In Episode 57 of The Enlightenment Podcast, Shamim and Hanan are joined once again by Dr. Victor Kattan, the distinguished British-Palestinian legal scholar and historian whose groundbreaking legal campaign may redefine the world’s understanding of colonial responsibility.
In September 2025, Dr. Kattan and a team of leading barristers and scholars filed a 400-page petition to the British government, demanding accountability for Britain’s unlawful occupation of Palestine. This historic initiative — titled Britain Owes Palestine — was the brainchild of Munib Al Masri, the renowned Palestinian industrialist, philanthropist, and lifelong advocate for justice, whose vision has united some of the world’s top legal experts to challenge a century of British colonial impunity.
Supported by top legal minds including Ben Emmerson KC, Danny Friedman KC, and scholars such as John Quigley and Avi Shlaim, this historic petition is the first of its kind to hold a former colonial power legally accountable under international law.
In this powerful conversation, Victor traces how Britain’s actions from the Balfour Declaration (1917) to the Nakba (1948) directly enabled Israeli settler-colonialism and today’s atrocities in Gaza. He discusses the legal and moral implications of empire, deconstructs British archival records, and reflects on how the struggle for justice in Palestine is also a struggle against historical amnesia.
Dr. Kattan previously joined the podcast in November 2024 to discuss Palestinian history and international law — but this time, he returns with what could become one of the most consequential legal movements in modern history.
Dr. Victor Kattan’s Work:
Britain Owes Palestine Petition → https://www.britainowespalestine.org/
ABC Article: The hidden history of British war crimes in Palestine — and the campaign for an apology → https://bit.ly/british-war-crimes-in-palestine
From Coexistence to Conquest: International Law and the Origins of the Arab-Israeli Conflict, 1891-1949 - https://bit.ly/from-coexistence-to-conquest Making Endless War: The Vietnam and Arab-Israeli Conflicts in the History of International Law (Law, Meaning, And Violence) → https://bit.ly/making-endless-war
Previous Episode with Dr. Victor Kattan (Ep. 9 ) → youtube.com/watch?v=HuhQH7L9JsI
Britain Owes Palestine: A Petition for Justice → https://bit.ly/4oPhcar
Dr. Victor Kattan’s Social Media:
Facebook → facebook.com/KattaninSingapore/
Instagram → instagram.com/vmkattan/
X (Twitter) → x.com/VictorKattan?
Enlightenment Podcast Social Media:
https://feedlinks.link/enlightenmentpodcast
#TheEnlightenmentPodcast #VictorKattan #BritainOwesPalestine #ColonialAccountability #InternationalLaw #PalestinianLiberation #FreePalestine #EndTheOccupation #BalfourDeclaration #DecolonizeHistory #GazaGenocide #JusticeForPalestine #PalestinianHistory #EmpireAndResistance #LegalAccountability