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Makdisi Street

Makdisi Bros.
Gaza
Palestine
Israel
Zionism
United States
Iran
Hamas
Hezbollah
Lebanon
U.S. Foreign Policy
International Law
Human Rights
Trump Administration
Middle East
Palestinian Rights
Nakba
Genocide
West Bank
Biden Administration
Palestinian Authority

A podcast co-hosted by Saree Makdisi, Ussama Makdisi, and Karim Makdisi. Follow us on X: @MakdisiStreet Follow us on YouTube: @MakdisiStreet

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes101Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsNews

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Artwork for Makdisi Street

Latest Episodes

The brothers welcome Lebanese scholar and original "Angry Arab" Asad AbuKhalil, author, columnist, professor, and public intellectual. The discuss the increasing depravity of a long history of Israeli wars on Lebanon going back to 1948; why so many i... more

The brothers welcome to the show Jehad Abusalim, who grew up in the city of Deir el Balah in the Gaza Strip and now heads the Gaza Genocide Center. They discuss what it was like to grow up under occupation in Gaza, what normal life was like for a gen... more

The brothers welcome to the show Michael Young, journalist and editor of the Carnegie Middle East Center's Diwan blog, to discuss the vexed and controversial question of Lebanese-Israeli negotiations against the background of the continued Israeli bo... more

**Producer's note: This is a special co-published episode with Psychic Militancy, hosted by Makdisi Street guest Lara Sheehi. Make sure to subscribe to her channel if you haven't already!!**

In this episode, I sit down with ‪Makdisi Street podcas... more

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Recent Guests

Jehad Abusalim
Executive Director of the Gaza Genocide Project
Institute for Palestine Studies; Gaza Genocide Project
Episode: "The Zionist project is what it has always been" w/ Jehad Abusalim
Michael Young
Senior editor, Carnegie Middle East Center; editor of Diwan
Carnegie Middle East Center
Episode: "We cannot negotiate without national consensus" w/ Michael Young
Karim Makdisi
Makdisi Street co-host, discussing Lebanon and regional politics
Makdisi Street
Episode: "It hasn't worked": Lebanese defiance of Zionist oppression w/ Karim, Ussama and Saree Makdisi
Ussama Makdisi
Makdisi Street co-host, discussing Lebanon and regional politics
Makdisi Street
Episode: "It hasn't worked": Lebanese defiance of Zionist oppression w/ Karim, Ussama and Saree Makdisi
Saree Makdisi
Makdisi Street co-host, discussing Lebanon and regional politics
Makdisi Street
Episode: "It hasn't worked": Lebanese defiance of Zionist oppression w/ Karim, Ussama and Saree Makdisi
Yousef Munayyer
Head of the Palestine Israel Program and Senior Fellow at the Arab Center in Washington DC
Arab Center in Washington DC
Episode: "Palestine does matter" w/ Yousef Munayyer
Laleh Khalili
Professor of Gulf and Arab studies at the University of Exeter; expert on politics of violence, counterinsurgency, policing, and the Gulf
University of Exeter
Episode: ⁩"Energy is at the heart of it" w/ Laleh Khalili
Omar Shakir
Former Israel and Palestine Director at Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Episode: "Locking in the ethnic cleansing of 1948" w/ Omar Shakir
Hala Jaber
Journalist and author focusing on Lebanon and the region
Former Sunday Times correspondent; author of Hizballah, Born with a Vengeance
Episode: "The war in Lebanon is existential" w/ Hala Jaber

Hosts

Saree Makdisi
Host of Makdisi Street; contributed scholarly and historical context to discussions on displacement, identity, and regional politics.
Karim Makdisi
Co-host of Makdisi Street; provides expert insights on Lebanon and regional politics.
Ussama Makdisi
Co-host of Makdisi Street; offers critical perspectives on Zionism, US policy, and regional power structures.

Reviews

3.4 out of 5 stars from 2.6k ratings
  • A much-needed voice of truth!

    I love this podcast and recommend it to anyone interested in learning the real history of Palestine, Lebanon, and the Middle East in general.

    It is genuinely comforting to listen to a podcast that provides the true history rather than the false narrative taught in many European countries, especially Germany, where the political climate is very harsh.

    - Swede married to a Lebanese (from the south), living in Germany

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Stephanie.M.K
    Germany21 days ago
  • Beautiful podcast ❤️

    Make sure you listen and share

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    André de Velde
    Netherlandsa month ago
  • Great analysis & vibe

    We’re so blessed to have these guys. Makdisi Street is one of a handful of podcasts I’ve had on rotation since the start of the genocide in 2023 and has helped me build a better historical and contemporary understanding of the region. The brothers are smart, candid, and timely in each episode they release. You’d do well to give them a follow.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    brandonyadegari
    United Statesa month ago
  • excellent

    The Makdisi brothers do an excellent job of offering an accessible yet nuanced conversation.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    sbbk928
    United Statesa month ago
  • Brilliant, accessible

    This is my favorite podcast. Intelligent, passionate, well-informed discussions that offer full narratives, with historical depth. They are empowering, as opposed to the demoralising fragments we get pelted with on social media. The brothers Makdisi are thorough, critical, and warm. Listening to the way they speak makes me miss Lebanon and Palestine. I always start a podcast, thinking I only have time for 20 minutes and I’ll get back to the rest later, but I listen through in one go. I wish they... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jenine min Jenin
    France2 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners appreciate the respectful yet challenging dialogue and depth of analysis.
Guests are consistently high quality and the discussions are nuanced.
Audience finds the show deeply informative and historically informed.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#242
United Kingdom/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#249
Canada/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#123
Argentina/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#141
Saudi Arabia/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#157
Chile/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#167
United Arab Emirates/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

"The Zionist project is what it has always been" w/ Jehad Abusalim
Q: What was everyday life like under Hamas governance and the PA bureaucracy in Gaza?
Abusalim explains there was a functioning but dual bureaucratic system: Hamas ran the Gaza Strip with its own ministries, while the PA had previously controlled civil service salaries; after 2007, PA employees stayed home, Hamas filled the gap, creating two staff per role and ongoing governance challenges.
"Palestine does matter" w/ Yousef Munayyer
Q: What does the shift in the Republican and Democratic coalitions signal for the next presidential cycle?
The guests explain that Trump reshaped coalitions, enabling new alignments across traditional divides, while a broader, persistent realignment is likely to define the 2028 landscape, with ongoing debates over which leaders best represent a post-Trump political order.
"Locking in the ethnic cleansing of 1948" w/ Omar Shakir
Q: How did HRW differentiate between legal findings and advocacy goals, and why did that distinction become a barrier to publishing the report?
HRW distinguishes between proving legal conclusions and pursuing an advocacy strategy to influence policy. In this case, internal leaders worried that a broad, holistic report on 1948 refugees would undermine advocacy objectives and potentially threaten the institution, leading to tensions between the legal analysis and political strategy.
"Locking in the ethnic cleansing of 1948" w/ Omar Shakir
Q: Omar, can you explain what the denial of the right of return amounts to legally and why it's considered a crime against humanity?
The denial of the right of return is analyzed through established international law and precedents; when done with discriminatory intent and as part of a broader policy to displace or deny return, it can qualify under the ICC's crimes against humanity framework, including persecution and forced displacement, depending on the context and evidence of policy.
"The war in Lebanon is existential" w/ Hala Jaber
Q: Is Hizballah simply a proxy for Iran, or does it act independently with its own strategic goals?
Hala rejects the proxy label, arguing Hizballah has its own ideology, leadership, and strategic calculations, though it consults with Iran and shares some larger strategic aims; she emphasizes Hizballah's independence in decision-making rather than being merely an instrument of Iran.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Makdisi Street

What is Makdisi Street about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A politically sharp, region-focused discussion show led by three Lebanese hosts who routinely dissect Lebanon, Palestine, and broader West Asia dynamics. Episodes feature a rotating roster of prominent guests—journalists, scholars, and policy analysts—to unpack regional conflicts, state actors, and humanitarian crises with historical depth and critical scrutiny of Western policy and media coverage. The format often blends personal history, ground reports, and rigorous analysis to illuminate power structures, displacement, and resilience across Lebanon, Gaza, and beyond. It's likely to appeal to listeners who want nuanced, historically informed perspectives on Middle East politics and who value candid, sometimes combative dialogue among know... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Makdisi Street?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Makdisi Street:

1. The East is a Podcast
2. Drop Site News
3. The Chris Hedges Report
4. On the Nose
5. The Katie Halper Show

How many episodes of Makdisi Street are there?

Makdisi Street launched 2 years ago and published 101 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Makdisi Street?

Recent guests on Makdisi Street include:

1. Jehad Abusalim
2. Michael Young
3. Karim Makdisi
4. Ussama Makdisi
5. Saree Makdisi
6. Yousef Munayyer
7. Laleh Khalili
8. Omar Shakir

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