The October 7 Hamas-led terrorist attacks on Israel and the subsequent siege of Gaza by the Israeli military upended the Middle East. Can the conflict be contained or will the tensions between Israel, Hezbollah and Iran escalate and engulf the Middle East in a regional war? On October 27, 2024, Jeremy Bowen, the International Editor of the BBC, joined Intelligence Squared CEO Matt McAllester in conversation to reflect and make sense of what is happening in the region. Bowen has reported on all the most significant events that have shaped the region’s recent history – the long and ultimately failed Middle East peace process, the tragic events of 9/11 and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, plus most recently the Israel-Hamas war. Many of these events are covered in Bowen's recent book, The Making of the Modern Middle East. As a journalist and author, his deep understanding of the political, cultural and religious differences of its peoples makes him uniquely placed to explain its complex past and troubled present. This is a two-part discussion. Part Two, recorded on October 28, 2024, convenes Dr Sanam Vakil, Director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House, and James Barr, a historian of the Middle East and the author of Lords of the Desert and A Line In The Sand, in conversation with BBC News presenter, Jonny Dymond. This is the first instalment of a two-part episode. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to the full conversation immediately as an early access subscriber, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events ... Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series ... Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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