BREAKING THE DEADLOCK: MAKING PEACE THE HUMAN RIGHTS-LED WAY

As an Oxford Thatcher Scholar, Mathew Madain (2019 MSc, Somerville College) deepened his knowledge of the political, diplomatic, and social history of the contemporary Middle East. Now, he uses his historical expertise and policy insight to support the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in its work to create a paradigm shift in U.S. – and global – engagement with Israel-Palestine.

With renowned scholars at the Oxford Middle East Centre, Mathew examined the records of the Foreign Office on the post-war Middle East, culminating in a dissertation on the reign of King Talal of Jordan. With its emphasis on diplomatic support to the Hashemite monarchy in Amman, it assessed a foundational era in the strengthening of Anglo-Jordanian partnership and charted the growth of U.S. regional influence during this period. This research coincided with in-depth studies on the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict and critical assessments of the approaches of successive U.S. administrations to Israel-Palestine.

In the summer of 2021, Mathew interned with the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on the European and Eurasian regional portfolio in the months preceding the withdrawal from Afghanistan and the invasion of Ukraine. His work on the Committee promoted the strengthening of Transatlantic bonds, democratic governance, and the robust protection of human rights. These formative experiences – with his training at Somerville – led Mathew to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. As a Research Analyst in the Washington D.C. headquarters, he provides timely reports on political developments and geopolitical change in the Middle East and North Africa for officials and the policy community.

With violence once again engulfing the Holy Land, the imperative for U.S. and global engagement towards peacebuilding has never been clearer. At this juncture when the prospect for a diplomatic breakthrough is moribund, mediation should prioritize safeguarding the rights of both Israelis and Palestinians and addressing structural barriers to conflict resolution. Through upholding accountability to international law for all parties, international actors may best advance a just and enduring political solution, one that promotes the human dignity and security of both Israelis and Palestinians. Understanding the threats facing civil society, regionally and globally, is further crucial towards achieving a rights-based peace in the region. His robust training in history frequently shapes his approaches to policy research. Questions of global peace will remain at the forefront of Mathew’s future engagements