Tag: Economy and energy

In this episode, Boris Gorelik hosts Prof. Amatzia Baram for a conversation about Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990. Prof. Baram analyzes the reasons that led Saddam Hussein to invade the neighboring country, the consequences of this move for the Arab world, and the turn Saddam's regime took following the war.

In this episode of "This Week in the Middle East," the guest is Mor Shapiro, a lecturer in the Arabic department at Bar-Ilan University and a researcher at the MEMRI institute. The conversation covers the dramatic change in the status of the United Arab Emirates, which has transformed from a neutral, business-oriented country into a central and controversial geopolitical player, drawing sharp criticism from Iran and most Arab states.

The episode hosts Eran Efrat, an expert on the global energy market, for a conversation about the reports of the United Arab Emirates' withdrawal from OPEC, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. The two discuss the move's significance for the global oil market, relations in the Gulf, and the Israeli consumer.

In this episode, Dr. Yaron Friedman joins the show to discuss the economic war being waged in parallel with the military conflict with Iran. The conversation focuses on the consequences of a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz for the economies of Iran, the Gulf states, Iraq, and other regional actors, and examines who the main losers and winners are from the situation.

In this episode, recorded as the military campaign against Iran was unfolding, the guest is Eran Efrat, an expert in energy economics. The conversation revolves around the immediate economic consequences of the conflict, primarily the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and examines the dramatic changes that could occur in the global economy the day after the fall of the ayatollahs' regime.

This episode features Professor Shaul Chorev, head of the Maritime Policy and Strategy Research Center at the National Center for Blue Economy and Innovation in Haifa. The conversation covers the lessons from naval warfare in the Russia-Ukraine war, with an emphasis on asymmetric warfare, the use of uncrewed vehicles, and the strategic implications for Israel and the Middle East.

This episode's guest is Alex Grinberg, an Iran scholar at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security (JISS). The conversation deals with the recent protests in Iran, examining the stability of the Islamic regime, the chances of its collapse, and the factors influencing this, including the economic situation, national identity and ethnic minorities, and external pressures.

In this episode, linguist and Iran expert Dr. Tamar Eilam Gindin joins the podcast for a conversation about the situation in Iran following the recent war. Dr. Eilam Gindin analyzes the regime's response to the war, its surprising use of pre-Islamic Iranian nationalism, social media dynamics, scenarios for the regime's future, and the country's severe internal crises, particularly the water crisis.

In this episode, Dr. Yaron Friedman explains how the Hezbollah organization can be 'strangled' through economic means, without the need for a large-scale military attack. According to him, the process has already begun, and it focuses on two main channels: damaging the organization's banking system and dismantling its drug empire.

In this episode, Dr. Benny Spanier, a research fellow at the Maritime Policy & Strategy Research Center and the Blue Economy Center of the Haifa municipality, joins the show to discuss the maritime border agreement between Israel and Lebanon. Dr. Spanier explains the historical and legal background that led to the dispute, details the interests of each side, and describes the specifics of the US-brokered agreement and its implications today.

This episode's guest is Eyal Hishkes, an economic consultant, social activist, and author of the book "Bridges of Economy." Hishkes talks with Boris about the main ideas in his book, focusing on the BDS movement. He reviews the movement's historical roots, analyzes the extent of the damage it causes Israel, and proposes strategic ways to counter the economic warfare.

In this episode, Eran Efrat, an expert on the global energy market, joins the podcast for a conversation about Iran and its influence on the oil and gas markets. The discussion covers the Iranian threat to close the Strait of Hormuz, the interests of powers like China and the United States, and the possible consequences of the regime's fall in Tehran for the global energy map.

The guest on the episode is Raam Neri, a marine ecologist from Ben-Gurion University's Eilat campus and a member of the "Sharks in Israel" association. Neri discusses his master's thesis, in which he researched the illegal fishing of sharks and batoids (cartilaginous fish) in the Gaza Strip. The study, based on data collection from social media, provides a rare glimpse into Gaza's fish market, the fishing methods in the Strip, and the effects of war and the blockade on the marine environment.

Three months after the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, commentator Yaron returns to the podcast to summarize the beginning of the rule of Ahmed al-Sharaa, better known by his former nom de guerre, Abu Mohammad al-Julani. The episode deals with the question of the new leader's identity, the economic and social situation in Syria, and the challenges facing the new regime.