Ep.1: Gazan-American & Jewish-Israeli Discuss October 7, War, & Paths to Peace

Content Advisory: Please note that this episode discusses challenging themes including graphic description of wartime deaths. Listen as we launch a special series of conversations between Z3 founder and podcast host Rabbi Amitai Fraiman and Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, a passionate activist for Gazans and Palestinians. Amitai served in the IDF from 2005-2009 in Gaza, while Ahmed is an outspoken voice for the future of the Palestinian people. In 2015, he started an not-for-profit organization whose goal was to build an internationally-run, Israeli-approved airport airfield to facilitate the movement of people in and out in cargo without Hamas having any control over the facility. Chapters: (00:00) Episode Preview and Host Intro (03:45) Ahmed's Life Growing up in Gaza and the U.S. (08:15) Ahmed's Work in Non-Profit for Gaza and Professional Life (10:55) October 7th and its Aftermath (19:45) Hamas' Goals (24:29) Global Reaction that Spurred Ahmed to Advocacy (27:54) IDF Airstrikes on his Family (34:14) Gaza Views on Israel (41:30) Intifadas and Failed Peace Deals (49:12) Reimagining Right of Return (59:45) Self-Determination and Coexistence In this powerful episode, Ahmed shares his personal journey through immense loss and ongoing conflict. Having lost 31 family members in Gaza since October 7th, Ahmed speaks about his deep pain and how it fuels his commitment to advocating for peace and understanding. He reflects on the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the challenges of maintaining humanity amidst tragedy, and his hope for restoring mutual respect and cooperation. Tune in to hear Ahmed’s heartfelt message on navigating grief and striving for a balanced path forward. We are deeply grateful to Ahmed for joining us in this difficult but crucial conversation in these times of deep division and strife. About our guest: Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib is an American writer and analyst who grew up in Gaza City, having left in 2005 as a teenage exchange student to the United States. He writes extensively on Gaza’s political and humanitarian affairs and has been an outspoken critic of Hamas and a promoter of coexistence and peace as the only path forward between Palestinians and Israelis. Alkhatib is a resident senior fellow with the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council’s Middle East Programs. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s in intelligence and national security studies. His writing has been published in US, and Israeli outlets and his opinions and comments have been featured in the international press.