Podcast features Samah Salaime on the significance of the Arab Israeli vote
A new podcast episode explores the dynamics behind the recent election results and the evolving relationship between Arab and Jewish Israelis.
By Isabella Kaur ·
The Times of Israel has released the seventh episode of its new weekly podcast series, A Mandatory Listen. In this installment, deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan sits down with Palestinian activist and writer Samah Salaime to discuss the implications of the recent elections for Arab Israeli citizens. The conversation delves into why the election was particularly significant for this demographic and analyzes the choices made by voters at the ballot box.
Salaime is a well-known voice in the Israeli media landscape, serving as a longtime contributor to +972 Magazine. Her work primarily focuses on the intersections of feminism and Arab-Jewish relations. Born in the northern town of Tur'an, situated between Haifa and Tiberius, she relocated in 2000 to Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam. This mixed Jewish-Arab community became her home, where she raised three sons.
By education, Salaime is a trained social worker. Her professional background extends to academia and leadership development, having served as a fellow at the Mandel School for Educational Leadership. Her contributions to society have been recognized with several accolades, most notably the Rappaport Prize for Longstanding Achievement, which she received in 2020.
The episode focuses on the post-election period, a time marked by a historic shift in political representation. The Arab vote resulted in an unprecedented combined total of 19 mandates for the Joint List and Ra'am parties. Salaime offers nuanced insights into the factors that motivated Arab Israeli citizens to participate in this specific election and the reasons behind their support for these political entities.
Throughout the discussion, both Borschel-Dan and Salaime express a shared frustration with the longstanding status quo of mutual distrust that has characterized Israeli society. They explore potential alternatives to this dynamic, wondering aloud about how a different path forward might look for the two communities. The tone of the conversation is described as tolerant and free-flowing, allowing for deep exploration of these complex social issues.
The podcast series aims to ask the big questions facing Israel and the Jewish people. This episode, produced by Yitzchak Ledee, is part of a broader effort to provide listeners with substantive dialogue on contemporary challenges. The full episode is available for viewing, and the entire series can be accessed through various platforms.
Listeners can download A Mandatory Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or any other service where they typically obtain their audio content. The production team encourages audiences to engage with the material and consider the perspectives offered by Salaime and Borschel-Dan as they navigate the current political landscape.
The release of this episode coincides with a promotional offer from The Times of Israel. They are inviting readers to join their Community program, which provides members with a physical book of their choice curated by the editorial team. Options include titles such as When We See You Again by Rachel Goldberg-Polin and Out of the Sky by Matti Friedman.
Membership in the Community also grants access to the DocuNation series of Israeli documentary films, an ad-free experience on the website and podcast platforms, and the ability to comment on articles. This initiative aims to deepen reader engagement while supporting the publication's ongoing coverage of local and global news.
