From Pain to Hope? Israel/Palestine in 2026 continues the Carr-Ryan Center’s series focused on the ongoing crisis in the region. These events bring together scholars, practitioners, and people directly connected to Israel and Palestine to consider where things stand today—and where they may be headed—through a human rights lens.
Through public conversations on friendship across conflict lines, the rule of law in Israel, democratic futures, hostage experiences, and questions of peace and justice in Palestine, the series considers how history, politics, and human rights shape realities on both sides of the conflict. Together, these events offer space for serious inquiry and open exchange at a moment of profound uncertainty, inviting the community to grapple with hard questions about accountability, dignity, and the possibility of a more just future for all.
Series Events:
Details for some series events are still being confirmed. Please check back for additional information and registration links.
505 Days in Hamas Captivity: A Story of Survival in Gaza
Co-sponsored with the Institute of Politics.
Monday, March 2 | 6:00PM | In Person & Livestreamed
Guest: Omer Shem Tov, Former Israeli Hostage
On October 7th, 2023, Omer Shem Tov was attending the Nova Music Festival in Israel, when he was abducted as part of Hamas' attacks across the country. For 505 days, he survived captivity as a hostage in Gaza. Join us for a special evening as Omer shares his powerful and inspiring story.
View the event recording >
Friendship Across Conflict Lines
Tuesday, March 3 | 5:00PM | R-414 Democracy Lab
Guests:
Dr. Eman Khadra Ansari, Palestinian-American physician; Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School
Guy Ben-Aharon, Israeli-American Theater Director; Founder, The Jar
Moderator: Mathias Risse, Berthold Beitz Professor in Human Rights, Global Affairs and Philosophy; Faculty Director, Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights
Join us for an intimate conversation about friendship across difference. This dialogue brings together two people from opposite sides of the devastating Isael/Palestine conflict to explore what it means to refuse division, honor all loss, and stay rooted in shared humanity, even in times of profound crisis.
From Apartheid to Democracy: A Blueprint for Peace in Israel-Palestine
Co-sponsored with the International Security Program and the Middle East Initiative.
Thursday, March 5 | 4:15PM | Bell Hall
Guests:
Michael Schaeffer Omer-Man, Director of Israel-Palestine at DAWN
Sarah Leah Whitson, Former Executive Director of DAWN
Moderator: Stephen M. Walt, Robert and Renée Belfer Professor of International Affairs
Join the Carr-Ryan and Belfer Centers for this book talk on From Apartheid to Democracy, a new book with a singular focus: to provide a practical plan to end apartheid and occupation rule and lay the groundwork for democratic decision-making on the future governance of Israel-Palestine.
Tuesday, March 31 | 2:00PM | Webinar
Guest: Amit Segal, Israeli newspaper and television journalist
Moderator: Mathias Risse, Berthold Beitz Professor in Human Rights, Global Affairs and Philosophy; Faculty Director, Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights
Leading Israeli political analyst Amit Segal is known for breaking major stories from inside the Knesset and Israel’s security establishment. His reporting focuses on coalition politics, wartime decision-making, and the intersection of domestic power struggles with regional conflict, making him one of the most influential voices shaping public understanding of Israeli politics today. Join Segal and Carr-Ryan Center Faculty Director Mathias Risse to examine how the Gaza war has reshaped Israeli domestic politics, security doctrine, and the country’s regional and international standing.
View the event recording >
Peace, Politics, and Possibilities: The Road Ahead for Palestine
Thursday, April 2 | 5:00PM | NYE A
Guests:
Zaha Hassan, Senior Fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Yousef Munayyer, Head of the Palestine/Israel Program and Senior Fellow, Arab Center Washington D.C.
Josh Ruebner, Policy Director, Institute for Middle East Understanding Policy Project; Adjunct Lecturer, Program on Justice and Peace, Georgetown University
Malkit Shoshan, Design Critic in Urban Planning and Design, Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Moderator: Mathias Risse, Berthold Beitz Professor in Human Rights, Global Affairs and Philosophy; Faculty Director, Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights
Yousef Munayyer, Malkit Shoshan and Josh Ruebner are leading analysts, advocates, and scholars of Palestine policy and history. Join us as they bring their deep subject-matter expertise on Palestinian political history, U.S. foreign policy, and international law to a conversation with moderator Mathias Risse for a rigorously grounded assessment of current dynamics and future possibilities for peace and justice in the region.
The Future of the Rule of Law in Israel
Thursday, April 23 | 12:00 PM EDT | Online
Guests Include:
Masua Sagiv, Senior Faculty, Shalom Hartman Institute; Senior Fellow, Helen Diller Institute, U.C. Berkeley
Roy Peled, Senior Lecturer, Constitutional Law, Haim Striks School of Law
Avi Bell, Professor of Law, University of San Diego Law School.
Moderator: Mathias Risse, Berthold Beitz Professor in Human Rights, Global Affairs and Philosophy; Faculty Director, Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights
In Israel, the relationship between law, religion, civil society, and state power is evolving. Join us for a timely consideration of what lies ahead for constitutional governance and democratic resilience as our panel examinines the legal, political, and cultural forces reshaping Israel’s democratic foundations.
Register here >
