Middle East Analysis

Today we bring you an exceptional one-off from Dr Harry Hagopian that is closer to home. Harry offers his personal perspective on the recent General Election in the UK. This "Intuitive Reaction" focuses on the recent UK Election which saw the Conservatives win their majority.

Find out Dr Harry Hagopian's unique take on these results and how our history led us to where we are now.

Today's Middle East Analysis is the first for a few months so we're hoping you'll indulge almost an hour of Dr Harry Hagopian's insight, analysis and, on occasion, wit. Our resident contributor is an international lawyer, commentator and consultant on the Middle East North Africa region.

This podcast isn't simply a compare-and-contrast looking at the regional popular protests of 2019 and juxtaposing them with the so-called Arab Spring of nine years ago. We do, of course, give due attention to the uprisings in Lebanon and Iraq as well as taking a close look at northern Syria and the Turkish operations in that belt of land.

America's influence gets a mention and the influence of other countries with a stake in proceedings like Russia and Iran.

Dr Harry Hagopian describes a 'political pea soup' that has descended on the region usurping human rights, gobbling up hopes and stunting societies - listen to today's Middle East Analysis for more...

Arguably the biggest threat to the human spirit is a loss of hope. The Israel / Palestine conflict has raged in one form or another since the mid-20th century and its origins can be traced to the decades before that. Today we seem further away than ever from a lasting peace.

The international lawyer and political consultant Dr Harry Hagopian has

written and commented on the challenge of Israel / Palestine for over a quarter of a century and has been engaged as a negotiator, consultant, lawyer and analyst in the region.

In this 'Middle East Analysis' podcast we look at his new book 'Keeping Faith With Hope' and ask whether that's even possible in 2019.

Considering this is a podcast offering the musings, analysis and everything inbetween from the brain of the knowledgeable and razor-sharp international lawyer and Middle East North Africa consultant Dr Harry Hagopian, you may be wondering why we open up with a sizeable segment on Brexit and, later, head south of north Africa to Sudan.

I could make a few academic cases for the inclusion of such topics but let's just go for "because we wanted to".

We also talk Israel. Primarily the status of the Golan Heights in the eyes of the US - occupied versus disputed - all in context with the elections on 9 April in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces the challenge of Israeli General and politician Benjamin "Benny" Gantz.

Algeria has faced five consecutive Friday protests against ill and aging President Abdulaziz Bouteflika. Although not standing for a fifth term, the 82-year-old has postponed forthcoming elections in the country.

Next stop is southbound to Sudan and a brief discussion on the economic and humanitarian disaster that has been described as 'Africa's Secret Crisis' with regular protests against President Omar al-Bashir's failing regime. Some four million people have been displaced.

Finally, we justly give some space to the death and legacy of one of the four key Armenian church leaders - Patriarch Mesrop II of Constantinople. Harry knew the man well and discusses the near-impossible job facing an Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople.

Timecodes:

Start - 16m 52s

Intro and Brexit

16m 53s - 30m 7s

Golan Heights and Israel's elections

30m 8s - 45m 31s

Algeria and Sudan

45m 32s - End

Death and legacy of the Armenian Patriarch Mesrop II of Constantinople

'Hot Region, Cold War' was the working title proposed for today's podcast. Why? Well, it's a little conceptual. It was born from a desire to ask our big-brained studio guest Dr Harry Hagopian to analyse the foreign policy agendas of the Russian Federation on the one hand and the United States on the other with regard to the Middle East, North Africa and Gulf States.

Harry took exception to 'Hot Region, Cold War' and proposed 'Hot Region, Hot Wars'. Fair enough.

But superpower policy, regional tension and proxy wars aren't the only subjects up for discussion. In the first Middle East Analysis podcast of 2019, we sweep across the region - getting updates and context as we go - concluding with an ode to Olivia Newton-John (don't ask, best just to listen).

45 minutes of packed anaysis from Dr Harry Hagopian is a treat but if you have a particular interest in a topic or country, we have timecoded the podcast.

Start - 5m 39s:

Introduction - Brexit Backdrop

5m 40s - 14m 7s

US and Russian Federation 'policies' in the region

14m 8s - 21m 29s

Whistlestop analysis - Gulf States and Qatar Crisis, Yemen, Israel/Palestine, Syria (Idlib), Iranian regional influence

22m - 26m 52s

Syria

26m 53s - 30m 1s

Iraq

30m 2s - 34m 59s

Lebannon

35m - 39m 24s

Right back to the beginning eight years after the Arab Spring

39m 25s - End

Conclusion - Olivia Newton-John!

As we approach Christmas, when Christians around the world look to Bethlehem to celebrate the birth of Jesus, Dr Harry Hagopian, lead contributor to our Middle East Analysis podcasts, encourages us to consider the realities facing Arab Christians. Close your eyes - you might find yourself in Manger Square. This four minute Christmas reflection ends our audio for 2018. Podcasts resume in 2019.

Whatever the turmoil in the Middle East North Africa region, the tension in the lands where three of the world's major religions meet - the Holy Land - often paints hard brush strokes on the wider regional landscape.

So where do we turn now with Israel / Palestine?

With the US so heavily involved and a 'Deal of the Century' about as feasible as every other so-called solution proposed in the last half-century, what are the options? Two State Solution? Deceased or, at best, being cared for palliatively. One State Solution? Unpalatable to the big players. Management of an Occupation? Surely unacceptable to the global community. Deal of the Century? No deal.

This makes Brexit negotiations look easy.

The man in the hotseat to discuss this is our resident guest on Middle East Analysis - Dr Harry Hagopian. Harry is an international lawyer, analyst and commentator.

Middle East Analysis returns from a four month hiatus to tackle the subject that's front and centre as far as current regional analysis goes - the alleged murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Dr Harry Hagopian joins us to look at the impact on Saudi Arabia, the region and the international players.

To Be or Not to Be! Or in this case, To Deal or Not to Deal! As the US Administration reportedly gets ready to announce the "Deal of the Century" that addresses the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, International lawyer & MENA observer Dr Harry Hagopian - who often reminds listeners that he is Armenian but not a prophet! - discusses with James Abbott the possible parameters of this deal.

Next it's off to the Gulf states - those small, oil-rich countries bordering the Persian Gulf that have become popular tourist destinations in recent years.

Christians have designated places of worship but is there an apparent gulf between faiths? Are Christians embraced or tolerated?

Dr Harry Hagopian, an international lawyer and analyst on the Middle East North Africa region and the Gulf States, provides the commentary.