Understanding MbS' Saudi Arabia with Jacob Goldberg | MEF Podcast Ep. #336

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman has pushed a transformative agenda on Saudi Arabia since his father came to power in 2015. His Vision 2030 intends radically to reshape nearly every aspect of the kingdom’s landscape: diversify the economy’s revenue sources, redefine societal norms (notably through women’s rights and greater personal freedoms), and enhance the country’s global standing. To what extent has MbS matured from the rash young man of earlier years? How have his changes affected his role and that of the royal family? What can one expect from Saudi Arabia’s evolving foreign policy?

Jacob Goldberg, a former senior research fellow at the Dayan Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Tel Aviv University, has long focused on Saudi Arabia; Harvard University Press published his book, "The Foreign Policy of Saudi Arabia: The Formative Years" in 1986. He served as an officer in IDF military intelligence and as an advisor to Prime Minister Ehud Barak. He taught at Cornell, George Washington, and the University of California, San Diego. Mr. Goldberg holds a B.A. and an L.L.B from Tel Aviv University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. from Harvard.