Mohammed El-Kurd: Palestine | Lex Fridman Podcast #391

Added: Jul 24, 2023

El-Kurd explains that his family, like many others, was expelled from their home during the Nakba in 1948 by Zionist paramilitary groups that later formed the Israeli military. They eventually settled in Sheikh Jarrah in 1956. However, in the 1970s, settler organizations began claiming their homes and lands as their own, using biased Israeli courts that did not consider Palestinian documents as evidence. He describes how his family and others in the neighborhood appealed eviction orders to buy time, but in 2009, they were forcibly removed from their homes by settlers accompanied by police and the Israeli military. The settlers took over half of their home, and they have been engaged in court battles ever since. El-Kurd emphasizes that the situation in Sheikh Jarrah and other Palestinian neighborhoods is not a legal battle or a real estate dispute, as the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs frames it. Instead, it is a political battle aimed at social engineering and removing as many Palestinians as possible from occupied Jerusalem. He highlights the asymmetry in the Israeli courts, where Palestinians lack representation, and Israeli documents are taken at face value while Palestinian documents are ignored. El-Kurd also provides a larger context for the Israel-Palestine conflict, explaining that Palestine is not a neighboring country to Israel but a country that exists all over the land, with Israel established on top of Palestinian villages and infrastructure. He emphasizes that the eastern part of Jerusalem, including Sheikh Jarrah, is under occupation according to international law, and Israeli presence there is illegitimate. Regarding the religious aspect of the conflict, El-Kurd argues against framing it solely as a religious conflict. He points out that many early Zionists were atheists or secular, and current Israeli leaders are often secular as well. He believes that focusing on religion distracts from the real issue, which is the displacement and dispossession of Palestinians from their homes. El-Kurd addresses the accusation of anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism, expressing his disagreement with Benjamin Netanyahu's statement that anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism. He argues that opposing Zionism, a secular political movement, is not equivalent to opposing a religion that is thousands of years old. He believes that the accusation of anti-Semitism is often used to silence political opposition and advocacy for the liberation of Palestine. When discussing violence and resistance, El-Kurd acknowledges the historical effectiveness of violence as a method of protest and resistance. However, he believes in fighting on all fronts, including culture, media, diplomacy, and politics. He recognizes the power imbalance between Palestinians and the Israeli government, with the latter having one of the most sophisticated armies in the world. He emphasizes the importance of self-defense and fighting for rights and freedom in the face of oppressive conditions. El-Kurd concludes by stating that Palestinians have turned the other cheek for a long time without seeing significant change. He believes it is important to challenge power imbalances and fight for justice through various means, including nonviolent resistance. Overall, the podcast provides a comprehensive exploration of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from the perspective of Mohammed El-Kurd. It sheds light on the experiences and struggles of Palestinians living under occupation, challenges dominant narratives, and calls for a just and equal society that transcends borders and eliminates oppression.