The Gaza Genocide, the West Bank, & Freedom of Speech

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Introduction Robert Corsini and Marlene McCurtis

Hour 1 10-11

• Documentary Short: Nakba Origins. Robert Corsini
• Robert Corsini — Huda Introduction ‘Equation For Peace’
  West Bank 
• Update/Telling the Truth of the Occupation: Huda Abuarquob
• Salam Al-Marayati: Freedom of Speech and the Gaza Genocide
• The Human Toll of Gaza: Hedab Tarifi

Robert Corsini has produced human rights and genocide related documentary projects in Armenia, Artsakh, Jerusalem and Palestine.

Marlene McCurtis is a veteran documentarian specializing in prisoner story telling with the California prison system.

Huda Abuarqoob is a peacebuilder, feminist activist, and regional policy strategist with more than two decades of experience in conflict transformation and Middle East diplomacy. Known for her bridge-building leadership and outspoken advocacy for justice and inclusion, she has worked extensively to advance dialogue and cooperation in some of the region’s most divided contexts.

Until recently, Huda served as the Country Director for Search for Common Ground in Palestine, where she led innovative peacebuilding programs that empowered youth, women, and communities to transform conflict and build trust. She has also directed and advised regional networks of peacebuilding organizations and continues to consult internationally on policy reform, gender, and inclusive diplomacy.  

Recognized by global leaders, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama and recipient of the Laudato Si’ Prize, Huda is a sought-after speaker on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, feminist leadership in peace processes, and the future of Middle East politics. She currently works as an independent consultant, contributing to regional and international initiatives on justice, governance, and peace. 

Salam Al-Marayati. MPAC: Nationally recognized for his commitment to improving the public understanding of Islam and policies impacting American Muslims, Salam is president and co-founder of the Muslim Public Affairs Council. He oversees MPAC’s groundbreaking civic engagement, public policy, and advocacy work.

He is an expert on Islam in the West, Muslim reform movements, human rights, democracy, national security, and Middle East politics. He has spoken at the White House, Capitol Hill and represented the U.S. at international human rights and religious freedom conferences.

His writings have appeared in every major national news publication (including the New York Time, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times). His most recent op-ed appeared in the Chicago Times: Why Mulsims will keep facing hate crimes if Congress stays silent.

Hedab Tarifi was born in Gaza, Palestine. She lived in Kuwait until after the first Gulf War, when she moved to the US. Hedab holds a bachelor degree in Computer Software Engineering from University of Florida and an E-Business MBA from University of Phoenix.Hedab worked as an IM Program Manager at General Electric Energy for 20 years. She is now an IT Consultant and on her way to become a certified Financial Planner. Hedab has been active in the Muslim community in Southern California since 1994, working on building bridges and bringing people together. She served on the board of several non-profit organizations, including the New Horizon School Los Angeles. 

She was elected to be the first Chairwoman of both the Muslim Public Affairs Council in 2007 and the Islamic Center of Southern California in 2016. In 2002, she led the effort to make a quilt in remembrance of 9/11 victims. The quilt now resides in the 9/11 Memorial Museum. Hedab worked with KPCC, the Pasadena National Public Radio station on “Portrait of Hedab,” an audio diary reflecting on her experience and the Muslim community in Southern California after 9/11. The diary aired nationwide and won the Golden Mike Award for best documentary. Hedab works with humanitarian organizations focusing on elevating the suffering of Children in Palestine and the Middle East. She is currently serving her second year as the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Islamic Center of Southern California.

Brave New Films Produced: 'Gaza Journalists Under Fire'

Produced by Brave New Films

Directed by Robert Greenwald

Co-Producer: SEAN O'BRIEN.  Will attend screening and participate in a question and answer session.

An advocate for social justice with a lifelong commitment to effecting change through the arts. Originally from the New Orleans area, his work is shaped by the multi-cultural influence of growing up as a first-generation Nicaraguan American in Southern Louisiana. He studied theatre at Boston University and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts. After graduating, he worked in the New Orleans film industry, which ultimately led him to Los Angeles.

Film Description

Since October 7, 2023, at least 178 journalists have been killed in Gaza. That's more journalists than in both World Wars combined. While the world remains silent, we must raise our voices against injustice. In this poignant new documentary, Robert Greenwald will expose Israel’s crimes against journalism and humanity through the lives and deaths of Palestinian journalists Belal Jadallah, Heba Al-Abadla, and Ismail al-Ghoul.

Bilal Jadallah was a prominent Palestinian journalist and media figure, tragically killed in an Israeli airstrike during the ongoing war in Gaza. As director of the Press House-Palestine, an independent media organization based in Gaza City, Jadallah was deeply committed to defending freedom of the press and supporting local journalists under increasingly dire conditions. He was known for fostering independent journalism, mentoring young reporters, and amplifying voices often silenced amid conflict. On November 19, 2023, Jadallah was reportedly killed while attempting to leave Gaza City after being denied safe passage through an Israeli military checkpoint. He was the 49th journalist killed.

Heba Al-Abadla was a dedicated Palestinian journalist and media advocate who worked as a host for Al-Azhar radio, a station affiliated with Al-Azhar University in Gaza. A passionate voice for her community, she co-founded the Social Media Club-Palestine and was widely recognized for her efforts to empower women and youth through media, civic engagement, and political participation. Al-Abadla’s work bridged journalism and activism, reflecting her belief in the power of storytelling to drive change. On December 5, 2023, she was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Khan Yunis, alongside her young daughter Judy, her mother, and several other family members. She was the 84th journalist killed in the war.

Ismail al-Ghoul was a 27-year-old Palestinian journalist known for his fearless field reporting with Al Jazeera. Based in Gaza, he often covered some of the most dangerous and emotionally harrowing events in the region, driven by a commitment to bearing witness. On July 31, 2024, al-Ghoul and his cameraman, Rami al-Refee, were killed in an Israeli airstrike that struck their vehicle in the Shati refugee camp, near the home of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who had been assassinated earlier that day in Tehran. Al-Ghoul was a husband and the father of a toddler daughter. He was the 126th journalist killed.

Sabrine Al-Abadla is a Palestinian woman from Rafah, Gaza—a wife, mother of two, and the sister of slain journalist Heba Al-Abadla. In December 2023, Sabrine lost 57 members of her extended family in a single Israeli airstrike on her uncle’s home, where they had taken shelter after being besieged and cut off from the outside world. Her mother, sister, nieces, nephews, and many others were among those killed—most never recovered from the rubble. Since then, Sabrine has made it her mission to speak publicly about what happened, even as she continues to live under siege herself. With little access to electricity or internet, and at great personal risk, she has refused to be silenced. Even in the shadow of unimaginable loss, she continues to share her family’s story with the world and fight for a future where her children can grow up in a free and peaceful Palestine.