
#25 - What Does Terrorism Actually Mean? ft. Conor Gearty KC
From Let's Talk Palestine by Lets Talk Palestine
July 6, 2025 · 43 min
About this episode
This episode critically examines the term 'terrorism' and its implications in the context of Palestine and global politics.
With the term ‘terrorism’ so frequently invoked in Western media coverage of Palestine, today’s episode of the Let’s Talk Palestine Podcast seeks to unpack and critically examine this loaded label. Conor Gearty KC, a professor of human rights law at LSE and a specialist in anti-terrorism legislation, traces the term’s roots to British-colonial Ireland, explores how Israel later adapted and popularized it to justify its oppression of Palestinians, and reflects on how its use exploded globally following 9/11—fueling the U.S.-led ‘War on Terror’ and the illegal invasion of Iraq.
People in this episode
Guest: Conor Gearty KC
Topics covered
- terrorism
- media coverage
- human rights
- colonialism
- anti-terrorism legislation
- Palestinian oppression
- global conflict
Keywords
- terrorism
- Palestine
- Israel
- human rights
- colonialism
- War on Terror
- 9/11
- anti-terrorism
- media
- oppression
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: LSE
Places: Palestine, Israel, Iraq
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