Lebanon's education system and media present Israelis and Jews as the enemy of Lebanon. The depictions, often extreme in their hostility, shape the perceptions of many Lebanese and also Syrians. Raised in this environment, Rawan Osman accepted the message. Only on moving to Europe and gaining access to new, uncensored information did she question her own biases. In the end, she embraced Israel’s cause and became an activist who championed peace and human rights across borders. What lessons does her personal odyssey offer? Can Arabic speakers emerge from their Judeophobic blight? If so, how?

Rawan Osman is the founder of  Arabs Ask, a platform aimed at fostering dialogue and understanding between Arabs and Israeli Jews. A dual Syrian-Lebanese citizen fluent in Arabic, English, French, and German, she has worked with the Center for Peace Communications. She writes a blog for The Times of Israel, is working on a book on Israel and Israelis, and is studying for a BA in Jewish and Islamic Studies at the University of Heidelberg, Germany.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman has pushed a transformative agenda on Saudi Arabia since his father came to power in 2015. His Vision 2030 intends radically to reshape nearly every aspect of the kingdom’s landscape: diversify the economy’s revenue sources, redefine societal norms (notably through women’s rights and greater personal freedoms), and enhance the country’s global standing. To what extent has MbS matured from the rash young man of earlier years? How have his changes affected his role and that of the royal family? What can one expect from Saudi Arabia’s evolving foreign policy?

Jacob Goldberg, a former senior research fellow at the Dayan Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Tel Aviv University, has long focused on Saudi Arabia; Harvard University Press published his book, "The Foreign Policy of Saudi Arabia: The Formative Years" in 1986. He served as an officer in IDF military intelligence and as an advisor to Prime Minister Ehud Barak. He taught at Cornell, George Washington, and the University of California, San Diego. Mr. Goldberg holds a B.A. and an L.L.B from Tel Aviv University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. from Harvard.

For twenty-five years, 1948-73, three Arab states dominated the Arab-Israeli conflict: Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. For over fifty years, they have ceded the fight to Palestinians. All these decades later, how do the states recall the distant wars of 1948-49, 1956, 1967, 1970, and 1973? In part, the practices of remembrance reflect the particular interests of the Ministry of Defense that typically oversees military museums and monuments. In part, each ruling regime forwards its interest. And in part, foreign influence plays a role, especially from Great Britain and North Korea. How has the memorialization of the conflict changed over time? What role does it play in shaping national identity? What does it say about current attitudes toward Israel?

Robert Rook, a professor of history at Towson University, first encountered the Middle East in 1979 as a student of archaeology in Israel and Jordan. He returned in 1984 as a high school teacher in Israel and Egypt. Mr. Rook holds a B.A. from Furman University, an M.A. from Bowling Green State University, and a Ph.D in from Kansas State University, all in history. You can contact Professor Robert Rook at [email protected]

Largely ignored by the media, the civil war in Sudan is perhaps the world’s deadliest conflict, with hostilities relentlessly escalating over the past year between the Sudanese Army and the “Rapid Reaction Forces.” Eighteen million people, or over one-third of the country’s population, are estimated to experience severe levels of acute food insecurity. What are the origins of this conflict? What are the current issues? What are its future prospects? Why does the outside world barely notice it?

Alberto M. Fernandez is vice president of the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI). From 2017 to 2020, he served as president of the Middle East Broadcasting Networks, the U.S. government’s Arabic-language news organization. Ambassador Fernandez was a career U.S. Foreign Service Officer from 1983 to 2015. He served in Sudan, Equatorial Guinea, Jordan, Syria, Kuwait, Afghanistan, and Guatemala,. He holds a B.A. and an M.A. from the University of Arizona.