Podcast: EU works to maintain trade with Iran, Qatar’s Emir visits Lebanon, Tunisia gets a new party

This week, European Union diplomats and Iranian representatives adopt a new mechanism to maintain trade as Iran works to comply with the nuclear deal in the face of US sanctions. Qatar’s Emir travels to Lebanon for a financial conference, pledging funds for the country’s economy and appearing to step into the Lebanese political arena. And in Tunis, Youssef Chahed leads Tahya Tounes, a party breaking from the ruling Nidaa Tounes over economic policy and political infighting.

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Podcast: Jamal Khashoggi’s murder by Saudi operatives, challenges face Iraq’s new government

In this episode of the Middle East Weekly podcast, we discuss the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the hands of Saudi agents in Istanbul, the formation of and challenges facing Iraq’s new government, the re-instatement of sanctions on Iran, and an election boycott in Bahrain. Khashoggi was murdered when he visited the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to obtain paperwork for his marriage. After initially denying reports of his killing, Saudi authorities have since acknowledged his death and enacted their own investigation. They have continued to deny charges by Turkish authorities that Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman ordered Khashoggi’s death personally, instead insisting that the killers were acting of their own accord. In Iraq, the new President Barham Salih is working to form his cabinet. He faces domestic pressure to address inefficiencies and shortages of critical government services, especially utilities. Iranian officials have debated legal action to align the country with European policies on terror financing, in an effort to convince European countries to continue doing business with Iran as American sanctions come back into effect. In Bahrain, the opposition party al-Wefaq staged a boycott ahead of elections there, citing discriminatory government policies preventing its members from running for office. 

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Podcast: Israel kills 18 Palestinians at protests in Gaza and Netanyahu reverses an agreement on African migrants in Israel

In this episode of the Middle East Weekly podcast we discuss the events that occurred in Gaza this past weekend, where the Israeli Defense Forces killed 18 people and injured nearly 1000 in reaction to Palestinian demonstrations near the border fence which separates Gaza from Israel. The Palestinian protests began on the anniversary of Land Day and were to be the beginning of a six-week long campaign called the Great Return March, raising awareness about the Palestinians’ right to return to the homes they were displaced from in 1948. At the end of the podcast, we also provide some updates on the deal that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu made, and then abruptly cancelled, regarding the status of African migrants in Israel.

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