Arnon Bersson
Israel
Israel
Arnon Bersson is a researcher in the fields of Middle East energy security and geopolitics with a focus on the Arab Gulf States.
He has worked as a researcher and analyst for several Israeli companies in the Hi-tech and energy industries.
Arnon is a frequent contributor to the “Israel and the Arab Gulf Program” at the Abba Eban Institute for Diplomacy and Foreign Relations. He earned his BA in political science and Middle Eastern Studies and his MA in Middle Eastern Studies from Bar Ilan University, Israel.
Layal Alghoozi
Bahrain
Bahrain
Layal Alghoozi is a Bahraini legal humanitarian professional with experience working in international organizations in policy, research, legal, and advocacy roles. She has experience working at the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Institute for Strategic Studies, and other organizations like Amnesty International and Oxfam. She is the MENA Regional Coordinator for the Journal on the Use of Force in International Law. She has a Masters in International Law and Security from the University of Glasgow, specializing in the laws of armed conflict, the laws and processes of the UN, and law enforcement (human rights).
Noor Elgallal
Libya, UK
Libya, UK
Noor Elgallal is a dual Libyan/UK citizen
residing in the UK.
She is a student at the University of Leeds,
and is expecting to graduate with
an LLB in 2024.
Noora Alozaibi
UAE
UAE
Noora Alozaibi is an Emirati residing in the UAE. She is currently a student at New York University Abu Dhabi, and is expected to graduate with a BA in political science and social research and public policy in 2024.
Dr. Jason Olson
USA
USA
Dr. Jason Olson is a scholar specializing in the Middle East and the Indian Ocean region. He has received research grants to study the Abraham Accords, focusing particularly on how they align with U.S. interests. He collaborates with various ambassadors to expand the successful peacebuilding model of the Abraham Accords to other Muslim-majority countries.
Jason earned his Ph.D. in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies from Brandeis University in 2016. His first book, America’s Road to Jerusalem: The Impact of the Six-Day War on Protestant Politics, was published by Lexington Books in 2018. In this work, he examined the rise of Christian Zionism and its impact on U.S. foreign policy and strategic interests in the Middle East and North Africa. His second book, The Burning Book, won a national award in creative nonfiction. His most recent article, From Arab-Israeli Conflict to Arab-Israeli Integration: A New Curriculum to Understand the Contemporary Middle East, was co-published in the Journal of the Middle East and Africa.
During his doctoral studies, Jason held fellowships with prestigious research centers, including the Crown Center for Middle East Studies, the Hertog Global Strategy Initiative at Columbia University (focused on religious violence/terrorism), and the American Jewish Archives, among others. In 2013, he served as a teaching fellow at the Summer Institute for Middle East Studies at Brandeis, where he taught an international group of scholars in both Israel and the Palestinian territories.
Through his academic and fieldwork, Jason aims to foster dialogue and peacebuilding in the region by studying political and diplomatic models that promote better relations between countries and contribute to regional stability in the Middle East
Dr. Clive Lipchin
South Africa, Israel
South Africa, Israel
Clive serves as the director of the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies’ Center for Transboundary Water Management where he oversees research and development projects, workshops and conferences that focus on transboundary water and environmental problems facing Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority. His specialty is in water resources management and policy. Clive has conducted research for a number of international water agencies such as the World Bank, EU, UNDP and USAID and has been involved most recently with the European Union’s Water Initiative project for the Mediterranean region and the USAID Conflict Management and Mitigation (CMM) program and the Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC) program. He also served as the Israeli partner for the USDA funded project – CONSERVE (COordinating Nontraditional Sustainable watER use in Variable climatEs): A Center of Excellence at the Nexus of Sustainable Water Reuse, Food and Health.”
Clive’s research and development work has recently focused on cross-border stream restoration and waste water management issues between Israel and the Palestinian Authority and on integrated food, energy and water systems for off-grid communities in Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority and the developing world. He is also leading a study in wastewater epidemiology on monitoring the presence of the corona virus in wastewater in Israel and the West Bank as part of an early warning public health program on combatting the spread of the virus in marginalized communities in Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
Clive also serves as the CEO of Laguna Innovation- www.lagunainnovation.com. The company has developed an innovative off grid and onsite wastewater treatment and reuse technology. The company provides wastewater treatment services to communities, farmers, industry and any other water user that is not connected to a sewer system. The company not only treats the wastewater onsite but returns it to the customer as high quality effluent for irrigation use in agriculture or for any other non-potable use of water. The company has run successful proof of concept pilots in Israel and the West Bank and is now actively working with clients in Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Jordan and South Africa.
Clive, a native from South Africa has been living in Israel for over twenty years. He received a BSc degree in zoology at the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa, a BSc Honors in wildlife management from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, a MSc in desert ecology from the Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Israel and a PhD in resource ecology management from the School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Michigan.
Galith Abbou Benichou
Morocco, Israel
Morocco, Israel
Born and raised in Casablanca, Galith is a singer who dedicates her voice to brotherhood, tolerance and coexistence.
After spending 12 years in Morocco, her family moved to Paris, where she came to embrace her mixed identity and became a proud advocate of multiculturalism.
She studied at the Sorbonne University and holds a master’s degree in Languages and International Business.
Galith speaks 6 languages and now lives between France, UK and Israel.
She began her artistic journey with her music album Mosaic, in wich influences range from oriental melodies to the sounds of Andalusia, singing in Hebrew, Arabic, Spanish and more.
Her belief in the power of music to bridge the gap between people of different origins brought her on stage in Paris and Tel-Aviv. Passionately mediterranean, she is a real Moroccan-jewish mother of 4 and married to a successful French-Israeli tech entrepreneur Jean-David Benichou.
Together, they co-founded abramundi.org, a non-profit organization that puts entrepreneurs at the heart of the reconciliation between peoples and countries related to the Abraham Agreements.
They are working on highlighting the positivity of the MENA region by producing inspiring content and much more.
Ghassan Ibrahim
Syria, UK
Syria, UK
Based in London since 2002, Ghassan Ibrahim has gained international recognition as a British-Syrian journalist and media personality.
He has worked as a consultant and adviser for several international projects, producing and participating in research, consultancy and advocacy, concerning political strategies, extremism, media and economics in the Middle East, with strong emphasis on issues related to Syria, Turkey and Iran.
His extensive understanding of and network access in the region are among the reasons why his comprehensive knowledge is a trusted source of information about Syria and the MENA region.
His work provides an in-depth understanding of specific political, social and economic issues, including scenario analysis. He has helped politicians and business leaders to understand the problems, risks, challenges, solutions and opportunities in the Middle East. As a result, his knowledge has empowered the leaders to act with confidence when making strategic decisions.
He is the founder and CEO of the Global Arab Network, a news and information online platform, providing analysis and research about the Arab world in English and Arabic.
Before establishing Global Arab Network in 2006, he has contributed and worked for several well-known media organizations.
He was a research manager and journalist at Al Arab Newspaper, the first Arabic media organization in London, established in 1977.
He was Managing Editor of Ahval media outlet based in London.
He holds a BSc degree in Economics and Politics from Damascus University, Postgraduate Diploma in Economic studies and Diploma in Media and Communication.
He regularly appears on some of the main international and Arabic TV channels, including the BBC, Sky News Arabia, RT, Al-Arabiya and France 24, discussing issues regarding the Middle East, with strong emphasis on Syria, Turkey and Iran.
In his free time, he enjoys traveling, photography and observing the wild life and nature.
Salwa Dallalah
Sudan, USA
Sudan, USA
As a distinguished career diplomat and international civil servant with over 30 years of experience, Ambassador Salwa Dallalah brings a wealth of expertise and knowledge from her roles with the government of Sudan, the UNFCCC, and the IAEA. Educated in law and politics at Oxford Polytechnic and furthering her studies with a master’s in African and Asian studies from the University of Khartoum, Ms. Dallalah has been instrumental in numerous international negotiations and forums, representing her government with distinction. From 1997 to 2020, she served as the lead organizer for 18 COP events on behalf of the UNFCCC, including pivotal gatherings such as Kyoto conference and COP21 in Paris, where she played a crucial role in supporting efforts for addressing the urgent challenge of climate change. Additionally, her contributions to the IAEA’s general conferences and scientific forums have advanced the peaceful applications of atomic energy worldwide. Ms. Dallalah’s extensive experience has seen her collaborate closely with governments across Africa, Asia, Europe, North and Latin America as well as the Caribbean, fostering partnerships and promoting global cooperation. Currently, she channels her expertise into supporting projects in event management, coaching, human resources, and mentorship for young professionals from developing countries.
Dr. Haydar Badawi Sadig
Sudan, USA
Sudan, USA
Dr. Haydar Badawi Sadig. A former ambassador, he served as Director of the Media Department and Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Sudan.