International Law and Israel-Palestine

In 1993, the Israelis and the Palestinians signed a Declaration of Principles initiating a peace process that promised to deliver a solution to the Israeli– Palestinian conflict within five years. Nearly 20 years later, the peace process is in tatters and the prospects of a peace agreement between the parties have never seemed bleaker. The failure to reach a political settlement on issues such as refugees, Jerusalem and settlements, which also have a strong international legal dimension, has given rise to a range of questions about the role of international law in the Israeli–Palestinian peace process and in peace processes more generally. This subject explores these questions critically and comparatively with reference to other conflicts, including East Timor, Western Sahara and Cyprus. In addition to her academic work, the lecturer has direct practical experience of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and has lived in the Gaza Strip, working with a human rights organisation.