The New Arab Voice

After two rounds of voting in Turkey, President Erdogan is back as the president. Going into the first round of voting there were high hopes that the opposition had a real chance of dislodging the Turkish strongman; however these hopes failed to materialise at the ballot boxes. Back in office, Erdogan will have a long list of urgent matters that will need his attention, including a failing economy, foreign policy, growing anger over refugees, and domestic issues.This week on The New Arab Voice, we examine why they opposition failed to live up to the hopes that were pinned on them, how Erdogan was able to use the state to secure victory, what the main issues of the election were, and what we can expect to see from Erdogan over the next five years. Joining us to talk Turkey and elections, we're joined by Howard Eissenstat (@heissenstat). Howard is an associate professor at St. Lawrence University and a non-resident scholar at the Middle East Institute (@MiddleEastInst). Also speaking this week is Soner Cagaptay (@SonerCagaptay), a senior fellow and the director of the Turkish Research Program at The Washington Institute (@WashInstitute), and author of The New Sultan: Erdogan and the Crisis of Modern Turkey.This podcast is written and produced by Hugo Goodridge. Theme music by Omar al-Fil. Other music by Blue Dot Sessions. To get in touch with the producers, follow then tweet us at @TheNewArabVoice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was returned to the Arab League this month. Twelve years after Syria was suspended, in response to their brutal crackdown against civilians protesters, the group of nations, led by Saudi Arabia welcomed back the Assad regime. The move signalled a major shift in diplomacy in the region, and simultaneously a continuation of other diplomatic moves in the region, and in particular by Saudi Arabia.Along with Syria, Saudi Arabia sets to be a big winner from the deal. It will further cement their new relationship with Iran, and Iran's allies, including Russia and China. Furthermore it will help to cover the backs of Saudi Arabia as the US moves back from the region. Those set to lose out most from the deal is Syrian refugees in the region. Spread out across a number of neighbouring Arab states, these communities now face increased levels of hostilities, and a greater potential for forced deportations back to Syria, where they face terrible conditions.This week on The New Arab Voice, why has Syria been readmitted to the Arab League? Who stands to gain from the normalisation? And what does this mean for the Syrian people, both inside and outside the country?Joining us to discuss Syria's return to the Arab League, we speak with Malik al-Abdeh, conflict resolution expert focused on Syria and managing director of Conflict Mediation Solutions. Also Reva Dhingra (@Reva__D), a postdoctoral fellow at the Brookings Institution in the Foreign Policy Division (@BrookingsFP) and works with the Center for Middle East policy, with a particular focus on issues related to Syrian refugees.This podcast is written and produced by Hugo Goodridge. Theme music by Omar al-Fil. Other music by Blue Dot Sessions. To get in touch with the producers, follow then tweet us at @TheNewArabVoice or email hugo.goodridge@newarab.com  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A year and a day have passed since the killing of veteran Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in the occupied West Bank. Forensic Investigations, as well as investigations from multiple media organisations and the Palestinian Authority, have concluded that the Palestinian-American was shot by an Israeli sniper while covering a raid in Jenin. Video evidence, eyewitness testimony, spatial analysis, autopsy reports and other sources, have been used to confirm this conclusion. But in spite of the wealth of evidence, no one has been held accountable for her death. This week, The New Arab Voice looks at the detailed forensic investigations into Shireen’s death and how they were able to piece together the story of what happened on that tragic day.The episode also examines responses from the Israeli and American authorities, and explores what efforts have been made to hold the killers - both the individual who pulled the trigger and those up the chain of command - to account. We speak with Jumanah Bawazi, a researcher at Forensic Architecture (@ForensicArchi) - a multidisciplinary research group that partnered with Palestinian human rights organisation Al Haq to produce a 3D reconstruction of the crime scene. Rodney Dixon KC from Temple Garden Chambers (@TG_Chambers) - Al Jazeera’s legal counsel - discusses the formal request submitted to the International Criminal Court to conduct a thorough and independent investigation. UK Labour MP Kim Leadbeater (@kimleadbeater) explains why a thorough and independent investigation into the journalist’s death is “long overdue” and recounts her experience when meeting Shireen’s brother Anton. Lastly, Lamis Andoni (@LamisAndo) friend of Shireen and a Palestinian journalist speaks about what the Palestinian-American was like as a person and what motivated her to cover events in the occupied territories, as well as what justice may look like in the long-term. This podcast is written and produced by Rosie McCabe with help from Hugo Goodridge. Theme music by Omar al-Fil. Other music by Blue Dot Sessions. To get in touch with the producers, follow then tweet us at @TheNewArabVoice or email hugo.goodridge@newarab.com  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Turkish citizen will be voting in a highly anticipated and consequential election on 14 May. The two frontrunners for the office of president, are incumbent Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the main opposition candidate Kemel Kilicdaroglu.They have both been holding rallies, attempting to reach as many voters as possible. Opposition candidate Kemel Kilicdaroglu did cause a stir at a campaign event, when he questioned the private nature of Turkey's drone manufacturers, and asked whether there should be more state control. With a backlash brewing, he quickly changed direction, pledging full support to the industry. The incident did raise some questions. What's so special about Turkey's drones? How do the private manufacturers and the state work together? How does the state us the drones? And what impact will the upcoming election have on the domestic drone industry?Joining us to discuss Turkey's drones is Soner Cagaptay (@SonerCagaptay), a senior fellow and the director of the Turkish Research Program at The Washington Institute (@WashInstitute). This podcast is written by Ali Abbas Ahmadi and produced by Hugo Goodridge.Theme music by Omar al-Fil. Other music by Blue Dot Sessions.To get in touch with the producers, follow then tweet us at @TheNewArabVoice or email hugo.goodridge@newarab.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The past few weeks in Sudan have been exceptionally violent. Two feuding generals, in charge of the biggest armed groups in the country, have launched their own personal war in Sudan. Nearly 500 people have died, and thousands have been forced to flee. The culprits are Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of Sudan’s armed forces, and Mohamad Hamdan Dagalo - popularly known as Hemedti - who heads the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Both Burhan and Hemedti rose under the rule of autocratic President Omar al-Bashir, when they were commanders during counter insurgency operations in Darfur in the early 2000s - what many now deem a genocide. Since then, the two leaders worked together, even ruling the country together since 2019. But theirs has only ever been a marriage of convenience. Internal rivalries and political disagreements eventually exploded earlier this month, and the RSF and the army have unleashed a war on Sudan - catching the country's helpless population in the crossfire. This week on The New Arab Voice, we examine the generals behind the violence in Sudan. Who are they? Why are they fighting? And will they ever make peace? For this episode, we sat down with Jihad Mashamoun (@ComradeJihad), an expert and analyst on Sudan; and David Shinn (@AmbShinn), the former US ambassador to Ethiopia and Burkina Faso.Sign up for the newsletter here.This podcast is written by Ali Abbas Ahmadi and produced by Hugo Goodridge.Theme music by Omar al-Fil. Other music by Blue Dot Sessions.To get in touch with the producers, follow then tweet us at @TheNewArabVoice or email hugo.goodridge@newarab.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

During his most recent campaign to become Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu promised that he would overhaul the judiciary. When the elections came around, the fourth in five years, his Likud Party, with the help of some far-right allies, were able to command a majority in the Israeli Knesset. Netanyahu quickly started his plans to reform the judiciary, and almost as quickly Israelis took to the street to protest against the planned changes. Week after week, and month after month, the protests intensified and the pressure grew on Netanyahu and his government. Eventually, the pressure became too great, and Netanyahu announced that he would suspend the bill and attempt to seek a consensus. This week on The New Arab Voice, we examine the protest movement that rocked Israel. What prompted the protests? Who was on the streets protesting? What were the demands of the protesters? Why did Netanyahu change course and suspend the reforms? And what is the state of the bill today?For this episode, we sat down with Amjad Iraqi (@aj_iraqi). Amjad Iraqi is a senior editor at the Israeli publication +972 Magazine (@972mag); and also serves as a policy analyst at the think tank Al-Shabaka (@AlShabaka), and was previously an advocacy coordinator at the legal center Adalah.This podcast is written and produced by Hugo Goodridge.Theme music by Omar al-Fil. Other music by Blue Dot Sessions.To get in touch with the producers, follow then tweet us at @TheNewArabVoice or email hugo.goodridge@newarab.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the start of Spring we also saw the start of new diplomatic relationships being born. After years of intense rivalry, and to the surprise of many, Iran and Saudi Arabia announced that they had normalised relations. The two countries hadn't been on speaking turns since the Saudis executed a Shia cleric in 2016, and Iranian protesters had responded by burning down the embassy. With the restorations of relations, a new future awaits the two countries, which is likely to have a big impact on the region. Additionally, the deal was highly notably due to the involvement of China, who brokered the deal, and had the deal signed in their capital. This week on The New Arab Voice, we ask why have they chosen to normalise now? What is each side getting from the deal? And what’s the significance of China brokering the deal?Joining us to discuss Iran and Saudi Arabia, is  Vali Nasr, (@vali_nasr) Professor of International Affairs and Middle East Studies at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies; and Dr. Kristian Coates Ulrichsen (@Dr_Ulrichsen), Fellow for the Middle East at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy.Find our newsletter here.This podcast is written and produced by Hugo Goodridge.Theme music by Omar al-Fil. Other music by Blue Dot Sessions.To get in touch with the producers, follow then tweet us at @TheNewArabVoice or email hugo.goodridge@newarab.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Three years into President Kais Saied’s rule and Tunisia is on the brink of an economic meltdown and widespread social collapse. Hundreds of thousands of Tunisians are barely surviving as standards of living plummet. Amid this climate of hopelessness, Saied has taken aim at opposition figures and other scapegoats, such as black African migrants. Arrests and attacks are becoming commonplace in the north African country, which slips ever further towards autocracy. This week, The New Arab Voice looks at what has happened in President Kais Saied’s Tunisia and who he has chosen to blame for the country’s ill fate. We speak with Seifeddine Ferjani (@Ferjani9arwi), the son of Said Ferjani, a Tunisian opposition figure currently detained in Tunisia. We include audio from a press conference with Kaouther Ferjani (@TheKaouther), Said’s daughter, and Temple Garden Chambers (@TG_Chambers) who filed an appeal to the UK foreign secretary to sanction top-ranking Tunisian officials, including the president. We also discuss creeping populism and social grievances in Tunisia with Fadil Aliriza (@FadilAliriza) founder and editor-and-chief of Meshkal; as well asTharwa Boulifi (@TharwaBoulifi) a young journalist in Tunisia. This podcast is written and produced by Rosie McCabe. Theme music by Omar al-Fil. Other music by Blue Dot Sessions. To get in touch with the producers, follow then tweet us at @TheNewArabVoice or email hugo.goodridge@alaraby.co.uk  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The settler attacks in the Palestinian town of Huwara were as shocking as they were brutal.Homes and businesses were set a blaze in a series of attacks that were described as a pogrom, and were the latest in a long list of Israeli violations of human rights and international law. The attacks in Huwara drew intense condemnation for government around the world, including in the US. The US is a long standing and traditional partner of the Israel and has consistently defended, ignored, or excused away their actions. But as the world becomes ever more away of the apartheid in Israel, this relationship is facing closer scrutiny from the voting public. This week on The New Arab Voice we explore how have relations between the two countries changed? Does Israel still enjoy unwavering support among Jewish Americans? And will the US stick with an increasingly far-right and openly racist government?We're joined by Lara Friedman (@LaraFriedmanDC), the President of the Foundation for Middle East Peace (@FMEP), Iman Abid (@imanabid_), the Director of Advocacy and organizing at the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights (@USCPR_), and Robert Lipton (@wiremother), a Jewish American research scientist and poet from California and campaigner for Jewish Voice for Peace (@jvplive).This podcast is written and produced by Hugo Goodridge.Theme music by Omar al-Fil. Other music by Blue Dot Sessions.To get in touch with the producers, follow then tweet us at @TheNewArabVoice or email hugo.goodridge@newarab.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on The New Arab Voice we're joined by journalist Ali Abbas Ahmadi to examine the deadly floods that hit Pakistan six months ago. The rains started to fall in June and would not stop until August, during which time, the might Indus River would flood, spreading devastation ; particularly in the provinces of Sindh and Balochistan.The floods killed 1,700 people and left tens of millions of Pakistanis homeless. The flood waters would also wash aways the livelihoods  of millions; laying waste to farms, killing livestock, and destroying stores of grain and seeds.This week, we speak with one of the farmers who lost their land and livelihood, and ask what are the major challenges facing those affected? How has Pakistan dealt with food shortages, and how has the political instability added to the failure to provide support. We speak with Dr Zaffar Mahmood (@DrZaffarMehmoo1), an independent expert on food safety and food security, who has worked as a consultant with the Pakistani government and the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation. And Marvin Pervez, the regional director of an NGO called Community World Service Asia (@communitywsasia). Him and his team work with people on the ground in Pakistan.Sign up for our newsletter here.This podcast is written by Ali Abbas Ahmadi and produced by Hugo Goodridge.Theme music by Omar al-Fil. Other music by Blue Dot Sessions.To get in touch with the producers, follow then tweet us at @TheNewArabVoice or email hugo.goodridge@newarab.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.