The View From Here

Jasmine El-Gamal
  • 4.9 (9)
  • NEWS

The View From Here is a brand-new weekly podcast hosted by former Pentagon official and foreign policy analyst Jasmine El-Gamal. Each Thursday, Jasmine connects the dots between global headlines and the human stories behind them. From war rooms to conflict zones to refugee camps, she draws on her experiences to examine how policy decisions impact real lives, uncovering the unseen costs of power. The View from Here is foreign policy, reimagined: from the people shaping it, to those it impacts. Get in touch with us with your thoughts and questions! You can find us at jasmine@viewfromherepod.com. Disclaimer: The View from Here aims to showcase a wide range of views and opinions, which do not necessarily reflect those of the podcast or its host.

  1. 20 HR AGO

    Ceasefire or Escalation? Israel, Iran, and the U.S. After the Brink

    In just two days, we've gone from President Donald Trump threatening to destroy all of civilization in Iran, to a ceasefire agreement and vice President JD Vance now headed to Islamabad, Pakistan for negotiations with the Iranians. But in the meantime, Israel is pounding Lebanon. On April 8th, the IDF conducted 100 strikes across Lebanon in 10 minutes scenes of absolute terror and carnage. Iran says that it will not go through with the negotiations as long as Israel continues to conduct these strikes. Israel and Vice President Vance are saying that Lebanon was never part of the deal. The Pakistani Prime Minister, as the mediator is saying it was. So what happens now? I'm Jasmine El-Gamal, and this is the view from here where every week we take you behind the headlines and into the lives of the people living them. To unpack all of this, I spoke to Israeli analyst Danny Citrinowicz. Danny spent 25 years in Israeli defense intelligence studying Iran and Hezbollah. He now works at the Institute for National Security Studies in Israel.

    51 min

  2. 2 APR

    Yemen's Wild Card: Who are the Houthis and what do they want?

    Who are the Houthis in Yemen and why did they wait weeks after the war between Israel, Iran, and the US started in order to get involved? How did they originate? Where did they come from? What do they want? Are they really just a proxy that does whatever Iran tells them to? Or are they an organization that has their own objectives and are only allied with Iran when it also suits their own purpose? I'm Jasmine El-Gamal, and this is the View From Here, where every week we take you behind the headlines and into the lives of the people living them. This week, Jasmine spoke to Baraa Shiban, a Yemeni analyst who has lived with the Houthis, negotiated with them and has spent years trying to figure out exactly what makes them tick. They talked about the recent history of Yemen, how the Houthis evolved into the organization that they are right now, what they really want out of their relationships with Iran, with Hezbollah in Lebanon, how they feel about Saudi Arabia, the United States and Israel and so much more.

    58 min

  3. 26 MAR

    Pawns or Peacemakers? Where the Gulf stands on the US-Iran war

    The war between Iran, Israel, and the US doesn't show any signs of slowing down. Despite reports of a flurry of diplomacy this last week, there are also reports of a US military operation and potentially a ground invasion increasingly imminent. Now as these three parties to the conflict continue to play games of brinksmanship, the Arab Gulf States are looking increasingly vulnerable, stuck between Israel, Iran, and the US. They tried to prevent the war, and now they seem to be split between whether they should go on the offensive with Israel and the US or whether they should continue to try to convince the US President to wind it down. This week Jasmine spoke to Mohamed Baharoon, the Director General of the Dubai Public Policy Research Center about the UAE's position, whether this war has really impacted the Gulf's ability to attract investors to be a safe place for people to live and work and visit, and what options the UAE and the Gulf have moving forward. Are they doomed to be pawns in future conflicts between Israel and Iran, or between the US and Iran? Or is there something they can do to shape the future--as peacemakers? Episode Notes: Dubai Public Policy Research Center: https://www.bhuth.ae/en The UAE: Principles of the 50: https://u.ae/en/about-the-uae/uae-in-the-future/the-principles-of-the-50

    44 min

  4. 13 MAR

    A New Supreme Leader in Iran: What does this mean for the war?

    This week we're talking about Iran and what it means for the slain Supreme Leader's son to be chosen as his successor. Fourteen days into the war, there still doesn't seem to be any kind of off ramp or any kind of vision for how this war ends. And in the meantime, more and more damage is being done to the region, not just to Iran, not just to the US and Israel those are all parties to the conflict, but also across the Gulf, across Lebanon and we can't see an end. To unpack the rapidly unfolding events in the Middle East, Jasmine spoke to Iranian-American analyst Negar Mortazavi, a Senior Fellow at the Center for International Policy in Washington Dc and host of The Iran Podcast, and Ilan Goldenberg, Senior Vice President and Chief Policy Officer at J Street and former Middle East advisor to Vice President Kamal Harris. Ilan and Jasmine were also colleagues at the Pentagon during the Obama administration. They discussed possible scenarios for ending the war, the lasting impact on the Gulf states, how Israel's upcoming elections could start a pathway towards de-escalation in the region, and as always, the human cost of the war and how Iranians have been impacted. Negar's Podcast (The Iran Podcast): https://www.negarmortazavi.com/iran-podcast Ilan's Substack: https://ilangoldenberg.substack.com/

    45 min

  5. 23 FEB

    Make Americas Great Again? A thaw in US-Colombia relations

    After the fall of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro at the hands of US forces, President Trump called Colombian president Gustavo Petro a "sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States." Petro responded by accusing Trump of being "an accomplice to genocide" with a "senile brain." Then, suddenly, things changed. The two leaders exchanged a phone call on January 7th and agreed to meet at the White House, despite the Trump administration having rescinded Petro's visa earlier. In typical Trump fashion, once he met Petro in person, his tone completely changed. He said after the meeting, “He and I weren’t exactly the best of friends, but I wasn’t insulted [with Petro’s comments] because I never met him. I didn’t know him at all, and we got along very well." Trump added that the meeting had been “very productive” and “fantastic”, and that they would continue working “on other issues, including sanctions”. Petro, for his part, praised Trump. “The truth is, I like frank gringos. People who say what they feel." He also playfully added the letter S on Trump's Make America Great Again hat, to read, "Make Americas Great Again." To dig a litte deeper into Colombia and the history of its relationship with the US, as well as its emerging relationship with China, Jasmine sat down with Colombian analyst Luis Eduardo Gutiérrez Rojas. They talked about Colombia's painful history with the drug wars, how Colombians feel about the US and Trump, the upcoming presidential elections in May and what the future might hold for Colombians. Episode notes: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/03/colombian-president-and-trump-put-aside-insults-for-amicable-white-house-meeting

    39 min

  6. 30 JAN

    Between Two Worlds: A Palestinian-Israeli on war, identity and resistance

    Jasmine sat down with Mira Awad, a Palestinian Israeli singer and peace activist who has had to grapple with her complex dual identity her whole life. She asked Mira what it was like to live in that in between space and how it’s impacted her life and activism. Mira was also the first, and only, Palestinian Israeli to represent Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest back in 2009, despite facing significant pressure from both Israelis and Palestinians to withdraw, for different reasons. Jasmine asked Mira whether she would make the same decision today, and what has changed between now and then. At a time when people are becoming ever more polarized, Jasmine and Mira discuss whether people with dual identities can serve as a bridge to foster more understanding--not necessarily agreement--between different sides.

    1hr 10min

  7. 15 JAN

    A Revolution in Iran? What Trump's next moves could mean for Iranians

    As Iranians take to the streets in what is now the largest protest movement in recent history, and President Trump says help is on the way, Jasmine spoke to Iranian-American analyst Negah Angah to unpack the latest from Iran. Jasmine and Negah delve into what the current protests mean and how they differ from past movements. Negah highlights the diverse patchwork of religions and ethnicities that make up Iranian society, and what Iran's history can tell us about what might come next, including whether the Islamic Republic can survive in the long term. The former colleagues, who worked together during the Obama administration, examine US policy in the Middle East and what lessons Trump should be learning from the Arab Spring. Finally, Negah shares what advice she would be giving the President right now if she were still in government. Episode Notes: With thousands dead, the Iranian regime may survive these protests--but not in its current form, by Sanam Vakil https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jan/13/thousands-dead-iranian-protests-regime-saddam-hussein-iraq

    42 min

  8. 9 JAN

    After Maduro: Venezuela’s uncertain future and America’s role

    Following the explosive events of January 3, 2026, when a high-risk U.S. military operation targeted the capital of Venezuela, Caracas and resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, Jasmine goes beyond the headlines to unpack what this all means, politically, socially, and economically: 🎙️ The View from Venezuela: Venezuelan analyst and journalist César Báez describes how ordinary Venezuelans are experiencing this moment of upheaval, including the astonishing pivot of Venezuela’s leadership to acting president Delcy Rodríguez amid local disputes over her legitimacy. Báez traces the rise and evolution of Chavismo, the strains of everyday life under Maduro, and what a leadership vacuum could mean for Venezuelan society. 🌎 Regional and international implications: Former Latin America advisor to President Obama, Ricardo Zuniga, offers a deep, critical perspective on U.S. policy, situating the January 3rd operation within the context of U.S.–Latin America relations. He assesses how recent U.S. actions reflect a departure from long-standing diplomatic norms, and what these choices portend for hemispheric stability and U.S. foreign relations. Episode Notes: Venezuela's Acting Dictator is Delcy Rodriguez, a Maduro Regime Ally with a History of Human Rights Violations, by César Báez: https://reason.com/2026/01/06/who-is-delcy-rodriguez-venezuelas-acting-dictator/ This is What Venezuelans Really Want, by Colette Cabriles: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/04/opinion/venezuela-maduro-trump-people.html

    1hr 1min
See All (24)

Trailer

4.9
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

The View From Here is a brand-new weekly podcast hosted by former Pentagon official and foreign policy analyst Jasmine El-Gamal. Each Thursday, Jasmine connects the dots between global headlines and the human stories behind them. From war rooms to conflict zones to refugee camps, she draws on her experiences to examine how policy decisions impact real lives, uncovering the unseen costs of power. The View from Here is foreign policy, reimagined: from the people shaping it, to those it impacts. Get in touch with us with your thoughts and questions! You can find us at jasmine@viewfromherepod.com. Disclaimer: The View from Here aims to showcase a wide range of views and opinions, which do not necessarily reflect those of the podcast or its host.

Information

  • Creator
    Jasmine El-Gamal
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    24
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Jasmine El-Gamal
  • Show Website
    The View From Here

You Might Also Like