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Arab Digest podcasts

Arab Digest
Israel
Iran
Gaza
Syria
Saudi Arabia
Palestine
Sudan
Turkey
Middle East
United States
Hezbollah
Lebanon
Hamas
Captagon
Gaza War
Yemen
Libya
Bashar Al-Assad
UAE
Arab Spring

Arab Digest is where business leaders and experts on the Middle East and North Africa come together to share analysis and insight about the issues in the region that matter most. contact email: editor@arabdigest.org

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes324Founded6 years ago
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Latest Episodes

Arab Digest editor William Law welcomes back the Levant expert Dr Lina Khatib to discuss the war in Lebanon. Dr Khatib argues that Hezbollah though significantly degraded continues to play a spoiler role and that until a solution is found that ends t... more

To discuss the current situation in Syria Arab Digest editor William Law's guest this week is the Syrian analyst Malik al-Abdeh.The leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and president of Syria Ahmed al-Sharaa has been embraced by Washington but he has... more

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The Gulf states are on the frontline of a war they worked hard to prevent. Once it began they find themselves facing a prime minister who uses permanent war to survive politically, a president who increasingly seems out of touch with reality and a re... more

YouTube

Arab Digest editor William Law has invited two top energy analysts - the Baker Institute's Jim Krane and Arab Digest's Alastair Newton - onto the podcast to discuss the implications and the impact for energy markets as Donald Trump vows to use force ... more

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Recent Guests

Lina Khatib
Associate fellow in the Middle East and North Africa program
Chatham House
Episode: Hezbollah and the war in Lebanon
Jim Krane
Diana Tamati-Sabah Fellow in Middle East Energy Studies; co-director of the Middle East Energy Roundtable at Rice University
Rice University Baker Institute for Public Policy
Episode: High energy stakes and the Strait of Hormuz
Sinan Antoon
Writer, poet, and associate professor of Arabic literature at New York University
Author of Notes from a Lost Country
Episode: Notes From a Lost Country
Hamid Khalafallah
A researcher, policy analyst, and development practitioner from Sudan
Global Development Institute, University of Manchester
Episode: Sudan suffers and the world sits by
Sara Segneri
Partner at Confinium Strategies specializing in sanctions law and international financial crime.
Confinium Strategies
Episode: Deinvesting Israel's genocide
Sirwan Kajjo
Kurdish-American journalist and regular contributor
Episode: Syria's Kurds face an uncertain future
Asli Aydıntaşbaş
Fellow in the Center on the United States and Europe at the Brookings Institute and Director of the Turkey Project
Brookings Institute
Episode: The Middle East in Trump's new world order
George Kanaan
Author of Beyond Lebanon's Peaks, An Odyssey, former Chief Executive Officer of the Arab Bankers Association
Arab Bankers Association
Episode: Editor's Choice - A small town in Lebanon
Selma Dabbagh
Writer and former human rights lawyer
Episode: The Lord: a forgotten Middle East masterpiece

Host

William Law
Host of the Arab Digest podcast

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 50 ratings
  • What utter propaganda!

    Seriously, you call yourself an independent podcast? You are utterly anti-West, anti-Israel and repeating Iranian propaganda and antisemitic conspiracy theories. This is not serious journalism, it does not correspond to Academic standards, you twist and turn facts so that they correspond to an extremely one-sided worldview.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    SchmidSophie
    Germany6 months ago
  • Anti-Israel, otherwise good

    They do a good job on discussing most Arab countries but they don’t even attempt to hide their hatred of Israel and use extremist rhetoric to discuss it.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    AP12345432167544
    United States2 years ago
  • Vital and unbiased source

    Knowledgeable hosts who take no money from the usual suspects leads to refreshing clarity on difficult questions

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jim Krane
    United States3 years ago
  • Balance

    Hello Arab Digest,

    I’ve been listening to the podcast for a few months now. I live in Dubai and describe myself as a casual listener and I starting listening to your podcasts as I wanted to become more aware of the geo politics of the region.

    I find some of the podcasts interesting but

    I feel the podcast never chats with the establishment in the gulf states and that’s a gap. The view shared in the podcast are mostly seen through the lens of western academia and are mostly anti establishment.... more

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    smpele
    United Arab Emirates5 years ago
  • Sincerely needed

    We really need a podcast of this depth for the MENA region that is independent and not financed or controlled by any state actor. The quality of the episodes so far are excellent.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Lordcurzon1980
    United States6 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The show is praised for independent, well-researched analysis and guests with strong expertise but faces disagreements on balance and perspective from some listeners.
Feedback highlights appreciation for in-depth discussions on human rights, sanctions, and geopolitics, with some criticisms around perceived one-sidedness or Western-centric viewpoints.
Listeners value the depth and breadth of regional coverage, though some critique perceived biases or calls for more Gulf-state voices.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How safe is al-Sharaa?
Q: Will Ankara see this withdrawal as an opportunity to advance Turkey's interests in northern Syria, and what are the implications for the SDF and Damascus?
Malik argues Turkey has long wanted US forces to leave to advance influence, but the outcome depends on whether Damascus can address Turkish security concerns while Turkey maintains leverage via local proxies and the Syrian army.
How safe is al-Sharaa?
Q: On the 16th of April, the last US troops departed Syria via Jordan. How significant is their departure, and should we interpret it as a sign that Syria is moving towards stability?
Malik suggests the departure carries mixed symbolism—from evacuation day echoes to potential pressure on Turkish and Russian presences—while predicting that the Syrian government's ability to clamp down on ISIS and maintain order will be crucial in determining whether the withdrawal is seen as stabilizing or destabilizing.
Hezbollah and the war in Lebanon
Q: Is there a way forward, Lina?
There is always a way forward. Wars eventually do end, but the path depends on how the big regional issues—particularly Iran and the US—play out, and it remains unclear when or how the conflict with Lebanon will be resolved. The future will hinge on broader regional dynamics and political decisions, not just battlefield outcomes.
High energy stakes and the Strait of Hormuz
Q: So what happens to the price of oil when this war finally does end?
The panel suggests a rebound in supply freedom will ease immediate price pressure, potentially leading to lower prices in the short term, but with uncertainty about how quickly production can return online and how strategic reserves are managed.
Notes From a Lost Country
Q: What role does music play in the novel?
Music, especially Um Kalthoum, acts as a memory anchor for characters like Sami, turning songs into a vehicle for reminiscence and emotional continuity amidst dementia and displacement.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Arab Digest podcasts

What is Arab Digest podcasts about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Analyses center on geopolitics, security, energy, and humanitarian issues across the Middle East and North Africa. Episodes frequently dissect US–Israel–Iran dynamics, regional power shifts, sanctions and international law, energy transitions, and conflict impacts—from Sudan and Yemen to Syria and Lebanon. A distinctive angle is the synthesis of defense, diplomacy, and economic considerations, with guests ranging from academia and think tanks to policy practitioners and journalists. The show tends to blend rigorous geopolitical context with contemporary crises, offering listeners a pragmatic, policy-forward lens that's valuable for decision-makers, sponsors looking to reach policy-focused audiences, and professionals seeking deeper regional... more

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How many listeners does Arab Digest podcasts get?

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Which podcasts are similar to Arab Digest podcasts?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Arab Digest podcasts:

1. Hold Your Fire!
2. Middle East Focus
3. Mark Leonard's World in 30 Minutes
4. The Foreign Desk
5. The Documentary Podcast

How many episodes of Arab Digest podcasts are there?

Arab Digest podcasts launched 6 years ago and published 324 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Arab Digest podcasts?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on Arab Digest podcasts?

Recent guests on Arab Digest podcasts include:

1. Lina Khatib
2. Jim Krane
3. Sinan Antoon
4. Hamid Khalafallah
5. Sara Segneri
6. Sirwan Kajjo
7. Asli Aydıntaşbaş
8. George Kanaan

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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