Law and the War in Gaza

Law and the War in Gaza was a two-part event that examined the intersection of human rights, the rule of law, and regional conflict as tension skyrockets in the Gaza strip.

Part I — What law governs the conduct of parties to the war?

November 29, 2023

Cicero famously said that in war, law is silent. But, while that may have been true in Cicero’s time, it is not the case today. Over the last century, international law has developed to govern when states can lawfully go to war and, when they do, how they are permitted to act. There are many complex issues surrounding the war in Gaza right now. As lawyers and future lawyers, one way we can grapple with these issues is to understand the law that governs the conduct of the parties to armed conflict. Part I of “Law and the War and Gaza” consisted of on a discussion with two experts about these legal frameworks and how they apply to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Speakers:

Elisa Massimino (moderator), Human Rights Institute Executive Director and Visiting Professor

Michael Meier, Adjunct Professor of Law; Senior Civilian Adviser, the Army Judge Advocate General

Lakmini Seneviratne, Operational Legal Coordinator at International Committee of the Red Cross – ICRC

Part II — What law and policy governs U.S. military assistance to Israel?

March 27, 2024

While the United States is not actively participating in the hostilities in Gaza, it provides billions of dollars in assistance to the Israeli military every year—more than any other country in the world. Five months into the war, with rampant destruction of civilian infrastructure and a shocking number of civilian casualties, what responsibility does the United States have to ensure that its military assistance is not used to commit serious violations of international law? Part II of “Law and the War in Gaza” continued our discussion of the legal framework for the war in Gaza, with a focus on U.S. law and policy on civilian harm and arms transfers to Israel.

Elisa Massimino (moderator), Executive Director and Visiting Professor of Law, Human Rights Institute, Georgetown Law

Josh Paul, Former Director, Bureau of Political Military Affairs, U.S. Department of State; Non-resident Fellow, Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN)

Natalie Davidson, Visiting Professor of Law, Georgetown Law; Senior Lecturer, Buchmann Faculty of Law, Tel Aviv University

Annie Shiel, U.S. Advocacy Director, Center for Civilians in Conflict

Cob Blaha, former Director, Office of Security and Human Rights, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, Department of State

Watch the video for Part II Below: