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Amb. (ret.) Arthur Hughes served as Director-General of the Egypt-Israel Multinational Force and Observers from 1998 – 2004. Prior to that he served as the U.S. Ambassador to Yemen, after which he became the Deputy Assistant to the Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs. He has also served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Near East and South Asia and has held numerious other posts with the U.S. Foreign Service, including as Deputy Chief of Mission in Tel Aviv.
Education
B.A. at University of Nebraska
Countries of Expertise
Egypt, Israel, Palestinian Territories
Issues of Expertise
U.S. Foreign Policy, United Nations, Regional Security, Public Diplomacy, Political Reform, Social & Economic Reform, Peace Process, Military & Defense, Conflict Resolution, Arab-Israeli Relations/Peacekeeping, U.S.-Arab Relations
Security Challenges in a Two-State Solution: Is an International Role the Key?
…in any peace agreement, the Palestinian area must be demilitarized. No army, no control of air space. Real effective measures to prevent arms coming in, not what’s going on now in Gaza. Israel must govern its own fate and security. (Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, June 14, 2009)[1]
Israeli-Palestinian Peace: The Palestinian Refugee Challenge
Of the four core issues to resolve for an Israeli-Palestinian peace (security, borders/settlements, Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees) it is the refugee question that gets the least attention by non-specialists. And it is the core issue least addressed publically in detail by Israeli and Palestinian leaders.
Israeli-Palestinian Peace: A Special Regime Option for the Old City of Jerusalem
Jerusalem will probably be the toughest issue in any future Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations. The other three core issues – borders/settlements, security, and Palestinian refugees – will also be very difficult, but Jerusalem is at a different level. Jews, Muslims, and Christians worldwide have strong attachment to the city and its many holy sites. For Israelis and Palestinians, Jerusalem is the focal point of national, cultural, and religious identities and aspirations. Their conflicting claims are based on long history and narratives that do not accommodate the other.
