Dr. Nadia Naser-Najjab, Senior Lecturer in Palestine Studies at the University of Exeter, introduced the award-winning documentary No Other Land at the Sidmouth Film Society. The film offers an intimate portrayal of life under occupation, highlighting the resilience of Palestinian communities. Dr. Naser-Najjab's introduction provided context on the film's themes, drawing upon her expertise in Palestinian studies to enrich the audience's understanding.

Dr. Nadia Naser-Najjab delivered a lecture at the Global Development Institute, University of Manchester, titled The War on Gaza: A Historical Context and Future Possibilities. Drawing on decades of scholarship and lived experience, Dr. Naser-Najjab offered a critical overview of the ongoing Israeli assaults on Gaza, situating them within a broader historical and settler-colonial framework. The lecture explored the structural roots of violence, the failures of international diplomacy, and potential paths toward decolonial futures and Palestinian liberation.

Dr. Nadia Naser-Najjab presented a paper titled The Meaning of International Solidarity to Palestinian Anti-Colonial Resistance at the conference Naming Genocide: The Global Responsibility for Gaza. Hosted by the Palestine Return Center, the event brought together scholars, legal experts, and activists to address the urgency of international accountability in response to Israel’s actions in Gaza.

Dr. Naser-Najjab’s paper examined how global solidarity movements engage with—and at times fall short of—supporting genuine anti-colonial Palestinian resistance, calling for more grounded, decolonial forms of international action.

Dr. Nadia Naser-Najjab delivered a public talk titled Palestine–Israel: Past History, Current Challenges and Future Possibilities as part of the Historical Association’s Taunton lecture series. Drawing on historical analysis and contemporary developments, Dr. Naser-Najjab offered critical insights into the root causes of the ongoing conflict, the obstacles to peace, and possible pathways toward justice and liberation for Palestinians. The event was well-attended by members of the public, educators, and local historians.

Dr. Nadia Naser-Najjab participated in a panel discussion commemorating the 15th anniversary of ICAHD Finland. The event focused on the shared efforts in decolonisation and solidarity between Finnish and Palestinian communities.

Dr. Naser-Najjab addressed the current situation in Gaza, highlighting Israeli human rights violations against Palestinians. She also briefed Finnish members of Parliament, offering insights and suggesting actionable steps to support justice and human rights in Palestine.

The event was conducted in English and was open to the public free of charge.

Dr. Nadia Naser-Najjab delivered a seminar titled The Meaning of Scholasticide: The Historical Context of Targeting Palestinians at the University of Plymouth, as part of the Masters in International Relations Research Seminar Series. In this talk, she explored the deliberate targeting of Palestinian educational institutions within a broader framework of settler-colonial violence. Drawing on historical and contemporary examples, Dr. Naser-Najjab offered a critical analysis of how academic suppression functions as a tool of occupation, erasure, and control. The session was attended by faculty, researchers, and postgraduate students.

Dr. Nadia Naser-Najjab participated in a panel with Dr. Jeff Halper. The panel entitled’ Palestine and Israel – Gaza and beyond’ organised by Exeter Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

The event included book signings of Dr. Naser-Najjab’s new book ‘COVID-19 in Palestine: the settler colonial context (2024).

Dr. Nadia Naser-Najjab delivered the keynote lecture at Birkbeck’s annual event titled Solidarity with Palestine: Organising Against Scholasticide. In her address, she examined the systematic targeting of Palestinian educational institutions—termed "scholasticide"—as a facet of Israel's broader colonial strategy. Dr. Naser-Najjab provided historical context, highlighting how the destruction of educational infrastructure serves to undermine Palestinian identity and future prospects. She also discussed avenues for international solidarity and resistance against these oppressive measures.

The event featured additional contributions:

• Professor Nadine El-Enany: Discussed the role of poetry and writing during times of genocide, referencing Mahmoud Darwish's line, "Singing in a cage is possible."

• Hadeel Awadallah: Joined via video link to share her experiences of academic life under occupation in East Jerusalem.

• Sami El-Enany: Spoke about his work in the Cremisan Valley, a vital green space in Bethlehem facing annexation by Israeli forces.

This event was held in response to a call from Palestinian academics and university staff in Gaza to affirm their existence and resist erasure amid ongoing attacks on educational institutions. The session was free and open to the public.

A recording of the event is available here.

Dr. Nadia Naser-Najjab delivered a lecture as part of the 2023–2024 edition of Aula Mediterrània, addressing students from the Master’s Degree in International Relations, Security and Development at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB). The session also welcomed participants from other master’s programs, undergraduate students, faculty members, journalists, experts, and members of the general public.

As part of a campus-wide encampment in solidarity with Palestine, Dr. Nadia Naser-Najjab led a powerful teach-out session titled The Meaning of Nakba at the University of Exeter. Held on Nakba Day, the session offered a critical exploration of the 1948 displacement of Palestinians and its enduring legacy within the framework of settler colonialism and historical erasure. Drawing from lived experience, scholarship, and community memory, Dr. Naser-Najjab contextualized the Nakba not as a past event, but as an ongoing process of dispossession and resistance.

Her engagement contributed to the broader movement on campus advocating for decolonization, academic solidarity, and ethical institutional accountability in relation to Palestine.

This event, which takes place as part of CEI-Iscte’s Middle East and North Africa Seminar Series, aims to create a space to reflect on and discuss the contemporary perspectives and challenges of Palestine studies, a current and urgent topic, given the conflicts that still persist in the region.

The session starts at 3pm with a screening of the film “Gaza” by directors Garry Keane and Andrew McConnel, followed by a Q&A session. At 6pm, the seminar “Contextualising Palestine-Israel Present Situation“* will begin with guest keynote speaker Professor Nadia Naser-Najjab

The Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies (IAIS) and the European Centre for Palestine Studies (ECPS) is excited to announce this upcoming event on 25/03/24, 'Talk with Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah & Dr Nadia Naser Najjab - The Health Sector in Gaza: from COVID to War'.

Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah is a multi-award-winning Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, with a reputation as one of the world's leading specialists in craniofacial surgey, facial aesthetics, cleft lip and palate surgery, and trauma related injuries.

During the first 43 days of the conflict in Gaza after 7th October 2023, Dr Abu-Sittah worked under the strenuous condictions at the Al-Shifa and Al-Ahli hospitals in Gaza, operating on victim's of Israel's intensive shelling and ground operations. In this talk, Dr Abu-Sittah will recount his experiences in Gaza during this time, discussing the state of the healthcare system in Gaza, as well as the conditions faced by medical staff.

Dr Nadia Naser-Najjab is a senior lecturer in Palestine Studies at the Institute of Arab & Islamic Studies in the University of Exeter. Prior to this, she was an Assistant Professor at Birzeit University. Her research is largely based on first-hand experience and original data collection and focuses on Palestine-Israel peace processes, Palestinian education and Palestinian resistance. During this talk, Dr Naser-Najjab will be discussing her latest book (link in bio), 'COVID-19 in Palestine: The Settler Colonial Context', which demonstrates how 'Israel utilized the pandemic to tighten surveillance & control over Palestine and the Palestinians'.

Dr. Nadia Naser-Najjab presented her latest work, Covid-19 in Palestine: The Settler Colonial Context (I.B. Tauris, 2024), at SOAS University of London. In this compelling book, Dr. Naser-Najjab explores how the Israeli state leveraged the COVID-19 pandemic to intensify surveillance and control over Palestinian populations. Employing frameworks of settler colonialism and necropolitics, she provides a critical analysis of the pandemic's impact on Palestinians, drawing from firsthand interviews and case studies in Gaza, Hebron, Kufr Aqab, and the Jalazoon refugee camp. The book sheds light on the destruction of essential infrastructure and the exacerbation of existing inequalities during the global health crisis.

The event was hosted by the Centre for Palestine Studies at SOAS and featured an in-depth discussion on the intersections of public health, colonial governance, and resistance in Palestine. Please note that the session was held in person and was not recorded.

Dr. Nadia Naser-Najjab presented a paper titled “The Colonial Context of People-to-People Program (P2PP)” at the 2023 BRISMES (British Society for Middle Eastern Studies) Annual Conference. Her presentation critically examined the People-to-People Program within the framework of settler colonialism, analyzing its implications in the context of Canadian foreign policy and its parallels with Israeli settler colonial practices. The panel, Canada as a Settler State on the Question of Palestine, brought together scholars to explore Canada's role and policies concerning Palestine through a settler colonial lens.

This panel was part of the broader conference theme, Ecology, Crisis, and Power in the Middle East, which addressed various dimensions of environmental issues, political crises, and power dynamics in the region.

Dr. Nadia Naser-Najjab joined a panel of experts to discuss legal strategies and international mechanisms for pursuing justice in Palestine, with a focus on action at the International Criminal Court (ICC). The discussion centered on the role of international law in addressing war crimes, the challenges of legal accountability, and the urgent need for global support in holding perpetrators accountable.

To mark one year since the killing of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, this virtual event brought together close friends, family members, and scholars to honour her legacy and demand justice.
Dr. Nadia Naser-Najjab served as moderator, drawing from her personal friendship with Shireen to guide the discussion. Panelists included:

• Tony Abu Akleh (Shireen’s brother), who provided updates on the pursuit of justice, including a complaint to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

• Professor Ilan Pappé, who explored the systemic denial of justice to Palestinian victims.

• Aline Hanna, a lifelong friend of Shireen, who reflected on their 35-year friendship and the emotional toll of unaccountability.