Conference Reports

The following reports are based on information supplied by the sponsoring organizations. Editorial changes were made to meet formatting and space requirements.

Leadership for a New Century
The Middle East Institute
Washington, DC, USA: October 1-2, 1999

The Middle East Institute’s 53rd Annual Conference brought together some 600 people for panel presentations from an impressive array of participants. Elizabeth Fernea of the University of Texas-Austin gave the keynote address on the future of women in the Middle East and the possibilities for them to take on leadership roles.

During a panel on Arab-Israeli issues, Shibley Telhami of the University of Maryland stated that Palestinians have the threat of a unilateral declaration of independence as leverage in the current negotiations with Israel because such a declaration would create too much uncertainty for Israelis, despite the asymmetry of power in their favor. He also pointed out that, although the one-year deadline for a Palestinian-Israeli agreement may seem optimistic to some, the issues have been negotiated since 1993. Telhami believes that any agreement reached will resolve some issues but will only frame others.

In the same discussion, Robert Satloff of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy reflected on the set of relationships that have developed in recent years and the degree of compromise expressed by Israelis and Palestinians. Regarding Israel, Satloff believes that a majority of Israelis now agree - or at least would not oppose - territorial concessions to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. On the Palestinian side, Satloff recognizes the importance of the renunciation of terror and recognition of Israel. Regarding final status arrangements and the territorial issue, however, Satloff sees a lack of public debate and sense of compromise by Palestinians, particularly in terms of statements by Palestinian leaders that would prepare the populace to accept less than 100% of the territory under dispute.

In a panel on unemployment and instability in the MENA region, Kemal Dervis of the World Bank stated that the once bleak demographic picture of the Middle East has eased in recent years and could become much brighter by 2010-2015 because the active population as a percentage of the total population will reach a very high level. This could bring great economic benefits to the region if the infrastructure, capital, education, and skills are available to take advantage of the situation.

Prince Faisal bin Salman of King Saud University discussed the Saudi perspective on Iraq during a panel entitled "Prospects for Iraq and the GCC." He stated that a united, stable Iraq is a desired end for Saudi Arabia, which is a status quo power, and that Iraq should be reintegrated into the regional system once there is a change in Iraqi policies and positions from the current ones.

For additional information, contact The Middle East Institute, 1761 N Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036-2882, USA; phone (1-202) 785-1141; fax (1-202) 331-8861; e-mail mideasti@mideasti.org; website http://www.mideasti.org.

Journalism Workshops for Media Reporters and NGOs
Center for International Media Education (CIME)
September-October 1999: Egypt, Lebanon, and Morocco

The Center for International Media Education (CIME) at Georgia State University recently conducted professional journalism workshops in three countries – Egypt (Cairo), Lebanon (Beirut), and Morocco (Casa-blanca) – for NGO personnel and journalists. The workshops aimed to build bridges between NGOs and journalists to show the NGOs how to communicate newsworthy human interest stories to contacts in the media, and to give journalists a sample of the profoundly interesting stories waiting to be revealed through new NGO sources.

In Alexandria, Egypt, for example, an NGO collaborated with a journalist to save a city park from being paved over for a bus station parking lot. When the journalist discovered a new national law forbidding destruction of public space without a hearing, the governor’s decree was rescinded and the parking lot was built elsewhere.

In Lebanon, the plight of a 15-year-old mother was brought to light by another NGO concerned with women in prison. The young mother had confessed to killing her newborn child, but the NGO learned from her a completely different story which, if proven, could free her and send her father-in-law to prison.

In rural Morocco, a woman whose husband abandoned her with three children developed a thriving micro-business, raising sheep, and now employs others in her community. The budding businesswoman, Fatma, thanks a non-governmental organization (NGO) for providing the know-how and the first two sheep.

The NGOs involved in the workshops were concerned with a wide range of public services from the development of water resources and education to the prevention of violence against women. In Cairo and Casablanca, the workshops accommodated a total of 48 participants. In Beirut, 40 participants were involved.

The Moroccan and Egyptian workshops were conducted by CIME, and co-sponsored by local newspapers (Al Ittihad Al Ichtiraki in Casablanca and the Al-Ahram Regional Press Institute in Cairo). The workshop in Beirut was sponsored by Lebanese American University with CIME assistance.

Funding for the workshops was provided principally by the local sponsors, CIME, and the U.S. State Department.

For additional information, contact Prof. Leonard Teel, Director, Center for International Media Education (CIME), Dept. of Communication, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA; phone (1-404)651-2697; fax (1-404)651-1409; e-mail joulrt@panther.gsu.edu; website http://www.gsu.edu/~wwwcom/cime.

Protecting Open Spaces in the Middle East
Friends of the Earth Middle East
Zichron Yaacov, ISRAEL: July 11, 1999

Jordanian, Israeli and Palestinian environmentalists, nature reserve authorities, and governmental representatives participated in this workshop to discuss the issue of protecting open spaces in the Middle East. The event also marked the occasion of designating the Dead Sea Basin an official Biosphere Reserve under the Man and Biosphere program of UNESCO. The workshop was organized by Friends of the Earth Middle East and was held under the auspices of the Israeli Ministry of Science.

The participants concentrated on exchanging information on existing biosphere reserves with the goal of planning and implementing a regional biosphere reserve in the Dead Sea Basin that would be common to Israel, the Palestinian autonomous areas, and Jordan. A number of existing reserves in the region were used as examples including Carmel in Israel and Dana in Jordan.

The participants noted that there has been a continuous degradation of the habitats surrounding the Dead Sea and a dramatic fall in the sea level. Over the years, the Dead Sea has become a favorite tourist destination and this has resulted in an increase in development. The Dead Sea is also a major source of potash for both Jordan and Israel,which adds an industrial aspect to the other human activity already taking place within the area. Remarking on the current situation, Gidon Bromberg of Friends of the Earth said, "We are approaching a time when the ecological habitat which the unique fauna and flora rely on will vanish and that’s why it’s a critical moment to act now."

An important outcome of the conference was the establishment of a professional informal workgroup involving Palestinian, Israeli and Jordanian representatives that would be responsible for exchanging information and researching specific regional projects related to the protection of open spaces.

On a more symbolic note, a vulture was set free in the Mt. Carmel Reserve as part of the vulture reintroduction program of the Israeli Society for the Protection of Nature. The bird was named ‘EcoPeace’ as a tribute to the participants and their efforts in establishing sound ecological peace in the region.

For additional information, contact Friends of the Earth Middle East (FoEME), P.O. Box 55302, E. Jerusalem, ISRAEL 97400; phone (972-2)532-4667/73; fax (972-2)532-4692; e-mail info@foeme.org; website http://www.foeme.org.

Palestine at the Crossroads:
Perspectives of Citizenship and Prospects of Identity
Arab Thought Forum
Birzeit: June 21-23, 1999

The Arab Thought Forum’s first international conference sought to analyze the past four years of the interim period, the current state of Palestinian affairs, and future prospects for statehood. More than 500 individuals attended including government officials, academics, representatives of non-governmental organizations, and other international guests.

The conference sessions addressed issues such as the current conditions and future role of the PLO, the performance of the executive, legislative and judicial branches in the PNA, and the status and role of civil society organizations. The sessions also focused on the foundations and principles of establishing a modern democratic state in Palestine, the separation of powers, the role of civil society organizations and the rule of law.

The lack of a free and independent judiciary was a point of debate. Many participants noted a decline in the effectiveness of the judiciary, rather than an improvement. One reason for this is the overlap of laws stemming from the British Mandate, Egyptian and Jordanian law, and the Israeli occupation. But the interference of the PNA on the judicial system was seen as having the most damaging impact on the judicial system.

A panel on civil society organizations addressed the controversy over the registration of NGOs. The law approved by the PLC suggests NGO registration be done at the Ministry of Justice. President Arafat wants NGO registration at the Ministry of the Interior. This, however, would make NGOs subject to control by Preventive Security Forces. Participants stressed the importance of NGOs in Palestinian society, and the need to seek a solution that will not obstruct their work.

Final status issues were also an important area of discussion. Addressing the issue of settlements, Jeff Aronson, director of the Foundation for Middle East Peace in Washington, DC, outlined the complexity of the issue. He noted that during the past 32 years, a constituency has been built in Israel around the Jewish settlements. The Israeli army in the West Bank is not seen as a belligerent occupying power, but merely an army protecting its own people. According to Aronson, Oslo has not changed this doctrine. Aronson believes the Palestinians made a mistake when they recognized the legitimacy and expansion of Jewish settlements in the Oslo Accords.

The conference convened with the support of United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC).

For additional information, contact Mr. Ziad Abdallah, Program Manager, The Arab Thought Forum, 9 Ibn Abi Taleb St., P.O. Box 19012, Jerusalem, ISRAEL; phone (972-2)626-4774/628-9126; fax (972-2)626-4338; e-mail multaqa@planet.edu; website http://www.multaqa.org.

PeaceGame: Crisis Avoidance Through Conflict Prevention
Jordan Institute of Diplomacy
Amman, JORDAN: April 4-5, 1999

This seminar, organized by the Jordan Institute of Diplomacy, the Jordanian Armed Forces, and UNESCO, was held to consider regional approaches to conflict prevention. The exercise brought together a host of officials - both civilian and military - and academics from the Middle East, Europe, and North America, to exchange views and experiences, and to nurture new initiatives related to this topic. H.E. Taher Al Masri, a distinguished member of Jordan’s parliament, was a guest speaker at the seminar and discussed "Peace Building in the Middle East."

The seminar focused on the Kosovo crisis in an attempt to develop mechanisms of conflict prevention that might help define and preempt crises in the Middle East. The exercise included introductory sessions on peacemaking in the Balkans and the complications of peace-building, in addition to a general diagnosis of the Kosovo crisis.

The second part of the seminar was devoted to a simulation of the case study, followed by a review of the previous day’s deliberations to see how lessons drawn might be applied to the Middle East. Some participants see the terrible results of ethnic tensions in Kosovo as an important lesson for the Middle East, particularly in terms of the refugee crisis that ensued and the impact it had on neighboring countries.

Other participants focused on the long-term impact of this crisis and the need to find ways to address ethnic tensions in the Middle East in more constructive ways than in Kosovo. Most agreed that the Middle East should work to develop a broad range of tools to address conflict prevention in the region.

For additional information, contact Ms. Randa Quandour, Jordan Institute of Diplomacy, P.O. Box 850746, Amman 11185, JORDAN; phone (962-6) 593-4400; fax (962-6)593-4408); e-mail quandour@id.gov.jo.

New Organization

MEVIC: Middle East Virtual Intellectual Community

The Middle East Virtual Intellectual Community (MEVIC) was established recently as a regional effort to network the countries of the region through the use of information technology and telecommunications. The goal of this project is to create a virtual community of academics and intellectuals to foster joint communication and understanding. Other than occasional face-to-face meetings, all communication will take place via the Internet. To date, the community includes participants from Egypt, the Gulf, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, the Palestinian autonomous areas, and Turkey.

A concrete result of MEVIC’s creation will be the convening of a virtual conference in summer of 2000 (see Calendar section). The organizers hope that the conference will also result in other networking opportunities such as linking libraries and researchers, joint cooperation beyond the community, and other cooperative projects.

For additional information, contact Professor Michael Dohan, Dept. of Political Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mt. Scopus, Jerusalem, ISRAEL; phone (972-2)588-2300; fax (972-2) 582-8076; e-mail mdahan@ibm.net.