Beyond the Headlines

Will there be a 'red line' for Israel's annexation of the West Bank?

Israel’s recent change of land-buying policies in the occupied West Bank has been condemned by the international community and the UN.

The measures have been designed to make it easier for settlers to acquire Palestinian land in areas that until now had been under the Palestinian Authority’s administration.

Critics have described the move as de facto annexation of the territory that would crush any prospect of Palestinian statehood.

In a joint statement, Arab and Islamic countries condemned the measures, calling them illegal actions. But this is not the first time. Last July, the same countries rebuked an annexation motion by the Knesset.

An Israeli takeover of the occupied West Bank has long been considered a red line in the region and beyond, as it would deal a final blow to the two-state solution. And yet, since the war in Gaza, Israel has accelerated its land-grab practices there, pushing forward with settlement expansion.

In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher looks at the chain of events that brought the West Bank to this tipping point and asks: is there enough international will and pressure to push back against Israel’s latest decision? 

Is it time for serious reform of the UN and humanitarian law?

The rules-based international order is the system of principles, laws and institutions put in place since the end of the Second World War to protect human rights and prevent conflict.

But this status quo has been challenged by the past two years of wars and serious breaches of international law.

Bodies such as the UN are also facing an uphill battle. Secretary General Antonio Guterres has warned that it is at risk of financial collapse by July after its primary contributor, the US, slashed payments to its agencies and refused to pay its debts.

At the same time violent conflicts, many of them in the Middle East, have led to alarming levels of death and destruction among civilians, often with complete impunity for perpetrators. If the mechanisms built to protect humanity are proving ineffective, what is the alternative?

In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher looks at the circumstances that have brought the rules-based order to the brink and the reforms needed to restore it. She speaks to Saul Takahashi, visiting professor of legal studies at NYU Abu Dhabi, and to Stuart Casey-Maslen, the lead author of a new report examining International Humanitarian Law violations.

How Jared Kushner’s plan for Gaza could affect Palestinians

Jared Kushner’s vision for Gaza may have been presented in a vibrant-coloured map and renderings of futuristic, high-rise towers, but Palestinians in the strip say they are sceptical.

Residents likened it to a property advert rather than a plan to rehabilitate what they have lost in the war. They told The National they fear they could be pushed out of the enclave while construction takes place, and cities in the north where they once lived in would disappear.

Mr Kushner's presentation during the World Economic Forum in Davos stood in contrast to the reality on the ground where 60 million tonnes of rubble cover the strip and people live in tents. Israel has continued attacking Gaza since the ceasefire began in October, and restricts the entry of aid and construction equipment.

In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, guest host Ban Barkawi speaks to analysts Hamze Attar and Raja Khalidi about what this blueprint of a “new Gaza” could mean for a population who feel they have been stripped of their agency.

What happens next after Syrian army offensive against the SDF?

After days of fighting, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces and government troops under President Ahmad Al Shara agreed to a fragile ceasefire.

But in that short time – and with each side still accusing the other of attacks – the landscape has already changed.

Areas that were under SDF control, mostly in the north-east, are now in possession of the government. The Kurdish-led group was previously backed by the US in the fight against ISIS during the Syrian civil war, but that support had been fading as Washington gravitated closer to Mr Al Shara, even before the latest developments.

Now many questions remain about what happens to resources in north-eastern Syria, how the new power dynamics will shape regional geopolitics, and what happens to ISIS members who had been detained in SDF facilities.

Host Nada AlTaher speaks to The National’s deputy foreign editor Aveen Karim to break down what led to the clashes and what comes next.

What options does Iran have as pressure builds at home and abroad?

Two weeks of protests in Iran have been met with a regime crackdown that threatens to provoke foreign intervention.

What started as demonstrations over worsening economic conditions has spiralled into an uprising across the country, putting the government under immense pressure.

US President Donald Trump threatened to attack Iran if more protesters were killed, and reassured Iranians that help was “on its way”. Days later he softened his tone, saying that the killing had stopped, leaving plenty of room for doubt over what he does next.

Amid the tensions, there have been attempts by the Iranian regime to downplay the protests as riots orchestrated by America and Israel. On the other hand, there have also been efforts to use the unrest as a reason for US military action.

In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher follows the latest developments in the demonstrations and the arguably opportunistic moves to exploit them. She speaks to The National’s correspondent Lizzie Porter and to Sanam Vakil, Mena director at Chatham House, and asks, what options lie ahead for an Iranian government on the brink?

Why US action in Venezuela is causing so much anxiety in Middle East

Even though Caracas sits across the ocean, thousands of kilometres from the Middle East, the US attack on Venezuela and capture of its leader Nicolas Maduro has been unsettling.

For Venezuelans who felt oppressed by Maduro’s regime, the raid brought the prospect of hope for a better future. But for others, it was a worrying signal of American interventionism and a breach of sovereignty.

In the region, this all feels eerily familiar. It is difficult to shake off the memories of the Iraq invasion in 2003, or the military intervention in Libya in 2011. The aftermath in each case led to years of instability and violence that are still taking their toll today.

But beyond the trauma, there is a real sense that the events of the past week could have a ripple effect, as Trump indicates Iran could be next.
In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher speaks to Brian Katulis, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute and host of Taking the Edge Off the Middle East podcast.

How serious is the ISIS threat in Syria?

After the US struck ISIS targets in Syria in late December, President Ahmad Al Shara’s government stepped up its own operations, carrying out weapons raids and arrests across the country.

It came after two American soldiers and an interpreter were killed in Palmyra by a member of the Syrian security forces who may have had links with ISIS. At the time, US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth said the retaliatory attack was not the start of war but rather “a declaration of vengeance”.

But why is violent extremism resurfacing again? And why now?

ISIS was defeated in Syria in 2019, but a volatile security situation following the downfall of former president Bashar Al Assad has presented challenges to the government in Damascus.

In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher examines the renewed militant threat in the country and asks whether the US could escalate its campaign. We hear from Aymenn Al-Tamimi, a researcher and historian in Syria, and William Roebuck, executive vice president of the Arab Gulf States Institute and former deputy special envoy to the global coalition to defeat ISIS.

The year in impact: Our episodes that resonated the most in 2025

The profound transformations in the Middle East this past year have rippled far beyond the region, reshaping politics and alliances around the world.

The US has taken a new interest in Syria. Lebanon is discussing the logistics of disarming Hezbollah. Europe has overwhelmingly recognised Palestinian statehood.

But behind the news there is always the fine print: Why now, who stands to benefit and at whose expense? Throughout the year on Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher has tackled the most powerful stories from the region in an effort to examine what lies behind them.

In the last episode of 2025, she looks back at some of the most significant insights and conversations she has hosted on the podcast and reflects on how matters might evolve in the new year.

How Yemen’s power balance is shifting again

Political power in Yemen is shifting once again, reigniting questions about who truly holds authority in the country and whether it is heading towards another fundamental rupture.

The Southern Transitional Council (STC), which holds three seats in the eight-member Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), has long pushed for southern independence. In recent days, its forces have fought battles in Al Mahra and Hadramawt and now claim control over the entire south.

STC leaders are also openly suggesting that Sanaa, the Houthi-controlled capital, could be the next target. But the PLC has warned that the STC’s actions undermine security and stability at a time when the country remains deeply fractured.

In this week's episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher is joined by The National's Foreign Editor Mohamad Ali Harisi to examine the current power struggle in Yemen, what’s driven these developments and where the country may be heading next.

What’s stalling phase two of the Gaza ceasefire?

Two months have passed since a ceasefire was announced in Gaza, but the second phase of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan has yet to materialise.

The uncertainty has left Gazans anxious that the ceasefire could collapse – as the last truce did in March.

The initial part of the agreement included the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian detainees and a stop to the fighting. Now these terms have mostly been met, Israel, Hamas and the mediators cannot seem to agree on how to tackle the next steps.

Phase two is supposed to focus on a peacekeeping force and a governing committee, as well as reconstruction in the enclave. But so far there has been much disagreement over which countries will take part in the force and what their mandate will be. Meanwhile, an impasse remains over Israel's withdrawal from Gaza and the disarmament of Hamas.

In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher looks at the obstacles that must be overcome to reach the second stage of the ceasefire and what it would take to move the process forward. She speaks to Max Rodenbeck, Israel-Palestine director at International Crisis Group, and to The National’s UK bureau chief Damien McElroy.