Hiwaraat Series Continues with “On Palestine” Symposium
Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) hosted a public symposium, “On Palestine,” on March 7, bringing together leading Palestinian voices and Middle East scholars. The timely discussions centered on the themes of justice and accountability, global media narratives, and prospects for a political future.
“On Palestine” continued GU-Q’s Hiwaraat Conference Series, presenting an inclusive platform for academic experts, practitioners, and the general public to engage in dialogue. Award-winning broadcaster and journalist Mehdi Hassan, who is the founder, CEO, and editor-in-chief of Zeteo News, moderated the symposium.
Dean Masri expanded on the critical themes during a conversation with Husam Zomlot, Palestinian Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Wadah Khanfar, President of Al Sharq Forum, and Diana Buttu, a distinguished lawyer with expertise in international law and human rights. Earlier in her career, Buttu served as the only female negotiator in the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations during her five-year tenure.
The symposium presented an opportunity to amplify new and deeper insights into the complex issues surrounding Palestine. The first panel featured prominent international law experts to explore “Justice and Accountability.” Speakers included Dr. Salah Bashir, former Jordanian Minister, Dr. Tahani Mustafa, senior Palestine expert at the International Crisis Group, and professors of law Wadie Said, University of Colorado, and Dr. Noha Aboueldahab, GU-Q.
A panel on “Global Narratives and the Shaping of Public Opinion” featured Mouin Rabbani, researcher, analyst, and commentator at the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies, and attorney and writer Jennifer Zacharia, with insights from Dr. Fida Adely, Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies, and Dr. Nader Hashemi, Associate Professor and Director of the Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding – both from Georgetown University in Washington, DC.
The engaging event culminated in the reflective panel, “Avoiding the Trap: Prospects for a Political Future.” Nonprofit leaders and scholars, including Daniel Levy, President of the US/Middle East Project, Dr. Rhoda Kanaaneh, Columbia University, Shawan Jabarin, General Director of the Palestinian human rights organization, Al Haq, and Diana Buttu discussed potential future pathways for Palestine.
