Palestine Remembered

On April 2, the Palestinian flag was lowered from the Preston Town Hall, as decided by Darebin City Council. A special ceremony took place, in which Yousef made a speech and played music to accompany the lowering of the flag. He presents a recording of this ceremony. For info on upcoming events and actions, follow APAN and Free Palestine Melbourne.Catch daily broadcast updates via Let's Talk Palestine. Image: The flag of Palestine flies at Rawabi (2014) by scottgun on Flickr, CC BY-NC 2.0

This week, we listen to an edited recording of a conversation between former director of Adelaide Writers' Week, Louise Adler, and Palestinian Australian author Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah. The pair discuss Abdel-Fattah's latest novel, Discipline and the cost of speaking out, as part of Constellations/Not Writers' Week, presented by the Australian Friends of Palestine Association (AFOPA) on March 1, 2026, at Adelaide Town Hall.

This week, Yousef explores Palestinian self-determination, the contradictions of Palestinian citizenship under occupation, the sociology term progressive except for Palestine (PEP), and how Palestine is the moral test of our time. Awedt Ainy performed by Umm Kultham. Understanding Palestine Series: The Arab world in the 80s; a Palestinian Perspective, Sun 8 March, 4:40 pm. Register here. Image: Courtesy of Averroes Centre of Arab Culture

Yousef presents recordings taken by journalist and pro-Palestinian activist Robert Martin during his 2017 visit to the Occupied Palestinian Territories.The audio features conversations with residents sharing their lived experiences: Baha, a tour guide, discusses the expansion of settlements in Al-Ahil near Hebron; Sadi, a barber, reflects on daily life in Al-Quds under occupation; and Unis, an activist from a village near Hebron, shares his experiences of arrest by the IOF. More about Robert's activism via x.com/Robert_Martin72.Info on upcoming events and actions, follow APAN and Free Palestine Melbourne.Catch daily broadcast updates via Let's Talk Palestine. Image: Walking in Balata Refugee Camp (2012) by Beautiful Faces of Berlin, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Yousef introduces an English translation of a documentary titled 'I Was There', produced by Alaraby Television (التلفزيون العربي). The English translation was prepared by Yousef, together with co-presenters Nasser Mashni and Robert Martin.The documentary recounts the Ibrahimi Mosque massacre, which took place on 25 February 1994 in Hebron. In this attack, Baruch Goldstein, an Israeli settler, entered the Ibrahimi Mosque inside the sacred complex (Cave of the Patriarchs) and opened fire on Palestinian worshippers during morning prayers, killing 29 people and injuring many more. Join the Free Palestine rally every Sunday at the State Library Victoria, from 12 PM.For info on upcoming events and actions, follow APAN and Free Palestine Melbourne.Catch daily broadcast updates via Let's Talk Palestine. Saeban Alaya performed by Amir Diab. Image: Hebron (2014) by Zach Maddox, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 licence.

Yousef speaks with Hannah Shomali, a Palestinian-Australian activist and songwriter, and Alice Drury from the Human Rights Law Centre, about their upcoming event, Voices Under Fire: Stories from Gaza, which aims to raise funds and support for people in Gaza.The event will feature readings of poetry and first-hand accounts from Palestinians who have been forced to flee, who have been killed, and those still striving to survive in Gaza.Voices from the Palestinian resistance and ally movement, include Yousef Alreemawi, Jordy Silverstein, Miki Perkins and Jinghua Qian. Voices Under Fire, Thu 6 Nov, 6.15pm, Vic Trades Hall, Carlton. Event details at apan.org.au, book via humanitix.com. All ticket sales will go to families currently in Gaza to help them buy food, medicine and other necessities. Join the Free Palestine rally every Sunday at the State Library Victoria, from 12 PM.For info on upcoming events and actions, follow APAN and Free Palestine Melbourne.Catch daily broadcast updates via Let's Talk Palestine. Know The Way performed by Hannah Shomali. Image: Voices Under Fire event promo (2025).

In part 4 of this series, Yousef continues exploring the history of Palestinian independence and statehood following the events of the Nakba.He discusses the establishment of the All-Palestine Government in 1948; the founding of the League of Arab States in 1945; the shift in regional geopolitics following the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 led by Gamal Abdel Nasser; the creation of the United Arab Republic (1958–1961); and the establishment of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in 1964.Yousef also examines how various political movements—nationalism, communism, and Islamism—were co-opted or adapted in the broader struggle to liberate the Palestinian people. For info on Yousef's lecture series on Palestinian history and politics, head to facebook.com/averroesarabcentre.Join the Free Palestine rally every Sunday at the State Library Victoria, from 12 PM.For info on upcoming events and actions, follow APAN and Free Palestine Melbourne.Catch daily broadcast updates via Let's Talk Palestine. Ya Lally performed by Mohamed MounirAla Hisb Waddad performed by Abdel Halim Hafez Image: Palestine stamp (2015) by Monocletophat123, CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

In part 3 of this series, Yousef continues sharing the history of Palestinian independence and statehood, beginning with the establishment of the British Mandate in 1920.He discusses the appointment of Herbert Samuel as the first British High Commissioner for Palestine and his early policies; the arrival of the Jewish Legion, which served under British command; and the Black and Tans, transferred from Ireland to help maintain British control.Yousef also speaks about the al-Buraq Uprising of 1929, which erupted over Jewish religious activity near Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem that resulted in casualties and the execution of several Palestinian leaders. He further discusses the death of Sheikh Kamel al-Husseini in 1921, the rise to prominence of Hajj Amin al-Husseini, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, and the early evolution of Pan-Arabism throughout the 1920s, which would shape the struggle for Palestinian statehood in the decades to come. For info on Yousef's lecture series on Palestinian history and politics, head to facebook.com/averroesarabcentre.Join the Free Palestine rally every Sunday at the State Library Victoria, from 12 PM.For info on upcoming events and actions, follow APAN and Free Palestine Melbourne.Catch daily broadcast updates via Let's Talk Palestine. The Black and Tans performed by The Irish Descendantsمن سجن عكا (From Acre Prison) performed by Al-‘AshiqinSufi performed by Ömer Faruk Tekbilek Image: Palestine stamp (2015) by Monocletophat123, CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

In part 2 of this series, Yousef continues to trace the history of Palestinian statehood, beginning with the collapse of the Ottoman Empire at the end of World War I.He explores the overlapping international agreements to divide Arab lands, the 1917 Balfour Declaration, the role of Prince Faisal and Ottoman commander Djemal Pasha, and the rise and fall of the short-lived Kingdom of Arab Syria (1918–1920) and the subsequent French occupation. These developments shaped the region and laid the foundations for the ongoing complexities of Palestinian statehood. For details on Tarab Ensemeble's upcoming concert 'Melodies of the Vast Minority', head to melbournerecital.com.au.Join the Free Palestine rally every Sunday at the State Library Victoria, from 12 PM.For info on upcoming events and actions, follow APAN and Free Palestine Melbourne.Catch daily broadcast updates via Let's Talk Palestine. 'The Prisoner's Song' performed by Tarab Ensemble and Victorian Trade Union Choir. Image: Palestine stamp (2015) by Monocletophat123, CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

In this first of a three-part series, Yousef takes us through the history of Palestinian efforts for independence, beginning in the 18th century with Zahir al-‘Umar al-Zaydani under the Ottoman Empire, and moving through to the 1920s and the era of British Mandate Palestine.Yousef also shares his experience translating the writings of Michel Sabbah, the first Palestinian Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, who addressed refugees in Paris and beyond, and reflects on the emergence of the Zionist project led by Theodor Herzl.Part two will continue exploring the complexities of Palestinian statehood. For info on Yousef's lecture series on Palestinian history and politics, head to facebook.com/averroesarabcentre.Join the Free Palestine rally every Sunday at the State Library Victoria, from 12 PM.For info on upcoming events and actions, follow APAN and Free Palestine Melbourne.Catch daily broadcast updates via Let's Talk Palestine. Image: Palestine stamp (2015) by Monocletophat123, CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

Nasser presents an interview he did as a guest on Radio Islam in South Africa, where he speaks with Annisa Essack of The Insight program, on a range of current geopolitical and social issues. The discussion covers the recent banning of Israeli politician Simcha Rothman from Australia, the dynamics of two-way military trade, and the different classes of Palestinians living in Israel.Nasser also speaks about the conflation of Israel, Zionism, and Judaism, the global anti-apartheid campaign of the 1970s, and Amnesty International’s declaration that the ongoing genocide constitutes a war crime. Listen to Radio Islam via radioislam.org.za.Nationwide march for Palestine, Sunday 24 August, more info.For info on upcoming events and actions, follow APAN and Free Palestine Melbourne.Catch daily broadcast updates via Let's Talk Palestine. Image: @iamthenassman

Nasser provides commentary on Day 680 of the ongoing genocide of Palestinians, discussing how to continue supporting and showing solidarity with the Palestinian people in the Occupied Lands and across the diaspora.Nasser then speaks about the withdrawal of several authors from the Bendigo Writers Festival in protest of its repressive Code of Conduct, the deliberate targeting and killing of Anas Al Sharif, Gaza’s most prominent journalist, along with four of his Al Jazeera colleagues by the Israeli Occupation Forces, and the ongoing lies of Israel that remain unchallenged by mainstream media. Nationwide march for Palestine, Sunday 24 August, more info.Join the Free Palestine rally every Sunday at the State Library Victoria, from 12 PM.For info on upcoming events and actions, follow APAN and Free Palestine Melbourne.Catch daily broadcast updates via Let's Talk Palestine. Image: @freepalestinecoalition.naarm

Nasser speaks with Jiselle Hanna about her recent appointment as Victorian secretary of the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) and the vital role unions play in the Palestinian solidarity movement.Nasser then discusses local and international issues, including APAN's BDS superannuation campaign calling for divestment from companies profiting from the occupation of Palestine; the Australian Centre for International Justice (ACIJ) monitoring Australians who have fought for, or are currently serving with, the he Israel military; Penny Wong’s comments regarding F-35 fighter jet parts being “non-lethal”; and the unparalleled destruction in Gaza, which has experienced the equivalent of nearly six times the power of the Hiroshima nuclear bomb. Join the Free Palestine rally every Sunday at the State Library Victoria, from 12 PM.For info on upcoming events and actions, follow APAN and Free Palestine Melbourne.Catch daily broadcast updates via Let's Talk Palestine. Image: @freepalestinecoalition.naarm

Yousef speaks about Palestinian cultural icon Rohi al-Khammash, a celebrated figure in Palestinian and Iraqi music, whose work has shaped generations of musicians and listeners.Yousef also discusses the evolution of travel documents for Palestinians, from the era of British colonisation to the present day, and describes the impacts these documents have had on Palestinian identity, statelessness, and freedom of movement.To close, Yousef reads On This Land, a poem by the renowned Palestinian poet and author Mahmoud Darwish. To hear Tarab Ensemble's music and info on upcoming performances, head to @tarab_ensemble.Join the Free Palestine rally every Sunday at the State Library Victoria, from 12 PM.For info on upcoming events and actions, follow APAN and Free Palestine Melbourne.Catch daily broadcast updates via Let's Talk Palestine. Image: Tarab Ensemble performing a musical work by Rohi al-Khammash. Image used with permission and owned by Tarab Ensemble.

Yousef continues discussing Palestinian symbols, and in this episode he talks about Handala - the fictional cartoon character created by the late cartoonist Naji Al-Ali that became a symbol of Palestinian dispossession, defiance, and hope. Handala first appeared in the Kuwaiti newspaper Al‑Seyassah on July 13, 1969.Yousef also explains the significance of naming the Freedom Flotilla ‘Handala’, which sailed on 13 July 2025 from Siracusa, Italy, to break the blockade of Gaza. For info and updates on the Freedom Flotilla, visit freedomflotilla.org.Donate to Free Gaza Australia 2025 via chuffed.org.Join the Free Palestine rally every Sunday at the State Library Victoria, from 12 PM.For info on upcoming events and actions, follow APAN and Free Palestine Melbourne.Catch daily broadcast updates via Let's Talk Palestine. Image: Palestine Remembered co-host Robert Martin on board the Handala. Courtesy of Robert Martin, used with permission.

Yousef discusses the symbolism, history, and significance of the Palestinian flag, from when it was adopted in 1916 during the Arab Revolt to when it was made the official flag of the proclaimed State of Palestine in exile in 1988.He then explores the significance of the key as a symbol of the right of return for Palestinians, and shares his own mother’s family’s story of statelessness and their right of return. For info on Tarab Ensemble upcoming events, head to @tarab_ensemble.Join the Free Palestine rally every Sunday at the State Library Victoria, from 12 PM.For info on upcoming events and actions, follow APAN and Free Palestine Melbourne.Catch daily broadcast updates via Let's Talk Palestine. Image: 'Palestine Nakba Day demo in Berlin', Montecruz Foto (2015), CC BY-SA 2.0.

Nasser speaks with Kia Zand, an Iranian artist and photographer based in Naarm (Melbourne), whose creative practice weaves together the personal and political. As a queer asylum seeker, Kia shares his experience of fleeing Iran and the challenges of navigating identity.They discuss the recent missile strikes between Israel and Iran, the shifting geopolitical landscape, and look at Iran’s history from the era of the Shah to the ongoing impacts of Western imperialism and capitalism. Find Kia's work at zand.com.au.Join the Free Palestine rally every Sunday at the State Library Victoria, from 12 PM.For info on upcoming events and actions, follow APAN and Free Palestine Melbourne.Catch daily broadcast updates via Let's Talk Palestine. Image: From 'Border(less)' series by Kia Zand (2008-2010)