Organized by the UCLA Center for Middle East Development. Co-sponsored by Burkle Center for International Relations, Y&S Nazarian Center for Israel Studies, and Luskin Department of Public Policy.

On November 5, 2024 voters in the United States will elect either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris as the next President. This webinar will analyze the impact of election on the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region, including potential US policy shifts regarding Israel, Palestine, Iran, and other key players in the region. The webinar will also focus on the new President's possible approach to the roles of Russia and China in the MENA region, as well as potential impacts on US policy toward Ukraine. The panelists will also discuss potential appointees to key foreign policy roles in the new Administration.

MEET THE SPEAKERS

Mr. Jay Footlik served as special assistant to President Clinton in the White House. His decades long work in policy making and unique global relationships provide opportunities for his clients worldwide. At the White House, he worked on a range of domestic and foreign policy issues, including extensive work in the MENA region. He also served as the President’s liaison to the American Jewish community. Mr. Footlik earned a BA in political science from UCLA and a law degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. A professional actor, Mr. Footlik is a member of the Screen Actors Guild and has appeared in numerous films, television, and stage productions. He serves on the board of The American Council of Young Political Leaders, the Middle East Investment Initiative, and is a fellow at UCLA's CMED.

Mr. Zev Furst is a leading global, political, business, and communications strategist who has advised political leaders, foreign principals, and corporate executives of Fortune 100 companies. He is the chairman and CEO of First International Resources, an international corporate and political consulting firm he founded in 1992. Mr. Furst specializes in providing strategic counsel on highly sensitive political matters, crisis management, market entry, corporate positioning, and personal reputational issues with the unique perspective of someone who has operated at the nexus of business and politics for over thirty years.

MEET THE MODERATOR

Professor Steve Zipperstein is associate director of the UCLA Center for Middle East Development. He is also an adjunct assistant professor at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs. Professor Zipperstein is a former US federal prosecutor and the former chief legal officer of Verizon Wireless and BlackBerry Ltd. He is the author of The Legal Case for Palestine: A Critical Assessment (forthcoming) (Routledge, 2024), Zionism, Palestinian Nationalism and the Law: 1939-1948 (Routledge, 2022), and Law and the Arab-Israeli Conflict: The Trials of Palestine (Routledge 2020).

Sponsor(s): Center for Middle East Development, Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for Israel Studies, Burkle Center for International Relations, Department of Public Policy