The Intercept Briefing

The U.S. State Department this week congratulated Pakistan's new prime minister on assuming power, following elections that were marred by widespread allegations of rigging, voter suppression, and violence targeting supporters of imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khan. On a special crossover episode of Intercepted and Deconstructed, hosts Murtaza Hussain and Ryan Grim discuss the aftermath of Pakistan's February 8 election, as well as growing calls inside the U.S. to hold Pakistan's military-backed regime accountable for its ongoing suppression of democracy. Hussain and Grim also discuss U.S. interests in the region, and the historical ties between the Pakistani military and its supporters in Washington.If you’d like to support our work, go to theintercept.com/give, where your donation, no matter what the amount, makes a real difference.And if you haven’t already, please subscribe to the show so you can hear it every week. And please go and leave us a rating or a review — it helps people find the show. If you want to give us additional feedback, email us at Podcasts@theintercept.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Israeli government is on the brink of a long-feared military offensive against the town of Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinian civilians have taken shelter from the Israeli campaign in Gaza. An attack on Rafah could trigger the worst humanitarian catastrophe of the war so far, including a potential ethnic cleansing of Gaza as Palestinians are pushed into Egypt. This week on Intercepted, hosts Jeremy Scahill and Murtaza Hussain discuss the current state of the war as well as the ongoing Palestinian campaign for political unity with Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, a physician and general secretary of the Palestinian National Initiative. Barghouti speaks about the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the role of the U.S. in facilitating the war, and his own political future and that of the Palestinian national movement in the wake of this crisis.If you’d like to support our work, go to theintercept.com/give, where your donation, no matter what the amount, makes a real difference.And if you haven’t already, please subscribe to the show so you can hear it every week. And please go and leave us a rating or a review — it helps people find the show. If you want to give us additional feedback, email us at Podcasts@theintercept.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This podcast explores the dire situation in Gaza, particularly in the city of Rafah, amidst Israel's ground assault. It delves into the history of Palestine, discusses the renewed push for a two-state solution, examines Egypt's role in the conflict, and highlights escalating violence and dispossession in the West Bank.

The U.S.-backed Israeli war on Gaza is entering its fifth month. As the brutal siege and bombing continues, the United Nations and other international organizations are warning of famine and the outbreak of diseases. Powerful nations around the world, led by the U.S., are not just supplying weapons and political support for Israel, but also have now joined in the campaign to further restrict vital humanitarian aid to Gaza. The Biden administration has led the charge to suspend funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, the most important aid organization operating in Gaza. Israel has waged a smear campaign against UNRWA, baselessly characterizing the whole organization as a front group for Hamas. What began as an accusation that a few UNRWA employees may have participated in the October 7 attacks has now become a sweeping attack against the organization’s very existence.This week on Intercepted, Jeremy Scahill is joined by Mohammed Elnaiem, a political educator and director of the Decolonial Centre in London. Elnaiem discusses the ways pro-colonial narratives provide support to Israel’s onslaught on Gaza, despite people around the world watching a “livestreamed genocide.” He also breaks down the major imperial powers’ role in the conflict, connecting the historical thread of colonialism to the current war.If you’d like to support our work, go to theintercept.com/give, where your donation, no matter what the amount, makes a real difference.And if you haven’t already, please subscribe to the show so you can hear it every week. And please go and leave us a rating or a review — it helps people find the show. If you want to give us additional feedback, email us at Podcasts@theintercept.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The killing of three U.S. soldiers at a remote military outpost in Jordan, claimed by Iraqi militia groups to be retaliation for U.S. support for Israel's war in Gaza, has set the stage for a response by the Biden administration that has blamed Iran for helping support the attack. After years of attempting to pivot away from the region, the Biden administration now looks set to deepen its military involvement in the Middle East as it fights the Houthis in Yemen and squares off in an escalating proxy war with Iran. This week on Intercepted, Jeremy Scahill and Murtaza Hussain discuss the trajectory of the U.S. long war in the Middle East with Juan Cole, professor of history at the University of Michigan and a longtime writer and commenter on the region. Cole discusses the basis of the ongoing U.S.–Israel security relationship, the perspective of anti-Israel militant groups in the region, and the prospects of the expansion of the war despite the Biden administration's desires to keep it contained.If you’d like to support our work, go to theintercept.com/give, where your donation, no matter what the amount, makes a real difference.And if you haven’t already, please subscribe to the show so you can hear it every week. And please go and leave us a rating or a review — it helps people find the show. If you want to give us additional feedback, email us at Podcasts@theintercept.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shireen Al-Adeimi, an assistant professor of language and literature at Michigan State University, joins the show to discuss the history of U.S. involvement in Yemen, the emergence of the Houthis, and the political threats of the present conflict. The podcast also explores the ongoing war in Yemen and Israeli ground war against Hamas, Yemen's political circumstances, the origins and beliefs of the Houthi movement, and the adaptation of the Houthis.

Katherine Gallagher, senior staff attorney at the Center for Constitutional, discusses the ICJ case against Israel for genocide in Gaza. They explore the U.S. support for Israel and its potential consequences, including a lawsuit against Biden, Blinken, and Austin. The podcast also analyzes Benjamin Netanyahu's speech at the ICJ and the role of Joan Donahue. Potential legal implications for Israeli officials and the upcoming court case against Biden are discussed.

"Intercepted" hosts Amal Saad and Karim Makdisi discuss Israel's war on Gaza and the potential for a wider conflict. They explore Israel's military operations in Lebanon, Hezbollah's role in the resistance axis, and Iran's relationships with Hamas and Hezbollah. They also analyze the US-Israel relationship, Biden's stance on the wars in Palestine and Lebanon, and the implications of a broader war involving the US and Iran. The hosts critique Israel's disregard for international law and the dire situation in Gaza. The conversation highlights concerns about Israeli incentives to provoke Hezbollah and escalate the conflict.

This podcast explores the recent Gaza war, the change in narrative, and the denouncement by Democrats. It discusses the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the controversy over funding for Israel's Iron Dome, and the divisive vote on Israel and Palestine. The chapter also explores the influence of money in politics and the challenges faced by progressive candidates in the primary season.

This podcast discusses the Israeli military's campaign against Gaza, the weaponization of accusations of antisemitism, Israel's propaganda and Biden's support, AI-enabled warfare in the bombing of Gaza, the impact of Israeli drones on conflicts, communication access and safety for Palestinians, the intensification of violence in the West Bank, and Israel's export of occupation technology.