Middle East Studies

Oslo is Dead; Long Live Oslo

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

4 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

This year-long set of events on the 20th anniversary of Oslo asks: What is the “Peace Process”? What changed on the ground? And what are the possible futures of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict?

September 2013 brings the 20th anniversary of the OSLO PEACE ACCORDS. To mark this historic anniversary, Brown’s Middle East Studies Initiative is bringing in a key participant at these talks, Hanan Ashrawi, to kick off a year of events related to this issue. The agreement signed between the Israeli government of Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian Liberation Organization Chairman Yasser Arafat marked the creation of the Palestinian Authority. The Oslo Accords did not settle issues of statehood, borders, refugees, or settlements.

"Oslo:Process Versus Peace"  On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the signing of the  Declaration of Principles (DOP) on the White House lawn, Dr. Ashrawi  will be addressing the major structural, procedural and substantive  flaws inherent in the "process" launched at that date and how the  "process" took over to displace peace as an objective. The role of the  third party, as well as suggestions for rectification will be addressed  (if there is to be genuine peace in the Middle East).

Workshops, Conferences, Seminars

Dr. Hanan Ashrawi is an acclaimed Palestinian leader, legislator,  activist and scholar. Making history as the first woman to be elected  to the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization in  2009, she currently holds a seat in this organization, the highest  executive body in Palestine. She has been a member of the Palestinian  Legislative Council since 1996 and was also appointed as the  Palestinian Authority Minister of Higher Education and Research in the  same year. Dr. Ashrawi also served as a member of the Leadership  Committee and as an official spokesperson of the Palestinian delegation  to the Middle East peace process, beginning with the Madrid Peace  Conference of 1991. As a civil society activist, she founded MIFTAH,  the Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and  Democracy, in 1999 and continues to serve as head of its Board of  Directors. In the same year, Dr. Ashrawi founded the National Coalition  for Accountability and Integrity (AMAN). Moreover, she is the founder  of the Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR) and has served as  its Commissioner since 1994. As an academic, she founded and chaired  the Department of English at Birzeit University and became Dean of the  Faculty of Arts. For all her work, she is the recipient of a number of  honorary degrees as well as distinguished awards from various  international and local organizations.