Middle East Analysis

August's 'Middle East Analysis' podcast sees Dr Harry Hagopian rewind 34 years to look at the publication of Salman Rushdie's controversial fourth novel 'The Satanic Verses', the author's use of magical realism and the religious edict that left a bounty on his head the repercussions of which may have been felt three decades later. We then discuss the closure of seven Palestinian NGOs after Israeli raids in the West Bank. But what do these human rights organisations stand accused of and when Israel is criticised for acting with impunity, what does that actually mean? Dr Hagopian concludes with a few thoughts on November's World Cup football extravaganza in Qatar - the first Arab country to host the tournament - and a congratulatory word or two aimed in the direction of the Royal Hashemite Court as Jordan celebrates its Crown Prince's engagement. Image of Sir Salman Rushdie: © Chris Kockelmann (CC BY-SA 4.0)

It's more of a hot rather than warm welcome to this 'Middle East Analysis' podcast. We've 'enjoyed' record temperatures of over 40°C in recent times here in the UK - far more in keeping with the Middle East, Gulf States and North Africa. Here to cool us down with his usual stylish, sharp analysis is the voice of MEA, Dr Harry Hagopian. The topic? Well it can only be the four-day visit of US President Joe Biden to Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Jeddah. A trip pilloried in certain quarters as high on photo ops, low on substance, was it a charm offensive to bolster US relations with Israel? Motivated, with an eye on Saudi Arabia, by the energy crisis and energy security? Or, as President Biden stressed to Arab leaders, to affirm that the US will not walk away from the region leaving a void to be filled by China, Russia or Iran? Dr Harry Hagopian takes a deeper look and gives us his opinion on whether there were any takeaways other than a rather uncomforable fist bump with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah

A sharp, thirty-minute podcast for June's 'Middle East Analysis' that takes a slightly different format. Having returned from a six-day visit to Jerusalem and the West Bank, host James Abbott discusses Holy Land realities with regular studio guest Dr Harry Hagopian. To use an English translation of a French phrase that Harry has used more than once, it's a serious case of "the more it changes, the more it stays the same”. Relating regional experiences - limited on the part of the host, extensive on the part of the guest - we focus on the people behind the politics of Israel/Palestine.

Middle East Analysis takes a sombre tone this month as, just before recording, we learned of the killing of long-term Al Jazeera Arabic journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in Jenin in the West Bank. We're left asking, as often we do, where is the justice that will open the door to peace in the Israel-Palestine conflict? Dr Harry Hagopian looks at the disturbing upturn in violence as the world, seemingly, looks the other way. Our next stop is Lebanon and a look at the forthcoming Parliamentary Elections slated for Sunday, 15 May. Will the process be 'fair' and democratic? Will it lead to change? Harry then picks up on a rare visit to Tehran by Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and looks at Syria's rehabilitation and potential readmission into the wider Arab fold. He then answers an interesting question: Was Russia's intervention in Syria a dress rehearsal for its conflict with Ukraine? Our final topic looks at frosty relations between the US and some of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries - specifically Saudi Ar

Just over two years ago we started recording our 'Middle East Analysis' podcasts remotely. The pandemic rendered face-to-face interaction impossible. Now, joyously, we have returned to the studio for this month's offering. Dr Harry Hagopian, in the flesh, turns his legal and political mind to the Middle East, North Africa and Gulf States. April has been a month of regional summit meetings - most involving Israel and its diplomatic relations with Arab neighbours. Negotiations have covered food and energy security, not to mention Iran's nuclear programme. It's questionable whether these meetings are little more than photo opportunities - uncomfortable ones at that. A question that is being asked once again is: Where does this leave the place and status of Palestine - both regionally and globally? Has it been further demoted down the world's justice and peace list? A list that has Ukraine at the front of the queue marked "problems to be solved". There was once a time, not so long ago, when the Arab worl

In this Middle East Analysis podcast we're turning our attention to the on-going war in Ukraine and how the aftershocks are reverberating across Europe, down into the Middle East, across North Africa and through the Gulf States. Dr Harry Hagopian delivers the analysis and comment as usual and as an international lawyer with conflict resolution and Second Track diplomacy on his CV, he's well placed to take a close look at the tragedies of war and the possible outcomes. International relations get picked apart - how intercontinental superpowers engage with near neighbours whilst, as always, the people on the ground suffer. But how is the conflict impacting on the countries of the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf? Over to you Dr Hapopian...

Today's Middle East Analysis podcast sees resident contributor Dr Harry Hagopian don his jabot and peruke, the white bib and curly wig of a barrister-at-law, as we examine the three main components of power: government (Executive), parliament (Legislature) and the judiciary (Courts). In the Middle East & North Africa, do we see a separation of these branches of power? How much authority can a judge lay claim to? Are presidents, prime ministers or monarchies above the law? Are there political solutions to legal problems and vice versa? This obviously varies from country to country so Dr Hagopian provides a number of examples to illustrate his thought-provoking arguments and to highlight what happens when these powers get entangled – or not. Silence in court for today's Middle East Analysis...

How do you fit a year into an hour? Impossible, surely? Not so. As the voice of Middle East Analysis, Dr Harry Hagopian is charged with defying the laws of physics for you on this podcast. We're taking a different approach this time round. Rather than examining MENA matters at the top of the news agenda, we're taking you on a regional tour to discuss some of the key events of 2021 - from the Middle East, through the Gulf and then across to North Africa. Stylistically, this is more of a series of seasonal fireside reflections than a bash on the head with the 'news and analysis' stick. Dr Hagopian talks about the changing of the guard in many countries - elections, failed elections and elections to come. Then we lament the humanitarian catastrophes of Lebanon and Yemen as well as the counter revolutions bubbling across the region. We take an overview of the realities of Israel / Palestine, particularly settlements, and whether the potential resurrection of the E1 project will finally kill off the two state s

As the cold sets in here in the UK, we turn our attention to a region where something's always heating up. The three prongs to today's 'Middle East Analysis' podcast are the elections in Iraq, delayed from June, that have yielded some interesting results, the on-going, out-of-sight-out-of-mind conflict in Yemen - will the violence ever end and does the rest of the world care enough? Then we take a look at the eternally beleaguered Lebanon and some of the worst violence to hit the streets in the past ten years. But that's not all. A chunk of our hour-long podcast is given over to four reflections from the voice of 'Middle East Analysis', the international lawyer and MENA consultant Dr Harry Hagopian. Harry reflects on the death of Sir David Amess MP, the mysterious re-appearance in Damascus of Rifaat Ali al-Assad, uncle of Syrian President Bashar after almost four decades in exile in France. In his third reflection, we hear Dr Hagopian lament the falling salty sea levels of the Dead Sea and finally, Harry o

We're always gloriously counter-cultural, a little like the regions we discuss, but if you're looking at the image for this podcast you'll get a rare look at the faces of the two contributors - host James Abbott and the voice of Middle East Analysis Dr Harry Hagopian. In today's MEA podcast, the first after a short summer break, they discuss Qatar's role in the turbulent weeks of a transitional Afghanistan, Lebanon's slow recovery from economic meltdown, the 1000th 'what next' for Israel / Palestine - particularly the Palestinian Authority, the shifting north African sands of Morocco and two topical Hagopian afterthoughts. If you want to jump to a particular conversation, here's the timeline: Start - 2m 3s Intro 2m 4s - 21m 48s Qatar's role in transitional Afghanistan 21m 49s - 40m 23s The authority in the the Palestinian Authority 40m 24s - 50m 55s Lebanon's slow recovery - Billionaire #1 50m 56s - 1h 3m 26s Morocco's shifting political sands - Billionaire #2 1h 3m 27s - End Final thoughts...

Dr Harry Hagopian's message on the one-year anniversary of the blasts that tore through the port in Lebanon's capital Beirut taking lives, livelihoods, hopes and aspirations with them.

If it looks like a coup and smells like a coup, it's a coup... right? Not so fast says Dr Harry Hagopian in this 'Middle East Analysis' podcast as we focus on Tunisia. When a president dismisses goverment, sacks the prime minister, blocks parliament and orders journalists to leave, surely we're witnessing the classic hallmarks of a coup d'état? Perhaps not. Once the dust had settled on a bold move by Tunisian President Kais Saied, it seems he has 'frozen' parliament for 30 days to address the country's ills. It's a watching brief and Dr Hagopian's willing to wait and see for now. The two other realities we're looking at are the near failed states of Iraq and Lebanon. Both look like pawns in an international chess game but can either come back from the brink? All this and more in our hour-long summer podcast.

New leaders are popping up all over the place in the Middle East and North Africa. Today's 'Middle East Analysis' is something of a presidential, prime ministerial and parliamentary podcast as we take a closer look at the newly or recently elected men (obviously) in the limelight. First to Iran and a man who could well be in line to succeed Supreme Leader Khamenei, President-elect Ebrahim Raisi. How will the 60-year-old conservative cope with Covid and the potential resurrection of the nuclear deal? Then to Israel as Dr Harry Hagopian gives us his take on the man who has taken over from Benjamin Netanyahu as Prime Minister following his 12 years in office. But what do we know about Naftali Bennett? Two north African realities are explored - Libya and Algeria. Libya looks set for elections in December 2021 but the question that always hangs in the air is: how do you get the foreign troops and mercenaries out of the country? Will a new parliament and president take control of Libya's future? And what of

This 'Middle East Analysis' can only have one topic up for discussion - the escalating violence between Israel and Palestine. Much has been said and written about the conflict and the nature of its seemingly never-ending cycle of attack and counter attack - not just in the physical sense but the political too. So many countries with so many vested interests look on. In the case of some states, it would be hard to ascertain whether they're looking at all. The voice of Middle East Analysis, Dr Harry Hagopian, has a tough job on his hands to pick through the realities for this podcast. A fair and proportional response is, perhaps, what's called for - from whichever angle you view this frustrating, painful conflict. Rather than regurgitate headlines, Dr Hagopian takes an hour-long look at the history, the politics, the influencers, the neighbours - near and far - the plight of the Palestinians living in Gaza, the West Bank and, indeed in Israel itself. Not to mention the diaspora. Inevitably we look at the H

April's Middle East Analysis is squeaking in on the last day of the month. In its own way it carries some of the chaos of the region. Today we focus primarily on Jordan. It's a country close to the heart of our ever-present guest Dr Harry Hagopian. Why? Well, for starters he was born there. But there are other reasons you'll hear more about in our packed 70-minute podcast. What lies behind the royal spat? Why has Prince Hamzah bin Hussein turned to the East Bank-ers and where does this leave him with his half-brother, the King of Jordan? From: 6 mins 20 secs Or do you want to hear more about the Palestinian Elections - the first for 15 years? Oh hang on... they've been postponed. Why? Listen for more. From: 31 mins 25 secs Sticking with the electoral theme we head to beleaguered Syria - a country we have dedicated many minutes to over the past ten years. President Bashar al-Assad is certainly a survivor. Is this election a shoo-in? From: 45 mins 17 secs Finally we ask forgiveness for stretching the Mi

This Middle East Analysis podcast is a one-hour journey through a variety of countries and regional realities. It's a podcast of questions - and questions need answers. To provide them, we look to Dr Harry Hagopian. He frequently tells us he's NOT a prophet - the region has plenty of those - but he IS an international lawyer, commentator and consultant on the Middle East, North Africa and Gulf regions. Here's what we're asking: Who are the puppet masters in a country on the brink? Who's the kingmaker who could unlock an election stalemate? Who's brokering 'peace' in two violent conflicts that have paralysed two countries? What price victory - and what is 'victory' anyway? Listen to Dr Hagopian on: Introduction (Start - 1m 51s) 10 years of the conflict in Syria (1m 52s - 15m32s) Libya - dare to hope? (15m33s - 22m 36s) Yemen - a supervised ceasefire and an end to the blockade? (22m 37s - 35m 22s) Israel's elections - who's the kingmaker? (35m 23s - 50m 45s) A sacred time for the three monotheistic relig

Pope Francis, the spiritual leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics, makes an historic visit to Iraq - the first by a Pope - from 5-8 March 2021. From Saddam Hussein to al-Qaeda to ISIS, the footage beamed onto our screens has often been of terrorist attacks, conflict and destruction - all played out with the people of Iraq trying to survive in the middle. This is the first topic we cover on this 'Middle East Analysis' podcast with our guest Dr Harry Hagopian. Will it be a positive visit that not only supports the country's Christians but all Iraqis? Our second subject sees us call on the legal brain of Dr Hagopian to analyse the International Criminal Court's 5 February ruling of stating that it has jurisdiction over war crimes committed in the Palestinian territories - a ruling broadly welcomed by Palestinians and criticised by Israel and the US. Finally we look to the stars and delve into the role the United Arab Emirates is playing in global endeavours to explore space. As the famous David Bowie so

Don't act the prophet and learn to bear the recurring disappointment of one false dawn after another. Two lessons I've learned the hard way after thirteen years of covering the realities of the Middle East, North Africa and Gulf regions with the knowledgeable and engaging Dr Harry Hagopian. Today's Middle East Analysis podcast, the first of 2021, actually has a positive feel to it in light of the Al-Ula Agreement that brought to an end the three-and-a-half year blockade of Qatar by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt. Signed in the Saudi city that bears its name, the agreement has led to a cautious reconciliation that should suit all parties not to mention the outgoing US president Donald Trump. Respected journalist and analyst Rami Khouri described the tactic of boycotting a state as a "fool's tool" so does Dr Harry Hagopian see this agreement as a template for conflict resolution in the region? All this and more in January's Middle East Analysis.

Our last Middle East Analysis podcast of 2020 is out ten years to the day since the Tunisian street seller Mohamed Bouazizi self-immolated in frustration and despair triggering what came to be known as the Arab Spring. But what has changed and what have we learned in the last decade? Resident contributor Dr Harry Hagopian is once again in the chair, remotely, to discuss this and the fourth country in the region to agree to establish full diplomatic relations with Israel - Morocco. But what does this mean for the Sahrawi people of Western Sahara and should an outgoing US President really be brokering these deals? We then ask whether there's light at the end of the tunnel to bring an end to the spat in the Gulf that has seen a land, sea and air embargo placed on Qatar by fellow Gulf Cooperation Council members Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Finally it's Christmas in Bethlehem - but not as we know it. There's an eerie silence on the streets of the West Bank town as COVID-19 restrictions

'MENA Gulf 140' sees Dr Harry Hagopian given a mere 140 seconds per topic to discuss the often complex realities playing out in the Middle East, North Africa and Gulf regions. We touched on it last month but now the legal challenges and allegations of corruption surrounding the US Presidential election have amounted to very little, we expect Joe Biden in the White House from 20 January 2021. So three of the 140-second blocks are allocated to looking in more depth at the US and how its foreign policy moves might impact on the region. Dr Hagopian sees it as "some cosmetic, some radical", As well as the Israel-Palestine reality, we look at neighbour Jordan before side-stepping into the Gulf region to discuss Oman and Kuwait before ditching the overall mandate for another comment on Nagorno-Karabakh. It's a lot to pack into 30 minutes but we're hoping it provides food for thought and sparks further reading and engagement.