Middle East Forum Podcast

Middle East Forum
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The Middle East Forum's weekly podcast series featuring discussions from experts, policymakers, staff, and writing fellows on topics relating to the Middle East and countering Islamism. 

  1. 1d ago

    June 8, 2026 | Hussain Abdul-Hussain on Lebanon’s Road to Peace with Israel

    In this episode of the Middle East Forum Podcast, host Lauri Regan speaks with Hussain Abdul-Hussain, research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and author of The Arab Case for Israel, about Lebanon, Hezbollah, Iran, and the prospects for peace with Israel. Abdul-Hussain explains why Hezbollah remains the main obstacle to Lebanon-Israel peace, how Iran uses its proxies to pressure Israel and Washington, and why Arab states have a strategic interest in normalization. The episode also covers the Abraham Accords, the Palestinian veto over Arab-Israeli peace, and the economic benefits of relations with Israel.

    31 min
  2. June 3, 2026 | Israel Insider with Ashley Perry

    6d ago

    June 3, 2026 | Israel Insider with Ashley Perry

    In this episode of Israel Insider, host Ashley Perry examines President Trump’s reported clash with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s military options against Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the pressure surrounding U.S. ceasefire diplomacy, Iran, and the Dahiya front. Perry examines Netanyahu’s political vulnerability, the Knesset vote to disperse parliament, the controversial state comptroller appointment, and the latest signs of shifting Israeli domestic politics as elections approach. The episode also covers audience questions on Israeli emigration and high-tech layoffs, regime change in Iran, Israeli views of Trump, whether the U.S. is being outplayed by Tehran, and why familiar political leaders keep returning in Israel.

    28 min

  3. Jun 2

    June 1, 2026 | Islamophobia and Free Speech with Steven Greer

    In this episode of the Middle East Forum Podcast, host Lauri Regan speaks with Steven Greer, Emeritus Professor at the University of Bristol Law School and Research Director at the Oxford Institute for British Islam, about Islamophobia, free speech, and the growing pressure to treat criticism of Islam as prejudice against Muslims. Drawing from his book Islamophobia and Free Speech, Greer argues that anti-Muslim prejudice and discrimination must be opposed, but that accusations of “Islamophobia” are increasingly used to suppress lawful criticism of religious beliefs, practices, and conduct. The conversation covers Greer’s experience at the University of Bristol, Britain’s new non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim hostility, the distinction between anti-Muslim prejudice and criticism of Islam, antisemitism in the United Kingdom, grooming-gang scandals, and broader free-speech controversies across the West.

    31 min
  4. May 27, 2026 | Israel Insider with Ashley Perry

    Jun 2

    May 27, 2026 | Israel Insider with Ashley Perry

    In this episode of Israel Insider, host Ashley Perry examines the fragile post-Iran war ceasefire, the uncertain U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding, and the pressure surrounding sanctions relief, the Strait of Hormuz, and possible Abraham Accords diplomacy. He also analyzes Israel’s northern front with Hezbollah, Hamas’s refusal to disarm in Gaza, and the latest signs of shifting Israeli domestic politics as elections approach. The episode concludes with audience questions on Iran’s strategy of delay, prospects for regime change, Arab parties in Israeli politics, and whether economic pressure could realistically threaten the Iranian regime.

    27 min

  5. May 27

    May 11, 2026 | The Big Lie: Information Warfare in the Israel–Gaza War with Joel Fishman

    In this episode of the Middle East Forum Podcast, host Lauri Regan speaks with Dr. Joel Fishman, historian and fellow at the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, about information warfare in the Israel-Gaza war and the campaign to delegitimize Israel. Fishman examines how anti-Israel narratives have spread through media coverage, academia, demonstrations, and international institutions since October 7. He argues that these claims are part of a broader propaganda effort aimed at undermining Israel’s legitimacy, sovereignty, and right of self-defense. The conversation also explores the history of political propaganda, the link between incitement and violence, and the role of education, intellectual leadership, and moral clarity in countering falsehoods that gain power through repetition.

    30 min

  6. May 27

    May 8, 2026 | Forum Roundtable: How the Iran War Is Reshaping China’s Middle East Strategy

    In this month’s Forum Roundtable, host Lauri Regan speaks with Zineb Riboua of the Hudson Institute and Brigadier General (Res.) Assaf Orion of the Washington Institute and Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies about how the Iran war has affected China’s ambitions in the Middle East and beyond. The panel examines Beijing’s relationship with Tehran, Iran’s weakened regional position, and the limits of China’s effort to balance ties with both Iran and the Gulf states. They also discuss how energy security, sanctions evasion, proxy warfare, and regional infrastructure have shaped China’s Middle East strategy. The conversation expands to Israel-China relations, the Belt and Road Initiative, U.S.-China competition, and the stakes surrounding Taiwan, trade, and global power. Together, the panelists assess whether the war has strengthened American leverage, disrupted China’s assumptions, and opened a new phase in the contest between Washington and Beijing.

    1h 3m

  7. May 27

    May 4, 2026 | Why Hezbollah Makes Israel–Lebanon Peace Impossible with Michael Rubin

    In this episode of the MEF Podcast, host Lauri Regan speaks with Michael Rubin, Director of Policy Analysis at the Middle East Forum, about why Hezbollah remains the central obstacle to stability between Israel and Lebanon. Rubin examines Hezbollah’s role as an Iranian proxy, its grip on Lebanese politics, and the limits of diplomacy while the group remains armed and entrenched. He also discusses the weaknesses of the Lebanese Armed Forces, the risks of international miscalculation, and what a realistic path toward Hezbollah’s disarmament would require. The conversation offers a clear-eyed look at Iran’s regional influence, Hezbollah’s evolving strategy, and why lasting peace depends on changing the conditions that allow the group to operate as a state within a state.

    23 min

  8. May 27

    April 27, 2026 | "Facts vs. Narratives: A Legal Lens on Israel" with Roy K. Altman

    In this episode of the Middle East Forum Podcast, host Lauri Regan speaks with U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman about his new book, Israel on Trial: Examining the History, the Evidence, and the Law. Judge Altman applies courtroom standards of evidence, burden of proof, and legal reasoning to accusations leveled against Israel, including claims of genocide, apartheid, and illegal occupation. The conversation examines how law, history, and factual evidence can clarify one of the most contested debates in international politics. Regan and Altman also discuss modern antisemitism, the role of the United Nations and other international bodies, the challenge of separating fact from narrative, and why critical thinking matters in an age of information overload.

    40 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

The Middle East Forum's weekly podcast series featuring discussions from experts, policymakers, staff, and writing fellows on topics relating to the Middle East and countering Islamism. 

Information

  • Creator
    Middle East Forum
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    605
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Middle East Forum
  • Show Website
    Middle East Forum Podcast

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