Taking the Edge Off the Middle East

About Taking the Edge Off the Middle East

MEI's Senior Fellow for US Foreign Policy Brian Katulis sits down with a cast of friends, colleagues, and fellow MENA policy professionals for casual conversations on the most important happenings in the Middle East today.

Publisher

Middle East Institute

Category

news

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

25 Feb 2025

Latest episode

16 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

38 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   16 Sept 2026

   Hisham Melhem's American Crossroads

   Brian is joined by Hisham Melhem, a prominent journalist known for his interviews with Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama and his role as an honest intermediary between Americans and the people of the Middle East. He reflects on his journey from growing up in Lebanon to building a life in America, discusses how the region has transformed over his lifetime, and offers a candid take on where US foreign policy stands today. Listen to Taking the Edge Off the Middle East on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

2. 

   3 Sept 2026

   Reflections on a Diplomatic Career in the Middle East: A Conversation With Ambassador Yael Lempert

   Brian is joined by Amb. (ret.) Yael Lempert, Vice President for Outreach at MEI, to discuss her career in diplomacy and the importance of US diplomatic efforts abroad. She shares stories from postings across the Middle East in Baghdad, Cairo, Tripoli, Jerusalem, and Amman and examines how her personal and professional experiences shaped her approach to the work. Together, Brian and Yael discuss the realities of life in the Foreign Service, the core tenets of American diplomacy, and why it matters in today's Middle East. Read Amb. (ret.) Yael Lempert's full bio here: https://mei.edu/person/amb-ret-yael-lempert/ Listen to Taking the Edge Off the Middle East on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

3. 

   17 Mar 2026

   Surviving October 7th: Amir Tibon on Trauma, War, and Israel's Future

   Brian is joined by Amir Tibon, a journalist for Haaretz and the author of The Gates of Gaza: A Story of Betrayal, Survival, and Hope in Israel's Borderlands and The Last Palestinian: The Rise and Reign of Mahmoud Abbas. On October 7, 2023, the Tibon family's lives were changed forever when Hamas militants invaded Nahal Oz kibbutz, destroying their community, brutally killing their neighbors, and taking others hostage. Together, Brian and Amir examine the fallout from the events of October 7th, how public opinion in Israel and the United States has shifted over the past two and a half years, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's political strategy, and what this all means for the future of Israel and its relationship with Palestinians and the broader region. Listen to Taking the Edge Off the Middle East on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Who has been a guest on Taking the Edge Off the Middle East

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Behnam Taleblu
• Robert Malley
• Theodore "Ted" Kattouf
• Faisal Abbas
• Richard Fontaine

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.8 / 5

13 ratings

Spotify

4.7 / 5

13 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 31 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

42

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

51

Contact Taking the Edge Off the Middle East

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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• 

  Foreign Policy Live

• 

  Haaretz Podcast

• 

  The Promised Podcast

• 

  The Foreign Affairs Interview

• 

  The Ezra Klein Show

• 

  Call Me Back - with Dan Senor

Questions about Taking the Edge Off the Middle East