Middle East Monitor Conversations

Middle East Monitor
Middle East Monitor Conversations

Middle East Monitor Conversations brings you lively discussions with prominent voices from the region and beyond as we delve deeper into issues shaping the Middle East and North Africa - from politics, to culture and the arts. For more: https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/

  1. Crackdown on Free Speech: How Pro-Palestinian Voices Are Being Criminalised: MEMO in conversation with Fahad Ansari

    9 JUL

    Crackdown on Free Speech: How Pro-Palestinian Voices Are Being Criminalised: MEMO in conversation with Fahad Ansari

    In this episode of Conversation with MEMO, we sit down with solicitor Fahad Ansari to unpack the intensifying crackdown on pro-Palestinian activism across Western democracies. Against the backdrop of Israel’s genocide on Gaza, the discussion dives deep into the erosion of free speech, the use of counter-terror laws to silence dissent, and the alarming shift from democratic to authoritarian tendencies in dealing with pro-Palestinian voices.  Fahad, whose firm recently launched a legal challenge against the UK's proscription of Hamas, shares insight into the chilling legal and political environment confronting activists today, raising urgent questions about the double standards embedded in the West’s commitment to freedom of expression. The conversation also explores the unprecedented attempt to label Palestine Action a terrorist group, and the broader implications this could have for civil liberties and the future of political activism. Fahad provides a legal lens on these developments, drawing from real cases and legal battles led by his firm, now rebranded as Riverway to the Sea.

    46 min
  2. Israel's drone strike on Gaza Flotilla: MEMO in conversation with Ann Wright

    8 MAY

    Israel's drone strike on Gaza Flotilla: MEMO in conversation with Ann Wright

    The Gaza-bound aid ship Conscience was attacked by Israeli drones in international waters last week, injuring several people and damaging the vessel. As part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the ship was carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza.  For the latest on the attack, MEMO's Nasim Ahmed speaks with Ann Wright, a former US Army colonel and diplomat who is a key organiser with the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. Ann Wright is a retired US Army colonel and former diplomat who resigned in protest over the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Since then, she has been a vocal peace activist and human rights advocate, playing a leading role in numerous anti-war and pro-justice movements. Wright is a key organiser with the Freedom Flotilla Coalition.

    27 min
  3. The Occult and Holy Men in A New Age: MEMO in Conversation with Raphael Cormack

    23 APR

    The Occult and Holy Men in A New Age: MEMO in Conversation with Raphael Cormack

    After a new age spirituality movement sprung up in the West in the late 19th century, the wisdom of Egyptian holy men, the healers of Palestine and the fakirs of the Ottomans were highly sought after from clubs in New York to Paris. Joining us to discuss how things changed in the West and the Middle East is the author of a book on the Middle East's own new age moment. A new book 'Holy men of the Electromagnetic Age' aims to shake up how we see the history of new age spirituality. While we tend to associate seances, mind-reading, healing crystals, magic and spiritual sciences with a new age movement that sprang up in the West and which took some inspiration from India and the East in the 1960s, an entire global movement towards new age spirituality took off in the late 19th century and by the 1920s had reached a new height. A forgotten part of the new occult movement is the men of the Middle East that helped shape it. The wisdom of Egyptian holy men, the healers of Palestine and the fakirs of the Ottomans were highly sought after from clubs in New York to Paris. Eager young men and refugees sought to make their fortune in the West from performances that included mind reading and communing with the dead. They were seen as spiritual healers, who brought with them esoteric knowledge of the unseen world known to eastern wisdom, but forgotten by Western materialism. While the West was gripped by theosophy, the Middle East too experienced its own new age moment, where old assumptions were turned on their head. Joining us is the book's author Raphael Cormack.  Cormack is Assistant Professor of Arabic at Durham University. He is a writer, editor and translator. His first book, 'Midnight in Cairo', is a history of Cairo's early 20th century entertainment industry told from the perspective of its female stars. 'Holy Men of the Electromagnetic Age' is his second book. Special announcement: It has been quite a ride, MEMO Conversations was founded five-years ago and has been a core production for Middle East Monitor. Great guests, conversations and wonderful hosts have created a truly engaging product. Producer and host Usman Butt has been at the heart of running the show, however, the time has come for Usman to move on and we wish him the best of luck.

    1 hr
  4. Unveiling the British betrayal: A Conversation with Blake Alcott

    16 APR

    Unveiling the British betrayal: A Conversation with Blake Alcott

    Join us as we explore why Britain repeatedly deceived the Palestinian leadership and assess Britain’s direct role in displacing Palestinians ahead of the creation of the occupation state of Israel. Was there ever a real chance that London might have abandoned the Balfour Declaration? Or was the Palestinian resistance doomed from the outset? During this week's MEMO in Conversation we are joined by historian and researcher Blake Alcott, author of the monumental 1,500-page book 'The Rape of Palestine: A Mandate Chronology'. This meticulously compiled work traces, through original documents, the calculated betrayal of Palestine by the British colonial administration from 1917 to 1948. With nearly 500 letters, reports and official records, Alcott lays bare how Britain systematically enabled Zionist colonisation while suppressing Palestinian resistance. This conversation is not just of important historical value, it’s an urgent exploration of how the roots of today’s crisis can be found in the Mandate-era decisions that reshaped the Middle East.  Alcott takes us through some of the book’s most explosive revelations, including early Palestinian warnings that were ignored, the King-Crane Commission’s damning but buried report, and the desperate lobbying efforts that ensured Britain remained firmly in support of Zionist settlement. We explore why Britain repeatedly deceived the Palestinian leadership, shutting them out of decision-making while empowering Zionist institutions like the Jewish Agency. As we discuss Britain’s direct role in displacing Palestinians, Alcott examines whether there was ever a real chance that London might have abandoned the Balfour Declaration — or if Palestinian resistance was doomed from the outset.  Blake Alcott was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1945, received a BA in philosophy in 1968 from Wesleyan U. in Connecticut, moved to Zurich and became a Swiss citizen, was a self-employed cabinetmaker until 2000. He obtained an MPhil in environmental policy in 2006 from University of Cambridge and a PhD in sustainability strategies in 2013 from the University of East Anglia. He went on to live in Turkiye and returned to Zurich, where he now lives, writes and plays tennis.

    45 min
  5. Iran, the Gulf and the Great Reset: MEMO in Conversation with Mehran Kamrava

    9 APR

    Iran, the Gulf and the Great Reset: MEMO in Conversation with Mehran Kamrava

    With Donald Trump back in the White House vowing to tighten sanctions against Iran, the Gulf's ties with the Islamic Republic are in new unchartered waters, how will the US president's actions alter relations in the Middle East? Iran and the GCC countries have a long history of suspicion, co-operation, competition, conflict and dialogue. During the fallout of the Arab Spring in 2011, we saw an intense rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which saw both nations sponsoring different sides in Yemen, Syria, Iraq and elsewhere. We also see close cooperation between them, despite sanctions on Tehran, the United Arab Emirates is a key trading partner and a place for Iranians to do business. However, the Israeli war on Gaza and Lebanon, the fall of Assad in Syria and the new Trump administration in the US, means the GCC and Tehran are in choppy new waters. What are the implications of these changes and how will leaders across the Gulf respond to one another? Helping us to understand all of this is Mehran Kamrava.  Kamrava is Professor of Government at Georgetown University in Qatar. He also directs the Iranian Studies Unit at the Arab Centre for Research and Policy Studies. Kamrava is the author of a number of journal articles and books, including, most recently, 'How Islam Rules in Iran: Theology and Theocracy in the Islamic Republic' ; 'Righteous Politics: Power and Resilience in Iran'; 'A Dynastic History of Iran: From the Qajars to the Pahlavis' and 'Triumph and Despair: In Search of Iran’s Islamic Republic'.

    45 min
  6. The moral reckoning of Jewish identity: MEMO in Conversation with Peter Beinart

    2 APR

    The moral reckoning of Jewish identity: MEMO in Conversation with Peter Beinart

    The genocide in Gaza has raised an important matter, Jews are not facing an existential crisis concerning the state of Israel, but a moral one — one that could reshape Jewish tradition more profoundly than any crisis in centuries, Beinart says. Cast as a Cassandra figure within the Jewish community, Peter Beinart has been both celebrated and excommunicated for his outspoken criticism of Zionism and Israel’s policies. In the wake of the Gaza genocide, he argues that Jews are not facing an existential crisis concerning the state of Israel, but a moral one — one that could reshape Jewish tradition more profoundly than any crisis in centuries. In this MEMO in Conversation, we explore what it means to grapple with this moral reckoning and whether mainstream Jewish discourse is prepared to face it. Together, we dismantle deeply ingrained narratives — like the idea that Jewish history is a perpetual cycle of persecution and survival, encapsulated in the phrase, “They tried to kill us, we survived, let’s eat.” Beinart challenges us to reconsider Purim, not just as a tale of Jewish resilience but as a warning about the dangers of unchecked power. We also discuss the paradox of Israeli victimhood: How does a regional superpower backed by the world’s most powerful nation continue to centre its identity around historical trauma? And how has this currency of victimhood been weaponised by right-wing populist movements both in Israel and beyond? The conversation delves into the language of evasion — how euphemisms like “transfer” and “security measures” have been used to obscure the brutal realities of ethnic cleansing. We also confront one of the most controversial questions: Was a Jewish state in Palestine ever possible without the Gaza genocide? Finally, we tackle the uncomfortable but urgent issue of anti-Semitism: How has it been used as a shield against legitimate criticism of Israel, and what are the dangers of this misuse for Jews worldwide? Has Israel become a false idol, where rejecting a Jewish state is now seen as a greater heresy than rejecting Judaism itself? Beinart is Professor of Journalism and Political Science at the City University of New York. He is also a contributing opinion writer at the New York Times, an MSNBC Political Commentator, Editor-at-Large of Jewish Currents and a Non-Resident Fellow at the Foundation for Middle East Peace. He writes the Beinart Notebook newsletter on Substack.Com

    24 min
  7. Decoding Hamas: MEMO in Conversation with Helena Cobban

    26 MAR

    Decoding Hamas: MEMO in Conversation with Helena Cobban

    Western media has often distorted the image of the Palestinian resistance, shaping narratives in a way that harms the fate of Palestinians, but truly understanding Hamas is the only way to have a meaningful conversation on events in the Middle East, the co-author of a book on the movement says. At a time when Western governments refuse to engage with Hamas politically, Helena Cobban's book 'Understanding Hamas: And Why That Matters' challenges dominant narratives and offers a nuanced exploration of the Palestinian movement, its origins, ideological evolution, and its role within Palestinian society. Drawing on decades of research and expertise, she unpacks why truly understanding Hamas is essential to any meaningful conversation on Israel, Palestine and the prospects for peace. We explore key arguments from the book, including the shifting nature of Hamas’ charter and how its relationship with the West has shaped its political strategy. We also dive into the misrepresentation of the book in corporate media, particularly in the UK, and discuss the broader patterns in how Western media frames discussions about Hamas and Palestinian resistance. Cobban sheds light on the consequences of media distortion, the chilling effect it has on public discourse, and how these narratives shape policymaking in Washington, London and beyond. Cobban unravels the book's larger purpose and where she and her co-editor, Rami G.Khouri, hope readers take away from it. Far from being a work of advocacy for Hamas, 'Understanding Hamas' is a rigorous, research-driven analysis of the group and its motivations. Cobban is a British-American writer and researcher on international relations, with special interests in the Middle East, the international system and transitional justice. She is a non-resident Senior Fellow at the Washington DC–based Centre for International Policy. She is the founder and CEO of the book-publishing company, Just World Books, and the Executive President of the small educational non-profit organisation, Just World Educational.

    53 min
  8. A People Without Borders, Iranian Arabs: MEMO In Conversation with Shaherzad Ahmadi

    19 MAR

    A People Without Borders, Iranian Arabs: MEMO In Conversation with Shaherzad Ahmadi

    The Arabs of Khuzestan and the Iranians of Iraq were at the forefront of suspicion, anxiety and whose loyalty was questioned by the national building projects in Iran and Iraq in the 20th century.  People who inhabit the border regions of any country often find themselves being treated with a mixture of suspicion and opportunity by the metropoles of these countries. Khuzestan, Iran’s border province with Iraq, is no different. Famed for its Arab population, the Arabs of Khuzestan have been at the centre of 20th century modernising projects, tensions between neighbours and the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s. But one does not need to live in close proximity to a physical border to be seen as a border person within the modern nation state project, running parallel to the Arabs of Iran are the Iranians of Iraq, who were a cause of anxiety for nationalist regimes in Baghdad. What can we learn about history and politics through the prism of people who inhabit the boundaries of the Middle East’s nation state project? Joining us to help answer this question is Shaherzad Ahmadi.  Bio: Shaherzad Ahmadi earned her BA from UC Davis in History. After graduation, she studied Persian and Arabic in Tehran before moving to Austin, Texas for her PhD at UT Austin's Department of History. Her research, on Arab Iranians in the Iran-Iraq borderland, animates both her scholarly articles, in top journals of her field, as well as her book, published by UT Austin Press, Bordering on War. Book review can be found here https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20250213-bordering-on-war-a-social-and-political-history-of-khuzestan/

    1h 12m
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Middle East Monitor Conversations brings you lively discussions with prominent voices from the region and beyond as we delve deeper into issues shaping the Middle East and North Africa - from politics, to culture and the arts. For more: https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/

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