15 - 16 February
15 - 16
February2025
Forum 16
From the War on Gaza to Change in Syria:
Shifting Dynamics in the Middle East
Forum Program
11:00-11:30
Opening and keynote speeches
- Sheikh Hamad bin Thamer Al Thani, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al Jazeera Media Network
- Mr. Alvin Botes, Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Republic of South Africa
11:30-12:30
Session One: The situation in Gaza: Post-war challenges
The humanitarian suffering in Gaza persists due to the unprecedented destruction caused by the genocidal war Israel waged against the enclave, with overt military and political support from the West. For more than fourteen months, the international community, with its various institutions, failed to end the war and provide aid to the afflicted, allowing the occupying forces to continue eradicating the conditions for life and dismantling essential infrastructure, in violation of the rules of war. After successful mediation efforts led to a ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Palestinian resistance, Gaza and the rest of the Palestinian territories entered a new phase of their history. What are the defining characteristics of this phase, and what direction are the post-war arrangements heading? How will the Gaza Strip be governed, and what relationship will develop between the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian resistance? Will the ceasefire hold and evolve into a long-term truce? How will the Palestinians and the international community address the challenges of reconstruction?
Moderator: Salma Aljamal, Al Jazeera Presenter
Speakers
- Basem Naim, member of Hamas’s politburo
- Riyadh Almasharqah, Chairman of the Advisory Board for the Palestinian Doctors Assembly in Europe (PalMed Europe)
- Hani Al-Masri, Director General of Masarat, the Palestinian Center for Policy Research and Strategic Studies
- Tawfik Chouman, journalist and political researcher
12:30-12:45
Break
12:45-14:00
Session Two: Regime change in Syria: Domestic impacts and regional dimensions
Given Syria’s pivotal regional position, the fall of Assad cannot be seen as a mere change in the political system. The repercussions of this strategic shift will extend far beyond the nature of the new regime, its governance style, and the relationship between the state and society. The geopolitical consequences of this change will be immense, reshaping alliances and power balances in the region. Arab-Arab and Arab-regional relations will enter a new phase. How will this change impact Syria internally, politically, security-wise, socially and economically? What will Syria’s position be in the evolving regional alliances? To what extent can Arab countries capitalise on this transformation and provide the necessary support to the Syrians to stabilise and rebuild the country?
Moderator: Elsy Abi Assi, Al Jazeera Presenter
Speakers
- Mohammed Sarmini, Founder and Director of Jusoor Centre for Studies
- Mohammed Hosam Hafez, academic, lawyer and former diplomat
- Azzam Al-Ayoubi, Secretary-General of the Forum for Justice and Democracy and a leader of al-Jama’a al-Islamiyya in Lebanon
- Ismail Numan Telci, Associate Professor of International Relations at Sultan Qaboos University
14:00-15:30
Lunch
15:30-16:30
Session Three: A war of regional strategies
The Israeli war on Gaza and its regional extensions in Lebanon, Iran, Yemen and Iraq have revealed the nature of the competing regional and international strategies vying for dominance in the region. With the fall of Assad’s regime in Syria, the limits of some of these strategies have become clearer, exposing their capacity to endure and achieve their objectives, while others have faltered, relying on flawed calculations. How should we understand the current conflict—both visible and hidden—between the regional powers’ strategies, such as Iran, Israel and Turkey? To what extent can the Arab role become independent and more influential, free from dependency and reactive behaviour?
Moderator: Fatima Alsmadi, Senior Researcher at Al Jazeera Centre for Studies
Speakers
- Mojtaba Ferdosipour, diplomat and professor of geopolitics and international relations
- Murat Yeşiltaş, professor of international relations and geopolitics
- Chafic Choucair, is a researcher at AlJazeera Centre for Studies specialising in the affairs of the Mashreq (Levantregion) and Islamist movements.
- Hassan A. Barari, is a Professor of International Affairs at Qatar University with a PhD in International Relations from the University of Durham.
16:30-16:45
Break
16:45-17:45
Session Four: The Middle East facing new balances
This phase of the war has ended, but the devastation it left behind—on the Palestinian people and their environment—will stand as a testament to the occupation’s crimes and its policy of genocide, which it has pursued for over fifteen months. While the Palestinians have borne the full cost of the war, with an international community unable or unwilling to assist, the challenges ahead will allow for the intervention of various powers and the convergence of many roles. What will the future hold for the Palestinian cause after the war? What will Israel’s situation be after its failure to eliminate resistance and reshape the Middle East? And what costs will the Arabs face or gain amid the rapidly changing dynamics and new balances taking shape in the region?
Moderator: Ahmed Taha, Al Jazeera Presenter
Speakers
- Osama Hamdan, a leader of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas)
- Liqaa Maki, Senior Researcher at Al Jazeera Center for Studies
- Mohsen Saleh, Director General of Al-Zaytouna Center for Studies and Consultations
- Johnny Mounir, journalist and political analyst
20:00-22:00
Gala Dinner Speech by Dr. Mostafa Souag, Acting Director General of Al Jazeera Media Network
10:00-11:00
Session One: Transitional justice in post-conflict countries: Opportunities and challenges
Transitional justice serves as a fundamental tool for addressing the legacy of gross violations in post-conflict states by holding perpetrators accountable, uncovering the truth, compensating victims and fostering reconciliation. However, it faces significant challenges, including weak institutions, societal divisions, and a lack of resources necessary for the effective implementation of its mechanisms. These challenges raise questions about how to balance accountability with stability and ensure that transitional justice remains free from politicisation.
This session explores several key questions: What is the concept of transitional justice, and what are its mechanisms? How does it navigate political and legal challenges? Does it contribute to social peace, or does it reignite tensions? What is its relationship with institutional reform? Is there a universal model, or does each country have its own unique approach? These questions open a discussion on pathways to achieving effective transitional justice.
Moderator: Mostafa Ashoor, Al Jazeera Presenter
Speakers
- Mohamed Aujjar, Former Minister of Human Rights in Morocco
- Mahmoud Burhan Attour, professor of international law
- Mohammad Alnsour, Chief of the Middle East and North Africa Section at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
- Fadel Abdulghany, Founder and Chairman of the Syrian Network for Human Rights
- Subei Al-Sebaey, human rights advocate and former prisoner in Syria
11:00-11:30
Break
11:30-12:30
Session Two
The global landscape under the new U.S. administration
The Russian war on Ukraine, now three years in, remains the most significant challenge to European and global security. As the war enters a state of stagnation and the prospects for a military resolution diminish—despite increased involvement by international powers on both sides—solutions are becoming more elusive, and initiatives for settlement are lacking. Does the potential return of Trump to power in the United States, with his promises to end wars, offer an opportunity to change the course of the conflict? If so, what form could a potential settlement take, and what would its conditions be for Ukraine, Russia and Europe? What changes are expected in international relations during Trump’s second term?
Moderator: Elia Ghorbia, Journalist and Producer at AJ+
Speakers
- Taras Zhovtenko, Researcher at the Democratic Initiatives Foundation, specializing in international security
- Mahmoud Yazbak, Professor of Middle Eastern Studies and Palestinian History at the University of Haifa.
- Haoues Taguia, researcher at Al Jazeera Centre for Studies specialising in international affairs
- Mohamed Elmenshawy, researcher specialised in US affairs
12:30-13:00
Book signing: Iran wa Hamas: Min Marj az-Zuhur ila Tufan al-Aqsa [Iran and Hamas: From Marj al-Zuhur to Tufan al-Aqsa] by Fatima Alsmadi
12:30-14:00
Lunch
14:00-15:30
Session Three: Oyoun Gaza [Eyes of Gaza]: Film screening and discussion (Al Jazeera 360)
Oyoun Gaza provides a deeply human and journalistic perspective on the situation in the Gaza Strip, shedding light on the challenges faced by its people amid the ongoing genocide. It also highlights the crucial role of journalists in telling the truth, despite the risks they face, including being targeted while covering events on the ground.
Following the screening, a discussion session will explore the film’s various aspects, with a focus on the reality of journalistic work in Gaza, the security and professional challenges journalists encounter, and the role of the media in documenting events and influencing public opinion.
Moderator: Amira Zahra Imouloudene, Producer at AJ+
Speakers
- Wael Dahdouh, Al Jazeera Bureau Chief in Gaza (via Zoom)
- Asef Hamidi, Director of News at Al Jazeera News Channel
- Jamal Elshayyal, Manager of Content Strategy at Al Jazeera
- Mahmoud Sabbah, journalist and correspondent from north Gaza (via Zoom)
15:30-15:45
Break
15:45-16:45
Session Four: The global protest and solidarity movement
Operation Tufan al-Aqsa and the Israeli war on Gaza sparked a wave of global protests and strengthened international solidarity with the Palestinian cause. Despite the ongoing protests, their expansion and the diversity of participants, their direct impact on the course of the war has remained limited, with continued Western official support for Israel. Notably, several prominent Western universities have become active spaces for protest, with university students emerging as key players at the forefront of this global movement. What has driven this young generation to engage in this conflict? What role can they play in the battle for narratives, exposing the occupation’s practices, and revealing the true nature of the Zionist project? Are we witnessing a generational shift in the West’s relationship with Israel and the Palestinian cause?
Moderator: Mohamed Er-Rammach, Al Jazeera Presenter
Speakers
- Shaima Dallali, former president of the National Union of Students (NUS) in the UK
16:45-17:00
Closing speech
Mohammed Mukhtar Al Khalil, Director of Al Jazeera Centre for Studies