In the later years of the Ottoman empire, big areas were consumed by religious conflict and nationalist independence movements. But not the Arab near east, including present-day Israel,/Palestine, where Christian, Muslims, Jews, and others basically just . . . got along. We’ll discuss the deep foundations for peace with with Ussama Makdisi, Professor of History and Chancellor’s Chair at the University of California Berkeley. His most recent book is Age of Coexistence: The Ecumenical Frame and the Making of the Modern Arab World. [extended cut of an interview from December 12, 2023]