A Conversation with H.E. Salam Fayyad, Former Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority

On November 30, 2017, the Wilson Center's Middle East Program held ‘A Conversation with H.E. Salam Fayyad, Former Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority’ as a part of the Joseph and Alma Gildenhorn Middle East Forum. Fayyad is a Palestinian politician and former prime minister and finance minister of the Palestinian Authority. Jane Harman, the Wilson Center's Director, President, and CEO provided an introduction. Aaron David Miller, the moderator of the conversation, is Vice President for New Initiatives and Director of the Wilson Center's Middle East Program. He served for two decades as an analyst, negotiator, and adviser on Middle Eastern issues to Republican and Democratic Secretaries of State.

Following Jane Harman's introduction, Aaron Miller began the conversation by stating that change comes from looking at yourself. This comment served as the theme of Fayyad's remarks. The former prime minister stressed the importance of Palestinian self-empowerment, identifying it as  the key instrument to ending Israeli occupation. He called on Palestinian leaders to find it within themselves to achieve empowerment in order to help bring a two-state solution to fruition. Fayyad described ending Israeli occupation and empowering Palestinians as two sides of the same coin, therefore arguing that  enough empowerment can "help us get over the hump." The crux of empowerment, he said, is that Palestinians deserve the right to live as free people with dignity. It is "our responsibility in projecting the reality of the Palestinian state."

Fayyad went on to identify the four obstacles that are impeding the reality of the Palestinian state, in his view. The first is challenging the elites within the Palestinian political establishment. The second is the division within the Palestinian national movement. The third is Israel's policies that undermine Palestinian objectives. The final obstacle, he said, is the lack of support from the donor community.

One essential component in the vision of realizing Palestinian statehood is the importance of strong, competent institutions of the state, Fayyad emphasized, including multiple infrastructure projects on the ground, such as building schools and ensuring adequate water supply and electricity., "The vision is not shared by everyone,” he remarked Palestinians are afraid of failure and of success, Fayyad said, pointing to the need to  "revamp the political process that can actually deliver sovereignty."

Aaron David Miller asked the former Prime Minister if he believes Palestinian unity is feasible. Fayyad answered affirmatively, but said it can be achieved if there is "effective management of pluralism and requiring good national governance," with all factions and key players feeling included in the general sense of partnership.  He suggested that one way this can be accomplished is through the Unified Leadership Framework. If everyone accepts the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, this can be "used as an anchor to decide on what they agree on," which can then be shared with the rest of the world, Fayyad said.

In the question-and-answer portion of the discussion, an audience member asked if it is time for a new leadership in Palestine. Fayyad answered by stating that "leaders come and go," pointing instead to the importance of the political process. He went on to say that he believes a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is possible, but does not see "one around the corner, given the huge gap that exists on issues." He stressed the importance of not accepting being "enslaved by an oppressive occupation."

By Reda Baig and Kevin Mathieson, Middle East Program