Episode 13: Kamel Jamal On His Love For Palestine And Devotion To Its Liberation

*Kamel reviewing questions before our podcast inside of his restaurant, WTF, as Brandon sets up the recording equipment.*

Kamel Jamal speaks of his love for Palestine and devotion to its liberation in a quietly sad yet solid voice after completing one of his toughest days as chef for one of his restaurants, Beacon Bread Company. During the early summer days of May 2021, after families in the Palestinian neighborhood, Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem, banded together to protest their scheduled displacement by occupying Israeli forces, the world awoke to the plight of Palestinians and their inability to survive in Palestine, as homes are demolished by their occupiers, electricity is limited, water is supplied undrinkable, and packages are confiscated. All of which is nothing new, but more people started paying attention.

*Hudson Valley residents marching for a free Palestine in May 2021.* *Read the article and watch videos of speakers here.*
Photo Credit: A Little Beacon Blog

Kamel emerged from a prayer session to get through the tough day - the grounding and peaceful Islamic ritual practiced at least 5 times a day by Muslims - to share with us his lived experience as a Palestinian refugee; immigrating to America at the age of 2 on a sponsored visa his father’s friend arranged; his experience passing through heavily guarded Israeli checkpoints that Palestinians and visitors must pass through to get to work or vacation; his interpretation of the keffiyeh (the black and white Palestinian scarf); his reaction to 9/11 and how he felt Islam was hijacked; who he donates to in Palestine and why; his admiration of the Jewish faith and why it should not be confused with Zionism; and why he believes Palestine will be free.

Kamel is the owner of Ziatun, Beacon Bread Company, and WTF. He recently sold Tito Santana, previously sold Végétalien in Beacon and Angelina’s in Cold Spring. Does his love for people in Palestine impact his businesses? Not really. Many people have expressed how at home they feel in his restaurants. His staff is supportive, and his love for food and culture shine through. He pursues many ways of resisting, including designing merchandise that encourages supporters to resist through food. There are rare occasions when a person who does not support Palestinian freedom steps into the warm atmosphere of Ziatun, which features styles from Kamel’s Palestinian home, and leaves a bad review based solely that the restaurant proudly identifies as Palestinian.