Guest
Palestinian analyst Mouin Rabbani shares his insights into Israel's war on Palestine, the hostage negotiations and what the hell Antony Blinken is thinking. But first Iraqi journalist and medic Ahmed Twaij draws on his experience as a journalist and medic in Iraq to explain why Hamas is not Isis and what it's like to try to treat people in times of war. Mouin Rabbani () is a researcher and analyst specializing in the contemporary Middle East. He has previously served as Principal Political Affairs Officer with the Office of the UN Special Envoy for Syria, Head of Middle East with Crisis Management Initiative/Martti Ahtisaari Centre, and Senior Middle East Analyst and Special Advisor on Israel-Palestine with the International Crisis Group. He is Senior Fellow with the Institute for Palestine Studies, Co-Editor of Jadaliyya, Contributing Editor of Middle East Report, Associate Fellow of the European Council on Foreign Relations, and Policy Advisor to Al-Shabaka - The Palestinian Policy Network. He is also a member of the UN Mediation Roster. Rabbani has published, presented, and commented widely on Middle East issues, including for most major global media. Ahmed Twaij () is an independent freelance journalist. His work has been published in numerous outlets including The Independent, The Guardian, New York Times, Vice, BBC, Kerning Cultures and many more. His work focuses on US politics, social justice issues and the Middle East. He zealously tells stories as a means to promote equality, as well as holding those in power to account. His work has taken him across the US, UK, Europe and the Middle East. Ahmed is also passionate about photography and filmmaking and has previously worked with a number of international humanitarian and human rights organizations. He is currently working as a director of an, as yet, undisclosed feature length documentary produced by multiple Oscar winning John Battsek. He is also developing a podcast series on Racism in the Arab World. After initially graduating as a medical doctor from Imperial College London in 2012, Ahmed found his passion in storytelling and became a self-taught journalist. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in Medical Humanities. After working as a doctor in London for a number of years, Ahmed began volunteering abroad, namely helping with the refugee crisis across Europe, where he developed his desire for storytelling. This passion drove Ahmed to pursue a master’s degree in Conflict, Security and Development, with Global Health. Ahmed has also produced and directed a number of videos for which he has been nominated for awards, as well as podcasts. His photography has been featured in various exhibitions across the globe. Ahmed is a member of the Everyday Projects and is manager of everydayiraq, an online social media platform dedicated to shedding light on the daily life of Iraqis and providing a new narrative for the nation. The project has been featured by numerous international outlets, including BBC and Metro. ***Please support The Katie Halper Show *** For bonus content, exclusive interviews, to support independent media & to help make this program possible, please join us on Patreon - Get your Katie Halper Show Merch here! Follow Katie on Twitter: @kthalps
