Research, ideas, and leadership for a more secure, peaceful world
This fall, both Israelis and Palestinians will vote in legislative elections that may profoundly reshape their political trajectories and determine how these two inextricably tied political systems will interact in the future.
After more than two decades, elections for the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) are scheduled for November, amidst clashes in the West Bank, war and humanitarian devastation in Gaza, and chronic economic difficulties. If these elections proceed, they offer a generational opportunity for Palestinian civilians to shape their government, and possibly rebuild trust in their political institutions.
Join the Middle East Initiative for the first session of this two-part series, moderated by MEI Senior Fellow and former U.S. Ambassador Edward Djerejian, as we explore the importance and impact of these elections on their respective polities and the broader region.
Learn more about the second session on Israel, held on October 13, here.
Moderator: Ambassador (Ret.) Edward P. Djerejian is a Senior Fellow at the Belfer Center's Middle East Initiative. He joined the U.S. Foreign Service in 1962 after his service in the Army in Korea (1961-1962). His 32-year diplomatic career spanned eight presidential administrations from John F. Kennedy to William J. Clinton. Djerejian served both President Reagan and President Bush as U.S. Ambassador to the Syrian Arab Republic (1988-1991). He then served under President Bush and President Clinton as Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs (1991-1993). He was appointed by President Clinton as United States Ambassador to Israel (1993-1994).
Djerejian is a leading expert on national security, foreign policy, public diplomacy, and the complex political, security, economic, religious, and ethnic issues of the broader Middle East. He has played key roles in the Arab-Israeli peace process and regional conflict resolution. He is the author of Danger and Opportunity: An American Ambassador's Journey Through the Middle East.
Nadya Hajj is a Professor of Peace and Justice Studies at Wellesley College. Her research focuses on conflict transformation and public good provision among marginalized communities like refugees. She has more than 20 years of experience in qualitative research in conflict settings. Her second book is Networked Refugees: Palestinian Reciprocity and Remittances in the Digital Age (University of California Press, 2021). She teaches courses in conflict transformation and civic engagement.
Ihab Khatib is a Fellow at the Belfer Center's Middle East Initiative, a Senior Fellow at the Harvard Negotiation Project (HNP), and the Founder & Executive Director of the Negotiation Strategies Institute (NSI). Operating under the academic sponsorship of HNP, NSI is a non-partisan institution based in Jerusalem which aims to transform the political landscape in the region through strategic direct engagement. Ihab’s previous experience focused on public development projects with both international agencies and local, quasi-government agencies in Jerusalem. Ihab holds a Master's in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government (2009) and a Master’s in Public Management from Sorbonne University in Paris (2003).
Special Remarks: Khalil Shikaki is a Professor of Political Science and director of the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research. Since 2005 he has been a senior fellow at the Crown Center for Middle East Studies at Brandeis University. Since 1993, Dr. Shikaki has conducted more than 200 polls among Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and, since 2000, dozens of joint polls among Palestinians and Israelis. Dr. Shikaki’s research has focused on the peace process, Palestinian state building, public opinion, transition to democracy, and the impact of domestic Palestinian politics on the peace process.
