The Middle East After Two Elections: Challenges and Prospects
Event | Registration opens 10/22/2026 12:00 AM
In May of this year, Ambassador Fred Hof joined us to share his experiences in conducting an unofficial (Track II) mediation between Israel and Lebanon. He is returning to update us on the status of this project, its possible expansion, and to discuss the Middle Eastern regional implications of two elections: Israel’s on October 27th, and America’s on November 3rd. A former U.S. Army officer and State Department diplomat, Ambassador Hof will focus his remarks on American interests, objectives, and strategy in a region where the linkage between waging war and seeking achievable political goals often seems weak or nonexistent.
This event is open to Bard LLI members and non-members alike. Please join us on November 5 at 2:00 p.m. in Bertelsmann Campus Center Multi-Purpose Room. LLI members must register on ProClass. Non-members may contact Mary McClellan to register.
Frederic C. Hof
Presenter
Ambassador Frederic C. Hof was an Army officer (Vietnam veteran), diplomat, private sector CEO, think tank executive, and professor. He served as a military attaché in civil war Lebanon and later as the mediator between Syria and Israel from 2009-2011. He is the author of Reaching for the Heights: The Inside Story of a Secret Attempt to Reach a Syrian-Israeli Peace (U.S. Institute of Peace, 2022). Among his awards from the Departments of State and Defense is the Purple Heart.
Robert Beaury
Producer
Robert Beaury, MS, (LLI) is a retired high school social studies teacher and college adjunct. He earned a BA in history and political science from Hunter College and an MS in education from Sage Graduate Schools. He has presented courses at LLI in history and government since 2019.
Mary McClellan
Producer, Class Manager