Today I'm joined by Bassima Alghussein, Executive Director of Middle East Policy Council. Bassima is a proud Palestinian American woman whose background spans the legislative and executive branches of government, prominent global think tanks, the media and consulting. She has served on Capitol Hill; as a White House appointed advisor in the Obama Administration; and led Congressional Affairs for the Center for Strategic and International Studies. As founder of Alghussein Global Strategies, Bassima is a sought after thought leader who frequently appears on international news outlets reaching audiences in over 40 countries worldwide. She is a board member for Women of Color Advancing Peace & Security (WCAPS), among other volunteer positions. Read her full bio here.
This is one of the most important conversations I've had thus far on the podcast because it truly demonstrates why representation matters in the U.S. policymaking space. Diasporan voices matter in these conversations. Bassima’s perspective is even more important now due to the most recent war in Israel and Gaza that started after the horrific attacks Hamas perpetrated against the Israeli people on October 7th. This is not only due to her policy expertise, but also because she is in constant contact with relatives in Gaza. Tragically, 30 of those relatives have been killed during this conflict and she is desperately trying to help 18 other relatives escape the war. During our conversation, Bassima provides a brief history lesson about the creation of the state of Israel through the eyes of her father who was forced to seek refuge in Egypt in 1948. She breaks down how Hamas came into power and how they have been able to undemocratically hold on to that power even though- according to her- the U.S.- designated terrorist group is deeply disliked by many Palestinians.
This is a complex issue and thus a complex conversation. Throughout our discussion, we make many points that do not support what Zionist leaders in the Israeli government is doing in Gaza. Conversely, we make points that do not support what Hamas has done in Gaza and in Israel. I want you the listeners to hear all the points and not just one snippet or another. I do not want you to conflate anything said with antisemitism or take it as in any way unsupportive of the Israeli people. To be clear-- we stand in support of all the innocent civilians tragically impacted by this war. As a child of war myself, I can’t stress that enough. Nevertheless, some of you will not like what Bassima and I say in this episode. That is okay, but please listen with an open heart and an open mind.
In the coming weeks, I will be speaking with a pro- Israeli minority leader and former Republican staff director in the House of Representatives to bring you a different perspective on the conflict. So please listen, share, and review this episode, and don’t forget to subscribe to hear upcoming episodes. We need your support to keep bringing you these important conversations.
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