Steven Heydemann on Israel, Syria, and the Greater Middle East

Jan 3, 2024

This week, Dan chats with Steven Heydemann, who serves as the Director of Middle East Studies at Smith College.

We cover the following topics:

• Understanding Middle Eastern Conflicts:

  • The intricacies of Palestinian-Israeli relations, dissecting Hamas and the PLO differences.
  • China's and Russia's roles in the Palestinian conflict, shedding light on their involvements.

• Insights on Syria:

  • U.S. ambivalence and Russia's intervention in Syria, and missed opportunities for early U.S. support.

• Turkey's Position in NATO:

  • Turkey's contentious role within NATO, and the value of having Turkey in the Atlantic alliance despite President Erdogan's leadership style.

Check out this week's episode!