Podcast / American Prestige / Nov 11, 2025

Silicon Valley and the Israeli Occupation

On this episode of American Prestige: Omar Zahzah on the consolidation of Big Tech with Israeli colonialism and genocide.

The Nation Podcasts
The Nation Podcasts

Here's where to find podcasts from The Nation. Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the news, from a progressive perspective.

Silicon Valley and the Israeli Occupation w/ Omar Zahzah | American Prestige
byThe Nation Magazine

Derek is joined by Omar Zahzah, Assistant Professor of Arab Muslim Ethnicities and Diasporas Studies at San Francisco State University, to talk about his book Terms of Servitude: Zionism, Silicon Valley, and Digital Settler Colonialism. They discuss the Sheikh Jarrah uprising and the digital front of the Palestinian struggle, the difference between “digital apartheid” and “digital settler colonialism,” Meta’s censorship, the IDF Unit 8200Silicon Valley pipeline, how AI and tech infrastructure are being weaponized, the legacy of Edward Said’s “Permission to Narrate,” and how Palestinians have used social media to change the narrative.

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Protestors passing by the Google building during a rally for Palestine on October 4, 2025, in New York City.

(Stephanie Keith / Getty Images)

Derek is joined by Omar Zahzah, Assistant Professor of Arab Muslim Ethnicities and Diasporas Studies at San Francisco State University, to talk about his book Terms of Servitude: Zionism, Silicon Valley, and Digital Settler Colonialism. They discuss the Sheikh Jarrah uprising and the digital front of the Palestinian struggle, the difference between “digital apartheid” and “digital settler colonialism,” Meta’s censorship, the IDF Unit 8200–Silicon Valley pipeline, how AI and tech infrastructure are being weaponized, the legacy of Edward Said’s “Permission to Narrate,” and how Palestinians have used social media to change the narrative.

Subscribe to The Nation to support all of our podcasts: thenation.com/podcastsubscribe.

The Nation Podcasts
The Nation Podcasts

Here's where to find podcasts from The Nation. Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the news, from a progressive perspective.

News — New US Sanctions on Iran, Syrian Democratic Forces Dissolve, US-Canada Trade Talks Collapse / American Prestige
byThe Nation Magazine

American Prestige brand MREs use Argentinian beef, but don't worry, it's the good kind. In this week’s news: the US launches a new sanctions campaign against Iran (1:35); Iran and Oman negotiate the management of the Strait of Hormuz (5:49); a Haitian gang killing (9:20); the Israeli government takes bids for its E1 settlement (11:52); the US removes Syria from the terrorism sponsors list (14:30); the Syrian Democratic Forces announces its dissolution (15:43); Trump submits the Saudi nuclear deal to Congress (18:31); progress is made in negotiations between the DRC and M23 (23:46); the Ebola outbreak in the DRC continues to expand (26:26); the CIA director visits Russia (28:07); US-Canada trade talks collapse (31:10); and the United States prepares a deep sea mining auction around overseas territories (35:35).

Don't forget Derek's Substack, ⁠Foreign Exchanges⁠.

Enjoy Danny's new Substack, I⁠mperialist Realism⁠.

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Subscribe to The Nation to Support all of our podcasts

Derek Davison

Derek Davison is a writer and analyst specializing in international affairs and US foreign policy. He is the publisher of the Foreign Exchanges newsletter, cohost of the American Prestige podcast, and former editor of LobeLog.

Daniel Bessner

Daniel Bessner is a historian of US foreign relations and is the author of, among other books, Imperialist Realism.

More from The Nation

Google headquarters campus in Mountain View, California.

How Mass Layoffs Changed Working in Tech—Clarissa Redwine & JS Tan How Mass Layoffs Changed Working in Tech—Clarissa Redwine & JS Tan

Discussing the state of worker organizing in the tech industry, including how it’s changed since the mid-2010s and where it needs to go from here.

Paris Marx

North Korea’s Roots in Christianity—With Jonathan Cheng

North Korea’s Roots in Christianity—With Jonathan Cheng North Korea’s Roots in Christianity—With Jonathan Cheng

Jonathan Cheng joins Danny and Derek to explore Christianity’s influence on North Korea’s founding ideology, the Kim family, and its enduring personality cult.

Daniel Bessner and Derek Davison

An official mail ballot drop box during a 2026 primary election in New York.

The Supremes, Trump, and Voting—Plus Colson Whitehead’s Harlem The Supremes, Trump, and Voting—Plus Colson Whitehead’s Harlem

David Cole explains the latest court rulings on Trump’s efforts to undermine Democratic voting, and John Powers comments on the new novel “Cool Machine.”

Jon Wiener

Graham Platner on June 7, 2026, in Portland, Maine.

Unpacking Platner Unpacking Platner

On today’s episode of Fighting Fascism, reflections on Graham Platner, the lessons of primary season, debates over “wokeness,” data centers, and what lies ahead in November.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on August 14, 2026.

Israel’s Escalating Conflict With Turkey Israel’s Escalating Conflict With Turkey

The current conflict in the Middle East might escalate on a new front. In recent weeks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjaman Netanyahu has been touting Turkey as a potential threat on p…

Podcast / The Time of Monsters

US President Donald Trump and Air Force Col. Christopher M. Robinson walking to board Air Force One on August 14, 2026.

Israel Strikes Syria, Trump Escalates the Economic War on Iran, the US Seems to Move Toward Diplomacy With North Korea Israel Strikes Syria, Trump Escalates the Economic War on Iran, the US Seems to Move Toward Diplomacy With North Korea

Danny and Derek unpack the week’s global news, from Israel, Syria, Gaza, and Iran to Sudan, Ukraine, Korea, US tariffs, and Trump’s military agenda.

Derek Davison and Daniel Bessner

x