Ruth Wasserman Lande

Expert on Middle East and Foreign Policy

BIG IDEAS

• Arab-Israeli Relations:
  An experienced diplomat and scholar, Ruth presents how to build a comprehensive framework for lasting peace in the Middle East through a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches. The political echelon, alone, is charged with a very challenging task within the framework of peacemaking: leaders need not only negotiate, they must also "sell" the final product to their constituencies. The buy-in from the people will generate the momentum or aiding force needed that will, in turn, back-up, support and follow-up on decisions made by the political leadership with regard to bringing forth peace. Such support may not only strengthen the decision but actually turn it into a reality.
  
  Ruth believes that this can be achieved via the creation of a fund, outside of Israel, with an international board. This fund will have 2 main objectives:
  
  1. Identify and support a few select, successful, visible, on-the-ground projects in Israel and Palestine, which will address human needs (job creation, education, culture, leadership etc.) and serve as the flagship for successful and worthwhile cooperation.
  
  2. Nurture a cadre of dynamic, politically unaffiliated, young leaders of Jewish and Arab origin, who shall be the owners of the process and implement those successful projects.
  
  Ruth believes this bottom-up approach is naïve on its own and must be complemented with regional and worldwide support from administrations (such as the US for instance), Middle Eastern regimes, governments and organizations. Such cooperation and support will serve to endorse and reinforce the momentum and create, in the medium-and long run, an environment which will make it far easier for decision-makers to affectively sell their “peace products” to their respective constituencies.
• Cross-Cultural Conflict:
  The art of public speaking and cross-cultural negotiation.
• Women and Leadership—The Middle East:
  The future role of women in the quest for peace and diplomacy.
• The Business Imperative in the Middle East:
  How can the private sector advance peace efforts and help bridge cross-cultural and religious differences while simultaneously building profitable enterprises?
• The Complexities of the Israeli-Egyptian Relationship:
  An economic and political analysis of the significance of Israel’s strategic peace with Egypt, alongside a closer look at the lack of “normalization."

SNAPSHOT BIO

Ruth Wasserman Lande's personal history, education, and impressive professional experience make her uniquely qualified to advise governments, corporations, and NGOs on Middle East-related issues. Formerly, the advisor to Israel President, Mr. Shimon Peres, Ruth is currently working on her Ph.D. on Middle East issues, specifically "Israeli-Egyptian Relations 1979-2009: The Palestinian Dimension," at the University of Oxford. She is also Founder and Director of Public Relations and Media for the Lod Community Foundation which strives to develop one of the poorest, mixed Jewish-Arab cities in Israel.

The focus of Ruth’s work spans a broad spectrum including Arab-Israeli relations, US-Israeli strategic alliances, cross-cultural negotiation, and counterterrorism and nonproliferation. She is also passionate about the role women must play in the quest for peace in the Middle East. Ruth is committed to closing the gaps in the global religious and cultural divide. Her approach may help others better understand the myriad of interconnected issues that impact business, economics, culture, and politics in the region.

Ruth was born in Israel and raised in Cape Town, South Africa. She returned to Israel as a teenager and graduated, Cum Laude, from Bar Ilan University with a degree in International Relations and Communications. After completing her studies, she served as a political analyst in the Israeli Defense Force intelligence, rising to the rank of Captain.

Following military service, Ruth joined the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where she served as the desk officer for the UK, Ireland, and Scandinavia. She was promoted to Advisor to the Deputy Director General for Strategic Affairs in the Foreign Ministry, dealing with counter-terrorism and counter-proliferation issues. During this time, she earned a Master of Arts (Cum Laude) in International Relations from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. She received the “Simcha Pratt Prize” for excellence on a paper analyzing the Oslo Negotiations, and her reputation led to a three-year appointment as the political and economic advisor in the Israeli embassy in Cairo. She completed her service there as the acting Deputy Chief of Mission.

In 2006, Ruth was awarded a Wexner Fellowship to study at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, where she earned another master’s degree before assuming her position with President Peres’s office.

Ruth speaks fluent Hebrew, English, Russian, and Arabic, as well as conversational French.

Ruth with the President of the State of Israel, Mr. Shimon Peres

Ruth with the President of the United States, Mr. Barack Obama

A Closer Look at Ruth

FOCUS AREAS
What's on Ruth's current research agenda?

• Israeli-Palestinian negotiations
• The Arab Peace Initiative
• Israel’s relations with the Arab world
• Geo-strategy of the Middle East and the Gulf Region; inter-Arab relations
• International trends and their potential impact upon the Middle East
• The Iranian nuclear threat
• A particular focus on Egypt
• Counterterrorism and non-proliferation

ENGAGEMENTS
How have other organizations utilized Ruth's expertise, and what's ahead on her schedule?

Ruth has presented to a variety of audiences—both large and small—around the globe including heads of state, political dignitaries, CEOs, and leading academics.

She has shared her insights at premiere academic institutions including Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Harvard Law School, MIT, and the University of Vilnius, Lithuania. In addition, she has spoken to corporations, think tanks, and government bodies including the Swedish and British Parliaments and Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Topics covered by Ruth in her briefings and presentations include:

• Tomorrow’s Egypt
• Israeli-Arab relations: "Impressions from the Egyptian street. Three years of experience of a Jewish Israeli diplomat"
• Business Challenges and Opportunities in the Middle East
• Geo-strategy of the Middle East
• Challenges of Tomorrow’s Leadership in the Middle East

SPHERE OF INFLUENCE
Who shapes Ruth's thinking and inspires her work?

• David Ben Gurion, founder and former Prime Minister of the State of Israel
• Mr. Shimon Peres, current President of the State of Israel and Ruth's direct boss, and mentor
• Nelson Mandela, who fearlessly lead the South African people through change while supporting them through the ensuing challenges
• Bernard Henri Levi, philosopher and prominent public figure
• Edward Said, Arab thinker, philosopher and man of the book
• Naguib Mahfouz, Ruth's favorite author. She particularly loves The Trilogy, which is an insider’s guide to Egyptian society and mentality, as it used to be
• Eli Amir, a contemporary Jewish Israeli author of Iraqi origin

RECOMMENDED READING
What's on Ruth's must-read list?

• Robin Sharma: several of his works on positive thinking, giving of oneself and setting out personal goals for success
• Every novel of Eli Amir
• Naguib Mahfouz’s Trilogy
• The Book of Psalms, which in Ruth’s view lends a deeper comprehension of Jewish wisdom
• The Quran, Ruth believes that this Holy book of Islam is an imperative read in order to gain a deeper and more sincere understanding of the Islamic world

MIND FUEL
Which blogs, web sites, and industry events does Ruth tap into to feed her mind and fuel her creativity?

The New York Times, The Washington Post, Foreign Affairs, and Ha’aretz

In addition, Ruth reads Inter-Arab press daily, such as Sharq El-Awsat, Elhayat

She aslo enjoys following young Arab bloggers (one example is a progressive Egyptian young woman, Mona Eltahami).

OUTREACH
What are Ruth's pressing questions, and on which topics does she seek your feedback?

• How to bring about a sustainable, viable and workable Israeli-Arab peace?
• The “Day After” Iran’s nuclear capabilities…
• How to achieve stability and strength for Egypt, in order to preserve its hegemony in the region, which is key to Israeli security and well-being?