The Take

Every Saturday, we revisit a story from the archives. This originally aired on March 29, 2024. None of the dates, titles, or other references from that time have been changed. Easter holds special meaning for Christian Palestinians. For Good Friday, we speak to a Palestinian pastor raised in Bethlehem who underlines the parallels between the Israeli oppression of his people and the crucifixion of Jesus at the center of his faith.     In this episode:  Reverend Dr. Munther Isaac (@MuntherIsaac), Evangelical Lutheran Pastor in Bethlehem Episode credits: This episode was updated by Chloe K. Li. The original production team was Khaled Soltan, Zaina Badr, Miranda Lynn, Amy Walters, Ashish Malhotra, Chloe K. Lee, David Enders, Faranisa Kampana, Nigeen Oliyai, Sarí el-Khalili, Sonia Bagat and our host Malika Bilal.  Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Joe Plourde mixed this episode. Our engagement producers are Adam Abou-Gad and Vienna Maglio. Andrew Greiner is lead of audience engagement. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Before Israeli occupation, there was British colonialism. We speak to director Annemarie Jacir about Palestine 36, her epic film about the 1936 Palestinian revolt that almost succeeded, the often-forgotten roots of today’s crisis, and why this history still feels painfully present. In this episode:  Annemarie Jacir (@AnnemarieJacir), Filmmaker and Writer Episode credits: This episode was produced by David Enders, Sonia Bhagat, and Sar​​í el-Khalili with Spencer Cline, Chloe K. Li, Catherine Nouhan, Tuleen Barakat and our host, Malika Bilal. It was edited by Tamara Khandaker.  Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer.  Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Strikes on Iran have killed senior figures, raising questions about who still holds power. We take a closer look at the key players inside Iran’s system and explain how it works, who shapes decisions and what the loss of top figures could mean for the country’s response to the war. In this episode:  Ali Hashem (@alihashem), Senior Al Jazeera correspondent Episode credits: This episode was produced by Noor Wazwaz, Sarí el-Khalili, with Spencer Cline, Tuleen Barakat, Catherine Nouhan, David Enders and our host, Malika Bilal. It was edited by Tamara Khandaker.  Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer.  Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

The war on Iran is spreading into classrooms and campuses. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps threatened American universities in neighboring countries, after attacks on two Iranian universities over the weekend. Since the start of the war, at least 21 Iranian universities have reportedly been damaged. Why has education become a target of the US-Israeli war on Iran? In this episode:  Setareh Sadeqi (@leelako), Assistant Professor at University of Tehran Episode credits: This episode was produced by Chloe K. Li, Sonia Bhagat and Sarí el-Khalili with Spencer Cline, Catherine Nouhan, Tuleen Barakat, and our host, Malika Bilal. It was edited by Tamara Khandaker.  Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhemm. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer.  Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Iran appears to believe it can survive this war. That calculation may be shaping its stance on a ceasefire, even as strikes continue and talk of US troops on the ground is growing. Why does Iran think it’s winning, and what would Tehran need to agree to stop fighting? In this episode:  Alex Vatanka (@alexvatanka), Senior Fellow, Middle East Institute  Episode credits: This episode was produced by David Enders and Tamara Khandaker with Tuleen Barakat, Catherine Nouhan, and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Alexandra Locke.  Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer.  Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

A vision long embedded in Israeli politics is coming into clearer view. We look at the "Greater Israel" project – where it comes from, how it has shaped Israeli policy and territorial ambitions over time, and what it helps explain about Israel’s actions across the region. In this episode: Nour Odeh (@nour_odeh), Al Jazeera Correspondent  Episode credits: This episode was produced by Tamara Khandaker and Chloe K. Li, with Tuleen Barakat, Catherine Nouhan, and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Alexandra Locke. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. Rick Rush mixed this episode. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer.  The Take production team is Marcos Bartolomé, Sonia Bhagat, Spencer Cline, Sarí el-Khalili, Tamara Khandaker, Chloe K. Li, Alexandra Locke, Catherine Nouhan, Alex Roldan, and Noor Wazwaz. Our host is Malika Bilal.  Our editorial intern is Tuleen Barakat. Our engagement producers are Adam Abou-Gad and Vienna Maglio. Andrew Greiner is lead of audience engagement. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

This week: 179 days into a ceasefire, Israel has killed at least 692 Palestinians in Gaza. Yemeni Houthis launch missile attacks on Israel. Israel expands ground offensive in Lebanon. Israeli soldiers accused of torturing toddler. Israel has killed at least 72,268  Palestinians in Gaza since October 7th, 2023. In this episode: Tohid Asadi, Al Jazeera Correspondent Hani Mahmoud, Al Jazeera Correspondent Tareq Abu Azzoum, (@abuoazzum) Al Jazeera Senior Correspondent Zeina Khodr, (@ZeinakhodrAljaz) Al Jazeera Correspondent Nida Ibrahim, (@nida_journo), Al Jazeera correspondent Episode credits: This episode was produced and mixed by Marthe van der Wolf. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our lead of audience development and engagement is Andrew Greiner and Munera AlDosari is our engagement producer. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer.   Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Every Saturday, we revisit a story from the archives. This originally aired on February 27, 2023. None of the dates, titles, or other references from that time have been changed. Why have the people of the Chagos Islands not been allowed to go home? The archipelago in the Indian Ocean was home to Chagossians until the 1960s. As decolonization swept the globe, the United Kingdom created one last African colony. Slowly, and then all at once, it forced people to leave their homes, then leased the land to the United States for a military base. Chagossians have been fighting – and sometimes winning – in court to return to their home islands. Now, Human Rights Watch says what the UK and the US did amounts to crimes against humanity. In this episode:  Clive Baldwin (@cliveabaldwin), Senior Legal Advisor, Human Rights Watch Episode credits: This episode was updated by Tamara Khandaker. The original production team was Negin Owliaei, Miranda Lin, and our host, Malika Bilal.  Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our engagement producers are Adam Abou-Gad and Vienna Maglio. Andrew Greiner is lead of audience engagement. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

The US is mobilizing ground troops, while saying it has a 15-point plan to end the US-Israel war on Iran. Tehran denies negotiations and continues to control the Strait of Hormuz. So what does reality spell for the US strategy - and what would it take to end the war rather than escalate it?  In this episode:  Alex Gatopoulos (@AlexGatopoulos), Al Jazeera Defence Editor Episode credits: This episode was produced by Noor Wazwaz and Chloe K. Li, with Catherine Nouhan, Marcos Bartolomé, Tuleen Barakat, Monah Hamade, Ibrahim Abdelfattah, Adhil Veettil, Sreechand Sugathan, Gerard Baladad, Shreshtha Sanghvi, Hanna Nasser, Adlan Abdalla, Mile Trifunovski, and our guest host, David Enders. It was edited by Alexandra Locke.  Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad Al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer.  Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

War has spread into Iraq, where strikes by the United States and Israel hit Iran-backed groups, and the militias fire back. Oil has stopped flowing through the Strait of Hormuz, and the state’s grip on power is already fragile. As the war rages on, what will it mean for Iraq? In this episode: Abdulla Hawez, Researcher Episode credits: This episode was produced by Marcos Bartolomé and Tamara Khandaker with Chloe K. Li, Tuleen Barakat and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Alexandra Locke.  Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer.  Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

International convoys are bringing aid to Cuba to protest the US fuel blockade, as Cuba continues to fend off US threats of a takeover. With Cubans continuing to live under prolonged blackouts and the government preparing for military confrontation, can the Cuban government again survive the latest US effort to overthrow it?   In this episode:  Ed Augustin (@EdAugReporter), Journalist Episode credits:  This episode was produced by Chloe K. Li and Sarí el-Khalili, with Catherine Nouhan, Tuleen Barakat, and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Alexandra Locke and Sarí el-Khalili.  Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer.  Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube