Policy Forum: Israel-Hamas Violence: Context and Trajectory

Amid days of tensions in Jerusalem, mass rocket launches by Hamas, and widespread violence encompassing Tel Aviv, Gaza, and other areas, many are wondering what caused this resurgence in conflict and where it might lead. What can the United States and regional governments do to de-escalate the situation? To discuss these questions, on May 14, 202, The Washington Institute held a virtual Policy Forum with Ghaith al-Omari, Ehud Yaari, and Lucy Kurtzer-Ellenbogen moderated by Institute Ziegler Distinguished Fellow David Makovsky.

Ghaith al-Omari is a senior fellow at the Institute and former executive director of the American Task Force on Palestine. He also served as an advisor to the Palestinian negotiating team during the 1999-2001 permanent-status talks.

Ehud Yaari is an Israel-based Lafer International fellow with the Institute and former associate editor of the Jerusalem Report. He has worked as a Middle East commentator for Israeli television since 1975, including his current stint with Channel Two.

Lucy Kurtzer-Ellenbogen directs the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Program at the U.S. Institute of Peace, where she focuses on the interplay of each side’s civil society, peacebuilding efforts, and official diplomacy.