Al-Monitor columnist and media activist Daoud Kuttab breaks down the present and future of Palestinian politics, assesses the impact of Israel’s normalization agreements and the prospects for a renewed Israeli-Palestinian peace track, and explains why he is optimistic, and relieved, about a Joe Biden Administration…as well as Andrew Parasiliti’s comment on the signals from Tehran on the pathways to a US-Iran nuclear deal. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Califor...
Dec 15, 2020•39 min•Ep. 30
Ms. Micky Aharonson, senior research fellow at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, and a former senior director on Israel’s National security council, discusses why she is upbeat about US-Israel relations under a Biden Administration; Russian President Vladimir Putin’s role in the region; why Israel would prefer an Arab strategy to try to break Assad’s ties to Iran ; and the prospects for further normalization and an Israeli-Palestinian peace conference, as well as my comment...
Dec 09, 2020•34 min•Ep. 29
Dr. Karen Young, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, discusses why the Biden Administration needs early and clear communication regarding US policy toward Saudi Arabia and Iran; prospects for healing the rift within the GCC; the potential and constraints of economic normalization between Israel and the UAE and Bahrain; the prospects for Egyptian and GCC economies post-COVID; and more…as well as my recommendations for the best books on US President-elect Joe Biden. See Privacy ...
Dec 01, 2020•31 min•Ep. 28
Dr. Philip Gordon, Mary and David Boies Senior Fellow in US Foreign Policy at the Council on Foreign Relations, former White House Coordinator for the Middle East, and author of Losing the Long Game: The False Promise of Regime Change in the Middle East, discusses the lessons learned, and not learned, from US regime change efforts in the region; trends in US policies toward Iran, Turkey, Syria, and Iraq; the benefits and limits of Israel’s normalization agreements with the UAE, ...
Nov 24, 2020•43 min•Ep. 27
Bijan Khajehpour, Managing Partner of Eurasian Nexus Partners and an Al-Monitor columnist, discusses the options for US-Iran diplomacy and the Iran nuclear deal under a Biden Administration; the candidates and issues shaping Iran’s presidential elections next year; the prospects for Iran’s economy; how Iran’s relations with Russia and China are linked to its ties with Europe and the US; Iran’s Middle East policies; why regime change hasn’t worked in Iran; and whether there might be a chance...
Nov 17, 2020•58 min•Ep. 26
HE Sheikh Abdulla bin Rashid Al Khalifa, Bahrain’s Ambassador to the United States, discusses the depth and endurance of the US-Bahrain security relationship; how normalization offers hope for both economic prosperity and progress toward a two state solution; the challenge and threat from Iran, and why Bahrain supports ‘all multilateral frameworks’ dealing with nonproliferation; and Bahrain’s long-standing commitment to interfaith dialogue. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy an...
Nov 11, 2020•24 min•Ep. 25
Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, former National Security Adviser and the Fouad and Michelle Ajami Senior Fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution , discusses his new book, Battlegrounds: Battlegrounds: The Fight to Defend the Free World; why the US should not return to the Iran deal, a ‘political disaster masquerading as a diplomatic triumph’; how Saudi Arabia can be ‘part of the solution’ in the Middle East; whether the US can mitigate the potential los...
Nov 03, 2020•39 min•Ep. 24
Al-Monitor Columnist Semih Idiz discusses why Turkish-pro government media has made former Vice President Joe Biden an ‘object of anger’; why Turkey is escalating the diplomatic fight with Europe over offensive cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad; Russia-Turkey relations; and Turkey’s interests and objectives in Libya, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Syria. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Oct 30, 2020•30 min•Ep. 23
Steven Cook, the Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa at the Council on Foreign Relations, discusses why the US needs to stay in the Middle East, but with a bit more realism; how to contain Iran; his personal observations and assessment of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan; and why the US needs a new embassy in Iraq. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Oct 21, 2020•44 min•Ep. 22
Al-Monitor contributor Sebastian Castelier discusses how the Gulf states balance their ties with both the US and China; why the GCC may prefer a Trump victory in the US presidential election; the impact of the Gulf economic downturn on migrant workers; the potential and limits of Israel’s normalization agreements with the UAE and Bahrain; the ‘lost opportunity’ of the GCC rail project, and how repairing the Gulf rift would benefit the region; the prospects for Saudi Arabia’s Vision 203...
Oct 14, 2020•42 min•Ep. 21
Former US Ambassador Ryan Crocker says the US should keep its embassy open and stay the course backing Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi; explains why he supports former Vice President Joe Biden for president; assesses the benefits and impact of Israel’s normalization agreements with the UAE and Bahrain; and discusses US policy toward Syria and Iran, as well as how diplomacy has changed over the past 20 years. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Not...
Oct 07, 2020•52 min•Ep. 20
Dr. Alanoud Alsharekh, director of Ibtkar Strategic Consultancy, discusses the impact of the late Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah on Kuwait and the region; what we can expect from the new Emir, Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah; trends in Kuwait and the region toward women, youth, and independents becoming more engaged in politics; and the progress of campaigns to combat domestic violence and end honor killings. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy No...
Oct 01, 2020•30 min•Ep. 19
US Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) makes the case for a Biden foreign policy in the Middle East; discusses the Trump Administration’s policies toward Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, and the Israel normalization deals with Bahrain and the UAE; and explains how, in his view, Russia and China have been gaining at the expense of the US in the region. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Sep 23, 2020•36 min•Ep. 18
Al-Monitor contributor Afif Abu Much, an Arab citizen of Israel and tech entrepreneur, says that there is optimism that the peace deals could open doors to the Arab world that have until now been closed. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Sep 17, 2020•20 min•Ep. 17
Max Suchkov, Senior Fellow at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, discusses Russia’s Syria strategy, Iran-Russia ties, and why Moscow has low expectations for US-Russia relations after the US presidential election. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Sep 10, 2020•43 min•Ep. 16
Al-Monitor Associate Editor Dr. Ali Al-Mamouri discusses the situation in Iraq, Prime Minster Mustafa Al-Kadhimi’s reform agenda, the evolution of the Iraqi protest movement, the US troop presence in Iraq, and Iraq’s regional policies, including Iraq’s relationship with Iran. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Sep 02, 2020•38 min•Ep. 15
Ron Dermer, Israel’s ambassador to the United States, and a close adviser to Prime Minister Netanyahu, talks about the normalization agreement with the UAE and what comes next, the prospects for negotiations with the Palestinians, the US sale of F-35 fighter aircraft to the UAE, the threat from Iran and what would make a successful nuclear agreement, and US-Israel relations and the US presidential election. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at htt...
Aug 26, 2020•55 min•Ep. 14
CNBC News Anchor and International Correspondent Hadley Gamble discusses what Lebanon’s creditors may be thinking; the future of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman’s Vison 2030; her career covering the Middle East; the impact of the #metoo for women journalists, and more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Aug 12, 2020•38 min•Ep. 13
Mina Al-Oraibi, editor of The National, on her personal and professional observations on Iraq; the UAE’s successes in managing the COVID-19 crisis, as well as the pandemic’s likely long-term impact; the UAE mission to Mars; and the challenges of digital journalism in the Middle East. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Aug 05, 2020•33 min•Ep. 12
Emirati columnist and researcher Sultan Al-Qassemi, founder of the Barjeel Art Foundation, discusses the impact of political events on contemporary Arab art; the role and recognition of women artists; trends in Iraqi, Palestinian, and Gulf art; the vibrant UAE art scene, and more! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Jul 29, 2020•37 min•Ep. 11
Elissa Slotkin, US Representative from Michigan and a member of the House Armed Services Committee, discusses the threat from Russia to US interests in the Middle East and worldwide; the US-Israel partnership and differences on annexation; why Congress matters on the use of force in the Middle East; US policy toward Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Turkey; and why you can’t separate national security and domestic policy. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy No...
Jul 22, 2020•43 min•Ep. 10
Al-Monitor columnist and author Cengiz Candar discusses Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erodgan, the Hagia Sofia, the Kurds, Turkey’s Syria Quagmire, his new book, and more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Jul 15, 2020•32 min•Ep. 9
Hook, the Trump Administration’s top official on Iran, talks about the prospects for further prisoner exchanges and diplomacy with Iran; the threat from Iran’s nuclear programs; whether the US can sustain the UN-imposed arms embargo on Iran; and why iran is again at the top of the State Department’s list of state sponsors of terrorism. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Jul 08, 2020•31 min•Ep. 8
Danny Danon, permanent representative of Israel to the United Nations, and Riyad Mansour, permanent observer of Palestine to the United Nations, talk about the prospects for annexation, the extension of Israeli sovereignty over Jewish settlements in the West Bank, the potential reaction in the region, the Trump Administration’s peace plan, and the prospects for resumed direct Israel-Palestinian talks. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19....
Jul 01, 2020•38 min•Ep. 7
HE Meshal Al-Thani, Qatar’s ambassador to the United States, talks about the prospects for reconciliation with Qatar’s neighbors; US-Qatar relations; Israeli-Palestinian issues; Iran, plans for the World Cup, and how his country is managing with COVID-19. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Jun 24, 2020•35 min•Ep. 6
Al-Monitor senior correspondent Amberin Zaman explains the background to the Kurdish question in Syria, US-Turkey relations, and what to expect next in the now nine-year war, as well as observations and advice for young journalists covering conflict and the Middle East. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Jun 17, 2020•45 min•Ep. 5
Renowned scholar Gilles Kepel discusses his latest book and the trends and new fault lines that are shaping the region, including the impact of COVID-19, falling oil prices, political Islam, and the fallout of what was called the Arab Spring in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Syria, Saudi Arabia and the region. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Jun 10, 2020•54 min•Ep. 4
HE Yousef Al-Otaiba, the UAE Ambassador to the United States, discusses how the UAE is managing the coronavirus pandemic; lessons being learned for governance in the post-COVID19 Middle East; Iran; Yemen, Syria; Libya; Qatar; Israeli-Palestinian issues; and more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Jun 02, 2020•50 min•Ep. 3
The former Secretary of Defense explains how his relationship with Sisi helped steady US-Egypt ties after the 2013 coup, why he is backing Joe Biden for president, whether the US should stay in Iraq , and more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
May 27, 2020•43 min•Ep. 2
Andrew Parasiliti discusses developments in Israel with Al-Monitor Israel correspondent Ben Caspit, including what to expect from the new emergency government; whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will proceed with annexation of Jewish settlements in the West Bank; Netanyahu’s relationships with US President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden; what to expect from Netanyahu’s upcoming hearing on bribery charges; and the Iran-Israel cyber war. See Privacy Polic...
May 20, 2020•36 min•Ep. 1
