‘Israel & Palestine Unpacked’ is a podcast that is dedicated to exploring the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.

Coming Up Today

On today’s episode of Israel & Palestine Unpacked, we speak with Professor Mohammed S. Dajani Daoudi, a Jerusalemite scholar and peace activist whose work has challenged entrenched narratives on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian divide. He holds doctorates from the University of South Carolina (1981) and the University of Texas at Austin (1984) and is a prolific author, having written numerous books and academic articles.

At a time when Islam is often misrepresented as being synonymous with extremism, Professor Dajani advocates for an interpretation of Islam that remains true to its Quranic foundations—one that champions freedom of religion, tolerance, reconciliation, coexistence, cooperation, compassion, empathy, and interfaith dialogue.

We hope this episode is both informative and deeply moving. If you enjoy conversations like this, subscribe to stay updated as we continue exploring personal narratives within this complex and deeply human conflict.

About Our Guest

Beyond his academic work, Professor Dajani has been a vocal advocate for Holocaust education in Palestinian society. In 2007, he founded the Wasatia Moderate Islamic Movement and the Wasatia Academic Institute. In 2012, he co-authored Holocaust: Human Agony to help educate Palestinians about the Holocaust.

His advocacy has not come without cost. In March 2014, he was forced to resign from his positions as Rector of Libraries and founding director of the American Studies Institute at Al-Quds University (2002–2014) after leading Palestinian students on an educational visit to Auschwitz. The trip, aimed at fostering empathy, compassion, and tolerance, provoked backlash—including death threats and the torching of his car.

Despite these challenges, Prof. Dajani's commitment to peace and dialogue has been widely recognized. In 2014, Tufts University honoured him with the Dr. Jean Mayer Global Citizenship Award for his efforts to combat extremism. From 2015 to 2017, he served as a Weston Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. More recently, in March 2023, the Austrian Parliament awarded him the Simon Wiesenthal Prize for his work against antisemitism. Later that year, in September, he received the Excellence in Leadership Award from Queens College, City University of New York.

What to Expect in This Episode

In this interview, we discuss his visit to Auschwitz with Palestinian students, the challenges of dialogue within Palestinian society, the role of political Islam in shaping Palestinian identity today, and the founding of Al-Wasatia as an advocate for education as a tool for peace.

Twitter/X: @IAPUnpacked

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558747507898

Email: israelpalestineunpacked@gmail.com

Additionally, if you know anyone who you feel would like to be interviewed or possibly fits the description, please do not hesitate to get in contact.

Pádraig

‘Israel & Palestine Unpacked’ is a podcast that is dedicated to exploring the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.

Coming up in today’s episode we meet Jonny Clark. Jonny is the Programme Manager for Public Theology within the Corrymeela Community, Ireland’s oldest peace centre.

Corrymeela was founded in 1965 by Ray Davey and a group of university students. Based in a town called Ballycastle on the North Coast of Northern Ireland it is a place that provides for dialogue, healing and community building, particularly in the context of sectarian divisions.

Today, Corrymeela continues its work, addressing Contemporary issues such as migration, trauma and identity, striving to create a more peaceful and inclusive society.

I would like to extend special thanks to Connaire McCullough for taking the time and effort to edit these interviews during this particularly busy period in my life.

Jonny has worked in peacebuilding and reconciliation for 25 years, both in Belfast and in post-conflict contexts around the world. His work has focused on fostering dialogue, understanding, and healing in divided communities.

In 2018, he produced a documentary titled Guardians of the Flame, along with an accompanying podcast of the same name. The film explores the experiences of three individuals who were directly impacted by Northern Ireland’s conflict,highlighting their personal journeys, struggles, and hopes for peace. Through this project, Jonny aimed to shed light on the power of reconciliation and the resilience of those affected by violence.

In this interview, we speak with Jonny about his involvement in Corrymeela. We explore the role of faith as a tool for conflict resolution and how it can serve as a positive social force to improve the lives of Israelis and Palestinians while fostering inclusive societies.

Twitter/X: @IAPUnpacked

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558747507898

Email: israelpalestineunpacked@gmail.com

Additionally, if you know anyone who you feel would like to be interviewed or possibly fits the description, please do not hesitate to get in contact.

Pádraig

‘Israel & Palestine Unpacked’ is an exciting podcast that is dedicated to exploring the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.

Hani Description

In our first interview, we have the pleasure of speaking with Hani, a fascinating individual who describes himself as half Palestinian and half European. With a love for languages, Hani is something of a polyglot, fluent in English, Arabic, Turkish, Hungarian, Romanian, German, and Italian. His linguistic abilities reflect his diverse background and enable him to connect with people from a wide range of cultures.

Hani views himself as a bridge between Eastern and Western cultures, believing that his unique heritage and language skills allow him to foster understanding and dialogue between different worlds. However, he expresses a sense of disappointment that, despite their curiosity, many people are hesitant to cross cultural bridges and engage with unfamiliar perspectives. More troubling to him is the observation that some are determined to demolish these bridges altogether, rejecting opportunities for meaningful connection and mutual respect.

Paula Description

Paula was born in South Africa and moved to Israel at the age of 12. She spent 18 years there, living on a kibbutz in the centre of the country. Since leaving Israel, she has resided in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where she lives with her partner and daughter.

She holds a degree in community theatre from Tel Aviv University and a Level 3 Certificate in Peace and Reconciliation. Passionate about progressive Judaism, she is working towards a lay reader's certificate, which trains her to lead Jewish prayers through Liberal Judaism UK.

In our interview, we discuss how her experience of living in conflict zones has shaped her understanding of conflict, what she means by being a "critical friend to Israel," and what she would say to Israelis and Palestinians in light of her personal experience with Northern Ireland’s imperfect peace.

Twitter/X: @IAPUnpacked

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558747507898

Email: israelpalestineunpacked@gmail.com

Additionally, if you know anyone who you feel would like to be interviewed or possibly fits the description, please do not hesitate to get in contact.

Pádraig