In today’s episode we are speaking with Dr Erika Jiménez, a Leverhulme Early Career Fellow at the School of Law and a Mitchell Institute Fellow, Queen’s University Belfast.

Dr Jiménez has just published a book called Rethinking human rights: critical insights from Palestinian youth, which looks at how Palestinian teenagers from the West Bank make sense of human rights when their lived experiences outside of the school environment contrast with what they learn about human rights within the school setting.

Erika is currently leading a research project entitled: Golani youth, Human Rights and the Forgotten Occupation, which explores how the occupation impacts the lives of youth from the remaining Druze communities in the Golan Heights and their views on the usefulness of human rights. It compares their perspectives with older generations and those of their Palestinian peers in the West Bank, drawing on her previous research but also new insights from the refugee community.

This project is funded by the Leverhulme Trust and is being done alongside Golani and Palestinian youth advisory groups and researchers and with support from local NGOs.

If you would like to learn more about Dr Jiménez’s academic work, please look in the description below for more details:

X: @ErikaFJimenez Profile: ⁠https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/erika-jimenez⁠ Rethinking human rights: critical insights from Palestinian youth: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/author/erika-jim%C3%A9nez/

‘Israel & Palestine Unpacked’ is an exciting podcast that is dedicated to exploring the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. Ya'el Interview Details In our first interview, we speak with Ya’el, who comes from a village near Haifa, a bustling port city in the Galilee region of Israel, located approximately 45 minutes from the Lebanese border.

Her village is known for its strong farming traditions, where generations of families have cultivated the land, fostering a deep connection to agriculture. Life in this close-knit community revolves around shared values, with a strong emphasis on family, cooperation, and tradition.

Growing up in such an environment, Ya’el experienced the unique blend of rural life, set against the backdrop of both the natural beauty and the political realities of the region.

Mohammed Interview Details

In our second interview today, we are speaking with Mohammed who hails from a small rural agricultural village, which produces olives, fruits and vegetables that contribute to the local economy. The village is close to the Palestinian city of Nablus, which is nestled between Mounts Gerizim to the south and Ebal to the north.

The city, itself, has been known for its famous soap production as well as its regionally famous sweet dessert, Knafeh, a dish made from pastry, cheese and syrup which can be garnished with crushed pistachios and cinnamon.

He begins his interview by speaking about his childhood, the impact that Israeli settlers had on the local community as well as the effect of the 1st Palestinian Intifada, which erupted in 1987…..

If you are interested, feel free to connect with me on one or all of the following Social Media platforms, where I will provide up to date information: Twitter/X: @IAPUnpacked Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558747507898 Email: israelpalestineunpacked@gmail.com Additionally, if you know anyone who you feel would like to be interviewed or possibly fits the description, please do not hesitate to get in contact. Pádraig

‘Israel & Palestine Unpacked’ is an exciting new podcast that is dedicated to exploring the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.

Our interview today is with Nicole, who lives in Jerusalem where she is reporting on the complicated yet beautiful aspects of this city as well as the challenges facing the people of the Holy Land. She and her husband Tony are raising three children in a crossroads of languages, cultures and religions.

If you’d like to dive deeper into Nicole’s journalistic work, be sure to check out the links to her YouTube channel and website.

There, you’ll find more of her insights and reflections on life in Jerusalem, as well as her ongoing projects. Whether you’re interested in daily goings on, her in-depth analyses, or simply want to follow her latest updates, her platforms offer a wealth of valuable content:

Website: https://nicjan.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nicoolness

In this episode we speak about how the city has evolved over the years, from shifts in its physical landscape to changes in its political and social fabric. She also delves into the day-to-day realities of living in a city that remains at the heart of complex geopolitical tensions. Through her experiences, we gain a deeper understanding of how Jerusalem’s contested nature affects the lives of its residents and the way history, religion, and politics intersect in this deeply significant city.

‘Israel & Palestine Unpacked’ is an exciting new podcast that is dedicated to exploring the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.

Musa Interview Details

Our first interview is with Musa, who was born to Palestinian parents in Saudi Arabia, and who came to live in Nablus in the West Bank as a young child. He is married with 3 children and works as a finance professional and writer of short stories.

*Before we move on, it’s important at this point to say that this interview contains themes related to war. These topics may be distressing to some listeners. If this is something that could possibly trigger you, please feel free to skip the interview in part or in its entirety.

Please proceed with caution and take care of your mental health. If you or anyone you know has been affected by this, please find the following links below for further guidance and support.*

Corey Interview Details

In our second interview we are speaking with Corey, a Canadian-Israeli, who is the Director of the International MA Program in Conflict Resolution and Mediation at Tel Aviv University and founder of The Ask Project.

The Ask Project

https://www.youtube.com/@CoreyGilShusterAskProject If you are interested, feel free to connect with me on one or all of the following Social Media platforms, where I will provide up to date information: Twitter/X: @IAPUnpacked Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558747507898 Email: israelpalestineunpacked@gmail.com Additionally, if you know anyone who you feel would like to be interviewed or possibly fits the description, please do not hesitate to get in contact. Pádraig

‘Israel & Palestine Unpacked’ is an exciting new podcast that is dedicated to exploring the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.

Our first interview is with Ansam, who comes from a small Palestinian town called Beit Lahia in Northern Gaza. She is an English student who loves photography and before the war worked as a swimming instructor. As a consequence of the fighting she is currently residing with her family in Khan Younis as an internally displaced refugee. Our second interview is with Isac, an Israeli, who speaks Arabic and who has taken part in a number of Israeli-Palestinian dialogue initiatives. One such example is Tech2Peace, which aims to create opportunities for young people, both Palestinians and Israelis, in tech and entrepreneurship with the aim of creating a shared community.

If you are interested, feel free to connect with me on one or all of the following Social Media platforms, where I will provide up to date information: Twitter/X: @IAPUnpacked Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558747507898 Email: israelpalestineunpacked@gmail.com Additionally, if you know anyone who you feel would like to be interviewed or possibly fits the description, please do not hesitate to get in contact.

‘Israel & Palestine Unpacked’ is an exciting new podcast that is dedicated to exploring the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. In our first interview we are speaking to Saleem (Palestinian), founder of, and tour guide with, The Virtual Pilgrim, who lives in Beit Sahour, a Christian village within the Bethlehem Municipal area. In our second interview we hear from Ori (Israeli), a father of 3 living in Jerusalem, who is a writer, editor, translator and who holds a Ph.D. in Renaissance English Literature from the University of Michigan. Ori works at a civil rights NGO. If you are interested, feel free to connect with me on one or all of the following Social Media platforms, where I will provide up to date information: Twitter/X: @IAPUnpacked Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558747507898 Email: israelpalestineunpacked@gmail.com Additionally, if you know anyone who you feel would like to be interviewed or possibly fits the description, please do not hesitate to get in contact.

In this introductory episode I wanted to explain my aims and motivations for beginning this podcast project. If you happen to stumble across my podcast at a later date, please take 4 minutes out of your life and listen to this introduction.

If you would like to know more about the podcast, or would like to be interviewed, please feel free to contact me through the following:

Email: israelpalestineunpacked@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558747507898

X/Twitter: @IAPUnpacked

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQMZ-67fnCTvK3q50KR1fmA