The Israeli-Palestinian “peace process,” focused on the future of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, has continued for almost three decades. But it is more of a carousel, with lots of movement but no direction, than a process of moving the state of affairs toward a desired destination. In his talk, Ian Lustick will explain why the carousel continues when no one involved really believes a negotiated two-state solution is possible. In this view, whether the White House is occupied by a president named Bush, Clinton, Obama, or Trump makes no substantial difference for Israeli-Palestinian peace. He will also explain what to look for to know that real change is happening. Lustick is a world-renowned expert on Middle Eastern politics. His current research focuses on the demise of states and the implications of the disappearance of the option of a negotiated “two-state solution” to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The talk is part of the Penn Lightbulb Café, a free public lecture series presented by Penn Arts & Sciences and the Office of University Communications that will shed light on faculty research in the arts and sciences. The presentation will be followed by an audience Q&A. Café events are free and open to the public. Food and beverages will be available for purchase before, during, and after the talk. RSVPs are encouraged due to limited seating. To RSVP, fill out this online form. For more information or directions, call or email Julian Shendelman at 215-898-8721 or juliansh@upenn.edu.
