The Deep Map

In this episode of The Deep Map, Robert and Dominique answer audience frequently asked questions and address media misinformation from a historic and Christian perspective.

Hussein Aboubakr Mansour, an Arab perspective on the conflict, addresses deep-rooted antisemitism of the Arab world. Free Palestine is a unifying symbol for religious and Arab nationalist aims. Discusses ideological origins of Arab political thought, Hamas's vision for the region, and the significance of Jews, Israel, and Palestine in Arab and Muslim societies.

Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem, speaks with Robert and Dominique about developments in Israel. She discusses how events unfolded on October 7th, her work in helping the families of hostages, and the threat of Hamas to Israelis and Palestinians. Her message is clear: anti-Zionism is antisemitism. She is not only a government official but a mother whose heart hurts for her people and nation. Fleur has spent her career working with her Arab neighbors to promote pluralism in Jerusalem and the region. She is resolute about Israel’s right to defense and rebukes the growing condemnation of justified military action. Her optimism about Israel's future and standing in the region in a time of great darkness and uncertainty is refreshing. It should inspire all who listen. 

With violence against Jews surging 1200% since October 7th, this conversation with Jonathan Silver from the Tikvah Fund is more pertinent than ever.  In this episode, Robert, Dominique, and Jonathan delve into the repercussions of the events on October 7th for American Jews. Jonathan candidly shares his feelings of isolation, sorrow, and bewilderment following the Hamas terrorist attack. He emphasizes that this tragic event will have a lasting impact on Jewish history. Jonathan also advocates for reform within the Jewish community and highlights the importance of Israel embracing its military strength. Jonathan Silver is editor of Mosaic, a magazine of Jewish ideas, history, and public affairs. He is also Senior Director at the Tikvah Fund, co-chair of the Jewish Leadership Conference, and host of the Tikvah Podcast. He was educated at Tufts University, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and holds a Ph.D. from the Department of Government at Georgetown University.   Tikvah Fund classes: https://tikvahfund.org/toa/ Pathfinder: https://pathfinder.philosproject.org 

When Hamas carried out its campaign of terror on October 7th, many of us woke up to text messages blowing up our phones. For Andrew Doran, who was in Jerusalem when the attack started, the gravity of the situation on the ground was all that more real. Andrew, Director of Philos Catholic, talks with Robert and Dominique from Jerusalem about first-hand observations of Israel's collective trauma and move to support the war front. Andrew raises concerns over rising antisemitism, the Biden administration's foreign policy, and the threat of Hamas and Hezbollah.    Andrew Doran served on the Policy Planning Staff at the U.S. Department of State from 2018-21. He previously served as Deputy Director of the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO at the State Department. He is a cofounder of In Defense of Christians. He has published extensively on U.S. foreign policy and human rights in the Middle East. He is an Army veteran and attorney.

Over the last week, news coverage and political commentators have rushed to make arguments of moral equivalence and proportionality to justify Hamas' terror attack and call for the restraint of the IDF within Gaza. What is the Christian response to political evil, and how does the Hebraic tradition inform concepts of war and justice? Robert and Dominique are joined by Marc LiVecche, McDonald Distinguished Scholar of Ethics, War, and Public Life at Providence Magazine. He is also a non-resident research fellow at the US Naval War College in the College of Leadership and Ethics.

Season 3 kicks off much differently than we imagined...72 hours after Hamas invaded Israel, Robert is joined by Luke Moon and Dominique Hoffman to share reactions and new updates. Robert also shares context on the religious and cultural mindsets of Hamas and its members, while also shedding light on some of the recent polling from the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research. 

Your host, Robert Nicholson, gives insights into the original plan for Season 3 and why it’s changed now, given the current events in Israel.

Looking back on Season 2 of The Deep Map, Robert and his co-host Dominique Hoffman reflect on the rapid changes in the Near East even during the lifetime of the podcast. Diving deeper into the invisible factors driving those changes, they discuss the declining ability of the US to influence any of it.  Is the West in decline? Where are our young people at in 2023? Will China take our place in the Near East? Why are Israel and other allies willing to entertain the idea? How should we, people of faith, respond? And how should Christians respond in particular? At the end of the episode, Robert and Dominque reveal some exciting new changes in the run-up to Season 3.

The role of religion and culture is the most overlooked yet most important dimension of Near Eastern affairs. In this episode, Robert talks with Philos Senior Research fellow and former State Department policy expert Andrew Doran about the way religion and politics manifests in advocacy for Eastern Christians and in issues related to Israel and antisemitism.  Andrew Doran is the Director of Philos Catholic and a Senior Research Fellow at the Charles Malik Institute. Prior to joining Philos, he served on the Policy Planning Staff at the U.S. Department of State from 2018-21. He previously served as Deputy Director of the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO at the State Department. He is a co-founder of In Defense of Christians. He has published extensively on U.S. foreign policy and human rights in the Middle East. He is an Army veteran and attorney.