Joel Braunold - The Perennially Perplexing Prospects of Peace in the Middle East

from Chicago Unscripted · host Joe Donlon

A self-described public policy entrepreneur, Chicagoan Joel Braunold has dedicated his life to the pursuit of peace in the Middle East. We cover the war in Iran, what constitutes success for each country involved, and the potential winners and losers depending on the outcome. Joel also discusses the challenges facing Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts, which he says have reached a collapse point. Why has peace in the region been so elusive? How do historic and religious roadblocks, proxies, and non-state actors complicate a peace deal? Joel also lays out his hopeful scenario for the future.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Apr 17, 2026

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Joel Braunold - The Perennially Perplexing Prospects of Peace in the Middle East

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