‘Israel tried to assassinate me’: The Man Behind Gaza’s Biggest Peaceful Protest Movement
Abu Artema reflects on his enduring belief in peaceful popular resistance as a path toward Palestinian liberation.
Ahmed Alnaouq is joined by Ahmed Abu Artema, a Palestinian writer, intellectual and leading advocate of non-violent resistance. Abu Artema's vision helped spark the Great March of Return, Gaza’s historic mass protest movement of 2018–2019.
In this episode of The Deep Dive, Abu Artema reflects on his enduring belief in peaceful popular resistance as a path toward Palestinian liberation. He revisits the origins of the Great March of Return, the movement’s impact on political consciousness in Gaza, and the hope it inspired among millions of Palestinians demanding freedom and return.
He also shares the deeply personal story of surviving more than 690 days of genocide in Gaza, including an Israeli attempt on his life, and the devastating loss of numerous family members. Abu Artema recounts the painful journey that ultimately forced him into exile in the Netherlands, where he now lives separated from his children, family and homeland.