — but also the strength of community, the value of knowledge, and the hope that creativity brings. With a background in English literature and a passion for humanitarian work, Duha writes about survival, identity, and the silent strength found in everyday moments. She has worked as a social worker during wartime and continues to pursue global education opportunities to amplify her voice and the voices of others. zehra imam is the founder of Illuminated Cities, an education organization that works on creative expression with communities impacted by systemic violence such as war or occupation. She designed Poetry of the Camps in 2024 for students in Gaza, Rohingya refugee camps, Harvard, and MIT and it continues to this day in Gaza and Rohingya refugee camps. Hilary Rantisi grew up in Palestine and has been involved with education and advocacy on the Middle East since her move to the US. She is a 2025 Fellow at FMEP and was most recently the Associate Director of the Religion, Conflict and Peace Initiative (RCPI) and co-instructor of Learning in Context: Narratives of Displacement and Belonging in Israel/Palestine at Harvard Divinity School. She has over two decades of experience in institution building at Harvard, having been the Director of the Middle East Initiative (MEI) at Harvard Kennedy School of Government prior to her current role. She has a BA in Political Science/International Studies from Aurora University and a master’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Chicago. Before moving to the US, Hilary worked at Birzeit University and at the Jerusalem-based Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center. There, she co-edited a photo essay book Our Story: The Palestinians with the Rev. Naim Ateek. Original music by Jalal Yaquoub.