Dr. Mike Kabar
Dr. Mike Kabar is a licensed psychiatrist who has practiced in both the United States and Peru. His entire immediate family was born in Palestine. He is the youngest of six and the only individual in his family born in the diaspora. Despite being born in the diaspora, Dr. Kabar has remained deeply connected to his Palestinian identity and Palestinian liberation. His existence reminds us that no forced separation from homeland will erase the history of Zionist colonization and the dispossession that Palestinians have faced since before 1948. Oral histories, family stories, and a thirst for knowledge and justice will always live within the Palestinian people, no matter how far away from Palestine they flee. Dr. Kabar is a living reminder of this reality.
Note: The slingshot sculpture that appears behind Dr. Kabar throughout segments of his interview was created by artist Claudia Salem. She sculpted 3 slingshots, inspired by the Intifada, and gave one to Dr. Kabar.
Dr. Kabar's Family's Journey to the Diaspora and pro-Palestinian Activism
In this segment, Mike discusses his family history. He talks about the Nakba and its effect on his family, passing on his parents' stories. He emphasizes that his family chose to flee Palestine to “protect their children” and not out of a desire to leave their lands. He discusses the difficulty of visiting or even contacting the family they left behind in Palestine throughout his childhood, especially due to Israeli occupation.
Dr. Kabar’s Trip to Palestine
In this video, Dr. Kabar shares about his trip to Palestine in 1999. He talks about bringing medication to Gaza hospitals, the difficulty of getting a visa for his elderly Palestinian-born mother to visit her family, and the intense restriction of movement that plagues Palestinians every day. He compares this restriction of movement to the way farmers treat cattle, commenting on the deep dehumanization and human rights abuses Israel commits even when they are not actively bombing Palestinians.
Dr. Kabar: A Free Palestine and the Necessity of US Policy Change
Here, Dr. Kabar responds to the question of what a Free Palestine would look like, detailing his thoughts on a one-state v.s. two-state solution. He emphasizes that for either solution to even possibly be achieved, the US would need to change its policy on Israel and push for Palestinian human rights. He criticizes the United State’s complicity in all of Israel’s crimes against humanity.
Dr. Kabar: Palestine from a Psychiatric Perspective
In this video, Dr. Kabar discusses how he continues to pay attention to Palestine and remain mentally stable. This leads to a discussion on the psychology of all that is occurring within Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
Dr Kabar: The Global Rise of the Far-Right and MasS Dehumanization
Responding to a prompt about how Palestine is a global issue that affects all people, Dr. Kabar discusses how Israel is one manifestation of the far-right political movement. He also discusses, in response to a question from an audience member, the mass dehumanization of the Palestinian people.
Dr. Kabar on Organizing in Peru
In this video, Dr. Kabar discusses his role as an active organizer of Pro-Palestinian cultural and political events, including protests, in Peru. He talks about the large protests after Israel’s war on Gaza in 2014 and the struggles of mobilizing Peruvians post-pandemic. He emphasizes a big problem in Peru being that people don’t believe they can make a difference due to Peru’s relatively small population and influence on the world stage.
Dr. Kabar: Jewish Terrorist Groups, Political Activism in Palestine, and REligion
In this video, Dr. Kabar discusses his father’s involvement in trying to resist Jewish terrorist groups that took over Palestinian towns before the Nakba. He talks about the varied levels of political activism in Palestinian towns based on their resources. This leads to a conversation surrounding the Christian Palestinians diaspora and why this is not a religious conflict.