A new podcast series from Jacobin Radio called Red Star Over Palestine tackles the histories of the Palestinian left and the influence of socialist ideas on Palestinian politics and culture. You can hear the first three episodes of the series now.

Episode one takes a close look at the history of Palestinian communism and the work of Emile Habibi, one of the Arab world’s great modern novelists who was also a communist MP. Episode two covers the foundation of the Palestine Liberation Organization and the emergence of its left-wing currents. Episode three focuses on the role of two important figures, Leila Khaled and Ghassan Kanafani.

For the last twenty-five years, the rivalry between Fatah and Hamas has dominated the political stage in Palestine, overshadowing a different tradition. At its peak, the Palestinian left-wing movement in its various forms was one of the strongest in the Arab world, and its influence can still be felt today.