The Big Picture

Two assassinations. Two capital cities. Less than 24 hours.One struck an apartment in downtown Beirut, killing a woman and two children - targeting a Hezbollah senior commander.Then just hours later, a strike in the heart of Tehran, assassinating Hamas’ most high profile figure, and its political chief - Ismail Hanieyah.Israel has claimed the first attack, though not the second - at least not yet - but the reverberations are already starting to be felt - as are fears that we’re barreling towards an inevitable regional war - one that could spiral quickly out of control.This week on The Big Picture Podcast, we sit down with award-winning Israeli journalist and author Gideon Levy about the significance, and wisdom, of the two high profile assassinations.Hanieyah’s killing in particular threatens to derail the already fragile ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas, which have so far failed to put an end to a horrific 10-month war that killed more than 39,000 Palestinians and 1200 Israelis.It also pushes the United States deeper into a corner. The Biden Administration has failed to pull Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from the brink, but continues to supply him with weapons used against a civilian population in Gaza, while undermining attempts to hold Israel to account internationally.Now less than 100 days before an election that could return Trump to the White House - can the US really afford to follow Israel into a war with Hezbollah - and possibly - a war with Iran?We'd love to hear your thoughts on this episode, and any guests you'd like us to have on our show. Reach us by email at mh@middleeasteye.org or find us on instagram @BigPictureMee.You can also watch all our episodes on our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMyaP73Ho1ySj3cO0OSOHZAOgD1WTDixG

Just days out from a historic general election expected to usher in a Labour government for the first time in 14 years - we speak to one of its most vocal and fiery MPs - Naz Shah.Shah has been the MP for Bradford West since 2015 - after beginning her career as a carer with the NHS and a community advocate - campaigning among other things for the release of her own mother from prison.In November, she broke ranks with the Labour Party leadership to support a call for a ceasefire in Gaza - and resigned from her position in the shadow cabinet.She wasn’t alone - 55 other Labour MPs did the same - in one of the biggest challenges to the leadership of Keir Starmer, who’s been heavily criticised over remarks he made supporting Israeli military action.But despite her public positions, and a long track record of speaking out for Palestine and Islamophobia - Naz Shah hasn’t evaded criticism - as calls among Muslim voters grow to boycott all Labour candidates at the upcoming general election.This week on The Big Picture Podcast, we sit down with Shah to talk about lobbying for Palestine inside the Labour Party, why she thinks boycotting Labour is a mistake, and what it would take to push Keir Starmer in the right direction.We'd love to hear your thoughts on this episode, and any guests you'd like us to have on our show. Reach us by email at mh@middleeasteye.org or find us on instagram @BigPictureMee.You can also watch all our episodes on our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMyaP73Ho1ySj3cO0OSOHZAOgD1WTDixG

Leanne Mohamad, a 24-year-old Palestinian activist, challenges the Labour Party in upcoming elections. She discusses her Palestinian identity, grassroots campaign against Labour's support for Israel, and desire to be a new voice in parliament. Her journey from viral speech on Palestine to political aspirations showcases a dedication to social justice and community representation, highlighting the power of public anger in changing politics.

Jeremy Corbyn was the Labour MP for North Islington for 40 years - his entire political career.But not anymore.Now, he’s campaigning against his former party, trying to convince his lifelong voters to abandon the party that abandoned him. After he was suspended from the Labour Party by his former shadow minister Keir Starmer, Corbyn chose to stand as an independent, and feels like he no longer recognises the party that shaped him.This week on The Big Picture Podcast, we go on the road to North Islington, where we joined Corbyn on the campaign trail to talk about the challenges of going out on his own, how Gaza changed British politics and his thoughts on what kind of leader Starmer would make.Subscribe and listen on all podcast platforms: https://thebigpicture.buzzsprout.com/We'd love to hear your thoughts on this episode, and any guests you'd like us to have on our show. Reach us by email at mh@middleeasteye.org or find us on instagram @BigPictureMee.You can also watch all our episodes on our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMyaP73Ho1ySj3cO0OSOHZAOgD1WTDixG

Dr. Les Roberts, an epidemiologist investigating civilian casualties in Iraq, shares his experiences highlighting the impact on children. He discusses complexities in death toll reporting in Gaza, the urgent humanitarian crisis, and the importance of understanding non-violent deaths in conflict zones. The podcast reflects on the influence of death toll estimates on public perception and calls for ending the war in Gaza.

We are living through a moment of social and political upheaval - one that has somehow aligned the Houthi rebels in Yemen, South Africa’s greatest legal minds and students across the wealthiest campuses in the world. They’re all fighting for Gaza, and against an increasingly isolated Israeli government and its Western backers. So are we witnessing a historic tipping point?Norman Finkelstein has documented the Israel-Palestine conflict for over 4 decades, with a particular focus on Israel’s actions in Gaza.As the son of Holocaust survivors, he became particularly critical of Israel’s use of history as a propaganda tool to shut down critique - something he documents in his book ‘The Holocaust Industry’.Since October 7, he’s been one of the most prolific voices speaking out - accusing Israel of carrying out a Genocide - and describing Gaza as a concentration camp.In this episode of The Big Picture podcast, we speak to him about the value of international law, the historic turning point in Palestinian advocacy and his view on Israel’s moral argument for its own existence.We'd love to hear your thoughts on this episode, and any guests you'd like us to have on our show. Reach us by email at mh@middleeasteye.org or find us on instagram @BigPictureMee.You can also watch all our episodes on our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMyaP73Ho1ySj3cO0OSOHZAOgD1WTDixG

Fiona Lali wants to bring down the British government, as well as capitalism. The marxist organiser turned independent candidate in the upcoming UK general elections says there’s a link between the powerful protest movement for Palestine and the widespread anger felt by young people and workers alike.Lali went viral in May when she confronted former British Home Secretary Suella Braverman on TV, in what many saw as a powerful rebuttal of Braverman’s views on the university encampments protesting for Gaza.This week on The Big Picture Podcast, we speak with Lali about how she took on one of the most divisive political figures in the country, and what she wants to change now that she’s become a politician.We'd love to hear your thoughts on this episode, and any guests you'd like us to have on our show. Reach us by email at mh@middleeasteye.org or find us on instagram @BigPictureMee.You can also watch all our episodes on our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMyaP73Ho1ySj3cO0OSOHZAOgD1WTDixG

Will Benjamin Netanyahu face justice at the Hague?The International Criminal Court on Monday issued arrest warrants for both Israeli and Hamas leaders over their actions in Gaza and on 7 October, accusing them both of committing war crimes.It’s an unprecedented move, the first time a US-ally has been pursued by the ICC.Prosecutor Karim Khan says that the reputation of international law itself hangs in the balance, and that the decision must be respected in order to prove that “human beings wherever they may be have equal value”.But it’s complicated. Both Israel and the US have vowed to fight it, and there’s a history of ICC member states refusing to hand over their allies to the court.This week on The Big Picture, we examine what the ICC case is, and what it will take to bring the war in Gaza to an end.We'd love to hear your thoughts on this episode, and any guests you'd like us to have on our show. Reach us by email at mh@middleeasteye.org or find us on instagram @BigPictureMee.You can also watch all our episodes on our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMyaP73Ho1ySj3cO0OSOHZAOgD1WTDixG

Winston Churchill is one of the most biographed figures in modern history, and held up as an orator and wartime strategist that turned the tide against Hitler and Nazi Germany.But how accurate is this image? And is it hiding a darker reality?This week on The Big Picture, we sit down with British-Pakistani writer, political activist and public intellectual Tariq Ali.Ali published his own biography, titled ‘Winston Churchill: His Times, His Crimes’. In it, he paints a different portrait - one of a self-obsessed, ruthless and deeply racist colonial leader, who lost little sleep over his crushing attempts to maintain Britain’s rule.In particular, his actions in Ireland, Kenya and Bangladesh led to some of the most horrific atrocities of the 20th Century.We'd love to hear your thoughts on this episode, and any guests you'd like us to have on our show. Reach us by email at mh@middleeasteye.org or find us on instagram @BigPictureMee.You can also watch all our episodes on our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMyaP73Ho1ySj3cO0OSOHZAOgD1WTDixG

“I was definitely raised to be a Jewish leader of some kind.”With college campuses all over the US gripped by intense battles around free speech, antisemitism and Palestinian rights - the voices of young Jewish Americans have led the way. One of the boldest and most prominent voices is that of Simone Zimmerman.Zimmerman was raised in a conservative Zionist household, taught to idolise and support Israel as the highest aspiration of all young Jewish Americans like her.But as she got older, she began to question whether there was another side to Israel she was being sheltered from - and when she sought answers, she was shocked at what she discovered.Prompted by conversations with Palestinians under occupation and Jewish activists, she went home and began to organise in an attempt to stop her government’s military support for Israel, and as she puts it, “live out the values of justice I was raised on”.On the frontlines of protests in campuses and halls of power, she suddenly found herself a target of accusations by pro-Israeli groups, who now called her “antisemitic” and a “jew hater” and threatening her online.After October 7, she became more determined than ever to challenge the beliefs in her community about Israel, and the reluctance by many to see the horrific reality of what’s happening in Gaza.This week on The Big Picture, we sit down with Simone Zimmerman to talk about her story, which has been documented in a provocative new documentary called ‘Israelism’, and whether we’re witnessing a turning point in how young Jewish-Americans see Israel, and how young Americans see their government’s support for the occupation.Check out the trailer for Israelism here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bondvm3hvGM&ab_channel=TikkunOlamFilmsCheck out Simone Zimmerman’s work with If Not Now here: https://www.ifnotnowmovement.org/We'd love to hear your thoughts on this episode, and any guests you'd like us to have on our show. Reach us by email at mh@middleeasteye.org or find us on instagram @BigPictureMee.You can also watch all our episodes on our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMyaP73Ho1ySj3cO0OSOHZAOgD1WTDixG