Beyond the Headlines

The US midterm elections next month could change the course of American politics at home and – and American policy abroad. While voters will be waiting to see whether the Democrats take control of Congress and the Senate, in the Middle East the question is whether the results will change anything in US foreign policy. At the moment, the Republicans control all three branches of government, giving President Donald Trump almost unchecked power to drive the legislative agenda. If the Democrats dominate Congress, Mr Trump and his administration are likely to face a bigger challenge. The war with Iran is already unpopular among many Americans. The price of petrol has risen by 50 per cent since February and the cost of living has also soared. A new Congress could push through a war powers bill that would require legislators to authorise further military action. Meanwhile, the Gaza war and its devastating aftermath could also call into question America’s financial support for Israel. In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher asks whether America’s Middle East policy will be a factor for voters in this election, and whether the outcome of the midterms could influence the Trump administration's future decisions in the region. She speaks to Elizabeth Dent, senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Israelis will vote on Tuesday in the first national election since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack and subsequent war on Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party could win, but polls are showing that opposition candidates also have a good chance. No single party is likely to secure a majority. Whoever wins will almost certainly have to form a coalition. Israelis will be casting their ballots with security and the economy among their main concerns. Palestinians, who cannot vote, are also waiting to see whether a new, potentially less right-wing government will be elected. Under Mr Netanyahu, the West Bank has experienced increasing settler violence and land grabs. In Gaza, a post-ceasefire plan has mostly stalled as Israel refuses to withdraw and Hamas has yet to disarm. In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher asks whether there is any meaningful alternative to Mr Netanyahu and his party and what it could mean for Israelis and Palestinians if he does win. She speaks to non-profit Rand's distinguished chair for Israel policy, Shira Efron, and Palestinian political scientist Xavier Abu Eid.

From Riyadh to Taiz, it has been a week of tragedy. While Saudi Arabia faces a wave of deadly attacks by the Houthis, hundreds of thousands of people in the southern Yemeni city are largely cut off from food and fuel. The fighting continues to intensify between the rebel group and Yemeni government forces, but the most recent attacks on Saudi targets, both inside and outside the country, have tested the kingdom’s patience. At least 13 people were killed and hundreds injured in a missile strike on Riyadh’s international airport over the weekend. Since then, the Houthis have continued to target airports and oil facilities across the kingdom, as well as the headquarters of Saudi Aramco. In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher examines the security options Saudi Arabia could consider in the wake of the most recent escalation, and asks how the country can find a way out without being drawn into a wider war. She speaks to Nawaf Obaid, senior research fellow at the Department of War Studies at King’s College London, and to Mahdi Ghuloom, geopolitics researcher at the Observer Research Foundation Middle East.

When the Gaza ceasefire came into effect a year ago, Palestinians in the enclave hoped that they could start rebuilding their lives. The truce came in the form of a 20-point plan which specified that aid would enter at scale and the strip would be “redeveloped for the benefit of the people of Gaza”. It also said there would be a demilitarisation process and gradual Israeli withdrawal. While the ceasefire brought much-needed respite after two years of full-scale war, many of the terms of the agreement have stalled, leaving 1.9 million people still displaced. Meanwhile, in the past year, about 1,400 people in Gaza have been killed and Israel has occupied more territory. Humanitarian workers say food, medical supplies, shelters and other lifesaving aid are not being allowed to enter at the capacity needed. In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher looks at what, if anything, has changed for residents in the strip a year since the ceasefire. We hear from Nesma Al-Sallaq. Gaza shelter co-ordinator at the Norwegian Refugee Council, and political analyst Omar Rahman, fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs.

The US withdrawal from Iraq this week marked a major milestone, as its anti-ISIS mission officially came to an end. The government in Baghdad called it Sovereignty Day. More than 20 years since the American invasion of Iraq and 12 years since the start of the US-led coalition against ISIS, the departure was widely celebrated by Iraqis. But it also comes at a challenging time for the country and the region. The US-Iran war has turned Iraq into a key battleground for competing influences, making it the only country to be attacked from both sides. Iran-backed militias in Iraq were supposed to disarm by the same deadline as the US withdrawal, but this has been postponed until June 2027. The delay and the withdrawal are being portrayed by Iran and its axis as a victory. In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher asks, what will the US exit change for Iraq and what will it mean for American and Iranian influence in the region? She speaks to Iraqi political analyst Sajad Jiyad and The National’s deputy foreign editor Aveen Karim.