Arab-Israeli Conflict: Problems, Struggles & Solutions

     The Arab-Israeli conflict, which has been going on for more than 60 years, began after the state of Israel gained its independence. At the root of the conflict, is a struggle for self governance and land rights; the Arabs believe the land belongs to them and that they should therefore have the right to govern themselves, whereas the Israelis believe that they deserve the land and its rights. Over the years, the conflict has worsened as both Palestinian and Israeli leadership continue to intervene, in hopes to come to an agreement. Although the majority of Palestinians and Israelis believe in the peace process, small extremist groups such as the democratically elected Hamas who deny the right of Israel to exist and the Israeli settlers who occupy Palestinian land and believe they should not be forced to leave refuse to compromise. With the likelihood of any successful peace talks happening soon deteriorating, the Arab-Israeli conflict has grabbed the attention of many and is by far one of the most relevant, controversial topics of our time, as we continue to strive for peace in the Middle East.

—Sarah Fadel and Sasha Engel-Hercz


     Berl Nadler is partner of Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, one of Canada's leading law firms, where he conducts a wide-ranging business law practice in that firm's Toronto and New York offices. Mr. Nadler has been recognized as a leading lawyer in The Best Lawyers in Canada, the Lexpert®/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada, the Lexpert® Guide to the Leading US/Canada Cross Border Lawyers in Canada and the Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory. He is also listed in Who's Who in Canada. In addition to his practice, Mr. Nadler is a frequent speaker at professional conferences and has published articles and papers on a wide range of legal topics. He was for a number of years an Adjunct Professor at Osgoode Hall Law School.

     Mr. Nadler is a member of the Executive Committee of the Canada-Israel Committee, and previously served on the Boards of the UJA Federation of Toronto, the Canadian Jewish Congress and the POGO Childhood Cancer Charitable Council. He was also the President of the B'nei Akiva High Schools of Toronto.

     Mr. Nadler received his B.C.L and LL.B. degrees from the Faculty of Law, McGill University, and an LL.M. from the Harvard Law School. Prior to joining Davies, he was a legal advisor in the Constitutional, International and Administrative Law Section of the Canadian Department of Justice and worked as a foreign associate with Shearman & Sterling in New York City.

—Berl Nadler, Partner (Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP)

Noura Erakat

     Noura Erakat is a Palestinian attorney and activist. She is currently an adjunct professor of international human rights law in the Middle East at Georgetown University and the Legal Advocacy Coordinator for the Badil Center for Palestinian Refugee and Residency Rights. Most recently she served as Legal Counsel for a Congressional Subcommittee in the House of Representatives. Prior to her time on Capitol Hill, Noura received a New Voices Fellowship to work as the national grassroots organizer and legal advocate at the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation where she helped seed BDS campaigns nationally as well as support the cases brought against two former Israeli officials in U.S. federal courts for alleged war crimes. Prior to attending law school, she helped launch the divestment campaign along with the Students for Justice in Palestine at UC Berkeley. Noura holds law and undergraduate degrees from the University of California at Berkeley. She has worked and studied in Israel and Palestine: she interned at Adalah: The Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel; studied at Hebrew University; and volunteered in Palestinian refugee camps throughout the West Bank and Lebanon. She has helped to initiate and organize several national formations including AMWAJ-Arab Women Arising for Justice and the U.S. Palestinian Popular Conference. She currently serves on the Board of Split this Rock and the Trans-Arab Research Institute. Noura has appeared on Fox's "The O' Reilly Factor," NBC's "Politically Incorrect," MSNBC, and Al-Jazeera Arabic and English. Her publications include: "Litigating the Arab-Israeli Conflict: The Politicization of U.S. Federal Courts" in the Berkeley Law Journal of Middle Eastern and Islamic Law and "Arabiya Made Invisible: Between the Marginalization of Agency and the Silencing of Dissent" in a Syracuse Press anthology. Noura spent the Spring 2010 academic semester in Beirut, Lebanon where she is working with a human rights attorney on a several issues including administrative detention of Iraqi refugees.

—Noura Erakat, Professor (Georgetown University)