This two-part series brings together diverse voices from politics, civil society, and peacebuilding initiatives to examine how current dynamics are shaping political life, humanitarian efforts, and the search for pathways toward peace.

Part I: Political Realities (October 8, 2025)

Part I will explore the evolving political landscape in Israel and Palestine and its wider regional and international dimensions. Researchers, analysts, and policy experts will discuss how shifting domestic politics and regional trends are shaping prospects for diplomacy and political solutions, and what challenges and opportunities lie ahead.

Part II: Voices for Peace (October 16, 2025)

Part II turns to the lived human realities in Israel and Palestine. Highlighting the work of activists, peacebuilders, and humanitarian leaders, the segment will explore ongoing efforts to foster resilience, dialogue, and reconciliation.

NOTE— Separate registration is required for each webinar. For information about Part II, visit the event page.

Ambassador Barbara A. Leaf (ret’d)

Ambassador Leaf served as Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs from 2022-2025, overseeing 21 diplomatic posts, $7.5 billion in foreign assistance, and policies and programs from Morocco to Yemen.  Appointed in January 2021 as Senior Director for the Middle East and North Africa and Special Assistant to President Biden, Ambassador Leaf left The Washington Institute for Near East Policy where she had directed the Arab Politics Program from 2018-2021.  Ambassador Leaf served as the U.S. Ambassador to the UAE from 2014-2018.  She previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Arabian Peninsula and as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Iraq. 

Earlier assignments included Basrah, Rome, Director of the Office of Iranian Affairs, Sarajevo, Tuzla, Paris, Cairo, Tunis, Jerusalem, and Port-au-Prince. Awarded the Distinguished Honor Award by Secretary Blinken, Ambassador Leaf received numerous Superior and Meritorious Honor Awards during her career. 

Ambassador Leaf is a Distinguished Diplomatic Fellow at the Middle East Institute, Washington, DC, and has joined Arnold and Porter, where she serves in the storied law firm as a Senior International Policy Advisor.

Dr. Shira Efron

Dr. Shira Efron is RAND's distinguished chair for Israel Policy. A leading expert in Israeli and Middle Eastern affairs, Efron brings two decades of experience in policy analysis and research, having previously led RAND's Israel Program from 2016 to 2022.

Most recently, Efron served as director of research and the Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation senior fellow at the Israel Policy Forum. She has also advised Israel's Ministry of Defense and its National Security Council and cochaired the subgroup on regional cooperation for Israel's president's climate forum. She also held roles at the Center for American Progress, the Middle East Institute, and the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, and was a consultant for the United Nations Country Team in Jerusalem, where she focused on Gaza.

Efron holds a doctorate and master's degree in policy analysis from the RAND School of Public Policy, a master's degree in international relations and international business from New York University, and a bachelor's degree in biology with a minor in computer science from Tel Aviv University. RAND's Israel policy chair was established by The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation and The Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation.

Dr. Hitham Kayali

Dr. Hitham Kayali is the founder and CEO of Palolea, a Palestinian company that specialises in the production of active ingredients for pharmaceuticals and food supplements. Palolea was the first company established at the Jericho Agro-Industrial Park, also dubbed the ‘corridor for peace’. Palolea follows pharmaceutical standards and employing state of the art technology. Before establishing Palolea, Dr. Kiyali was the director of Al-Karameh National Empowerment Fund. He is also the former director of ProsperPalestine, an international initiative that worked to promote Palestine economically. Dr. Kiyali holds an MA in international studies and PhD in conflict management from Coventry University.

Facilitated by Dr. Michael D. Yaffe

Dr. Michael Yaffe is a seasoned diplomat, public policy practitioner, and teacher dedicated to advancing global security and civic engagement. Most recently, Dr. Yaffe held senior roles at the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP), where he served as Vice President for the Gandhi-King Global Academy, Civic Engagement and Scholarship unit, and Center on the Middle East and Africa. During a career at the U.S. Department of State, Dr. Yaffe served as a Senior Advisor to three successive Special Envoys for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, and as a Foreign Affairs Officer focusing on arms control, nonproliferation, and regional security in the Middle East. Dr. Yaffe holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania, and degrees from the London School of Economics and University of Massachusetts Amherst.  He was post-doctoral fellow at Harvard University and the recipient of several State Department and Department of Defense commendations.