Die Zerstörung des Nahen Ostens

Book Presentation & Conversation with Rainer Hermann, FAZ | As part of the event series "Zwischen/Zeiten: 250 Jahre USA"

It is March 2026, and the Middle East is once again ablaze: apocalyptic images of burning oil tanks, funeral processions for the Ayatollah, and swarms of Iranian drones over the Gulf mark the climax so far of a devastating escalation. What began as Israel’s longest war has escalated into a direct, unpredictable exchange of blows between Washington, Jerusalem, and Tehran. Is the region on the brink of complete collapse—or is this the painful birth of a new order? In his new work, prophetically titled “Die Zerstörung des Nahen Ostens” (engl. “The Destruction of the Middle East”), renowned Islamic scholar and longtime FAZ correspondent Rainer Hermann dissects the tectonics and the Hamas-related background of this massive crisis. At his book presentation, he looks behind the scenes of a political landscape that—driven by Netanyahu’s strategic calculations and Trump’s self-image as a global leader—prioritizes military dominance over diplomatic foresight. Yet Hermann also points to a way forward. While religious rhetoric fuels the conflagration, the Gulf states—ironically, the very ones now under fire—are crafting a bold vision: a Middle East pacified through economic integration and prosperity. We discuss with Rainer Hermann the current impotence of diplomacy—and the fragile hope for realpolitik in times of escalating conflict. Hermann provides us with the necessary depth of insight to understand the most complex conflict zone of our time, between Gaza and the Gulf, beyond the headlines.