This week on Babel, Jon speaks with Ambassador Fred Hof about his new book, Reaching for the Heights: The Inside Story of a Secret Attempt to Reach a Syrian-Israeli Peace. They talk about Ambassador Hof's effort to negotiate peace between Syria and Israel between 2009 and 2011, what complicated those efforts, what he thinks he could have done differently, and the qualities that make for a good mediator. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Natasha Hall and Caleb Harper, taking a closer look at U.S. mediation in the Middle East and the interplay between U.S. mediators on the ground and policymakers in Washington. 
Frederic Hof, "I almost negotiated Israel-Syria peace. Here’s how it happened." Atlantic Council, May 26, 2022.
Frederic Hof, Reaching for the Heights: The Inside Story of a Secret Attempt to Reach a Syrian-Israeli Peace, (Washington, D.C.: USIP Press, 2022).
Transcript, "Lessons Learned from U.S. Negotiations with Syria," CSIS, May 31, 2022.


Frederic Hof: Lessons Learned from U.S. Negotiations with Syria

Babel will take you beyond the headlines to discuss what’s really happening in the Middle East and North Africa. It features regional experts who explain what’s going on, provide context on pivotal developments, and highlight trends you may have missed. Jon Alterman, senior vice president, Zbigniew Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy, and director of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies hosts the podcast along with his colleagues from the Middle East Program. This podcast is made possible through the generous support of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates. All views, positions, and conclusions expressed here should be understood to be solely of those of the speaker(s).

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This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Professor Jonathan Rynhold, the head of the Department of Political Studies at Bar Ilan University and a senior researcher at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies. Together, they talk about how Israeli public opinion has evolved since October 7th, the divisions within Israeli politics, and Israeli attitudes towards President Biden. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Will Todman and Leah Hickert to discuss the dynamics in Israeli strategic thinking and President Biden’s efforts to move the conflict closer to resolution.Transcript, "Jonathan Rynhold: Israel's Divided Politics," CSIS, June 11, 2024.

Jonathan Rynhold: Israel's Divided Politics

Since the revolution, Tunisia has had 12 different governments. Amid chronic political instability, Tunisian institutions lack the legitimacy necessary to implement policies. Environmental policies have taken a particularly hard hit. A new Analysis from the CSIS Middle East Program.Mohamed Omar Kardous, "Political Instability and Environmental Politics in Postrevolutionary Tunisia, CSIS, April 9, 2024. 

Analysis: Environmental Politics in Postrevolutionary Tunisia

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Dr. Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa program at Chatham House and a lecturer at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies for almost 20 years. They talk about the fallout from President Raisi’s death, how Gulf states are likely to react, and the feasibility of U.S. policy options going forward. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Natasha Hall and Leah Hickert to discuss what’s next for Iranian foreign policy and what opportunities there are for the United States.Transcript, "Sanam Vakil: Iran's Trajectory after Raisi," CSIS, May 29, 2024.

Sanam Vakil: Iran's Trajectory after Raisi

This week, Leah Hickert speaks with Jon Alterman, director of the Middle East Program at CSIS, about the impacts of Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi's death in a helicopter crash, and how it will affect Iran's foreign and domestic policy. A new Analysis from the CSIS Middle East Program.Jon Alterman, "The Impacts of Raisi's Death," CSIS, May 20, 2024.

Analysis: The Impacts of Raisi's Death

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Nicholas Blanford, a Beirut-based security consultant, the author of two books on Lebanon, and a non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. They talk about Hezbollah’s evolution, its ties to other actors in the region, and the role the group is playing in the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Will Todman and Leah Hickert to discuss Hezbollah’s deep roots in Lebanese society and the organization’s future.
Transcript, "Nicholas Blanford: Hezbollah’s Struggle Against Israel," CSIS, May 14, 2024.
Nicholas Blanford, Warriors of God: Inside Hezbollah's Thirty-Year Struggle Against Israel, Random House, 2011.
Nicholas Blanford, Killing Mr Lebanon: The Assassination of Rafik Hariri and Its Impact on the Middle East, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2006.


Frederic Hof: Lessons Learned from U.S. Negotiations with Syria

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