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The October 7 Hamas led terror attacks on Israel and the subsequent siege of Gaza by the IDF has upended the modern Middle East. There are serious questions now as to whether the conflict can be contained or if further escalation with Hezbollah and Iran could engulf the Middle East in a regional war.

In this event featuring Jeremy Bowen, the International Editor of the BBC, who has been covering the Middle East since 1989, our panel reflected on and made sense of what is happening. Bowen has reported on all the most significant events that have shaped the region’s recent history – the long and ultimately failed Middle East peace process, the tragic events of 9/11, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the rise of Mohammed bin Salman and most recently the Israel Gaza war. His deep understanding of the political, cultural and religious differences of its peoples makes him uniquely placed to explain its complex past and troubled present.

Jeremy was unable to appear inperson as he needed to remain in the Middle East to report on unfolding events, but he recorded a 40minute interview with Matt McAllester, CEO of Intelligence Squared and former Middle East correspondent. He was joined on stage by Sanam Vakil (Director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House) and James Barr (Historian, author and visiting fellow at King's College London). The event was chaired by BBC Jonny Dymond (Former BBC Middle East correspondent and host of 'The Conflict' the BBC's Middle East podcast).

In the video, Bowen sought to explain the historical context and political motivations behind today's conflicts. He drew from his book 'The Making of the Modern Middle East' and discussed his experiences reporting from countries as diverse as Netanyahu's Israel, Sadam Hussein's Iraq and Erdoğan's Türkiye, recounting his meetings with ordinary people on the frontlines as well as their politicians and leaders.

He also discussed the possible future scenarios facing the region and the ethical and practical challenges journalists face in reporting in conflict zones.