Recent years have seen a marked increase in pro-Palestinian sentiment throughout the West. Yet despite this, leaders including US President Biden and UK Prime Minister Sunak have only tightened their unconditional embrace of the Israeli regime. This growing divergence between public opinion and policy has only become increasingly stark amid the Israeli regime's ongoing genocide in Gaza. With over 20,000 Palestinians killed, recent polls have found that over 68% of Americans across the political spectrum support a ceasefire. Nonetheless, only a small fraction of lawmakers are heeding these calls. 

In our upcoming policy lab, Huwaida Arraf and Ben Jamal join host Tariq Kenney-Shawa to discuss where the public stands on the Israeli regime’s assault on Palestine and how to bridge the gap between public opinion and policy.

Huwaida Arraf is a Palestinian-American human rights/civil rights attorney and activist. She is a co-founder of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) and former chair of the boats to Gaza initiative. She is also a former candidate for the US House of Representatives in Michigan.

Ben Jamal is Director of UK-based Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) and a member of the British Palestinian Policy Committee.

Tariq Kenney-Shawa is Al-Shabaka's US Policy Fellow and co-host of Al-Shabaka's Policy Lab series. He holds a Masters degree in International Affairs from Columbia University. Tariq's research and writing have covered a range of topics, from the role of open-source intelligence in exposing Israel's war crimes to analysis of Palestinian liberation tactics.

About the Policy Lab Program: Al-Shabaka's Policy Lab Program is an online live-stream space where audiences can engage directly with expert analysts from our nearly 200-member network as they craft policies and strategies related to Palestine. The labs are free and open for public participation, inviting viewers to join in on policy discussions.

Note: This discussion will take place in English. Our policy labs are supported through the generosity of donors. They are free to attend, though we accept contributions on a sliding scale upon registration to help sustain the program.

Our policy labs are free to the public. To make a donation while registering, please select the "Support our Policy Lab Program" option.

Bridging the Gap: Public Opinion vs Policy on Palestine