Friday Focus: A Shape-Shifting Moment in the Middle East

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates. The following is a sample of the Munk Debates’ weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus. On today's Friday Focus we find ourselves in a shape shifting moment with major escalations taking place in the Middle East. How can Israel and Iran back down from this back and forth show of force? Meanwhile there is strong support in Israel for a forceful counter-attack on Iran. The presence of Hezbollah along Israel's northern border that had prevented Israel from striking Iran is now severely degraded. Is it time for Israel to take out Tehran's nuclear program? In the second half of the show, Rudyard and Janice discuss the US response. The Biden administration, worried about what an Israel attack in Iran will do to oil prices, is desperately searching for an option that allows Israel to respond in the least escalatory way possible.  To access full-length editions of the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue. More information at www.munkdebates.com.