Babel: Translating the Middle East CSIS

Leah Hickert speaks with Jon Alterman, director of the Middle East Program at CSIS, about the tensions rising between Iran and Israel, as well as the potential for regional escalation. A new Analysis from the CSIS Middle East Program.

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Hiba Husseini, a Palestinian lawyer and a legal adviser to Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations for 30 years. They discuss the state of pro-peace communities after October 7th and the war in Gaza's effect on future peacemaking efforts. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Will Todman and Leah Hickert to discuss why youth are increasingly supportive of armed struggle, the pre-conditions for a new Palestinian political leadership, and the ways in which Gaza’s reconstruction could create opportunities for peacemaking.
Transcript, "Hiba Husseini: Peacemaking After Oslo," CSIS, April 2, 2024.

This week, Leah Hickert speaks with Will Todman, deputy director and senior fellow with the CSIS Middle East Program, about how displacement has become a flashpoint across the region and the innovative solutions necessary to mitigate these crises. A new Analysis from the CSIS Middle East Program.
Will Todman, "Support for Refugees Erodes in the Middle East," CSIS, June 5, 2023.

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, the former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, a former Jordanian diplomat, and the current president and CEO of the International Peace Institute. They discuss the pursuit of human rights in a multipolar world and the role that the United Nations can play in Gaza. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Natasha Hall and Leah Hickert to explore the importance of codifying human rights into international law and the challenges of sustaining international attention on human rights crises.
Transcript, "Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein: Human Rights in a Messy World," CSIS, April 2, 2024.

This week, Leah Hickert speaks with Natasha Hall, senior fellow with the CSIS Middle East Program, about the U.S. strategy toward protracted conflicts, which can serve as forums for great power competition. A new Analysis from the CSIS Middle East Program.
Natasha Hall, "The New Forever Wars," CSIS, January 25, 2024.

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Dana Stroul, the former deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East. They talk about the U.S. defense strategy in the Middle East before and after the war in Gaza, how the conflict has changed U.S. security partnerships with Arab states, and the lessons Israel should learn from U.S. military experience in the region. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Natasha Hall and Leah Hickert to discuss the multi-dimensional challenges of the Israel-Hamas war and the timeline for U.S. government action.
Transcript, "Dana Stroul: The U.S. Defense Strategy in the Middle East," CSIS, March 19, 2024.