44. How To Awaken The Muslim Ummah And Decolonize Palestine With Tasnim Al-Rifai

46. When Journalism Becomes Complicity: Media, Power and the Gaza Genocide With Ahlam Harvey

What role has mainstream media played in enabling the genocide in Gaza? Ahlam Harvey, an emergency room RN and Palestinian human rights activist, joins us for a necessary and unflinching conversation about how major Western media outlets—particularly institutions like The New York Times—shape public perception, sanitize violence, and obscure reality through language, framing, and selective outrage. Drawing from Ahlam’s frontline experience as an ER nurse and her work advocating for Palestinian lives, we examine how narratives such as “self-defense,” passive voice reporting, and the erasure of historical context function to normalize mass civilian suffering. This is not a discussion about politics—it is about ethics, journalism, and whose lives are deemed worthy of grief. We unpack: 1. A bit about Ahlam's background as a Palestinian. 2. Discussing where we are with the current 'ceasefire' and conditions in Gaza. 3. Discussing the NYT and other mainstream news outlets and how they enabled the genocide to carry on. 4. Diving deeper into themes of settler colonialism with definitions and conceptual understanding. 5. Discussing how state sanctioned violence by the IDF is transferred here to state sanctioned violence by ICE as we are witnessing. Chapters: 0:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPKCm9L1RkI] - Introduction 02:07 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPKCm9L1RkI&t=127s] - Ahlam's Palestinian background 06:02 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPKCm9L1RkI&t=362s] - The current supposed Ceasefire in Gaza 14:45 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPKCm9L1RkI&t=885s] - Mainstream media complicity in Genocide 24:55 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPKCm9L1RkI&t=1495s] - Passive Zionism 27:40 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPKCm9L1RkI&t=1660s] - The Narrative 33:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPKCm9L1RkI&t=1980s] - Settler Colonialism 42:37 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPKCm9L1RkI&t=2557s] - Miko Peled's example of brainwashing 45:25 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPKCm9L1RkI&t=2725s] - Actions of ICE killing Alex Pretti 53:15 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPKCm9L1RkI&t=3195s] - Conclusion This episode challenges listeners to move beyond headlines and ask harder questions about power, propaganda, and complicity. Truth matters. Language matters. And silence has consequences. Guest Intro: Ahlam Harvey is a Palestinian American Emergency Room Nurse. She has a Masters in International Relations and is an activist in the Boston Area. Links: Subscribe to the channel: @savetheolivetree Website: www.savetheolivetree.com Instagram:   / savetheolivetree   [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbTE2Y1lWZ21CZlpxN0ZGbU1zWUlPZDVhNldIQXxBQ3Jtc0ttblByWXU1X0p1ZlV1dm1tOXB0RC1mZUhvN0pJeS13MFJydjBUYWIzT044a1B1U2p6LXg0enZKMnNtcVlzTEJsWkFvd25fN0ZiTE9vRVU5VGdRaGVZeF93a0pwMU5lZ0p3NE0tTURYc3VnTXBUZVlQYw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fsavetheolivetree%2F&v=aPKCm9L1RkI] TikTok:   / savetheolivetree   [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa3VvY3U0eG1mTjkxOHBnZExHU2pLRmY5eXhxQXxBQ3Jtc0tubGpZNE9waVJEcG9BZXotZGdxUVZOYXlseTJrTWZvdGkxOFNvLVFzZnJSVDBzY0EwZlFNeC1SelNVdFFIVnpzSUJHMTJNV1dvbVI1bXlkandlS1pyYVU4dUJKR2ZraTktcUN2eEJzbjJJa01wYjhTYw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40savetheolivetree&v=aPKCm9L1RkI] Support us: patreon.com/SaveTheOliveTree

45. I Met Gazans In Cairo Who Escaped The Genocide - What They Told Me With Dr. Omar Akhter

Dr. Omar Akhter shares his firsthand experience from a recent humanitarian trip to Cairo, Egypt, where he met with Palestinian families from Gaza who were forced to evacuate after the genocide began. During this trip he: * Met with displaced Gazans living in Cairo * Provided direct financial assistance to families in need * Held a medical clinic for evacuated Palestinians * Visited a Gazan orphanage and school * Listened to powerful, firsthand testimonies of survival, loss, and resilience These are the stories rarely shown in Western media—voices of Palestinians who escaped Gaza but continue to live with the trauma of war, displacement, and injustice. This episode is not about politics—it is about human lives, medical ethics, and bearing witness. As a physician and humanitarian, he reflects on what he saw, the moral responsibility of the global community, and why telling these stories matters. 🎙️ Save the Olive Tree is a podcast dedicated to amplifying Palestinian voices, challenging misinformation, and documenting the lived reality of occupation, displacement, and genocide. 📌 Topics covered:Gaza genocide and forced displacementPalestinian refugees in EgyptHumanitarian aid in CairoMedical missions for PalestiniansOrphans and displaced children from GazaBearing witness as a physicianLife after evacuation from Gaza Chapters: 00:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKM_GVABQdE] - Introduction 02:30 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKM_GVABQdE&t=150s] - Details about my trip 06:25 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKM_GVABQdE&t=385s] - Stories of Gazans in Cairo 18:20 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKM_GVABQdE&t=1100s] - The Resilience of Gazans 21:40 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKM_GVABQdE&t=1300s] - My message to Gazans 23:58 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKM_GVABQdE&t=1438s] - Gazan connection to the land 29:45 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKM_GVABQdE&t=1785s] - Humanizing Palestinians 32:40 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKM_GVABQdE&t=1960s] - Ways to support Gazans in Cairo 36:46 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKM_GVABQdE&t=2206s] - Amplify Palestinian stories 38:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKM_GVABQdE&t=2280s] - Conclusion of Podcast 38:54 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKM_GVABQdE&t=2334s] - Highlights from my trip Guest Intro: Dr. Omar Akhter is a Pakistani-American Physician and host of the Save The Olive Tree Podcast. He is a humanitarian dedicated to improving the condition of the Palestinian people by assisting them financially, medically and speaking up for their liberation. Links: Subscribe to the channel: @savetheolivetree Website: www.savetheolivetree.com Instagram:   / savetheolivetree   [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqazZtRUlYZXZib3F6V0dyMm0xc1JvSUtac0oyUXxBQ3Jtc0tsNW4xbDdreGRMX2dUUWtVaVowMlUtSWg1clMwZk44QTRvS0NSZDRfai1oMkVkb0JSTmpROGJ4eE1LQTFHQlZuOUhfay1GeXJhMmRPUXNGVERYeXpSNm5lTGVNRFYxT256ZC1lSHRBMVlsOVdsVzQyUQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fsavetheolivetree%2F&v=HKM_GVABQdE] TikTok:   / savetheolivetree   [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbFdRbTRrMDhiaHFCUWluX3haUExGb2loMTMzd3xBQ3Jtc0tuT05vZFJEWUVWWHFVNmZCUmxiekJUYkozRFI3M0ZkanRwbTc0dVJBdldUeG45NzJCc1BkRENZSkdCUlhGcFk4X24zTUplOS1jdklTalk0VFFOdVVLcWZWS0prbVlUbElJRnlDNGVoOU8xRjMwZS1sNA&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40savetheolivetree&v=HKM_GVABQdE] Support us: patreon.com/SaveTheOliveTree 🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes amplifying Palestinian voices and on-the-ground testimony. 👍 Like & share to help these stories reach a wider audience.

44. How To Awaken The Muslim Ummah And Decolonize Palestine With Tasnim Al-Rifai

In this Episode, we unpack what it truly means to decolonize Palestine—legally, historically, and psychologically. We explore how Zionism functions as a settler-colonial ideology, how international law has been manipulated to legitimize dispossession, and why the Palestinian struggle is fundamentally a human rights and decolonization struggle, not a religious or ethnic conflict. We discuss: – a bit about her personal background as a Palestinian. – her work as a human rights lawyer. – her work in decolonization and how we can take steps for decolonization of Palestine, both in terms of language and on the land. -- The Islamic angle of the Palestinian struggle. – Discussing the current cease-fire in Gaza and the situation that is still very very bad. – Discussing hopes for the future of Palestine and how we can try to get there collectively.Chapters: 00:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1NSx-ROJyo] - Introduction 04:30 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1NSx-ROJyo&t=270s] - Her Palestinian background 11:05 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1NSx-ROJyo&t=665s] - Liberation as a decolonization effort 15:43 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1NSx-ROJyo&t=943s] - South Africa comparison 18:10 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1NSx-ROJyo&t=1090s] - The importance of language 26:05 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1NSx-ROJyo&t=1565s] - The Islamic connection with Palestine 28:55 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1NSx-ROJyo&t=1735s] - Our Moral Obligation 35:33 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1NSx-ROJyo&t=2133s] - Practical steps to take 37:50 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1NSx-ROJyo&t=2270s] - Conclusion Guest Intro: Tasnim Theodora Al-Rifai is a human rights lawyer with a professional focus on indigenous rights and the prevention of violence against women. Throughout her legal career she has worked at the intersection of law, power and lived reality where human rights are not theoretical but urgently contested. She's presently working on her first book, a Handbook on Debating Zionism, which aims to provide clear, principled and historically grounded tools for critical debate in an increasingly polarized public sphere. Tasnim lives with her family in Vienna Austria. Links:Subscribe to the channel: @savetheolivetreeWebsite: www.savetheolivetree.comInstagram:   / savetheolivetree   [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa1otcVRhV3B1Vk5JUzQtdlJyUlhNbEdhY21IUXxBQ3Jtc0tuREktbjlGS20tNVBOV3E3bXlkYUgzSlRXQWowWUlxSEFjSXh2eWRCbFAzZENGMy1VbnoyUWdGVC1Ec1pXZ1FlWFU5ZldIT2dLQXB3T08zcTYxUnMxbFNJZElFYmFmS0xIWk1IWGw5cXpoeTBsWURhYw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fsavetheolivetree%2F&v=e1NSx-ROJyo]TikTok:   / savetheolivetree   [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbWctSjlraHNBVGVIYlRCN3NSVFZBWGE3WUcxQXxBQ3Jtc0tuSkxJdEY5Sm5mc1BPU1N2dzlzLXhFUE4tMFRvN3RFVUFfM3M4MFhCMmkyb01ON2dfYnBWdUVjSDRTLVh0WDQ0THdCWUpIR0xjYVV3T0YzeUNUNVlPN3AzSGZGY1BhVTA4eEJ6dVQ4Q0IzdXJGb05HYw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40savetheolivetree&v=e1NSx-ROJyo]Support us: patreon.com/SaveTheOliveTree

43. Why Pakistan Stands With Palestine with Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan

Former Pakistani Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan discusses Palestinian advocacy within Pakistan and the growing global resistance to Israeli apartheid and the Gaza genocide. In this conversation, we explore: * Senator Mushtaq's history of support for Palestine. * How Pakistan views the Palestinian struggle. * The role of Pakistani politicians and parliaments in standing up for Gaza. * Why international law has failed Palestinians. * The importance of Global South solidarity. * How Palestine has become the moral compass of our time. Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan offers a rare and critical perspective on why Palestine is not just a regional issue, but a global human rights cause. Guest Intro: Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan is a Pakistani politician and political activist. He served as a member of the Senate of Pakistan from March 2018 to March 2024. He serves as the current Patron of the Pak-Palestine Forum. He is known for his pro-Palestine protests and human rights activism within Pakistan. He participated in the 2025 Global Sumud Flotilla to extend aid to Gaza as a representative of Pakistan and even spent 5 days in an Israeli prison when he was arrested by the IDF. He is an incredibly important voice for the people of Gaza from Pakistan. 🔔 Subscribe to Save The Olive Tree for weekly conversations exposing injustice and amplifying Palestinian voices. Links: Subscribe to the channel: @savetheolivetree Website: www.savetheolivetree.com Instagram:   / savetheolivetree   [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbjFvbVdYWUFIb01GaXRoVzlFbkZiWmh0V2lhZ3xBQ3Jtc0tsUDV6UkJiWThPWkpCdzNlemlaUG1sNFdnTFFOY3I5OC1ha29PXzZRaDFaS1R5aTZfLUp0dG05TFpHWnhfT1NvY0N3dzlJRHFBM292ZTZrZm5rTXpreDhPQWNidDByNjh3THN2SjZIMEhvUGN3a2ZKaw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fsavetheolivetree%2F&v=KsFIxp9VpzE] TikTok:   / savetheolivetree   [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbkxnTS03V3Bpc0ZoMTZEdk5WTkEtd3BuNjNuZ3xBQ3Jtc0trWnVBYTZSWmo0Q0pfYnNHS1hubVp6OHBuUUR1blJ5djgyT2padUR6aUdoRHpmM1dnNDNBRjhDcG5RVW9SYTlUMHdrZTRMZExQNGhLeS0wRkN2WmQtU3Z2cW5vV2cwU2xtckFDVVd4SnVYVmRQdHh1Zw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40savetheolivetree&v=KsFIxp9VpzE] Support us: patreon.com/SaveTheOliveTree

42. Understanding Sudan And Its UAE Backed Genocide With Suad Abdel Aziz

In our interconnected world, the fight for human rights is a pressing concern that transcends borders. In this episode of the Save the Olive Tree podcast, Omar Akhter speaks with Suad Abdul Aziz, a Sudanese-American human rights lawyer, who sheds light on the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Sudan. This discussion not only highlights the plight of Sudan but also draws parallels with the Palestinian struggle, emphasizing the need for global solidarity in the face of oppression Understanding the Human Rights Landscape in Sudan: Suad Abdul Aziz begins by sharing her personal journey as a refugee from Sudan, arriving in the United States in the early 2000s. Her experiences reveal the complexities of human rights advocacy, particularly the challenges faced by communities that are often overlooked. Suad emphasizes the necessity of empowering local voices in the human rights discourse, stating, "My mission in life is to challenge the institutions that leave us out of what human rights is" Historical Context: To truly understand the current situation in Sudan, Suad provides a primer on the country’s colonial past. Sudan was the largest country in Africa until the split with South Sudan in 2011. The British colonization of Sudan, beginning in 1899, implemented a divide-and-conquer strategy that marginalized the southern regions and exacerbated ethnic tensions. This colonial legacy led to a series of military regimes that have ruled Sudan since gaining independence in 1956, often at the expense of civilian governance and human rights Current Crisis: The ongoing conflict in Sudan is marked by power struggles between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). As Suad explains, these military factions have deep roots in the country’s turbulent history. The protests that erupted in 2018, fueled by economic hardship and governmental corruption under Omar al-Bashir, highlight the people's yearning for democracy and justice. "We want a strong military, but that military must be a fighting force only, and it cannot be part of executive governance," Suad asserts, reflecting the widespread desire for a civilian-led government Parallels with Palestine: Throughout the conversation, the intersection of the struggles in Sudan and Palestine becomes apparent. Suad shares her personal connection to Palestine, being married to a Palestinian, and underscores the shared experiences of oppression faced by both nations. "The very actors involved in the genocide in Palestine and Sudan are the same," she points out, urging listeners to recognize the broader implications of these conflicts Conclusion: The podcast episode serves as a poignant reminder of the ongoing struggles faced by marginalized communities around the world. Suad’s insights provide a valuable perspective on the urgent need for advocacy and solidarity in the fight for human rights. Key takeaways include the importance of local leadership in human rights discourse, the historical context of Sudan's challenges, and the necessity of recognizing the interconnectedness of global struggles for justice 01:53 Introduction 04:49 Understanding Sudan's Historical Context 08:07 The Impact of Colonialism on Sudan 10:57 Current Political Landscape in Sudan 13:43 The Role of Military and Armed Forces 16:54 The Civilian Struggle for Democracy 19:53 The Role of Foreign Powers in Sudan's Crisis 22:43 The Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan 25:41 Call to Action and Advocacy 28:57 Conclusion and Future Outlook Suad Abdel Aziz is a Sudanese American human rights lawyer and founder of advocacy organization, Decolonize Sudan. At Decolonize Sudan, she documents abuses, files human rights complaints on behalf of victims, creates educational materials and leads advocacy trainings throughout the U.S Suad has worked to support human rights defenders in the global South, advising on issues surrounding free speech, mass incarceration, and corporate obligations under international human rights law