Brokering Peace in the Middle East and Beyond

Reflections on the Possibilities and Limitations of American Statecraft

Between 2009 and 2011, a team of U.S. negotiators came historically close to realizing a Syrian-Israeli peace agreement by seizing on an alignment of interests in Damascus, Jerusalem and Washington. As a member of that negotiating team, Ambassador Fred Hof provides a candid look at this near-success — and its tragic unraveling — in his new book from USIP Press, “Reaching for the Heights: The Inside Story of a Secret Attempt to Reach a Syrian-Israeli Peace.”

Ambassador Hof’s firsthand account of the secret talks highlights the groundbreaking possibilities of smart, patient and strategic diplomacy. As such, it raises broader questions surrounding U.S. efforts to broker peace, such as: What are the prerequisites for a successful negotiation? What are examples of creative diplomatic tools and processes? And when best-laid plans fall short, what is ultimately in the third party’s control?

On July 12, USIP and Georgetown University’s Institute for the Study of Diplomacy hosted a discussion reflecting on Ambassador Hof’s experience trying to broker Syrian-Israeli peace and what it can tell us about the possibilities and limitations of American conflict mediation. The conversation also looked back on the consistent and the unpredictable elements of successful negotiations in the Middle East, Balkans, Colombia and Africa, and draw lessons from past successes, failures and near-misses. To this end, Ambassador Hof was joined by four former senior American negotiators, to reflect on the elements of past successful negotiations in the Middle East, Balkans, Colombia and Africa, and draw lessons applicable to future peace processes.

Speakers:

Lise Grande, welcoming remarks
President and CEO, U.S. Institute of Peace

Ambassador Barbara K. Bodine
Director & Distinguished Professor in the Practice of Diplomacy; Georgetown University’s Institute for the Study of Diplomacy

Ambassador Frederic C. Hof
Diplomat in Residence, Bard College

Dr. Chester A. Crocker
James R. Schlesinger Distinguished Fellow in Strategic Studies, Georgetown University’s Institute for the Study of Diplomacy

Dr. Daniel Serwer
Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies

Ambassador Bernard W. Aronson
Managing Partner, ACON Investments

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