The Endowment For Middle East Truth is a proud co-sponsor of this Z-Street Event which features a number of prominent experts on issues of great import in the Middle East.

In light of the agreement between Fatah and Hamas, which will form a unity government,  the peace process is quickly unraveling. American foreign policy, and more importantly, American law, forbids providing funds to the Palestinian Authority, while it includes Hamas. Hamas is a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, and providing them material support of any kind would be a federal crime for any private individual or organization.  Now more then ever, it is vital to rethink American foreign policy. We must move away from the idea that only if more pressure is placed upon Israel, and more funding is provided to the Palestinian Authority, peace will break out. We must reexamine the premise of the Oslo years, where valuable strategic land and a nation’s security were traded away in exchange for promises. Promises, rarely kept, and now wiped clean away by Hamas. Instead we must look to new ways to address the Middle East, seeking a true peace process which takes into consideration the true aspirations, freedoms and dignities, of all people. As a result this Z Street conference could not be more timely. We encourage everyone to join us, alongside some of the world’s foremost experts.

Please see below for Registration details, and we look forward to seeing you.

INVITATION

WHAT:    RETHINKING THE END GAME: Improving Lives in the Middle East

Policy Summit focusing on re-orienting the Arab-Israeli Peace Process
WHEN: 
Wednesday, MAY 4TH, 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

WHERE:   Congressional Auditorium in the Capitol Visitors’ Center on East Front at First Street and East Capitol Street, NE.  Washington, D.C.

WHO:
Arabic Studies professor Mordechai Kedar, Arab Israeli journalist Khaled abu Toameh, Middle East expert Steven J. Rosen, Middle East specialist Harold Rhode economist and author George Gilder, human rights activist Nonie Darwish, and Middle East political economist Gal Luft.
WHY:   
Z STREET believes the goal of the Peace Process should be peace.  The rest of the world, however, acts as if the goal has to be the immediate creation of a Palestinian State, regardless of who will actually benefit, if anyone at all. It is time to begin Rethinking the End Game.

The way to begin a real peace process in the Middle East is to have a viable model that ensures the greatest number of people—of all religions and ethnicities—have access to fundamental rights and services, while internalizing the importance of tolerance, pluralism and respect for the rule of law.  Z STREET places those goals in the analysis first – they are the end game – and wouldn’t it make more sense to have the geopolitical configuration facilitate the goal, rather than be the goal?  It’s time to reset the way people think about the Middle East peace process.

That is why, on May 4th, Z STREET is bringing together experts who will explain the reality of the immediate future, and how best to improve that. We will see it from the perspective of human and civil rights, from an economic standpoint, and from the cultural perspective.  We will also learn how it will play out in terms of the current vast upheaval in the Arab world.

CONTACT: 

Lori Lowenthal Marcus
610.664.1184   LORILOWENTHALMARCUS@ZSTREET.ORG

To register, please go to the registration form

AGENDA
Wednesday, May 4, 2011

9:00 –  9:45 a.m.  –  REGISTRATION

9:45 –  10:00 a.m.  –  WELCOME AND OPENING REMARKS
Lori Lowenthal Marcus, president Z STREET

10:00 – 10:20 a.m.  –  LIKELY IMPACT ON THE REGION OF “ARAB SPRING”AND IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRESS
Harold Rhode

10:20 – 11:20 a.m.  –  FREEDOMS AND DIGNITY IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Harold Rhode, moderator
Khaled abu Toameh
Nonie Darwish
Mordechai Kedar

11:20 – 11:45 a.m.      BREAK

11:45 – 12:45 p.m.  –  PROSPERITY AND DIGNITY IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Harold Rhode, moderator
George Gilder
Gal Luft
Steven J. Rosen

12:45 – 1:15 p.m.  –  BY UN FIAT OR OTHERWISE, WILL THE CREATION OF A
PALESTINIAN STATE LEAD TO PEACE IN THE REGION
Roundtable – ALL PARTICIPANTS

1:15 p.m.  –  CLOSING REMARKS
Lori Lowenthal Marcus