About Dr. Kahhat
Dr. Farid Kahhat is a second-generation Peruvian-Palestinian currently living in Lima, Peru. Kahhat’s father was a first-generation immigrant from Beit Jala, Palestine, who migrated to South America in January 1951. Dr. Kahhat’s mother was born in Peru to Palestinian parents. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru and a PhD in Political Science and Government from The University of Texas at Austin. He is currently a senior lecturer in the Department of Social Sciences at the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú and a Professor of International Relations at Academia Diplomática del Perú. His research focuses mainly on Latin American and Middle Eastern politics. His status as a Professor of International Politics of Palestinian heritage makes his testimony on Palestine both deeply personal and extremely factually informative. The following video segments originate from a ~2-hour conversation between Dr. Kahhat and Lauren Ryan in June 2024. Not all videos appear in chronological order, but rather are organized by topic for easy comprehension.
Dr. Kahhat: Family History, Being Publicly Pro-Palestinian
In this segment, Dr. Kahhat shares his own history, explaining the roots of his Palestinian heritage and how he has moved through the world in relation to it. He is open about the challenges he has faced as a person who is open about the origins of his family and does not shy away from exposing the threats and attempted damages he has been victim to as a result of his ongoing advocacy for the Palestinian cause and peoples.
Dr. Kahhat’s Trips to Palestine
In this segment, Dr. Kahhat shares his experiences visiting Palestine. Particularly, he discusses the oppression he witnessed and the hardships he faced simply due to his Palestinian surname.
Dr. Kahhat: One and Two-State Solutions, US Politics, and Fighting Israeli Political Parties
In this video segment, Dr. Kahhat explains his opinion of Israel as the biggest barrier to a two-state solution (or any solution). He emphasizes current Israeli political parties being explicitly opposed to a Palestinian state ever emerging, no matter the form. He then gets into the possibilities of one and two-state solutions in Palestine. Further, he discusses how Likud, a far-right Israeli, political party, is potentially easier to fight back against than Labor, a more centrist Israeli political party. In this part of the interview, he refers to pogroms, a reference which is well explained here. Dr. Kahhat also explains his viewpoints on US political parties and their effects on Palestinians.
Dr. Kahhat on Student Movements
In this segment, Dr. Kahhat discusses the historical legacy of various student movements, especially in the US. He compares these historic movements to the Pro-Palestinian movement on college campuses.
Dr. Kahhat: Palestinian Resistance, the Creation of Hamas, and the Disappearing Israeli Left
In this video, Dr. Kahhat discusses various modes of Palestinian resistance. He shares his opinions on the ways that different Palestinian liberation groups have chosen to resist Israeli occupation. One historical moment he refers to is the Great March of Return, which individuals can learn more about here. He also discusses how Israel helped to create Hamas as an easier, non-secular opponent and how this has led to a decline in the Israeli left.
Dr. Kahhat on the beginnings of a Pro-Palestinian Jewish community in Peru
Dr. Kahhat: Peru’s Foreign Policy on Palestine
In this segment, Dr. Kahhat answers questions about Peru’s official stance regarding Palestine. He refers to an article he wrote criticizing the Peruvian government’s failure to name Israel as an aggressor, even as Peru tends to side with International Law and therefore does recognize Palestine.