The Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East and the International Security Program

 Palestinian Governance, Politics, and the Statehood Initiative

 An off-the-record roundtable discussion featuring:

 Dr. Hussam Zomlot, Executive Deputy Commissioner of the Fatah Commission for International Relations.

Dr. Zomlot served as a spokesperson for the Palestinian negotiating delegation during the US-sponsored direct talks and as PLO representative to the UK from 2003 to 2008. He holds a PhD degree in economics from the University of London.

Ms. Hiba Husseini, Managing Partner of Husseini and Husseini, a West Bank-based law firm and chair of the legal committee for the final status negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis.

 Mr. Nafez Husseini, Vice President for ICT & Digital Business of the Greece-based Consolidated Contractors Company, a multi-billion dollar engineering group and the largest construction company in the Middle East..

 Ms. Yasmine Khodary, a Gaza native, blogger, and researcher at the Gaza Museum.

 Ambassador Hind Khouri, former Minister for Jerusalem Affairs and Palestinian Ambassador to France 2006-10.

 Mr. Zahi Khoury, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Palestinian National Beverage Company.

 Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb, a widely-published theologian and pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem since 1988.

 Moderated by:

 Dr. Michele Dunne

Director, Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East

Atlantic Council 

 In August 2009, Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad outlined an ambitious two-year state-building plan that would pave the way for the Palestinian Authority’s unilateral declaration of statehood before the U.N. General Assembly this September. But as Fayyad’s plan comes due for completion, the future of Palestinian governance remains uncertain. The Fatah and Hamas factions have yet to implement the terms of a troubled reconciliation agreement signed in May, complicating the prospects for forming a unity government and conducting elections that have already been repeatedly postponed.

 Dr. Zomlot and other members of the delegation will discuss the internal political situation and the implications for Palestinian statehood and governance.

Friday, September 9, 2011

2:30 PM – 4:00 PM

Atlantic Council

1101 15th Street, NW, 11th Floor

Washington, DC 20005

Please RSVP with name and affiliation to isp@acus.org  by September 4.