Rob Malley

This week's guest, Rob Malley, is a Middle East policy expert and co-author of Tomorrow is Yesterday, who dives into the complexities of the Gaza ceasefire. He analyzes the paradox of Israeli military strength against Palestinian political weaknesses. Malley discusses the roles of President Trump and regional Arab actors in shaping the situation. He also addresses the uncertain future of Palestinian leadership and potential unity among factions. Additionally, the hosts touch on the ongoing government shutdown and implications for democracy.

Rob Malley, a seasoned U.S. Middle East policy expert and commentator, joins the discussion to critique American diplomacy regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He argues the two-state solution is outdated and questions its actual support among Israelis and Palestinians. Malley reflects on past negotiations, critiques the Biden administration's Israel embrace, and discusses the fragile ceasefire in Gaza. He also explores realistic governance options for Gaza and the shifting dynamics in regional diplomacy, including potential normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Rob Malley, former Crisis Group president and U.S. Iran envoy, offers seasoned U.S.-Iran diplomacy perspective. David Wood, Crisis Group’s Lebanon expert, gives on-the-ground analysis of Lebanon and Hezbollah. They discuss why Hezbollah struck, Israel’s military aims in Lebanon, civilian impacts and displacement, U.S.-Israel alignment against Iran, Iran’s calibrated responses, Gulf states’ calculations and paths to a ceasefire.