In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, we sit down with Mahmoud Khalil for a powerful conversation about identity, displacement, free speech, and the fight for Palestinian rights. Mahmoud shares his personal journey from growing up in a Palestinian refugee camp in Syria to becoming a prominent voice for Palestine at Columbia University, and the experiences that led to his detention and ongoing legal battle. He reflects on his family's history of displacement, the generations of Palestinians living without a place to call home, and why his story extends far beyond his own experience. Mahmoud also discusses his newly released book, ‘No Land to Stand On: Notes from Detention’, explaining why he chose to tell his story in his own words and why he refused to separate his experience from the Palestinian cause. The conversation explores the student movement at Columbia, institutional pressure, the importance of speaking out, and the consequences of challenging powerful institutions. Mahmoud also reflects on solidarity, personal responsibility, and why meaningful change requires people to stand together, even when doing so comes with a cost.

Mahmoud Khalil is a New York Times bestselling author, a Palestinian born in a refugee camp in Syria, and a Columbia University graduate, where he became a prominent figure during the student protests against the war on Gaza. Mahmoud lives in New York, where he continues to fight against the threat of deportation. No Land to Stand On is his first book.

In this conversation, we explore
→ Mahmoud's journey from a Palestinian refugee camp in Syria to Columbia University
→ His family's history of displacement and the meaning behind No Land to Stand On
→ His detention, the fight for free speech, and his ongoing legal battle
→ Why he refused to separate his personal story from the Palestinian cause
→ The Columbia student movement, institutional pressure, and academic freedom
→ Edward Said's influence and the importance of Palestinians telling their own stories
→ Courage, solidarity, and the responsibility to speak out against injustice

Director: Dr. Ed Hasan | 2026