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More than two decades after 9/11, Islamophobia remains a force in American public life. Government policies, post-9/11 surveillance, social media, and political rhetoric have contributed to persistent suspicion toward Muslim Americans, despite President George W. Bush’s early statement that Islam was not the face of terror. FBI statistics recorded 481 reported anti-Muslim hate crimes in 2001, up from 28 the previous year. Today, anti-Muslim rhetoric continues online and in electoral politics, while public opinion about Islam has become increasingly polarized. How did Islamophobia become embedded in American political discourse, and what role do government policies, social media, and election campaigns play in perpetuating it? Joining us on Arab Talk is Mobashra Tazamal, Associate Director of the Bridge Initiative, whose work examines the discourse surrounding the War on Terror and state-sponsored Islamophobia worldwide.

The documentary NAZA, by Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, features testimony from more than two dozen soldiers from Israel’s elite Unit 8200 intelligence brigade. The film exposes how civilian deaths were calculated and accepted during Israel’s bombardment of Gaza beginning in October 2023. While some see the film as potential evidence for war-crimes investigations, others question why Israeli soldiers’ testimonies receive attention when Palestinian journalists documenting the same devastation have so often been ignored. Today on Arab Talk, Ronnie Barkan, co-founder of the Jewish Anti-Zionist Congress and longtime Israeli Jewish dissident, joins us to discuss NAZA, its significance, and whether it can help advance justice for Palestinians.

What happens when a regional conflict threatens one of the world’s most important energy corridors? Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthi movement have been at the center of a long-running conflict with consequences that reach far beyond the Middle East. From attacks on shipping and energy infrastructure to rising security risks in the Red Sea, the confrontation has the potential to disrupt oil flows, drive up transportation costs, and send shockwaves through global energy markets. Today, we’re looking at what’s driving the tensions, how Saudi Arabia is responding, and what it all means for oil prices, global trade, and energy security. Because in an interconnected world, a conflict thousands of miles away can have an impact on what we pay at the pump.

In his recent UN speech, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed settler violence in the West Bank as the work of roughly 150 “juvenile delinquents,” arguing that reports of widespread violence have been exaggerated. Human Rights Watch and other organizations, however, have documented attacks on Palestinian communities, displacement, and what they describe as state support for violent settlers. A March 2026 investigation by +972 Magazine, Local Call, and The Nation found that 152 new outposts had been established in the West Bank since October 7, with grazing operations helping settlers expand control over surrounding land. Now, there are concerns that a similar model is emerging inside Israel proper. A recent report by Oren Ziv and Baker Zoubi examined a new settler outpost near the Palestinian town of Majd Al-Krum in the Galilee. After protests, the encampment was dismantled, although the grazing operation could resume. Joining us again on Arab Talk is Oren Ziv, a photojournalist and reporter for Local Call and a founding member of The Activestills Collective, who has closely documented settler activity for years.

Latin America is undergoing a significant diplomatic shift. While several governments have taken legal or diplomatic steps challenging Israel’s conduct in Gaza and emphasizing Palestinian rights, a growing number of right-wing governments are deepening political, security, military, and trade ties with Israel. Colombia offers a striking example. In August 2026, President Abelardo de la Espriella’s government recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, becoming only the second country after the United States to do so. So what does this emerging alignment mean for Israel’s international position—and for Latin America’s long-standing emphasis on international law? Our guest today on Arab Talk is Xavier Abu Eid, whose recent +972 Magazine article, “Why Latin America is Key to Israel’s Diplomatic Impunity,” examines Israel’s growing relationships with Latin America’s new right-wing governments and what they could mean as Israel faces increasing international legal and political pressure. Xavier is a political scientist, author of "Rooted in Palestine", and holds a PhD in Religion, Theology, and Peace Studies from Trinity College Dublin.

The UK is moving to ban goods from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, citing international law and the International Court of Justice’s 2024 advisory opinion. France and Canada have announced similar measures, as settler violence and settlement expansion intensify. The debate has also been sharpened by Israel’s planned E1 settlement expansion, which could further divide the West Bank and restrict Palestinian territorial contiguity. What does international law require of governments and companies—and could these trade restrictions have a meaningful impact? Joining us on Arab Talk is Emily Schaeffer Omer-Man, an international humanitarian law expert and founder of the Global Echo Litigation Center, which investigates corporate complicity in violations connected to Israel’s occupation.

Professor of Sociology David Miller has prevailed in a longstanding legal battle with the University of Bristol, which dismissed him in 2021 over comments critical of Zionism and its relationship to antisemitism. After Miller won a landmark appeal in 2024, the University challenged the decision. That challenge was rejected this August, with the Tribunal ruling that Miller’s criticism of Zionism constituted philosophical beliefs worthy of respect and protected under UK equality law. Miller sees the ruling as an important victory for academics and activists who criticize Zionism and advocate for Palestinian rights. He is now seeking compensation and reinstatement at the University of Bristol. On Arab Talk, Miller discusses the significance of his legal victory and what it could mean for free expression and Palestine advocacy in the UK.

The war in Gaza has sparked an intense and deeply contested debate over whether Israel’s conduct meets the legal definition of genocide. Genocide scholars, human rights organizations, and legal experts have advanced arguments supporting that characterization, while Israel and its supporters strongly reject it. At the same time, scholars, journalists, students, and others who have criticized Israel’s actions have faced contentious debates—and, in some cases, disciplinary, professional, and institutional pressure. On this episode of Arab Talk, we are joined by Raz Segal, a prominent scholar of Holocaust and Genocide Studies. In his widely discussed 2023 Jewish Currents essay, “A Textbook Case of Genocide,” Segal argued that Israeli officials’ rhetoric and actions in Gaza met several criteria established by the 1948 Genocide Convention.

Israel is dramatically expanding spending on hasbara—its international public-diplomacy and communications effort. The 2026 budget allocates roughly $730 million to public diplomacy, more than four times the approximately $150 million allocated the year before. The increase comes as Israel faces intense international criticism over the Gaza war and declining support in parts of the global public. Supporters say Israel needs a much stronger communications operation to counter what they describe as hostile or misleading narratives. Critics argue that public relations can’t overcome the political and humanitarian consequences of government policy—and that hundreds of millions spent on messaging may have limited impact if those policies remain unchanged. The question is whether Israel can change the narrative without changing the realities driving it.

Michigan Matters: Is the Democratic Primary the Party's Litmus Test? by News You Can Use with Jamal Dajani & Jess Ghannam

As U.S. military support for Israel faces growing scrutiny, Congress is considering legislation that could dramatically deepen defense cooperation between the two countries. Supporters say it's a necessary step to strengthen innovation and security. Critics argue it would create an unprecedented level of institutional integration with significant implications for U.S. policy and sovereignty. To help us understand what's at stake, we're joined by Josh Paul, co-founder and director of A New Policy and the former Director of the State Department's Bureau of Political-Military Affairs. Josh resigned in October 2023 over the Biden administration's continued arms transfers to Israel during the Gaza war.

One of the biggest stories in the 2026 Michigan Democratic Senate primary isn't just the candidates—it's the money. AIPAC's affiliated Super PAC, United Democracy Project, has poured more than $10 million into the race backing Representative Haley Stevens, part of a broader wave of outside spending that has topped $40 million. The spending has far outpaced support for her opponent, Abdul El-Sayed, and has reignited debate over the influence of Super PACs and pro-Israel advocacy groups in Democratic primaries, especially when candidates are critical of Israeli government policy.

A new UN Commission of Inquiry report examines the impact of Israel's war on Palestinian children since 7 October 2023. Titled The Essence of Childhood Has Been Destroyed, the report says more than 20,000 Palestinian children have been killed and at least 44,000 injured. The Commission says its investigation builds on its September 2025 findings, which concluded that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza, and finds that the targeting and killing of children forms part of that broader campaign. It also documents the destruction of schools, hospitals, water systems, food distribution networks, and maternal healthcare, along with allegations of violence, arbitrary detention, and abuse of Palestinian children in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. Joining us today on this episode of Arab Talk is Chris Sidoti, human rights lawyer and Commissioner on the UN Human Rights Council's Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel.

A new UN commission report accuses Israeli authorities of deliberately targeting Palestinian children in Gaza, alleging actions that may constitute genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. Meanwhile, recent Democratic primaries, especially in New York City, have renewed debate over AIPAC's political influence and whether criticism of Israeli government policies is reshaping the Democratic Party's stance on Israel and Palestine. To discuss the report's legal significance and the political implications of these elections, we're joined by human rights lawyer and political activist Stanley Cohen.

This episode examines the Jewish Anti-Zionist Congress, taking place in Dublin from June 26–28. Building on last year’s inaugural gathering in Vienna, the Congress brings together Jewish activists and allies committed to equality, justice, and Palestinian rights. Under the theme “From Words into Action,” participants will focus on turning shared principles into practical strategies for change. Our guest is Ronnie Barkan, Israeli Jewish activist, educator, co-founder of Boycott from Within, and one of the Congress’s founders and organizers. He joins us to discuss the goals of this year’s event and the future of Jewish anti-Zionist organizing.