While there is at least a tenuous ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war and the living hostages have been returned home, constructing the foundation of a more durable peace remains far off. One impediment has been the much deeper issue of the Israeli public’s acceptance of a permanent occupation of the territories and the denial of self-determination for Palestinians. There is a stark disconnect between Israelis’ wish to preserve their democracy and the threat that a continuing occupation represents to that very democracy. How immutable is that sentiment? Is it amenable to change that would lead to an end of the conflict? And given that American Jewish public opinion strongly supports Palestinian self-determination, what does that mean for the relationship between American Jews and Israel? Two experts in these issues will address how to move the needle in getting Israeli and American Jewish public opinion to align in supporting a long-term resolution of the conflict.

This is an in-person only event. A reception will follow the discussion.

Speakers

Dahlia Scheindlin is a public opinion expert and international political and strategic consultant based in Tel Aviv. She is recognized for her contributions to discussions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; the peace process; and issues of democracy, human rights, and social justice. She conducts public opinion research related to the Israeli Palestinian conflict, including the Palestinian-Israeli Pulse survey, an ongoing project. She is a regular columnist at Haaretz newspaper (English), focusing on the Israel-Palestinian conflict, Israeli politics, and foreign affairs. For fall, 2025, she is a Penn Global Middle East Distinguished Visiting Scholar at the University of Pennsylvania.

Jeremy Ben-Ami is the founder and President of J Street, the home of pro-Israel, pro-peace and pro-democracy Americans. His family roots go back 140 years in Israel, including the founding of Tel Aviv. Prior to founding J Street, Jeremy had extensive experience in U.S. national politics and public policy, including work in several political campaigns and in the Clinton White House.