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Julian Walker
Today I'll be taking a deep dive into a controversial pro Palestine group headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, called Within Our Lifetime. And in discussing their ideas and methods, I'll ask questions like what's the relationship between anti Zionism and anti Semitism? And how do you make sense of differing interpretations of slogans like Globalize the Intifada and from the river to the Sea? On our recent episode about the success of New York City mayoral candidate Zoran Mamdani in June's Democratic primary, I praised his handling of one of the most electrified third rails in today's pro Palestine protest slogans. Now, given that he's a democratic socialist and a Muslim whose background includes exactly that kind of protest, and given that he wants to be mayor of the city that is home to more Jews than anywhere else outside of Israel, these kinds of questions are actually inevitable. The adjustments he made and how he handled them in the weeks before that election showed an ability to do something as a political communicator that is rare, especially on this topic. His stance on the slogan Globalize the Intifada became a central focus, and by his third or fourth time facing this question on the public stage, he ended up eventually answering that it is not language that he himself uses. And and he also expressed empathy for Jewish New Yorkers who may find it scary, while acknowledging the rise of anti Semitic attacks. This is brilliant because he pulled off something very difficult by resisting the kind of whataboutism that could have been used against him. And look, the truth is that the absolutely hellish collective punishment that Israel has unleashed on Gaza is an atrocity in the eyes of reasonable people with any conscience or empathy. Doubly so then for someone involved in the pro Palestine movement. But Mamdani understood in those moments he was being asked to put himself in the shoes of the Jewish New Yorkers he might serve and effectively address their fears. This approach is an example of what I believe needs to happen if we're to build a coalition that can defeat maga. And no, that doesn't mean ignoring or whitewashing the genocide in Gaza. Not at all. Now, given that I'm already wading into the most loaded and intractable topic of our time, the Israel Palestine conflict, here's my thumbnail on what I think goes wrong in in that debate. Americans who emphasize only the Palestinian people and Israeli aggression tend to leave out the significant complicating factor of Hamas. But Americans who emphasize only Israeli civilians and hostages and the actions of Hamas militants tend to deny or overlook the reality of Palestinian oppression and seemingly justify the inexcusable carnage rained on the people of Gaza over the last almost two years. For the first group criticizing Hamas or American protest groups who seem to support Hamas betrays an unacceptably presumptuous privilege. Like who are we to say how oppressed people should fight for their freedom? For the second group criticizing Israel or American organizations that support Israel, denies the atrocities of October 7 and the suicide bombings of the second intifada and betrays an anti Semitic openness to the annihilation of the Jewish state. I'm not doing any fallacious version of both sides ing here, but I want to ask you honestly, if you identified strongly with either of those positions, how much do you actually know about Hamas? Or how familiar are you with the word Nakba? So wherever you're starting from, stick around and think this through with me. I can't promise I'll solve the Middle east or satisfy any hardline activists, but if you join our Patreon to hear the whole bonus episode, I can promise there'll be a heated and potentially very interesting conversation in the comments. I'm Julian Walker and this is Conspirituality Podcast. As I said, my main focus today will be the New York based group Within Our Lifetime, which is small and getting smaller each time another member goes to jail. But more on that later. But they're very active, they're influential and vocal, and by their own account, more radically revolutionary in their focus than any of the other pro Palestine groups they criticize. In a tweet from last week, the group's leader, Nurdine Keswani, proudly claims to have popularized the phrase globalize the intifada as far back as 2021. The group's social media post in the immediate aftermath of October 7th read, we must support Palestinian resistance in all its forms, by any means necessary, with no exceptions and no fine print. And weeks later, as reported by Newsweek, abc, New York Post, and Times of Israel, they posted at least two strategic maps on Instagram, one showing the LOC of Jewish organizations in New York and one showing corporate and governmental organizations. And emblazoned above and below the maps were phrases like know your enemy, blood on their hands, and globalize the intifada. The account has since been banned, so those posts are gone. But the question remains, what did they mean? And do their actions and statements understandably induce fear?
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Conspirituality Podcast - Episode: Bonus Sample: Globalize The Intifada?
Host: Julian Walker
Release Date: July 14, 2025
In this bonus episode of the Conspirituality Podcast, host Julian Walker delves into the intricate and often contentious landscape of pro-Palestine activism in New York City. Focusing on the Brooklyn-based group Within Our Lifetime, Julian explores the fine line between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism, unraveling the complexities behind provocative slogans such as "Globalize the Intifada" and "From the River to the Sea."
Julian begins by introducing Within Our Lifetime, a small yet vocal pro-Palestine group headquartered in Brooklyn. Despite its size, the group's influence is amplified through social media and public demonstrations. Julian raises critical questions about the group's rhetoric and its potential to incite fear or misunderstanding within diverse communities.
"The group’s leader, Nurdine Keswani, proudly claims to have popularized the phrase 'globalize the intifada' as far back as 2021."
— Julian Walker [02:30]
A significant portion of the episode dissects the meaning and impact of pro-Palestine slogans. Julian scrutinizes the phrase "Globalize the Intifada," questioning its intent and the message it sends to both supporters and detractors.
"Their social media post in the immediate aftermath of October 7th read, 'we must support Palestinian resistance in all its forms, by any means necessary, with no exceptions and no fine print.'"
— Julian Walker [03:15]
Julian highlights how such language can blur the lines between legitimate activism and extremist rhetoric, potentially fueling broader societal tensions.
Julian references a recent episode where he analyzed the successful mayoral campaign of Zoran Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist and Muslim candidate. Mamdani's adept handling of pro-Palestine slogans despite representing a city with a significant Jewish population serves as a pivotal example of responsible political communication.
"Mamdani expressed empathy for Jewish New Yorkers who may find it scary, while acknowledging the rise of anti-Semitic attacks."
— Julian Walker [01:45]
This approach, Julian notes, showcases the delicate balance required to address diverse community concerns without conceding to harmful rhetoric.
Julian offers his perspective on the broader Israel-Palestine conflict, emphasizing the pitfalls of oversimplified narratives. He critiques both sides: those who focus solely on Palestinian suffering and Israeli aggression without acknowledging Hamas’s role, and those who highlight Israeli civilian casualties and Hamas militancy without recognizing Palestinian oppression.
"Americans who emphasize only the Palestinian people and Israeli aggression tend to leave out the significant complicating factor of Hamas."
— Julian Walker [03:50]
By advocating for a more nuanced understanding, Julian encourages listeners to engage deeply with historical and current events to form informed opinions.
Julian discusses specific actions taken by Within Our Lifetime, such as their controversial social media posts mapping Jewish organizations and labeling them with threatening phrases. These actions have led to backlash and legal repercussions for some members.
"They posted at least two strategic maps on Instagram, one showing the LOC of Jewish organizations in New York and one showing corporate and governmental organizations, with phrases like 'know your enemy' and 'blood on their hands'."
— Julian Walker [04:10]
The episode questions whether such tactics contribute to genuine advocacy or if they perpetuate a climate of fear and misinformation.
Julian wraps up the episode by acknowledging the depth and sensitivity of the topic. He invites listeners to engage further by joining their Patreon community, promising a robust discussion in the comments section.
"I can't promise I'll solve the Middle East or satisfy any hardline activists, but if you join our Patreon to hear the whole bonus episode, I can promise there'll be a heated and potentially very interesting conversation in the comments."
— Julian Walker [04:50]
Note: This summary encapsulates the core content of the bonus episode up to the provided transcript timestamp of [05:36]. For an in-depth exploration and the full conversation, listeners are encouraged to subscribe to the Patreon as suggested by Julian Walker.