Just yesterday, the Washington, DC-located Middle East Institute held a panel discussion about the prospects for establishing some form of Palestinian statehood in 2018 and beyond. The Foundation for Middle East Peace and the OneVoice Movement co-hosted the event led by moderator Obada Shtaya, OneVoice’s regional director in the Mid-Atlantic. Panelists included:

• Maya Berry, Executive Director of the Arab American Institute
• Khaled Elgindy, Fellow at the Brookings Institution
• Abdallah Hamarsheh, founder of Zimam, a Palestinian civil society organization

Here is the event description from the invite:

Relations between the U.S. and the Palestinians are in free-fall. The Trump administration’s decisions to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and then cut funding to UNRWA to force the Palestinians back to the negotiating table have been met with mass protests and official recriminations. Meanwhile, peace has never seemed more distant, with a recent poll showing support for a two-state solution at a historic low among both Israelis and Palestinians.

What are the prospects today for advancing Palestinian self-determination? At a time when Palestinian options seem limited, what new and creative roles are the Palestinian grassroots, civil society and leadership playing in supporting a resolution to the conflict and an end to the occupation?

The video is about 85 minutes. Take a look: