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Tortoise Shack

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  1. 6d ago

    [PREVIEW] Palestine, Iran and the Shifting Politics of the Middle East | Helena Cobban

    Aug 5, 2026 This discussion examined major developments affecting Palestine and the wider region, with a focus on political shifts in the United States, the US-Iran war, the situation in Lebanon, and the ongoing ceasefire negotiations in Gaza. Helena Cobban, a writer and researcher on international affairs and president of Just World Educational, offered her analysis of these developments and what they could mean for the future. The conversation covered the growing support for Palestinian rights within parts of the US Democratic Party, including recent primary elections in Michigan and New York. Helena discussed the emergence of younger pro-Palestinian candidates, the role of Arab American voters, and divisions within both the Democratic and Republican parties over US support for Israel. She also examined the development of new alliances among Palestinian rights advocates and anti-Zionist Jewish groups. The discussion then turned to the US-Iran war and the conflicting accounts surrounding possible negotiations and a ceasefire. Helena explained why she believed US and Israeli expectations about the war had failed, and examined Iran's military resilience, its ability to protect key capabilities, and its use of deterrence and pressure against the United States and Gulf states. The conversation also explored Lebanon, including the Lebanese government's talks with Israel, the influence of Saudi Arabia and the United States, and the continuing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. Helena discussed Israel's military actions in Lebanon and drew connections between the destruction there and the policies previously used in Gaza. The final part focused on Gaza and the so-called ceasefire. Helena discussed Hamas's offer to hand over its heavy weapons to a Palestinian administrative body, the dispute over the sequence of Israeli withdrawal and disarmament, and the role of the proposed Board of Peace and the United Nations. She also considered upcoming political developments, including the UN General Assembly, Israel's election, and the US midterm elections. The discussion ended with Helena explaining why she remained more optimistic than she had been for some time. She pointed to political changes in the United States, possible shifts within the United Nations, and what she described as the resilience and leadership of Palestinians and Iranians. Watch the full discussion for Helena Cobban's detailed analysis of these interconnected developments and their possible implications for Palestine and the wider region.

    [PREVIEW] Palestine, Iran and the Shifting Politics of the Middle East | Helena Cobban

  2. Jul 29

    Glen Hansard - Rest in Peace

    Incredibly sad to hear about the untimely death of Glen Hansard. Beyond the music (and the music is amazing) Glen was a real activist. From Apollo House, to him starting the world famous Christmas Eve Busking session, to his constant more quiet support for homelessness services; he did more than can be captured in a few words. The above video was taken only a few weeks ago of Glen and friends onstage at the Iveagh Gardens. That’s the Lord Mayor of Ballymun, our tortoise shack brother, Dean Scurry beaming at his great lifelong friend Glen, as together they belt out the Aul Triangle. This is how I want to remember Glen. Ballymun bred. A Star Star. A Revelation. Deepest condolences to his friends, family and loved ones. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam 💔

  3. Jul 10

    [PREVIEW] Patron Exclusive: The EU Presidency vs Our Crises: What are the Priorities?

    In this wide-wide-ranging Reboot Republic episode, Rory and Tony delve into Ireland's political landscape, our housing crisis, the EU Presidency priorities, and the influence of big tech on democracy. They explore the failures of government policies, the impact of social media regulation, and the urgent need for systemic change beyond tinkering on the edges. They also get into Indo journalist, Fionnan Sheehan's unkind words about Rory...

    [PREVIEW] Patron Exclusive: The EU Presidency vs Our Crises: What are the Priorities?

  4. Jun 26

    [PREVIEW] Patron Exclusive: Ethnic Erasure - The Reality in Occupied Palestine

    Leila Warah is a Palestinian American multimedia journalist currently based in Palestine. Born and raised in the United Arab Emirates, she holds a degree in Journalism and Media and has significant experience in reporting across digital platforms. Through her social media (@leila.shw on Instagram), Leila creates videos that stay true to the Palestinian question, breaking it down for an international audience to better understand what life under Israeli occupation in the West Bank looks like. Her content delivers on-the-ground visual storytelling, tailored for an international audience, that humanizes the headlines, shedding light on Palestinian identity, resistance, and the everyday realities of communities often overlooked by mainstream media. Zena Tahhan is a journalist with over ten years of experience in journalism and human rights organizations. She holds a BSc in Journalism from Northwestern University in Qatar and an MA in Middle East Studies from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. As a writer and TV reporter, she focuses on exposing the realities of Palestinian life under Israeli occupation, covering issues such as killings, settler attacks, land confiscation, military raids, political prisoners, and forced displacement. Alongside field reporting, she also produces political analysis and opinion pieces. Her expertise spans Palestine’s political history, settler colonialism, and international human rights law, with a particular focus on how Israel’s system of military occupation operates through laws, courts, and policies that undermine basic freedoms. They both joined me in the Shack. Thanks to Pau Garcés for his help in making this pod happen.

    [PREVIEW] Patron Exclusive: Ethnic Erasure - The Reality in Occupied Palestine

  5. Jun 16

    [PREVIEW] Patron Exclusive: I Don't Want To Write Tragedies

    Sondos Sabra is a Palestinian writer from Gaza and co-author of Voices of Resistance, currently pursuing a master’s degree in Creative Writing in the UK. She joins us to discuss her experience of the genocide, the harsh reality of the famine she endured, the loss of several of her family and the heartache of planning for a future when everything is stuck in a worsening present.

    [PREVIEW] Patron Exclusive: I Don't Want To Write Tragedies

  6. Jun 7

    [PREVIEW] The Iran crisis #24: Jeffrey Sachs

    On June 5, JWE president Helena Cobban sat down with the renowned economist and UN advisor Prof. Jeffrey Sachs to assess the impact of the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, and the long-running Israeli genocide in Gaza on global governance and the global economy. In this convo Sachs was forthright in his denunciation of the stupidity of the Trump-Netanyahu decision to launch the war against Iran. He noted that while the war and the naval blockade that Washington set up around Iran's ports was inflicting mounting economic costs on most of the peoples of the world, a few bodies have been making super-profits off the war's continuation, including big U.S. oil companies and military production entities across the U.S. and Israel. He also shared several crucial observations about the currently poor state of the UN's effectiveness and the degree to which the body is hobbled by the actions of the U.S. president (as well as by Israel.) Listen to the whole of this super-informative conversation! It is the latest episode in Just World Ed's continuing series on the Iran Crisis. Find the multimedia records of this episode and all the others in this series at this Online Learning Hub on our website.

    [PREVIEW] The Iran crisis #24: Jeffrey Sachs

  7. Jun 2

    [PREVIEW] Patron Exclusive: Episode 1,600 accidentally with Liam Cunningham

    In this short member-only podcast a milestone is reached in the company of actor and activist, Liam Cunningham. Thank you to each and every one of you all for your support. It means the world. Tony

    [PREVIEW] Patron Exclusive: Episode 1,600 accidentally with Liam Cunningham

  8. May 30

    [PREVIEW] JWE: Elijah Magnier on the Impact of the U.S.-Israeli War on Iran at Week 13

    On May 29, JWE president Helena Cobban sat down with the strategic analyst Elijah Magnier to assess the impact of the first 13 weeks of the (still somewhat ongoing) U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. Early on in this Just World Ed project, Magnier had been both the first and the fourth contributor to this this project, both just before and just after the U.S. and Israel launched their assault on Iran on February 28. In this latest convo, he and Ms. Cobban revisited many of the key judgments he had made on those occasions. Magnier also assessed the likelihood of the "framework agreement" that's currently being discussed between Tehran and Washington leading to a real ceasefire-- as well as the impact this war has had so far at both the West Asian regional level and globally.

    [PREVIEW] JWE: Elijah Magnier on the Impact of the U.S.-Israeli War on Iran at Week 13
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