Babel: Translating the Middle East

One pillar of Saudi Arabia’s ambitious Vision 2030 development plan is NEOM, a land development, tourism, and model city project that is projected to cost at least a half a trillion dollars. Last week, NEOM’s CEO left suddenly. Asher Grant-Sasson speaks with Jon Alterman, director of the CSIS Middle East Program, about NEOM, its challenges, and Saudi Arabia’s economic future. 

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Mohammad Ali Shabani, editor of Amwaj.media, a London-based news site focusing on Iran, Iraq, and the Arabian Peninsula countries. Together, they discuss Iran’s regional strategy and the choices Iran has after a year of rising regional tensions. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Martin Pimentel and Will Todman to discuss what the new U.S. administration will mean for Iran, its conflict with Israel, and its relations with the United States. 

• Transcript, "Mohammad Ali Shabani: Iran After October 7," CSIS, November 12, 2024.

Just over a week ago, Israel conducted multiple waves of airstrikes against military sites in Iran. These strikes were in response to Iran launching a barrage of ballistic missiles against Israel a few weeks prior, which marked the second direct Iranian missile attack on Israel this year. Asher Grant-Sasson speaks with Jon Alterman, director of the CSIS Middle East Program, about the unprecedented back-and-forth between Israel and Iran, and its implications on regional geopolitics.

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Amjad Iraqi, a senior editor at +972 Magazine and an associate fellow with Chatham House. He is also affiliated with Al-Shabaka, an online Palestinian policy network. Together, they discuss how Palestinian citizens of Israel have been experiencing the Gaza war, and the future of Palestinian communities in Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Natasha Hall and Leah Hickert to discuss how virtual communities influence national political movements.

• Transcript, "Amjad Iraqi: The Future of Palestinians in Israel," CSIS, October 29, 2024.

Last week, Israeli forces killed Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas and one of the main architects of the October 7th attack. Less than a month earlier, Israel assassinated Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah for the last three decades. Leah Hickert speaks with Jon Alterman, director of the CSIS Middle East Program, about how recent events have impacted Israel’s trajectory.   

• Jon Alterman, "What Does Yahya Sinwar’s Death Mean?" CSIS, October 17, 2024.

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Dr. Lina Khatib, an associate fellow in the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House, which she led for seven years and where they first met. Together, they discuss the escalation between Israel and Hezbollah, its regional impacts, and the emerging vacuum in Lebanese politics. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Will Todman and Leah Hickert to discuss the challenges of creating a comprehensive U.S. strategy in the Middle East and the ways Great Power competition affects the region’s conflicts. 

• Transcript, "Lina Khatib: War Spreads to Lebanon," CSIS, October 15, 2024.

One year after the tragedy of October 7th, Israel has launched a ground invasion into southern Lebanon to counter Hezbollah. Although it remains unclear how far Israel intends to send troops into Lebanon, Israel has issued a new evacuation order that reaches farther north than previous orders. Leah Hickert speaks with Jon Alterman, director of the CSIS Middle East Program, about the invasion and the likelihood of escalation.

• Jon Alterman, "Seizing Middle East Opportunities," CSIS, September 30, 2024.

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Peter Schwartzstein, an environmental journalist who reports on water, food security, and the conflict-climate nexus in around 30 countries, mainly in the Middle East and Africa. Together, they discuss Mr. Schwartzstein's new book, The Heat and the Fury: On the Frontlines of Climate Violence, as well as the outlook for climate adaptation in the Middle East, and the ways in which environmental initiatives can build peace in the region. Then, Leah Hickert continues the conversation with Will Todman and Natasha Hall to discuss how international donors and local civil society groups help Middle Eastern governments adapt to climate change. 

• Transcript, "Peter Schwartzstein: Climate Violence in the Middle East," CSIS, October 1, 2024.

On September 23rd, Israeli airstrikes killed more than 180 Lebanese in the country’s deadliest day of conflict since the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war. This is one of the most recent developments in the ongoing escalation between Israel and Hezbollah. Leah Hickert speaks with Jon Alterman, director of the CSIS Middle East Program, about why this escalation is occurring and possible off-ramps for the violence. A new Analysis from the CSIS Middle East Program.

• Jon Alterman, "Israel-Hezbollah Escalation," CSIS, September 24, 2024.

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Hussein Ibish, a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, a columnist for The National, and a regular contributor to The Atlantic. Together, they discuss popular mobilization across the Middle East since October 7th and what it indicates about regional politics. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Natasha Hall and Leah Hickert to discuss why some regimes chose to co-opt rather than suppress protest movements, and the ways in which the Arab world’s protests over Gaza differ from those in the past.

• Transcript, "Hussein Ibish: Popular Mobilization Since October 7," CSIS, September 17, 2024.