Prior to the Oct. 7 attacks, a number of strategically important Arab Gulf countries had established relations with Israel or were actively considering doing so. Others have since emerged as key interlocutors, attempting to mediate a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. What is the current view of maintaining relations with Israel in these countries? Is Saudi-Israeli normalization still possible given public opinion and the new geopolitical realities? Are the Abraham Accords now relegated to becoming yet another frosty peace treaty? How will Qatar manage its future relations with Hamas and Israel? To discuss these issues and more, the Middle East Institute invites you to a special webinar with four distinguished speakers.
Speakers
Dr. Bernard Haykel
Professor and author of forthcoming book on Saudi Arabia and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Princeton University
Dr. Hind Al-Ansari
Fellow, International Gulf Forum
Mr. Nadim Koteich
General Manager and Political Commentator, Sky News Arabia
Mr. Firas Maksad (Moderator)
Senior Fellow and Strategic Outreach Director, Middle East Institute
Detailed Speaker Biographies
Dr. Bernard Haykel is professor of Near Eastern Studies and director of The Institute for the Transregional Study of the Contemporary Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia, at Princeton University. He was formerly associate professor of Islamic and Middle Eastern history in New York University's department of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies. Haykel's primary research interests center on Islamic political movements and legal thought. He has published extensively on the Salafi movement in both its pre-modern and modern manifestations. In particular, his book entitled Revival and Reform in Islam (Cambridge University Press, 2003) explores this strand of Islamic legal and political thought. Currently, he is working on a book that discusses Saudi Arabia and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Dr. Hind Al Ansari is a Non-Resident Fellow at Gulf International Forum. She is a development and global education researcher based in Washington and recently completed a one-year fellowship at the Wilson Center. Dr. Al-Ansari has published multiple articles and has been recognized for her work as a recipient of the Middle East Policy Council 40 Under 40 Award. Her research focuses on the impact of political and religious tendencies on education and women in Qatar. Prior to starting her PhD program, she worked as a research assistant at Al Waleed bin Talal Islamic Studies Program in Harvard University. She holds a PhD in Education from Cambridge University and a Master in Middle Eastern Studies from Harvard.
Mr. Nadim Koteich is a Lebanese journalist and renowned political analyst with 20 years of experience covering pan-Arab political developments in the media. Currently, he holds the position of General Manager for Sky News Arabia. He has worked with various regional outlets across print, broadcast, and online platforms, including hosting “DNA”, which aired on Future TV and Al Arabiya, as well as contributing a weekly political column to Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper.
Mr. Firas Maksad is the Senior Director for Strategic Outreach and a Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute (MEI). Firas collaborates with MEI's leadership to oversee strategic engagements crucial to the organization's operations. These engagements involve working with the U.S. administration, Congress, think tanks, and MEI's key partner organizations. Firas is a member of MEI's core leadership team. He is a recognized expert on the politics of Lebanon and Syria, the geopolitics of the Arab Gulf, and the broader dynamics of the Middle East region. Firas is also an adjunct professor at George Washington University, where he teaches graduate courses on the Middle East at the Elliott School for International Affairs.
(Photo by JACQUELYN MARTIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)