Palestinian Stories

Episode 9 - Hana Farouqi

Jordanian cyclist Hana Farouqi, whose family is from Palestine, is taking part in this year’s Cycling 4 Gaza to support the Ajyal Foundation. The 360km ride will take place in Spain starting September 29 and will feature 100 cyclists from Jordan. Donations can be made at cycling4gaza.org. Hana joined me on the latest episode of Palestinian Stories to share her journey and her family's connection to Palestine.

Episode 8 - Elidalis Burgos

Nurse Eli Burgos (APRN) served as a medical volunteer in Gaza from July 5 to August 5, 2025. In this edition of Palestinian Stories, she shares firsthand accounts of the devastating impact of war and malnutrition on a shattered population. Eli volunteered with Glia International, a medical solidarity organization supporting communities in crisis, with a strong presence in Palestine and other conflict zones worldwide.

Episode 7 - Laila Ezzat Al Shana

Laila Ezzat El Shana is a 22-year-old Palestinian from Gaza, a mother, wife, teacher, activist, and English student. She has been raising her voice through Western media outlets and her own platforms, shedding light on the realities on the ground while running her grassroots initiative, Humans To Be, which offers educational activities and psychological support to children in Gaza.

Episode 6 - Nadim Bawalsa

Dr. Nadim Bawalsa, a Palestinian-Jordanian historian, is the author of Transnational Palestine: Migration and the Right of Return before 1948 (Stanford University Press, 2022), which examines the formation of Palestinian national identity through diaspora and resistance to dispossession prior to Israel's founding. He is Associate Editor of the Journal of Palestine Studies and holds a joint PhD in History and Middle Eastern & Islamic Studies from NYU (2017) and an MA in Arab Studies from Georgetown University (2010). In 2019–2020, he was a PARC-NEH fellow in Palestine.

Episode 5 - Jonathan Kuttab

Jonathan Kuttab is an international human rights attorney licensed in the U.S., Palestine, and Israel. He co-founded several prominent organizations, including Al-Haq, a leading Palestinian human rights group in Ramallah, Occupied Palestine; Sabeel Jerusalem, a Palestinian Christian movement for justice and liberation; Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA), which advocates for Palestinian rights in the U.S.; and Nonviolence International, promoting peaceful conflict resolution worldwide. Despite a lifetime marked by the violence he has witnessed, Kuttab remains a steadfast pacifist, embodying his principles through both his legal work and personal conduct. His memoir, The Truth Shall Set You Free, was published in 2023