346. Arab-Israeli Conflict: From Suez To The Palestinian Liberation Organisation (Part 1)

The podcast launches a new series on the Arab-Israeli Wars, aiming to understand the roots of 21st-century Middle Eastern conflicts by examining the 15-year period from the Six-Day War of 1967 to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982. Historian Eugene Rogan provides context, starting with the Arab world after the Suez Crisis, where Gamal Abdel Nasser emerged as a figure of Arab self-determination. The discussion highlights the differing perspectives between the West and the Arab world, emphasizing the importance of Arab sources in understanding Arab political history. The conversation also explores the internal divisions within the Arab world, the role of the Palestinians, and the events leading up to the Six-Day War, including Nasser's fateful decision to close the Straits of Tiran.