We talk to Lena El-Malak, author of "Stolen Nation: The Right to Reparation of Palestinian Refugees." The discussion explores the unique challenges faced by Palestinian refugees in securing their right of return and receive reparations, contrasting it with other global examples of refugee repatriation and compensation. El-Malak provides an in-depth analysis of various periods in Palestinian land ownership, the role of international law, and the impact of agreements like Resolution 194 and the Oslo Accords. The conversation also covers broader issues of justice and accountability in the Palestinian context.

This episode was recorded on February 25, 2025

00:00 Introduction

01:22 Understanding Reparations: Historical Context

03:31 Palestinian Land Ownership: Historical Overview

04:29 British Mandate and Land Expropriation

07:06 Israeli Legislation and Land Ownership

18:45 UN Resolution 194 and Right of Return

24:36 International Law and Palestinian Rights

35:42 Oslo Accords and the Fragmentation of Palestinian Issues

43:08 Conclusion: Justice for Palestinian Refugees

Lena El-Malak is a commercial tech attorney and data privacy professional (CIPP/E/C) with extensive experience working in the tech industry across Canada, the UK, and the UAE, as well as in private practice at a top-tier British law firm. Prior to transitioning into commercial law, she worked as a legal and development consultant in the non-profit sector. She is the author of "Stolen Nation: The Right to Reparation of Palestinian Refugees" published by I.B. Tauris. 

Connect with Lena El-Malak 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/lena-el-malak/?originalSubdomain=uk

Hosted by Mikey Muhanna

Connect directly with Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu
 

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 

https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

FOLLOW & RATE THE THIS IS NOT A WATERMELON PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/this-is-not-a-watermelon-palestinian-history-culture/id1726893137
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1UWCL1ITtnJIJUExrb6itr?_authfailed=1
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1047932705

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK 
Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl40ZRFvo_VVYg6i56flEjSK

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra