As the Israel-Palestine conflict continues to erupt into unprecedented levels of violence, its implications extend far beyond the immediate humanitarian and political crisis, with the potential for far reaching implications, not only for a future political process but also on the international rules-based legal order itself. This enduring conflict has yet again brought into sharp relief questions regarding the resilience and utility of international law in the maintenance of international peace and security in line with the UN Charter and the primacy of the rule of law. Our discussion will delve into how the Israel-Palestine conflict engages international legal norms and frameworks and what is required of third states to help ensure the primacy of the international rule of law is brought to bear. It will inform how international law must factor into thinking about day-after scenarios, exploring the pitfalls of failing to adhere to universal application of international law in the crafting of national policy and global diplomacy.

This special event, part of the annual Michael Bell lecture series, comes at a pivotal moment where the Israel-Palestine conflict provides an opportunity to reassess the international community’s commitment to international norms, the United Nations and its affiliated institutions. As these entities navigate geopolitical tensions and complex and growing humanitarian crises in various regions, including Palestine/Israel, their legitimacy and effectiveness come under scrutiny. This situation presents a unique opportunity to critically evaluate the role and influence of UN institutions in maintaining international peace and security, upholding human rights, and promoting justice worldwide. For countries like Canada, which prides itself on a foreign policy that champions the rule of law and multilateralism, these questions are central in considering its engagement in global politics and diplomacy.

We are honored to host a distinguished keynote speaker for this event honoring the memory of Michael Bell. Ardi Imseis is a professor of international law at Queen’s University with deep expertise on Palestine and the United Nations, former Legal Counsel for UNRWA for over a decade, former Member of the UN Human Rights Council commission of inquiry on Yemen, and current Legal Counsel to the state of Palestine at the International Court of Justice will provide the keynote address. He is author of the newly released The United Nations and the Question of Palestine: Rule by Law and the Structure of International Legal Subalternity (Cambridge University Press).