Can mediation cut through conflict in the Middle East?

Can mediation cut through conflict in the Middle East?

In Gaza, a fragile ceasefire comes with great uncertainty for the future. In Yemen, the Houthis are abducting humanitarian workers and journalists in a witch hunt for alleged spies. And in Syria, a new and unstable political landscape could go either way.

“It's not easy to build peace. It's much easier to stop a war,” says Martin Griffiths, executive director of Mediation Group International.

The former under secretary general for humanitarian affairs at the UN speaks to The National’s editor-in-chief Mina Al-Oraibi in this special episode of Beyond the Headlines.

They discuss the instrumental role of mediation, not only to resolve conflicts in the Middle East, but to ensure peace will follow. Mr Griffiths draws insights from his decades-long career in the humanitarian field to reflect on current events in the region. He talks about the diplomacy model set by Gulf countries and about opportunities to reform a UN in crisis.

Episoder(477)

Israel's first attack on Yemen – what happens next?

Israel's first attack on Yemen – what happens next?

Residents in the Yemeni city of Hodeidah woke up last Sunday to plumes of black smoke filling the skies. Israel had just struck the port, a main artery for the city, killing nine people and injuring m...

26 Jul 202423min

How Gazans cope with constant uprooting when 'nowhere is safe'

How Gazans cope with constant uprooting when 'nowhere is safe'

In the first weeks of July, the Israeli army ordered about 80,000 residents of Gaza city, in the north of the strip, to evacuate towards the south. At the same time, residents in large areas of Khan Y...

19 Jul 202419min

What will ties between Assad and Erdogan mean for Syrian refugees?

What will ties between Assad and Erdogan mean for Syrian refugees?

Hundreds of rioters were arrested at the start of July after angry mobs in Turkey vandalised cars and shops belonging to Syrian refugees. Fuelled by reports that a Syrian man had assaulted a young gir...

12 Jul 202420min

Heatwave in the Arab region - How extreme heat impacted daily lives

Heatwave in the Arab region - How extreme heat impacted daily lives

The intense heatwaves sweeping across the Middle East this summer is taking a high toll on people. Temperatures have soared to unprecedented levels, causing widespread discomfort and significant chall...

5 Jul 202418min

The complexities of delivering aid in Gaza

The complexities of delivering aid in Gaza

The eight-month war in Gaza has caused a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented scale. Over 37 thousand Palestinians have been killed in this period, and over 80 thousand have been injured in the confli...

14 Jun 202414min

What will it take for Israel and Hamas to lay down arms?

What will it take for Israel and Hamas to lay down arms?

Eight months into the war in Gaza, as two million people there struggle for survival and more than 36,600 have lost their lives, the fate of Israel and Hamas themselves also hangs in the balance. Isra...

7 Jun 202414min

Rafah under fire: global outcry and international repercussions

Rafah under fire: global outcry and international repercussions

A series of deadly Israeli strikes launched on May 26 at a camp for displaced people in Rafah, targeting two senior Hamas members, caused a fire and killed 45 people. It came only days after global le...

31 Mai 202414min

What’s next for Iran after Raisi’s death?

What’s next for Iran after Raisi’s death?

The sudden death of a president and his Foreign Minister could send any country into disarray and chaos. But that’s not exactly what happened in Iran after a helicopter crash killed President Ebrahim ...

24 Mai 202413min

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