Hometown: Nablus & London

Research Interests: State building, philanthropy, the Palestinian liberation organization, transnational solidarity movements, necropolitics, European and American foreign policy in MENA

Layth graduated from Queen’s University with a Bachelor of Arts Honors in 2023, majoring in History with a focus on Settler Colonialism in Palestine and Imperialism in the broader Arab/Muslim world. During his time at Queen’s, Layth ventured into the field of teacher education, joining members of the Queen’s faculty in the Canada-Norway Pedagogy Partnership in Education (CANOPY), where he worked on programs supporting language-based development for newcomer Syrian students in Canada’s public education system.

In 2024, Layth joined House of Jerusalem (بيت المقدس) as their continental manager to facilitate their entry into the North American market. In this role, Layth delved into the intricacies of Palestinian affairs in global trade and observed how, historically, Palestinian-owned businesses have operated to curtail occupation, displacement and mitigate/exacerbate their national struggle. He joins CCAS to explore the role Palestinian-owned businesses, such as the CCC, have played in the Palestinian National Movement.