Podcasts
Broaden your horizons with Al-Monitor podcasts, where our contributors deliver the latest news and developments. Be sure to listen and subscribe via your favorite podcast app.
On the Middle East with Andrew Parasiliti and Amberin Zaman
Andrew Parasiliti and Amberin Zaman interview newsmakers each week from the US and Middle East about the latest news and trends in the region, with additional commentary from Al-Monitor’s ‘on-the-ground’ correspondents.
Most Recent Episode #49
Hana Salah, an Al-Monitor columnist based in Gaza, discusses the uptick in violence after the cancellation of Palestinian elections and skirmishes in Jerusalem; why Gaza youth feel hopeless about politics; the impact of COVID-19 on the economy and people’s lives; disappointment among Gazans over the Abraham accords; perceptions of Iran; and expectations regarding the Biden Administration’s policies in the region.
Links:
-Israel buries Palestinians in numbered graves (al-monitor.com)
-Sparks from Jerusalem rain on Gaza's tinderbox (al-monitor.com)
-A tale of two elections: Netanyahu, Abbas face the abyss (al-monitor.com)
On Israel with Ben Caspit
Ben Caspit, an Israel correspondent for Al-Monitor, brings you weekly interviews with newsmakers and officials to discuss the latest news in Israel.
Most Recent Episode #43
Ben Caspit speaks this week to professor Chuck Freilich, a professor of political science at Columbia University. This expert on Israel’s national security strategy and Israel’s decision-making processes details five failures which brought about the tragedy of Mount Meron, where 45 people were trampled to death last week. For Freilich, the first reason relates to Israel’s top political leadership — including the prime minister, the minister of the interior, the minister of religious affairs and the minister of domestic security. "They all pressed all out to hold this festival without any restrictions on numbers. They’re all of course now doing their best to avoid taking any responsibility. They had pressed for [holding the celebrations on Mount Meron] despite the fact that the dangers were well known, and despite the dangers related to COVID," he said.
Links:
-Warnings foreshadowed deadly stampede in Israel (al-monitor.com)
-Dozens killed at stampede in Israel during religious celebration (al-monitor.com)
-Israelis blame ultra-Orthodox for coronavirus pandemic (al-monitor.com)
-Ultra-Orthodox riot across Israel over lockdown (al-monitor.com)
Off The Hookah with Phil and Cooper
We get it: the Middle East can be a complicated place, and sometimes it’s difficult to wrap your head around all the regional conflicts and political drama - that’s where we come in. We’re here to break down the major headlines, talk with experts and journalists, and give you a clearer picture of what’s happening in the region so you can impress your friends and promote our podcast. Sorry, that’s the shameless plug we were supposed to delete. Oh well. Off the Hookah with Phil and Cooper is a production of Al-Monitor.
As the coronavirus crisis continues to grip the world, the markets have been on the shakiest ground yet since the 2008 economic recession - especially with regards to the price of oil. In the last few years, Saudi Arabia and Russia have developed a special relationship to stabilize oil prices in the face of growing competition from the Americans, who for the first time has begun to outpace both countries in terms of production. But when demand for oil began to fall precipitously in the face of COVID-19, the relationship ended in a messy way. Phil and Cooper break down the bad breakup and how it’s affected economies worldwide.
- Russia might not be ready for long-term OPEC commitment (Nikolay Kozhanov)
- Russia hoping to outdo Saudis over time in coronavirus-hit oil market (Max Suchkov)
- Does Moscow's withdrawal from OPEC-plus deal end Russia-Saudi honeymoon? (Nikolay Kozhanov)
- Intel: How the US is relying on Riyadh to reassure global markets (Elizabeth Hagedorn)
Extra Listening
- Episode #114, Double Double, Oil and Trouble (9/27/2019): Exploring the special relationship between the US and Saudi Arabia in the face of attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure.
Music: Elman - “Антигерой” (Spotify)