Refocusing Peace in the Middle East

18 December 2024

On this International Human Rights Day, the question of how to reignite meaningful discussions on peace in the Middle East preoccupies the minds of many globally. This region, with its complex historical, political and social dynamics, demands an innovative approach to conflict resolution.

To delve into this, we posed a critical question to Tel Aviv University’s (TAU’s) Dr. Ronit Levine–Schnur.

Levine–Schnur is an expert on property law, the Middle East and territorial conflicts and is one of the founding members of the Day After the War—an academic forum focused on making a Middle East regional alliance of moderate countries a public priority in Israel.

Levine–Schnur is an expert on property law, the Middle East and territorial conflicts.

What is a key factor that should be prioritized to refocus discussions on achieving peace in the Middle East?

“The sudden collapse of the Assad regime came as a surprise, and it is too early to know what will happen in Syria, a country that has had an internal war for 13 years. What is already clear is that, since October 7, 2023, the Middle East has been in a period of great changes, risks and opportunities. We must combine knowledge and experience with a willingness to think outside the box; modesty regarding our ability to predict, let alone control, events; and the expansion of our political imagination regarding a Middle East where Israel can thrive.

There is no doubt that Israel’s interest is in stabilizing, strengthening and expanding the moderate axis in the Middle East.

The strength of each of the moderate states is affected by their ability to work together.

One question in this context is whether Lebanon, Syria and the Palestinians will ultimately be part of the moderate axis or part of the jihadist axis(es). Israel’s ability to influence this varies from very little—in the case of Syria—to very much—in the case of the Palestinians.

This should now be our focus.”

Want to hear more?

Levine–Schnur elaborates on how a new Middle East regional alliance could create a positive tipping point in a recent lecture at the Universität Konstanz.

During the lecture, Levine–Schnur was joined by Prof. Daphna Hacker, a sociologist, a full professor in TAU’s gender studies and the Buchman Faculty of Law, and an independent expert member of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). In the lecture, Hacker focuses on the gendered dimensions of October 7 and the wars and conflicts that followed.