Bridging the Gap, Renewing the Promise: International law and global solidarity in the Palestinian quest for justice

International law has long held out the promise of peace and justice for the Palestinian people. Yet the gap between that promise and its implementation remains uneven across nations, what some commentators have referred to as 'Justice for Some'. 

This event examines that gap not as a story of failure alone but as a call to renew the commitment that international law represents, namely, that no people shall be denied self-determination, protection and recourse to justice. 

Palestine’s recourse to justice under international law reveals both the possibilities and the challenges inherent in the promise of peace and justice that international law represents and which global solidarity efforts seek to amplify and mobilize. Despite several legal determinations on the Question of Palestine achieved in recent years, such as three landmark Advisory Opinions of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2004, 2024 and 2025, inter alia, that reaffirmed the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, protection from prolonged occupation, and the illegality of Israel’s occupation, and solidarity actions, the failure to implement is jarring. 

In spite of what international law has already committed regarding Palestine, trust in international law and the law-based international order has been undermined. To restore faith generally in the effectiveness of international law and enforcement institutions, as vividly illustrated regarding the Question of Palestine, the gap between the legal framework and its enforcement must be bridged.

During this talk, legal experts and figures of authority in international law will address this gap and share their insights on how we can restore the faith in international law.

Panellists

• Professor Marcel Brus, University of Groningen
• Professor Marieke de Hoon, University of Amsterdam
• Dr Giulia Pinzauti, Leiden University
• Dr Federica Violi, Erasmus School of Law,  Erasmus University Rotterdam
• Dr Jeff Handmaker, International Institute of Social Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam

The discussion will be moderated by Professor Sanne Taekema, Erasmus School of Law.

The panel discussion will be followed by a Q&A.