Palestine This Week

After witnessing US President Donald Trump's awkward meeting with Ukrainian Volodymyr Zelenskyy, does the Middle East - Gaza in particular - need to reconsider the options available with regards the future of the region and Palestinians within it?

The latest episode of Palestine This Week kicks off with the collapse of the Gaza ceasefire deal as Israel blocks all humanitarian aid into the besieged enclave. Host Nasim Ahmed and Middle East analyst Mouin Rabbani expose how Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has deliberately undermined the second phase of the ceasefire agreement, shifting blame to Hamas while blocking essential aid into Gaza. We’ll unpack the latest revelations from Israel’s own military inquiry into the 7 October attacks, including their implementation of the controversial 'Hannibal Directive' and their admission of ignoring crucial intelligence warnings.

Our analysis extends beyond Gaza as we investigate Israel’s persistent violations of the November ceasefire with Lebanon and its increasingly aggressive posture towards Syria. We examine Netanyahu’s recent claim to 'defend' the Druze city of Jaramana near Damascus – widely seen as a manufactured pretext for further military action – alongside Israel’s desperate diplomatic efforts to maintain a weakened, fractured Syria. Is Israel seeking to fragment Syria?

As Arab nations prepare for an emergency summit in Cairo to discuss Gaza’s reconstruction, we explore the staggering $50 billion price tag attached to rebuilding what Israel has destroyed. With Egypt and Jordan financially constrained and the US refusing to pressure Israel to pay for the devastation, can Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar present a reconstruction plan compelling enough to counter President Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu’s ethnic cleansing agenda?

The episode concludes with an analysis of Trump’s awkward meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House and its implications for Middle Eastern politics. Are Arab leaders worried about a similar humiliating treatment? With Trump’s 'America First' doctrine potentially threatening traditional alliances, what does this mean for Saudi Arabia’s long-sought security guarantees in exchange for normalisation with Israel? As Washington buzzes with talk of withdrawing from NATO and the UN, we examine whether meaningful American security commitments to Riyadh are becoming increasingly implausible, potentially reshaping the geopolitical landscape of the entire region.