The Missing Peace in the Middle East
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Prof. Hilde Henriksen Waage on The ‘True Story’ - Norway and the Oslo Peace Process in the Middle East
Register here, or follow the event via streaming: https://www.uio.no/english/research/domus-bibliotheca/events/2026/peace-and-conflict-lecture/#join
Participation is free of charge.
What is the event about?
Welcome to the Annual Oslo Peace and Conflict Lecture!
Historian and Professor at the University of Oslo and Research Professor at PRIO Hilde Henriksen Waage has been a central scholar of the Middle East and the Oslo peace process, and her work has challenged dominant narratives about Norway’s role as a peace nation. Through extensive archival research, she has repeatedly raised concerns about missing or inaccessible documents related to Norwegian Middle East diplomacy and has called for greater openness as a prerequisite for robust, evidence-based scholarship.
Waage is also a popular lecturer and supervisor at UiO, and she was previously involved in The Master's Degree in Peace and Conflict studies (PECOS) when the program had a separate “History track”. In 2024 she was awarded UiO’s Dissemination Award, and in 2026, she was awarded the Freedom of Expression Prize 2026 by the Fritt Ord Foundation. According to the foundation, Waage received the award for her “critical and courageous research and fearless critique of power over several decades,” as well as her persistent efforts to promote transparency in Norwegian foreign policy.
Program:
▪️16:00: Doors open
▪️16.30: Welcome remarks by Prof. Tore Wig (Head of PECOS)
▪️Lecture by Prof. Hilde Henriksen Waage: The ‘True Story’ - Norway and the Oslo Peace Process in the Middle East
Few adversaries have been enmeshed in a more vicious spiral of hostility than Israel, the Palestinians and their Arab neighbours. Except for the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt (1978) and the peace agreement with Jordan (1994) have countless efforts by individuals, organisations, large and small states to open up direct channels of dialogue ended in failure. The United States has for years been trying to stop the fighting over the land that Israel, the Palestinians and the Arab neighbours claim to be theirs. So has the United Nations.
Why have all mediation attempts between these parties so far proved unsuccessful? What are the conditions that need to be met in order to have a solution that could be tolerated by them? Why isn’t there any ongoing peace process? To what extent is third party intervention necessary or desirable? Have the many failed interventions lacked the necessary skill, the political will, the clout – or all three? Does perhaps the power asymmetry between a strong Israel, on the one hand, and the weak Arab states and Palestinians, on the other, explain the lack of any peaceful outcome?
▪️Panel discussion moderated by Prof. Tore Wig
Participants to be confirmed.
▪️18:30: Doors close
Facilitation during visits:
If you need an elevator or other form of facilitation when visiting us, please call this number when you arrive: +47 90 13 17 55.
🏛️ About Scene Domus Bibliotheca:
Scene Domus Bibliotheca is the University of Oslo's dialogue and communication arena, located at The University Square in downtown Oslo. Here, you can participate in debates, conversations, and listen to exciting lectures.
📢 Curious about what's happening at Scene Domus Bibliotheca?
Subscribe to our newsletter here: https://bit.ly/3IjhJBN, or follow "Universitetet i Oslo - UiO" on Facebook: www.facebook.com/unioslo
You can also find the program for Scene Domus Bibliotheca on our website: https://www.uio.no/english/research/domus-bibliotheca/
Register here, or follow the event via streaming: https://www.uio.no/english/research/domus-bibliotheca/events/2026/peace-and-conflict-lecture/#join
Participation is free of charge.
What is the event about?
Welcome to the Annual Oslo Peace and Conflict Lecture!
Historian and Professor at the University of Oslo and Research Professor at PRIO Hilde Henriksen Waage has been a central scholar of the Middle East and the Oslo peace process, and her work has challenged dominant narratives about Norway’s role as a peace nation. Through extensive archival research, she has repeatedly raised concerns about missing or inaccessible documents related to Norwegian Middle East diplomacy and has called for greater openness as a prerequisite for robust, evidence-based scholarship.
Waage is also a popular lecturer and supervisor at UiO, and she was previously involved in The Master's Degree in Peace and Conflict studies (PECOS) when the program had a separate “History track”. In 2024 she was awarded UiO’s Dissemination Award, and in 2026, she was awarded the Freedom of Expression Prize 2026 by the Fritt Ord Foundation. According to the foundation, Waage received the award for her “critical and courageous research and fearless critique of power over several decades,” as well as her persistent efforts to promote transparency in Norwegian foreign policy.
Program:
▪️16:00: Doors open
▪️16.30: Welcome remarks by Prof. Tore Wig (Head of PECOS)
▪️Lecture by Prof. Hilde Henriksen Waage: The ‘True Story’ - Norway and the Oslo Peace Process in the Middle East
Few adversaries have been enmeshed in a more vicious spiral of hostility than Israel, the Palestinians and their Arab neighbours. Except for the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt (1978) and the peace agreement with Jordan (1994) have countless efforts by individuals, organisations, large and small states to open up direct channels of dialogue ended in failure. The United States has for years been trying to stop the fighting over the land that Israel, the Palestinians and the Arab neighbours claim to be theirs. So has the United Nations.
Why have all mediation attempts between these parties so far proved unsuccessful? What are the conditions that need to be met in order to have a solution that could be tolerated by them? Why isn’t there any ongoing peace process? To what extent is third party intervention necessary or desirable? Have the many failed interventions lacked the necessary skill, the political will, the clout – or all three? Does perhaps the power asymmetry between a strong Israel, on the one hand, and the weak Arab states and Palestinians, on the other, explain the lack of any peaceful outcome?
▪️Panel discussion moderated by Prof. Tore Wig
Participants to be confirmed.
▪️18:30: Doors close
Facilitation during visits:
If you need an elevator or other form of facilitation when visiting us, please call this number when you arrive: +47 90 13 17 55.
🏛️ About Scene Domus Bibliotheca:
Scene Domus Bibliotheca is the University of Oslo's dialogue and communication arena, located at The University Square in downtown Oslo. Here, you can participate in debates, conversations, and listen to exciting lectures.
📢 Curious about what's happening at Scene Domus Bibliotheca?
Subscribe to our newsletter here: https://bit.ly/3IjhJBN, or follow "Universitetet i Oslo - UiO" on Facebook: www.facebook.com/unioslo
You can also find the program for Scene Domus Bibliotheca on our website: https://www.uio.no/english/research/domus-bibliotheca/
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Where is it happening?
Scene Domus Bibliotheca, Oslo, Norway
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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Host or PublisherUniversitetet i Oslo (UiO)
