Since taking office, the Trump Administration, in tandem with the government of Israel and some in Congress, has worked to systematically delegitimize and marginalize the Palestinian leadership, undermine the premises on which the peace process was based, and normalize occupation. Yet, the PLO and PA continue to remain publicly committed to negotiated peace, non-violence, and the two-state solution. Does the Palestinian leadership truly still believe that peace is possible? And if so, how?

This event is cosponsored by the Middle East Institute. 

Husam Zomlot is the Head of Palestinian Mission to United Kingdom and Strategic Affairs and Advisor to the Palestinian President. Prior to his appointment to the UK, Dr. Zomlot served as Ambassador to United States (Head of the PLO General Delegation to the United States). Dr Zomlot previous official roles include serving as Ambassador –at-large for the Palestinian Presidency, Director of Fatah Foreign Relations Commission and First Counsellor at the Palestinian Mission to United Kingdom. Dr Zomlot holds a PhD in economics from University of London, worked as a professor of Public Policy at Birzeit University, where he co-founded and chaired Birzeit School of Government, and held a number of teaching and research positions at Harvard University and University of London. His professional experiences include working as an economist at the United Nation and Economic Researcher with London school of Economics and the Palestine Policy Research Institute.

Lara Friedman (moderator) is the President of the Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP). With more than 25 years working in the Middle East foreign policy arena, Lara is a leading authority on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, with particular expertise on the Israeli-Arab conflict, Israeli settlements, Jerusalem, and the role of the U.S. Congress. She is published widely in the U.S. and international press and is regularly consulted by members of Congress and their staffs, by Washington-based diplomats, by policy-makers in capitals around the world, and by journalists in the U.S. and abroad. In addition to her work at FMEP, Lara is a non-resident fellow at the U.S./Middle East Project (USMEP). Prior to joining FMEP, Lara was the Director of Policy and Government Relations at Americans for Peace Now, and before that she was a U.S. Foreign Service Officer, serving in Jerusalem, Washington, Tunis and Beirut. She holds a B.A. from the University of Arizona and a Master’s degree from Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service; in addition to English, Lara speaks French, Arabic, Spanish, (weak) Italian, and muddles through in Hebrew.