We look back on the region’s history and discuss what it can teach us about the future.Jonny Dymond brings together a carefully curated panel of experts, academics and journalists to talk about the conflict in the Middle East.What has happened in history to lead us to this point? And, what can history teach us about what might happen next?This week, Jonny is joined by Dr Ahron Bregman, from King’s College London, and the BBC’s International Editor, Jeremy Bowen.In the second of two special episodes, they focus in on the former Israeli leader, Ariel Sharon. Last week’s episode covered another leader who bestrode the modern Middle East - Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.This episode was made by Keiligh Baker and Eleanor Harrison-Dengate. The technical producers were John Scott and Michael Regaard. The assistant editor is Ben Mundy. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.This episode is part of a BBC Sounds series. The discussion was recorded at 15:00 on Friday 6 December 2024.

We look back on the region’s history and discuss what it can teach us about the future.Jonny Dymond brings together a carefully assembled panel of experts, academics and journalists to talk about the conflict in the region.What has happened in history to lead us to this point? And, what can history teach us about what might happen next?This week, Jonny is joined by Dr Burcu Ozcelik, Senior Research Fellow for Middle East Security at RUSI, and BBC correspondent and Middle East expert Jane Corbin.In the first of two special episodes, they focus in on the former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Next week, attention will turn to another leader who bestrode the modern Middle East, Israel’s military and political leader Ariel Sharon. This episode was made by Keiligh Baker. The technical producers were Dan Ehrlich and David Crackles. The assistant editor is Ben Mundy. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.This episode is part of a BBC Sounds series. It was recorded at 10:00 on Monday 2 December 2024.

We look back on the region’s history and discuss what it can teach us about the future.Jonny Dymond brings together a carefully curated panel of experts, academics and journalists to talk about the conflict in the region.What has happened in history to lead us to this point? And, what can history teach us about what might happen next? This week, Jonny is joined by BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner, Dr Dina Rezk, associate professor of modern Middle Eastern history at Reading University and Dr H A Hellyer, senior associate fellow at the think tank RUSI.They explore the First Intifada, a mass uprising by Palestinians, in 1987 against 20 years of Israeli occupation, and its lasting impact on the region.This episode was made by Keiligh Baker with Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Dafydd Evans and David Crackles. The assistant editor is Ben Mundy. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.This episode is part of a BBC Sounds series. It was recorded at 14:00 on Wednesday 27 November 2024.

Jane Corbin, a senior BBC correspondent and Middle East expert, teams up with historian James Barr to delve into the tumultuous events of 1948. They unravel the complexities behind Britain’s withdrawal from Palestine and Israel's declaration of independence. The conversation highlights the violent confrontations leading to the Nakba and the mass displacement of Palestinians. They analyze the long-term implications of these events and reflect on how historical tensions continue to influence the modern-day Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

What can history teach us about the conflict in the Middle East? We look back on the region’s history and discuss what it can teach us about the future.Jonny Dymond brings together a carefully assembled panel of experts, academics and journalists to talk about the conflict in the region.This week Jonny is joined by Dr Giordana Pulcini, who teaches History of Transatlantic Relations at the University of Roma Tre, and geopolitical analyst, Dr Hellyer from the Royal United Services Institute. They take a closer look at Israel’s 1981 raid on a French-built nuclear plant in Iraq, and discuss what impact Operation Opera had on the Israel-America relationship.The Conflict: Middle East was made by Keiligh Baker and Ivana Davidovic. The technical producers were Ricardo McCarthy and David Crackles. The assistant editor is Ben Mundy. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.This episode is part of a BBC Sounds series. It was recorded at 14:00 on Tuesday 12 November 2024.

Orla Guerin, BBC's senior international correspondent, reports on Middle Eastern conflicts. Dr. Ahron Bregman, a veteran of the Israeli army, shares insights into the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, while Dr. Julie Norman, a Politics expert, contextualizes the situation. They analyze the lasting impacts of Israel's 2005 withdrawal from Gaza, the ensuing humanitarian crisis, and how the rise of Hamas reshaped Palestinian politics. The discussion underscores the ongoing challenges for peace and the pressing need for a two-state solution.

What can history teach us about the conflict in the Middle East? Jonny Dymond brings together a carefully curated panel of experts, academics and journalists to talk about the conflict in the region. This week’s panel includes Dr Siavush Randjbar-Daemi, a lecturer at the University of St Andrews, and Dr Roham Alvandi, expert in Iran and modern Middle East history. They revisit February 1979, when Ayatollah Khomeini returned from exile to Iran in the defining moment of a revolution that would change his country and the Middle East. And, they dig deeper into the complexities of Iran’s relationship with Israel. Please get in touch with Jonny and the team: theconflict@bbc.co.uk. The Conflict: Middle East was made by Keiligh Baker, Ivana Davidovic and Anna Harris. The technical producers were Hannah Montgomery and Bob Nettles. The assistant editor is Ben Mundy. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. This episode is part of a BBC Sounds series. It was recorded at 14:00 on Tuesday 29 October 2024.

Adam Fleming and Laura Kuenssberg talk to the BBC's Diplomatic Correspondent Paul Adams.

Nomi Bar-Yakov, an expert on international conflict mediation, joins Aviva Guttman, a lecturer on Israeli security policies, Ronen Bergman, an investigative journalist focused on targeted assassinations, and Jeremy Bowen, BBC's international editor, to explore the 1972 Munich Massacre. They discuss its lasting consequences on Israeli counterterrorism strategies and the ongoing violence in the region. The conversation highlights how past events continue to shape modern military tactics and political dialogue, revealing complexities in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Today, Israel confirmed that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar has been killed in Gaza.For this extra episode, Newscast's Adam Fleming speaks with the BBC's International Editor Jeremy Bowen about his death and what it might mean for the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.