Key video-based material in English on the Israel-Palestinian history


The following is the Thoughtfox compilation of the most essential video-based material on the Israel-Palestine history. This is a select list, which is likely to see some additions in the coming days. If you wish to send us any comments or feedback on this ongoing compilation, send us a message via this online form field.


Basic documentaries

DW Documentary: Israel: Birth of a state

Balfour Project: Britain in Palestine: 1917-1948

Al Jazeera English: Six days that changed the Middle East: The ‘67 Arab-Israeli War

Al Jazeera English (October 16, 2023): The letter that led to the founding of Israel
[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLIBZ1Fewco ]

Al Jazeera English (Sept 18, 2013): The price of Oslo Episode 1; Episode 2

Eron Davidson, Ana Nogueira (dir) (2012): Roadmap to Apartheid

United Nations: ‘The Question of Palestine

The Great War (2020): Redrawing the map of the Middle East in 1920 (24:11)

Raw footage
(sometimes with commentary)

1896: Palestine 1896 (2:28 minutes)

1925: Earl Balfour in Jerusalem (2:05)

1936: Arab man reads out an objection to Balfour (1:22)

1947: Palestine—Martial Law declared (1:55)

1947: Palestine Today (5:35)

1947: Partition of Palestine at the United Nations (2:19)

1948: Last British troops leave Palestine (5:56)

1967: Jerusalem (6:45)




John Mearsheimer: Why Israel is in deep trouble

(17 May 2024, Centre for Independent Studies, Australia)


Noam Chomsky: Lectures/Conversations/Interviews

2023, May 23 (University of California-Riverside): ‘Israel & Palestine: possible futures’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8ZLiYIvtQ8

2022, November 11 (The Global Consortium for Sustainable Peace): ‘Noam Chomsky Discusses Israel with Professor John Haas

2022, September 6 (Conversations with Politics): Noam Chomsky: Why Israel-Palestine 'Peace Negotiations' are a Complete Farce

2021, February 8 (Sulha) ‘DEBATE: Israel-Palestine w/ Noam Chomsky & Rudy Rochman

2021, April 22 (Exeter Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies): ‘A conversation with Noam Chomsky & Ilan Pappé: On impasse, internationalism and radical change
[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9b62321CWZ0 ]

2016, July 2: ‘Noam Chomsky - Why Does the U.S. Support Israel?

2014 (United Nations Palestinian Rights Committee): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8ZRVK9W_Oc

2014, May 6 (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston): Prospects for Palestine [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEpn68BZIOY ]

2011, January 21: (Massachusetts Institute of Technology; MIT Center for International Studies):
Noam Chomsky on Gaza’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wb9gqXBj-4A

2011, December 4 (Clark University): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUsXt8TmVfU

2010, April 29 (Brown University): ‘Noam Chomsky - US/ Israeli Crimes Against Palestine’ [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdfzC5NNAew ]

2003, December 10 (Harvard University; ThePublicMindDenver): The occupation of Palestine: a short history [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXhqgsZ7ZRc&t=178s ]

1989, March 15 (Wisconsin Union Theater, Wisconsin): Noam Chomsky: The United States, Israel and the Palestinians: Part 1, Part 2
[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saiver9GcJw + https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Geskn_sOG2A ]



Ilan Pappé: Presentations, Conversations

2017 (National Press Club, Washington D. C.) (in conversation with Max Blumenthal): (1) Ilan Pappé: The Myth of Israel [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxQNk81ELbI ]; (2) Ilan Pappé: The Only Option is Prison[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CzpStKqpHM ]

2018, September 13 (Case Western Reserve University): History is relevant: the Israeli new history and its legacy [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuvUo3Ub1aY ]

2008 (Al-Awda Convention): Ilan Pappe on ‘The Nakba of Palestine’ [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUDh-jTa3Go ]


Avi Shlaim: Presentations, Conversations

2023, October 25 (The Wire, Karan Thapar): ‘Avi Shlaim on Israel-Palestine History You Should Know—It Explains but Doesn’t Justify Hamas Attack
[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W43Rgzge4Po&t=277s ]

2023, August 3: The forgotten history of Arab Jews [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfDhaWlqXf8&t=756s ]



Benny Morris: Interviews

2018: On 1948: Part 1, Part 2

2017, April 25 (Watson Institute, Brown University): ‘The Creation of the Palestinian Refugee Problem, 1947-1949’ [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5I2_n6sd-Fo ]


Rashid Khalidi: Presentation

2020, March 5 (Watson Institute, Brown University): The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine: a history [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wH8Ip1cvlRY ]



This list has been prepared by
Dr. Piyush Mathur, Research Scholar, Ronin Institute.