Ep. 34: Political Analysis & Debate: Nazih Musharbash (President of the German-Palestinian Society)

Guest: Nazih Musharbash – President of the German-Palestinian Society Hosts: Philipp & Mert Bio: Nazih Musharbash is the President of the German-Palestinian Society. He served for many years as a school principal and as coordinator for school development and evaluation at the Weser-Ems regional authority. Musharbash lives in Bad Iburg and was a member of the city council for 34 years as well as a county councilor in Osnabrück for more than 25 years. In 1997, he was elected to the Lower Saxony state parliament as a member of the SPD. In 2025, he received the Courage Award of the Committee Courage in his hometown of Bad Iburg. In this Episode: Recorded June 20, 2025, hosts Philipp and Mert welcome Nazih Musharbash, President of the German-Palestinian Society. He speaks about his personal background, his decades of work in politics and education, and what motivated him to strengthen German-Palestinian relations. They reflect on the aftermath of October 7 and the Gaza war, the challenges of making Palestinian perspectives heard in Germany, and the broader role of the German-Palestinian Society today. Drawing on his experience as a school principal, Musharbash also offers insights into how schools can create space for multiperspectival approaches to Israel/Palestine and how memory culture might be expanded to include Palestinian experiences. The conversation also explores media representation and prospects for political solutions—from the viability of a two-state model to grassroots initiatives. Musharbash closes with a hopeful outlook, encouraging young people to resist prejudice, value education, and stay engaged in the pursuit of justice and peace. This episode was recorded March 14, 2025. Links: German-Palestinian Society:https://dpg-netz.de/ Please also check out our other episodes in the political debate chapter to explore multiple perspectives. Disclaimer: Guest opinions are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the podcast team. Technical legal terms are explained in Episode 36 with Prof. Claus Kreß; contested histories are addressed by Prof. Gudrun Krämer in Episode 21.