The Making of the Modern Middle East
Interview with Simon Sebag Montefiore about his book The Cauldron: The Making of the Modern Middle East. Discusses how Western-imposed nation-state ideas, following the Ottoman Empire’s collapse, led to immense suffering and ethnic cleansing, as seen with the Armenian genocide and the creation of exclusive Arab ethno-states. Highlights how Arab-Israeli hostility was not inevitable, with early Zionist discussions considering a bi-national state. The region’s complexity demands understanding its multi-ethnic past and the agency of local leaders in navigating external influences.
