Reimagining Palestine

Ayman Mohyeldin (Moderator)

Ayman Mohyeldin is the host of MSNBC’s “AYMAN,” airing from 7-9 pm ET on Saturdays and Sundays. The perspective program is Ayman’s take on the world of politics, current affairs, culture, and more. His program features global leaders, US politicians, journalists, and analysts on pressing US and international political, social, and cultural news items. He has anchored MSNBC’s breaking news coverage of the Israel-Hamas war and was involved in special coverage of the 2020 Election and the insurrection at the US Capitol. Mohyeldin has also field anchored during some of the biggest domestic and international news stories over the past decade. Previously, Mohyeldin spent many years as a foreign correspondent covering the Middle East, Asia, and Europe. He has reported from dozens of countries during times of war, political turmoil, and natural disasters. His coverage of the Arab Spring was praised for its distinction around the world. Mohyeldin also covered major conflicts including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Iraq war, revolutionary protests in Ukraine, and nuclear tensions on the Korean peninsula. Mohyeldin developed and hosted the award-winning podcast from MSNBC, ‘American Radical.’ Mohyeldin was named by TIME Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2011. He has received multiple international awards including a Peabody, a Sigma Delta Chi Award, and the European Union’s Anna Lindh Foundation Award. He has been named as Journalist of the Year by both GQ Magazine and Esquire Magazine.

Zayne Abudaka

Zayne Abudaka is a co-Founder and Senior Fellow at the Institute for Social and Economic Progress (ISEP), a Palestine-based independent research institute with a mission to advance social science research in Palestine and the Arab region through experimental research. He is also a co-founder and Editor-In-Chief of the progressive Arabic-language media channel, Masa7a. Abudaka is the Treasurer and Member of the Board of Directors at the Palestine Institute for Public Diplomacy, an independent non-profit that aims to shift discourse and policy related to Palestine through people’s engagement and advocacy. In addition to his roles in the nonprofit field, he is also co-Founder of and Senior Partner at the Ramallah-based start-up studio and boutique consultancy, Momentum Labs, and a co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at the market research platform/ tech firm, MENA Analytics. 

Mustafa Barghouti

Mustafa Barghouti has held the positions of Member of the Palestinian parliament; 2005 presidential candidate; General Secretary of the Palestinian National Initiative; former Minister of Information under the first National Unity Government in Palestinian history; physician; social, political, human rights and peace activist; one of the most active grassroots leaders in Palestine; campaigner for the development of Palestinian civil society and grassroots democracy; outspoken advocate of internal reform; international spokesperson for the Palestinian cause; leading figure in the non-violent, peaceful struggle against the Occupation; and organizer of international solidarity presence in the Palestine, Mustafa Barghouthi has made an extraordinary contribution to initiatives to peacefully challenge the ongoing Israeli Occupation of Palestine and bring it to end, as well as efforts to build the institutional framework of Palestinian civil society and promote the principles of internal democracy and good governance. He writes extensively for local and international audiences on civil society and democracy issues and the political situation in Palestine, as well as on health development policy in Palestine. He ran in the presidential elections of January 2005 as a Palestinian National Initiative (PNI) candidate, on an anti-corruption and pro-democracy platform. He achieved second place behind Mahmoud Abbas, with almost one third of total votes. He also headed the “Independent Palestine” Coalition that ran in legislative elections in January 2006, in which he secured a seat in the Palestinian parliament. In 1979, he was among the founders of a voluntary, non-governmental and non-profit medical relief movement, the Palestinian Medical Relief Society (PMRS). In 2002, he co-founded the Palestinian National Initiative (PNI, or ‘Al Mubadara’; in English), along with Dr. Edward Said, Dr. Haider Abdel-Shafi, and Mr. Ibrahim Dakak, and currently serves as its General Secretary.

Tamara Essayyad

Tamara Essayyad is an international lawyer and negotiator with over 10 years of legal experience and over 20 years of international professional experience in the US, Europe, and the Middle East. As Senior Legal Adviser to the UN supporting the Palestinian-Israeli Negotiations, Tamara Essayyad provided legal counsel on all matters related to the peace process including international law, treaties, and public policy. Additionally, she advised the State of Palestine on numerous economic cooperation agreements and legislative reform. She has taught international law and policy for over a decade.

Fadi Quran

Fadi Quran is the Senior Director at Avaaz, a global civic movement with 69 million members dedicated to driving change worldwide. In his current role, he focuses on cultivating transformative leadership throughout the Southwest Asia and North Africa (SWANA) region, advocating for human rights across the globe, and organizing efforts toward Palestinian liberation. He has led numerous organizing and civil disobedience efforts in the occupied territories, which garnered international attention to the regime of Apartheid governing Palestinians, and resulted in multiple arrests and detentions. Previously, he served as the UN Advocacy Officer with Al-Haq’s legal research and advocacy unit in Palestine, where he specialized in international law and human rights advocacy.  Beyond his advocacy work, he is an entrepreneur in the alternative energy sector, contributing to innovative solutions for sustainable energy. His insights and expertise have been featured in prominent media outlets, including The New York Times, NPR, The Guardian, AFP, TIME Magazine, Al Jazeera, and others. He holds degrees in Physics and International Relations from Stanford University. Follow him on Twitter @fadiquran for updates and insights.