The Enlightenment Podcast

Why MAP Refused Israel’s Demands & Continued Operating in Gaza | Ep 76

Steve Cutts, CEO of Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP), joins Shamim Sarif and Hanan Kattan in Episode 76 of The Enlightenment Podcast to discuss why MAP refused Israel’s demand to hand over the names of its Palestinian staff — a decision that led to Israel deregistering the organisation in 2025 after more than 40 years of medical and humanitarian work supporting Palestinians. Drawing on his experience inside the UN and international institutions, Steve examines the systematic targeting of Palestinian healthcare, the weaponisation of humanitarian aid, the silencing of medical witnesses from Gaza, and the wider failure of the international system to enforce accountability despite overwhelming evidence of war crimes and collective punishment. Steve Cutts also reflects on hope, solidarity, international justice, and why silence in the face of atrocities becomes complicity. 📚 Hanan Kattan’s new book Palestine Revealed supports Palestinian charities including MAP. Get the book at www.palestinerevealed.com 👇 WATCH, SHARE & SUBSCRIBE to help amplify Palestinian voices and independent journalism. Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) Social Media: Steve Cutts Linked In→ linkedin.com/in/stevejohncutts [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevejohncutts/] Instagram → instagram.com/medicalaidpal [https://www.instagram.com/medicalaidpal]  X (Twitter) → x.com/MedicalAidPal [https://x.com/MedicalAidPal]  Facebook → facebook.com/MedicalAidforPalestinians [https://www.facebook.com/MedicalAidforPalestinians]  Website → map.org.uk [https://www.map.org.uk/] Donate Here → linktr.ee/MedicalAidforPalestinians [http://linktr.ee/MedicalAidforPalestinians]  The Enlightenment Podcast Social Media: feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast [https://l.instagram.com/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ffeedlinks.link%2Fenlightenmentpodcast%3Futm_source%3Dig%26utm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_content%3Dlink_in_bio%26fbclid%3DPAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGniRsbWeecCFZMqvjFJMbMxH9HwjgE9RFxb3wv773SrE3eoGA3JIfAs5V9cs8_aem_6u40aJxaJNWCAQcDkUzv8g&e=AT0-hHrvDjEyJjsafCzwkQo1QeaHOmOe6aZtu-9VUPz9CAyBJl7TH94-CO2CMpAf1rf2SpaqU88NHPLGyEJjolXJmyOWrozkur0Dutyk8E7AKm6XDzEZgpSqKw] #Palestine #Gaza #MedicalAidForPalestinians #MAP #SteveCutts #TheEnlightenmentPodcast #FreePalestine #GazaGenocide #PalestinianVoices #IsraelPalestine #HumanRights #ICJ #ICC #UN #HealthcareUnderAttack #PalestinianRights #MiddleEast #Podcast #PoliticalPodcast #PalestineRevealed

Dr Ahmed Massoud on Training Palestinian Doctors Through Siege, War & Occupation | Ep 75

In Episode 75 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan are joined by Dr. Ahmed Massoud, a Palestinian consultant pediatrician, endocrinologist, and chairman of the Hanoon Foundation, a British charity that has spent nearly three decades supporting Palestinian healthcare and medical education. Through the Hanoon Foundation’s work, Palestinian doctors, nurses, and medical students have received vital training, educational opportunities, and support despite the immense pressures created by occupation, siege, and repeated attacks on Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure. Dr. Massoud has dedicated his career not only to treating children, but also to strengthening the future of Palestinian medicine itself—helping ensure that expertise, education, and care continue even under conditions designed to break them. This is a conversation about resilience, responsibility, and the long struggle to protect life under impossible conditions. Dr. Ahmed Massoud’s Work: The Hanoon Foundation → https://hanoon.org/ [https://hanoon.org/]  The Enlightenment Podcast Social Media: feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast [https://l.instagram.com/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ffeedlinks.link%2Fenlightenmentpodcast%3Futm_source%3Dig%26utm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_content%3Dlink_in_bio%26fbclid%3DPAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGniRsbWeecCFZMqvjFJMbMxH9HwjgE9RFxb3wv773SrE3eoGA3JIfAs5V9cs8_aem_6u40aJxaJNWCAQcDkUzv8g&e=AT0-hHrvDjEyJjsafCzwkQo1QeaHOmOe6aZtu-9VUPz9CAyBJl7TH94-CO2CMpAf1rf2SpaqU88NHPLGyEJjolXJmyOWrozkur0Dutyk8E7AKm6XDzEZgpSqKw] #TheEnlightenmentPodcast #AhmedMassoud #HanoonFoundation #PalestinianHealthcare #MedicineInGaza #FreePalestine #MedicalEducation #Gaza #HealthcareUnderAttacK #DoctorsForPalestine #PalestinianChildren #EndTheOccupation

Oxford Surgeon Nick Maynard on Starvation, Snipers & Gaza’s Destroyed Hospitals | Ep 74

In Episode 74 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan are joined by Professor Nick Maynard, Consultant Upper GI Surgeon at Oxford University Hospitals, and one of the most important medical voices speaking out on Gaza today. Professor Maynard is the Chairman of the International Medical Education Trust (IMET2000) and Chair of the Board of Trustees for Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP). He is also the author of a widely read Guardian article documenting the deliberate starvation of children in Gaza, based on his firsthand experience working under siege conditions. In recognition of his humanitarian work, he was awarded the UK Humanitarian Medal by King Charles in February. Having worked directly inside Gaza’s collapsing healthcare system, Professor Maynard brings urgent, eyewitness testimony to what is happening on the ground—testimony that challenges official narratives and demands global attention. Professor Nick Maynard’s Work: The Guardian Article → theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jul/22/gaza-israel-deliberate-starvation-ceasefire-aid [https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jul/22/gaza-israel-deliberate-starvation-ceasefire-aid]  IMET2000 → imet2000.org [https://imet2000.org]  Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) → map.org.uk [https://www.map.org.uk/] Professor Nick Maynard’s Social Media: Instagram → instagram.com/nickmaynard.surgeon [http://instagram.com/nickmaynard.surgeon]  X (Twitter) → x.com/maynard_nick [https://x.com/maynard_nick] The Enlightenment Podcast Social Media: feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast [https://l.instagram.com/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ffeedlinks.link%2Fenlightenmentpodcast%3Futm_source%3Dig%26utm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_content%3Dlink_in_bio%26fbclid%3DPAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGniRsbWeecCFZMqvjFJMbMxH9HwjgE9RFxb3wv773SrE3eoGA3JIfAs5V9cs8_aem_6u40aJxaJNWCAQcDkUzv8g&e=AT0-hHrvDjEyJjsafCzwkQo1QeaHOmOe6aZtu-9VUPz9CAyBJl7TH94-CO2CMpAf1rf2SpaqU88NHPLGyEJjolXJmyOWrozkur0Dutyk8E7AKm6XDzEZgpSqKw] #TheEnlightenmentPodcast #NickMaynard #Gaza #GazaGenocide #MedicalAidForPalestinians #MAP #HealthcareUnderAttack #DoctorsInGaza #HumanitarianCrisis #FreePalestine #EndTheOccupation #WarCrimes #TruthToPower #MedicalWitness

Ilan Pappé on Israel’s Foundational Myths & the Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine | Ep 73

In Episode 73 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan are joined by Professor Ilan Pappé, one of the world’s most important and controversial Israeli historians, whose work has fundamentally reshaped global understanding of the history of Palestine. Professor Pappé is the author of numerous groundbreaking books, including The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine, Lobbying for Zionism on Both Sides of the Atlantic, and his latest work, Israel on the Brink (2025). He is also the current Chairman of the Nakba Memorial Foundation, continuing his commitment to preserving historical truth and Palestinian memory. Through meticulous research in Israeli state archives, he has exposed the systematic policies of displacement, dispossession, and narrative control that underpin the creation of Israel—work that has led to fierce backlash, including condemnation by the Israeli parliament. Now based in the UK, Professor Pappé continues to challenge dominant narratives and speak out on Palestine, despite decades of political pressure, professional attacks, and attempts to silence his scholarship. Prof. Ilan Pappé’s Work:The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine → bit.ly/482bImH [https://bit.ly/482bImH] Lobbying for Zionism on Both Sides of the Atlantic → bit.ly/4dMQ35D [https://bit.ly/4dMQ35D] Israel on the Brink (2025) → bit.ly/4erpVNU [https://bit.ly/4erpVNU]  Nakba Memorial Foundation → nakbamf.org/ [https://nakbamf.org/] The Enlightenment Podcast Social Media: feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast [https://l.instagram.com/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ffeedlinks.link%2Fenlightenmentpodcast%3Futm_source%3Dig%26utm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_content%3Dlink_in_bio%26fbclid%3DPAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGniRsbWeecCFZMqvjFJMbMxH9HwjgE9RFxb3wv773SrE3eoGA3JIfAs5V9cs8_aem_6u40aJxaJNWCAQcDkUzv8g&e=AT0-hHrvDjEyJjsafCzwkQo1QeaHOmOe6aZtu-9VUPz9CAyBJl7TH94-CO2CMpAf1rf2SpaqU88NHPLGyEJjolXJmyOWrozkur0Dutyk8E7AKm6XDzEZgpSqKw] #TheEnlightenmentPodcast #IlanPappe #EthnicCleansingOfPalestine #PalestineHistory #FreePalestine #Zionism #IsraelPalestine #Nakba #DecolonizePalestine #HistoricalTruth #EndTheOccupation #Gaza #AcademicFreedom #TruthToPower

Jamal Kanj on Palestinian Refugee Camps, Historical Fabrications & Exile | Ep 78

In Episode 72 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan are joined by Jamal Kanj, a Palestinian-American author, political commentator, and one of the most widely read columnists writing today on Palestinian liberation, identity, and the narratives used to justify dispossession. Jamal is the author of several influential books, including Children of Catastrophe: Journey from a Palestinian Refugee Camp to America, a deeply personal and political account of exile, survival, and identity. Through his writing and commentary, he has consistently challenged dominant Western narratives, exposing the myths and distortions that underpin the ongoing displacement of Palestinians. His work has been featured in leading international outlets, where he writes on Middle East politics, Palestinian rights, cultural erasure, and historical memory, bringing clarity and urgency to issues often misrepresented in mainstream discourse. Jamal Kanj’s Work: Children of Catastrophe: Journey from a Palestinian Refugee Camp to America  → amazon.com/Children-Catastrophe-Journey-Palestinian-Refugee-ebook/ [http://amazon.com/Children-Catastrophe-Journey-Palestinian-Refugee-ebook/]  Jamal Kanj’s Social Media:Facebook → facebook.com/jamal.kanj Instagram → www.instagram.com/instajamalk Website → jamalkanj.com The Enlightenment Podcast Social Media: feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast [https://l.instagram.com/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ffeedlinks.link%2Fenlightenmentpodcast%3Futm_source%3Dig%26utm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_content%3Dlink_in_bio%26fbclid%3DPAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGniRsbWeecCFZMqvjFJMbMxH9HwjgE9RFxb3wv773SrE3eoGA3JIfAs5V9cs8_aem_6u40aJxaJNWCAQcDkUzv8g&e=AT0-hHrvDjEyJjsafCzwkQo1QeaHOmOe6aZtu-9VUPz9CAyBJl7TH94-CO2CMpAf1rf2SpaqU88NHPLGyEJjolXJmyOWrozkur0Dutyk8E7AKm6XDzEZgpSqKw] #TheEnlightenmentPodcast #JamalKanj #PalestinianHistory #FreePalestine #PalestinianStories #EndTheOccupation #Gaza #Palestine #DigitalResistance