ARGUING HELPING
UN and Multilateral Diplomacy Director at the International Crisis Group
ARGUING HURTING
Executive Director of UN Watch
SPECIAL GUEST
Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
SPECIAL GUEST
Senior Research Analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies
MODERATOR
Host and Moderator-in-Chief
This week:
- New episode: Do UN agencies help protect civilians or fuel conflict in the Middle East?
- Watch a series of debates that deal with ongoing conflict in the Middle East
- Your Sunday reading list
Conflicts have intensified in the Middle East since October 7th and the ongoing Gaza war. While Hamas and Israel work out the terms of the current ceasefire, the UN peacekeeping forces UNRWA in Gaza and UNIFIL in Lebanon have been on the ground.
Yet that has been complicated by Israel’s recent law banning UNRWA from operating within its territory and the U.S.’s temporary pause on funding the agency, which is set to expire later this month. President Trump has also signed an executive order to temporarily suspend U.S. foreign aid pending review, which could also affect UNRWA.
The big question is whether these peacekeeping forces do enough to help the humanitarian situation happening there. Some argue that they hurt the situation and promote conflict and terrorism because they don’t do enough to stop Hamas and Hezbollah. But others argue that while the UN is not perfect, its peacekeepers act as buffers and prevent worsening conditions for civilians. In the end, it’s a better option than not having peacekeepers at all.
Two advocates who watch closely over the UN’s activities debate this week. Arguing the UN’s efforts in the Middle East help is Richard Gowan, the UN and Multilateral Diplomacy Director at the International Crisis Group. Arguing the UN’s effort in the Middle East hurt is UN Watch’s executive director Hillel Neuer.
Are the U.N.’s efforts in the Middle East helping or hurting the region? Listen to the debate now on your favorite podcast platform, YouTube, and our website. As always, let us know what you think.
POINT/COUNTERPOINT
UN Efforts in the Middle East: Helping or Hurting?
HELPING: Richard Gowan
“The UN is still an essential player in humanitarian assistance around the whole Middle East. There are about 60 million people in that region who are hungry or vulnerable. The UN gets some sort of assistance to between 30 and 40 million of those people and if the UN wasn’t providing that assistance, we would see more refugees, more violence, and more suffering across the entire Middle East from Yemen to Syria and further afield.”
HURTING: Hillel Neuer
“The UN was founded on noble principles and to promote humanitarianism [and] human rights security for all. Sadly, when it comes to the Arab-Israel conflict, the UN is not the firefighter. They are the arsonists…The UN is acting in the name of humanitarian aid, but they are only encouraging war and terrorism.”
Global Dialogues: The Middle East Past, Present & Future
From the war in Gaza to the possibility of a nuclear Iran, big stories and big changes are happening right now that affect the Middle East and the rest of the world. Watch these debates now to see both sides behind these issues.
Were Israel’s Actions in the Gaza War Justified?
Arguing YES: Eylon Levy, Former Spokesperson for Israel in the October 7th War; Co-Founder of the Israeli Citizen Spokespersons’ Office; Host of the “State of a Nation” Podcast
Arguing NO: Mehdi Hasan, Founder, Editor-in-Chief, and CEO of Zeteo; Host of Al Jazeera’s “Head to Head”; Award-Winning Journalist
Can America and Its Allies Tolerate A Nuclear Iran, or Is It Time to Stop Them Now?
Arguing STOP NOW: Behnam Ben Taleblu, Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies
Arguing TOLERATE: Barbara Slavin, Distinguished Fellow at the Stimson Center
Can Israel Make Peace with Hamas?
Arguing YES: Cenk Uygur, Founder and Host of The Young Turks Network
Arguing NO: Mosab Hassan Yousef, Ex-Palestinian Militant, Former Israeli Spy, Son of Hamas Co-Founder, and Author
WEEKLY POINTS OF VIEW
What a Mar-a-Lago accord could look like
Gillian Tett | March 7, 2025
Financial Times
Watch Gillian’s debate on whether the U.S. banking system is safer than it was in 2008
Vague talk in Europe costs lives in Ukraine
Edward Lucas | March 3, 2025
The Times
Watch Edward’s debate on whether Russia is a marginal power
A Reckoning for Teachers Unions
Frederick Hess | March 5, 2025
Law & Liberty
Watch Frederick’s debate on whether we should embrace the Common Core
H5N1 is spreading. America is not ready.
Leana Wen | March 4, 2025
The Washington Post
Watch Leana’s debate on whether COVID booster shots are unethical
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