1068 - American Doctor feat. Mark Perlmutter and Thaer Ahmad (9/3/26)
Mark Perlmutter and Thaer Ahmad from the documentary American Doctor join us this week to discuss their time working as doctors in Gaza. They discuss what they witnessed in Gaza during the genocide, their attempts to persuade politicians on Capitol Hill, the medical industry’s willfull blindness to Palestinian suffering, and what needs to happen to cure the cancerous ideology of Zionism.
Find all things about the film including where to see it here: https://americandoctorfilm.com/
Comments (118)
Never thought I would be sobbing listening to Chapo. Excellent interview listening to these brave men.
This one really hit deep - glad I’ve got one theater in my “liberal” city that plans to show it but absolutely plan to see the film when it shows up in a few weeks. I didn’t need convincing but this really hit home with how truly fucking awful and insidious this shit has become. Wild it needs to be justified to anyone at this point but I guess that’s the point of hasbara.
Brad Schneider hasn't responded to an email I sent 2 weeks ago so I think I need to send him another one... or 10.
Thank you for making this shareable. I think more people need to be aware of what’s happening in Gaza.
What senator is Dr. Perlmutter mentioning when he talks about their office being closed to the doctors three separate times? I can’t make out the name.
hearing what these guys have to say makes me want to DO something about it. Goddamnit.
this shouldn’t be behind a paywall. also beyond embarrassing for felix to chime in as if his time playing video games makes him qualified to speak on the carnage on the ground.
This made me cry, such horrible tales of death and destruction. These men are stronger than i could ever be
Yum, veggies
Ex q1111111111111111q1A2 school h bcdvhad hd
What a great episode
unlock this one
very moving ep
Anyone notice how fervent Germany is about supporting the Israeli state? I have a hypothesis. It’s not simply guilt, it is that German nationalism is what inspired a young Theodore Herzl, an Austro-Hungarian Jewish man; however because of his ethnic background, he would remain estranged from the social and cultural pan-European identity, and all the prestige that entailed. Thus, his writings and ideology spread throughout Jewish academia in Europe, and long after his demise, he left a Pan-European Jewish/ Pan-Ashkenazim ideology, which essentially carries the German model of industrial slaughter into the future. Just as Israel’s campaign of mass murder heightened the religious zionists and their fervent desire for more bloodshed inside the country, the AFD is starting to get startlingly close to power, just as the America’s violence against it’s immigrant population has also risen. Germany recognizes in Israel, a true confirmation of it’s nationalist ideals. I am high, so sorry.
Really appreciate the guests you guys have had recently. Its great to hear from people outside of costal commentators
Amazing heroes. Great episode.
C'mon guys unlock this episode already I want to share it with people
Minor correction- Ben Gvir is Mizrahi, his parents are from Iraq.
Fantastic Guests. Kudos to you for this interview.
The boomer line was tops.
I swear, Israel read Kafka and took away the wrong message at every level. It's meant to be a warning, not an instruction manual.
This guy is a lion
I was once an activist film student making student projects about the labor movement and BDS and one thing I never figured out is why filmmakers who make this sort of work -- politically and socially important -- would waste time on things like film festivals, trying to get distribution deals, limited theatrical releases and the like and then eventually pay-walling it behind paid streaming services. Like if the message is this urgent put that shit on YouTube today. Put it on Pirate Bay ffs. Copyleft it and encourage file sharing. Though probably from my position on this you can guess I didn't "make it" in the documentary film industry and now do other things.
Being attached to a major distributor lends credibility to a project. That distributor will also advertise the film, getting it out to more people. Plus, if a documentary is successful on the awards circuit it can get a lot more eyes on it, look at No Other Land. You can argue that those things aren't substantive, but at that point I think you need to acknowledge that filmmaking (narrative and documentary) isn't really a driver of change
This episode got me to realize that my profession has been silent on Palestine too. In my case, that profession is structural engineering. Dr. Perlmutter's observation on institutional silence seems correct for my profession too, and for the same basic reason: don't fuck with the money. It's depressing and disheartening.
Yeah I’m an electrical engineer and all our professional orgs and institutions are all very quiet about it as well. I was surprised to hear what Dr. Perlmutter said about medical professionals being the most fascistic and most prone to genuflect before capital and power. I previously figured it was the engineering profession with the worst reputation for that
Can you guys put this one on YouTube? I want to share it with people
As harrowing as this episode was, it genuinely filled me with a righteous anger Also going to see this documentary since it's actually screening in Ann Arbor
Really ought to unlock this one. People need to hear this
Thank god for people like these doctors.
gawd i remember seeing some show in the aughts on msnbc or some horseshit about how moral and excellent the doctors in israel were—they fucking do the same level of great medicine on even terrorists—and to prove it the program let some doctor tell of how they saved a guy whose bomb vest misfired. and when they brought him back from death the guy inquired about his heavenly reward (bc "he thought he was in heaven") and haha we told him no you are in israel... i was a centrist dipshit then, and even that lie was a bit much. the part about the babies shoots down all of their medical propaganda, overshoots and slaps the shit out of any possibility of a loving god in this universe that would put up with our shit
These guys fucking rock
Incredible guests which Will and Felix interview with humor and diligence. All around top shelf quality Chapo. 🫡 This well makes up for the “Australian episode” a few weeks back.
UNLOCK THE EPISODE! Thank you Chapo and Doctors!
Just finished listening at work. I'm sure others have already asked, but this one needs to be unlocked. Thanks.
You must unlock this one
We love our Matty, folks!
Unbelievably brave people.
the well of depravity has no bottom
God I fucking love Mark Perlmutter. I have been digging up every interview I can with him since the beginning. The way he explains everything in such a cool straightforward and candid way is so refreshing.
Joining in and requesting this be made free
The Democratic party that the DSA is so set on "pushing left" in 2026 just voted to make it illegal for American universities to not be invested in Israel.
that's not what happened? there were 33 defections from the party line, but even if they were fully in line it still wouldn't have been enough to overcome the GOP majority, which saw only 2 defections. in 2018 an anti-bds bill was proposed and that bill had 76 Democrats cosponsor it. so it's almost as if there has been a push to the left, and can be made effective by ending the GOP majority. go shit in a different punch bowl.
This was an incredible conversation. These two and all of their colleagues are fucking superheroes - we owe you everything 🤍
When are the heads going to start rolling I’m so over this shit
This is disgusting. To paraphrase adam friedland, “I don’t care what happens to Israel.”
I think most of us actually have very strong opinions on what should happen to Israel. Ideally, something that makes it perfectly smooth, so that life isn't so rough; something flat, so that everything's equal; something with a mirrorlike surface, so they can reflect on what they've done...
I've followed Perlmutter's (as well as Feroze Sidhwa's) coverage since they first went to Gaza and they're both wonderful and relentless in trying to get the message out, but as blunt as he has always been I definitely feel like he's been radicalized (and I mean that in a positive sense, rightfully so) on the subject of Israel over the last few years witnessing what he has if you compare his unapologetic hatred of zionism now to his early interviews and it's heartwarming.
Cant imagine anyone seeing what they saw and not come to that conclusion
I AM NOT GAY
Gaza is what Peter Thiel wants to do to every human on earth.
There was eventually a good Washington Post article about the babies left to die, decompose, and be scavenged by animals at the hospital, it just was was published much later than it was initially covered in Arabic news and I believe one of the original journalists who went in and discovered them and took the pictures that "proved" it to Western media was executed by Israel a year or so ago. Of course, mainstream media and the tv news cycle didn't think that story deserved the level of coverage for example someone's tweets or Hasan Piker warrants so...
This doctor cool as hell. May God keep and protect him
more circumcision talk
God forbid some of us like to have a description of the penis of everyone we listen to if they're up for it.
Wtf I'm trying to get grill pilled
I can’t listen to this one boys. It’s gonna hurt my soul too much honestly I don’t think it’s good for my brain. Thank you for your service though
Super depressing. Gaza this…Gaza that. Wake me when there’s a Dutton Ranch episode
You scamp
Correction: Ben-Gvir came from Iraq. Many Arab Jews have become extra racist to ingratiate themselves with white Jews.
DTI
Felix can’t stop talking about the technical behind these bombs the doctors couldn’t care less.
he was so dismissive haha
I would like a Matt update. Haven’t heard from him in a while I hope he’s doing well
Haven’t listened yet but I was really worried that I would be heading into the long weekend on too much of a high note so this is perfect
This should be unlocked, people need to hear these stories.
That .02% Dr. Perlmutter mentions in the opening are the bravest, most heroic men on the face of the planet Earth.
I didn't care for his drawing of distinctions to highlight a flattened conception of innocence, primarily because they're outgunned. They're justified in returning the violence of their oppressors back on the entity. Theres been many more that have fought and died for the last 80+ years with support of the population. Theyre probably being tactful with their support for the resistance. I sure hope they're more like radicalized physicians such as Che and George Habash, but it just made them come off as cagey.
testing to see if 'pionist zigs' triggers the Comment Hidden algorithm
So far so good
This makes me so angry and heartbroken
This one's really hard to listen to but I think it needs to be shared widely, maybe this one should hit the youtube channel
mainstream media would focus more on the "eww look at his harsh language tho, sry invalidates any salient point he's trying to make" lotta that goes around past, present, and future as regards anyone who speaks against Israel in specific and US warcrimes in a historically general sense. perlmutter was right the mainstream media wont echo any of this and cry wolf if it gets any exposure/momentum
It bears repeating: Kamala would have been worse
Dgas thought vindicated
We like to joke around a lot on here but for my money it’s hard to imagine a more special or impressive type of person than “volunteer emergency pediatric surgeon in the Gaza Strip”.. grateful to get to hear from these guys, for whatever that’s worth
Dr. Perlmutter is hand and upper extremity surgeon and ortho trauma. Legendary stuff.
This obe definitely needs an unlock
damn Perlmutter is so candid and blunt in speaking, it freakin rocks
Multiple incongruously funny moments where Dr. Ahmad's Arab politeness doesn't allow him to go along with Dr. Perlmutter's unshackled power of rudeness
😳
Thank you guys for this interview. This is the issue I have been most upset about since it started. I feel like I’m screaming into a void about. Nobody seems to care about the Palestinian people or the war crimes being committed with our tax dollars. Thank you for shining a light on it once again.
You really fluffed us with the long Roth ep
This guy Perlmutter is going beast mode
Please unlock this!
The more exposure the better with this one
This guy's loves hitting a rewind lol
14:53 Ben Gvir is actually a Mizrahi Jew whose parents were from Iraq.
Liz, I’m not sure that “swarthy” means what you think it means and I would recommend looking up the definition as soon as possible
what comment did you leave on the true anon episode?
Gotta put this one on the free main feed boys.
Exactly
This episode made me think of Will’s (very fair) criticisms of Brad Lander on a recent episode. We don’t learn more about Israel and more nuance is revealed, it simply is shown to be even more evil than we previously thought. There is no room for liberal Zionism anymore (nor should there have been long before), and both liberals and certain leftists don’t seem ready to cut ties with the Landers of the world.
infiltration or competing power base to the duopoly. Nothing else will work so anti imperialist/ anti zionist party can exert power and control
Having seen the documentary, I can assure everyone it is as soul crushing and infuriating as you can imagine.
Oh good. I needed something to clean my guns and do naked karate to.
Nice easy listening episode
20:13 great material analysis about the “Geopolitical money grab” that is the “Greater Israel” project. Don’t hear about that angle very much.
Agreed. That is the rotten heart of the matter
Another reason to hate israel, ruining all my content
Felix is dead
This doesn't seem like an episode where you should write "felix begins talking at"
Too late
Felix begins speaking and making wiggerofvienna kiss his penis at 8 minutes and 43 seconds
Kind of bored of this so moving on to new things good luck with another 10 years of commenting boss it's Definitely worth it 👍
I literally just walked out of a showing of this film in Virginia where the film's director Poh Si Teng did a Q & A. Incredible person, really pulled off a miracle with this movie. It's her first as a director. Free Palestine! ✊🇵🇸 https://www.instagram.com/loudoun4palestine?igsi=MTRxNWt1YnAwZ3ZibA==
“Truth telling is mandatory.” Should be a central tenet of any “professional discipline.”
Tenet*
vegetables time, piggies
HA!
Fisting my ass rn
Man just reading the title I’m pretty sure I know what this is about and I just don’t think my soul can handle this right now
I'm at work and I'm literally thinking the same thing. Can I handle this right now? Is this what's going to destroy me for the day? FUCK
fist
gauw
I am gay
Not first and gay
Oh god this is gonna be a depressing ass episode