MIDDLE EAST UPDATE (IN-PERSON)

Over the last year and a half, there has been increasing talk about needing to create a “new Middle East.” The wars in Gaza and South Lebanon, the ongoing civil war in Syria, the political paralysis in Iraq, the violent Houthi regime in Yemen, and the political stalemate in Iraq have led to widespread social, political, and economic decline in the entire region. This has led other players to vie for influence, like Turkey, Iran, and Russia. What has been happening over the last few months, where is it leading, and what might emerge?