Al-Jazeera English March 5, 2025 (28 mins.): On the Arab League’s summit and quite reasonable reconstruction and administrative plan for Gaza, which both Israel and the United States have rejected. This follows US President Donald Trump’s proposal to forcibly expel Palestinians and turn Gaza into a US-controlled beach resort. Presenter Sami Zeidan interviews Zunes along with Ori Goldberg – Political commentator, and Mansour Shouman – Middle East political analyst.
Category: Interviews
interviews
Interview: Status on the Ceasefire
Interview: U.S. policies in the Middle East
A comprehensive overview, late 2024 with USFCA colleague Dr. Assim Al-Khawaja.
Interview: International Effects of Trump Presidency
OAR FM Radio, Community or Chaos late Feb. 2025:
Zunes and New Zealand political science professor Robert Patman discussed the international ramifications of a Trump presidency — “a slow motion coup.”
Interview: Speaking of Palestine, Gaza Ceasefire
FM Radio (CA) Feb. 24, 2025: On the Gaza ceasefire, Trump and Netanyahu’s ethnic cleansing plans, and related issues (segment starts at 14:30).
Interview: Ceasefire: Israel violates agreement, Democrats remain complacent
KPFA-FM February 14, 2025 with Kris Welch (17 mins. starting at 15:30)
Interview: Ukraine Peace Negotiations
Interview: Trump Gaza Plan: Ethnic Cleanse Gaza
KTVU Television [Fox affiliate], San Francisco Bay, February 10, 2025 (5 mins)
Interview: Trump’s plans to ethnic cleanse Gaza
KPFA-FM news February 9, 2025; Segment begins at 14-mins.: Trump’s plans for ethnic cleansing in Gaza and other issues.
Interview: Gaza Ceasefire, Trump & Netanyahu
Interview: Trump’s policy toward Palestinians
Two recent interviews on CNA television, Singapore-based multinational news channel:
Jordan, Egypt unlikely to take in more Palestinian refugees despite Trump’s threats (8 mins.)
Trump’s proposal to ‘clean out’ Gaza disturbing (7 mins.)
Interview: Israel’s devastating military offensive in the occupied West Bank
Al-Jazeera English “Inside Story” February 4, 2025: One of three experts, Zunes’s segment begins at 9 mins. of 27.
Interview: Ousting the Brutal Assad Regime Brings Euphoria and More Questions
Counterpunch Interview of Stephen Zunes Dec. 11, 2024
by Daniel Falcone. “There are indications it was unarmed civil resistance led by resurgent popular committees and local councils, which initially came to the fore in the early nonviolent phase of the revolution 2011, that actually wrested control of much of the local governance from the regime.” [source]
TV 4 Interviews on Syria and Ouster of Assad, December 2024
- Fox-2/KTVU: Russia grants asylum to ousted Syrian leader
- And 3 more aired on Al Jazeera Media View,
December 2024 [source links are no longer available]:
*US has carried out air strikes on 75 ISIL targets throughout Syria
*Thousands celebrate in Damascus
*Assad’s leaving the capital Damascus
*Plus a one-minute excerpt gone viral.
Syria Background: Zunes’ Articles, Interviews and Videos Since 2011 Arab Spring
- From Gaza to Aleppo: A Handy Guide for Defending War Crimes: This article notes the remarkable parallel in the language used by those defending war crimes by the Assad regime and war crimes by Israel
- Here’s an analysis also from 2016 regarding the state of the conflict and U.S. policy: Syria After the Ceasefire
- This article from 2019 examines the Trump administration’s recognition of Israel’s illegal annexation of Syria’s Golan Heights (a decision upheld by the Biden administration) in defiance of the United Nations Security Council declaring it “null and void”: U.S. Recognition of Golan Annexation a Threat to World Order
- These two critically examine the ongoing U.S. military presence in Syria:
*Despite Everything US Troops Should Leave Syria (2019)
*If Biden Wants to Protect the Troops He Should Bring Them Home, Not Bomb, Syria (2021) - These four articles from 2017-2018 examine the U.S. response to Syrian chemical weapons attacks:
*History Shows Hypocrisy of U.S. Outrage over Chemical Weapons in Syria
*Why the United States Can’t Lead on Syria’s Chemical Weapons
*Trump’s Dangerous, Cynical Attack on Syria: Pacifica’s Sojourner Truth Radio
*Why These Missile Strikes Won’t Make Things Better for Syrian People - These links examine divisions over Syria within the
U.S. left and what a progressive policy would entail:
*How Syria Divides the Left (2017 written interview)
*The Anti-War Movement Must Listen to Voices Within Syria’s Civil War (2016 op-ed article)
*Why are Some Left Activists Falling for Fake News on Syria (television interview) - These articles from 2012-15 look at the debates regarding U.S. military intervention in Syria: *Obama’s Escalation in Syria (2015)
*Eight Arguments Against Going to War with Syria (2013)
*Despite Horrific Repression, the US Should Stay Out of Syria (2013)
*Military Intervention in Syria is a Bad Idea (2012) - And these two articles are my response to a series of articles attacking me for my opposition to U.S. military intervention in Syria:
*Opposition to Intervention in Syria is Utilitarian not Ideological (2013)
*On Syria Most Thoughtful People are Torn (2013) - On nonviolent alternatives in Syria during the early phases of the uprising:
*Supporting Nonviolence in Syria (2012)
*Unarmed Resistance Still Syria’s Best Hope (2012) - More on U.S. double-standards regarding Syria:
*U.S. Outrage over Syria Veto at UN Rife with Hypocrisy (2012)
*U.S. in No Position to Condemn Russian Transfer of Helicopter Gunships to Syrian Regime (2012) - On an earlier Israeli attack on Syria and the U.S. role in blocking Israeli-Syrian peace initiatives: Israel, Syria, and the United States (2013)
Interview for Singapore Radio on Assassination of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders
Singapore Radio CNA Daily Cuts October 21, 2024:
Despite Hamas leader Sinwar’s death, Mideast peace may still be elusive
Video: A Year of Student Protest, Part 1: Goals & Achievements
Zunes is one two faculty members interviewed in this 8-minute summary of the 2024 pro-Palestinian protests at the University of San Francisco campus
Interview for Oberlin College, Zunes’ Alma Mater, on Israel, Palestine, Mideast
Oberlin College Nov. 1, 2024: Written transcript for the student newspaper after giving a series of talks October 2024 [source]
Lectures and 11 Interviews Nov. 2024 on Trump’s Election and the Middle East
First view Dr. Zunes’ 5-minute animated summary (scroll down to third video), of his research on coup resistance; then his Lecture at the University of San Francisco on how to prepare for the aftermath of the election in the event of an attempted coup or legitimate victory by Trump.
- Lecture before the Unitarian Universalists of San Francisco on what a Trump administration would mean to the Middle East (1 hour 20 mins.)
- Al-Jazeera English: [source link may be unavailable.]:
Interview on recent developments involving Israel, Lebanon, Gaza and the US (24 mins.) - Al-Jazeera English [source link may be unavailable.]:
4-minute interview on new developments in Syria - I’m one of three professors interviewed on AJE’s “Inside Story” about Biden’s responsibility in Harris’s defeat
- A half-hour interview for a Wisconsin radio station on Trump’s cabinet appointments and the effect a Trump regime may have on the Middle East
- A 25-minute interview with Kris Welch on KPFA-FM on the impact of the election on the Middle East (segment starts at the 32-minute mark)
- A 50-minute interview for a New Zealand radio show and podcast about the U.S. election and its broader implications
- A 45-minute interview for a San Francisco NPR affiliate on the U.S.-backed war on Gaza and the impact of the U.S. election
- I gave this brief analysis on the election and the Middle East for a San Francisco Bay Area network affiliates
- Interviewed briefly on KPFA-FM’s evening news about how U.S. policy in support of Israel’s wars on Gaza and Lebanon could be impacted by Trump’s election victory (segment begins at the 13:55 mark)
- On Pacifica Radio’s “Flashpoints” (KPFA) talking about the then-upcoming election and foreign policy
- KPFA radio news interview on Israel’s attacks on Iran, the ongoing war crimes in Gaza, and the impact on the then-upcoming US election (segment starts at the 16:15).
Radio and Podcast: 4 Interviews
- Recent developments in Gaza, the West Bank, and U.S. policy with Kris Welch on KPFA-FM and affiliated stations [9/6/24 starts at 1:06:40]
- On the Iranian missile attacks and what led up to them, for a New York community radio station [10/2/24, 15 min.]
- On Israel’s war on Lebanon for KPFA-FM evening news [9/22/24 starts at the 2:30]
- On the war on Gaza, U.S. policy, and related issues for a northern California radio station [segment starts at 26:20]