Israel/Palestine Podcast

Welcome to our Israel/Palestine Podcast, a project by graduating high school students from Berlin-Neukölln. Our district is home to Germany’s largest Palestinian diaspora and a popular home for many young Israelis abroad. Israel and Palestine are painfully present in our district and in our schools. We've spoken to historians, legal scholars, trauma researchers, and educators — some of them world-leading experts — to better understand a conflict that shapes identities, divides communities, and echoes through generations. Our approach has been multiperspectival. We don’t aim to resolve contradictions or controversies, but to hear different perspectives. Human rights and international law are the foundation of responsible multiperspectivism. Across eight chapters and 51 episodes, we explore human realities, the urgency, history, the legacies of antisemitism and racism, political and legal debates, psychological dimensions, and challenges for education. Featuring: Michel Friedman – one of Germany’s most prominent public intellectuals Alena Jabarine – Germany’s best known Palestinian journalist Gudrun Krämer (FU Berlin) – one of the world’s leading historians of the Middle East Michael Brenner (LMU Munich) & Derek Penslar (Harvard University) – two of the world’s foremost scholars of Zionism Adel Manna (Van Leer Jerusalem Institute) – leading scholar of the Nakba Victor Kattan (University of Nottingham) – leading expert on the legal history of the British Mandate Meron Mendel (Bildungsstätte Anne Frank) – leading educational voice on Israel in Germany Eyal Benvenisti (Yale Law School) – a world leading authority on the laws of occupation Omer Bartov (Brown University) – one of the world’s leading scholars of Holocaust and genocide studies Omri Boehm (The New School) – one of the most influential voices on Israel/Palestine in Germany Shai Hoffmann & Jouanna Hassoun – award winning dialogue leaders Claus Kreß – leading scholar of international criminal law; co-author of the Rome Statute; Special Adviser to the ICC; Judge ad hoc at the ICJ Moshe Zimmermann (Hebrew University of Jerusalem) – one of the foremost scholars of modern Jewish history Yael Danieli – a pioneer of trauma studies, who helped establish all victims’ rights in international law Ken Stern – lead drafter of the IHRA working definition of antisemitism Alex de Waal – world leading authority on hunger and mass violence Norman Stillman – a field-defining authority on Jews in the Islamic World …and many more. Our series begins and ends with voices whose lives were deeply affected by the violence of this conflict: Udi Goren (Bring Them Home Now!), Khalil Sayegh (The Agora Initiative), and Sima & Mai (Young Ambassadors for Peace). “The students did an amazing job assembling this series and organizing the individual episodes.”  — Prof. Derek Penslar, Harvard University “I am not aware of any comparable initiative driven primarily by high school students. Multiperspectivity is a widespread buzzword that is rarely lived up to. This podcast is quite different. The expert voices gathered here all deserve to be heard — they will greatly enrich (not only) the German debate.” — Prof. Simon W. Fuchs, Hebrew University of Jerusalem “A fantastic project.”  — Nazih Musharbash, President, German-Palestinian Society “They should be applauded for their maturity and inner resoluteness in confronting some of the most painful legacies of our time.” — Dr. Yael Danieli, UN Senior Representative "This initiative is both extraordinary and exemplary." — Prof. Claus Kreß, co-author of the Rome Statute; Special Advisor to the ICC; Judge at the ICJ “This series of podcasts, featuring truly internationally leading scholars in their fields, is, I believe, one-of-a- kind." — Prof. Gudrun Krämer, recipient of the 2025 Historikerpreis Impressum: https://israelpalestinepodcast.taplink.site/ Music: Be My Guest – David Fesliyan (Royaltee Free)