​Each year, PDLI selects approximately 30 Fellows from Yale and West Point to join in a year-long exploration of seemingly insurmountable challenges. Fellows begin their journeys on campus, where they attend PDLI speaker events and conferences aimed at providing a base of knowledge about the Middle East, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and leadership.

Towards the end of each academic year, Fellows participate in the program's centerpiece—a ~10-day joint trip with Yale students and West Point cadets to Israel and the Palestinian Territories. Throughout the Fellowship, not only will Fellows learn about the history and culture of the region, but they will also learn to engage with the highest echelon of decision-makers in the political, business, academic, and military worlds. PDLI strives to achieve a discussion that is both respectful and truly open, which we consider necessary for confronting these complex issues.

After the conclusion of the trip, all fellows are expected to complete a post-trip capstone project applying the insights they have gained to a particular issue within the conflict. Once fellows return to campus in the fall, they take part in reflective discussions about the conflict and the insights they have gained through the fellowship, and help contribute to campus events and programming about these topics.