This Palestinian-Israeli Couple is Breaking a Huge Taboo

Quick Overview

The Palestinian-Israeli couple, Osama Fahda (Palestinian from a Muslim family) and Sari Bashi (Israeli-American lawyer and human rights activist), discuss the immense societal and legal taboos they broke by marrying and living together in the West Bank, detailing the difficulties faced by their mixed family, including their children's inability to travel freely and the general opposition from both sides.

Key Points: Osama Fahda (Palestinian) and Sari Bashi (Israeli-American) co-authored the memoir "Upside Down Love," detailing their relationship and life under Israeli occupation. The book was started in 2010 and originally published in Hebrew, later in English, detailing the near-impossible love under Israeli military occupation. Sari Bashi is the Executive Director of Gisha, the Legal Center for Freedom of Movement. The couple lives in the West Bank and raises their children (ages 8 and 11) in a mixed environment, which Bashi notes is how it should be, despite political realities. Bashi points out that the Israeli government and many Israeli Jews, even left-wing ones, are terrified of the idea of equality or a one-state solution, often framing it as Arabs murdering Jews, which she views as propaganda. The couple faces practical difficulties, such as checkpoints and travel restrictions, which prevent their family from traveling together easily; for instance, their Palestinian father, Osama, cannot easily join them in Tel Aviv or attend family events. Bashi notes that Jewish fear/persecution narratives have been deeply ingrained in Israeli society for centuries, making it difficult for many Israelis to accept true equality with Palestinians.

Context: The video features an interview between host Mehdi Hasan and Sari Bashi, co-author of the memoir "Upside Down Love: A Memoir in Two Voices." The memoir chronicles the relationship between Bashi, an Israeli-American lawyer and human rights activist, and Osama Fahda, a Palestinian from a Muslim family, highlighting the immense political, social, and legal obstacles they face living together in the occupied West Bank.