Sam Meyerson ’21

Jerusalem Institute of Justice, Israel

I spent this summer working as a legal and public diplomacy intern at the Jerusalem Institute of Justice (JIJ), an Israeli NGO that advocates for human rights and civil justice in Israel and the broader Middle East region. At the JIJ, I worked on three separate projects.

First, I researched the role of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in international law and diplomacy with a fellow intern from the University of Maryland. Using a variety of academic and governmental sources, I studied the legal framework of the ICC and compared it with other international tribunals that have existed since World War II. I examined the ICC’s successes and failures in prosecuting alleged perpetrators of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, or crimes of aggression. I explored the Court’s funding, and other factors that limit its ability to act autonomously. I investigated the perceived bias of the ICC against suspects from African countries and the politicization of several recent rulings. Finally, I applied everything I had learned to evaluate the ICC’s ongoing preliminary examination into alleged war crimes committed by Israeli forces during the 2014 Gaza War (Operation Protective Edge). I hoped to discern whether the ICC’s legal action would jump start the peace process between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) or set back negotiations even further. In total, my research on the ICC reached over 90 pages and the JIJ plans to use it as a key component of a future project.

Second, I studied the finances of Hamas, the Sunni-Islamist group that governs the Gaza Strip, with another intern from Pepperdine University. We hoped to determine how Hamas funds its terrorist activities despite international sanctions and the crippling Israeli and Egyptian blockade of Gaza. Using a variety of official sources, we tracked Hamas’ money trail between 2006 and 2019. The group’s sources of revenue varied greatly by year and included donations from foreign countries such as Turkey, Qatar, and Iran; profits from illegally smuggled foreign goods; and the exploitation of international humanitarian aid intended for Palestinian citizens of Gaza. My research totaled almost 30 pages and will serve as the basis of a comprehensive report that the JIJ will publish at a later date.

Third, I helped to edit a criminal complaint the JIJ filed at the ICC in July 2019 accusing Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, of crimes against humanity against the Palestinian population of Gaza. In this report, the JIJ documented how Hamas authorities operating directly under Haniyeh’s command committed widespread and systematic violence against Gazan civilians. This included torture and beatings such as hanging detainees from the ceiling for extended periods of time, electrocuting prisoners with electric wires, and pouring boiling water over a particular suspect’s face during his arrest. I edited several drafts of the criminal complaint. At each stage, I worked to strengthen the document’s writing and formatting, and to make its arguments more concise. As the JIJ attorneys prepared to submit the complaint to the ICC, they consulted me to ensure that their writing accurately described the evidence and convincingly supported their claims.

While working on each of these three projects was thrilling, the highlight of my internship was meeting and getting to know my supervisors and fellow interns. The JIJ is a small NGO and I was fortunate to work closely with Attorney Uri Morad, COO Lydia Morgan, and CEO Flavia Sevald. Morad, Morgan, and Sevald were each incredibly dedicated to the organization and to the causes of human rights and civil justice. They served as extremely valuable professional and personal mentors, and I plan to stay in close contact with them. I also grew very close with the other JIJ interns. 
Four were from the United States, one was Ukrainian, one was Slovakian, and one was Austrian. I was 
inspired by their intelligence and work ethic and feel lucky that I now call several of them close friends.

My growth this summer was not limited to my time at the JIJ; outside of my internship, I extensively explored Jerusalem and traveled to many other cities in Israel. Experiencing Shabbat in Jerusalem was a magical experience that brought me closer to my Jewish roots. In the Old City, I visited the Western Wall, the Temple Mount, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre; and at each site, I felt the profound connection that Jews, Muslims, and Christians feel to Jerusalem. With my roommates and newfound friends, I visited the vibrant, modern metropolis of Tel Aviv, and enjoyed diving into the Red Sea in Eilat. On a weekend retreat to Tzfat, I experienced a mystical Kabbalat Shabbat in the city where the tradition first developed over 500 years ago.

Throughout the summer, I have also gained a much deeper understanding of the peace process in the region. I visited the Syrian border with Israel, where a brutal civil war rages just miles away. I toured Gush Etzion, an Israeli settlement in the West Bank, and met with Israeli and Palestinian peace activists from the organization Roots. With the group J Street U, I toured Silwan, a predominantly Palestinian neighborhood of East Jerusalem, and learned about current injustices in the Jerusalem municipality. I found it inspiring how residents of all backgrounds are fighting for equality despite very trying circumstances.

Celebrating our achievements!

In the two and a half 
months I spent interning at the JIJ and travelling around Israel, I gained a first-hand understanding of international and human rights law and learned how to compose legal argu ments that will stand in court. I also gained a more in-depth understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the many obstacles that currently stand in the way of peace. Overall, my internship was a fascinating experience that has further inspired me to pursue a career in law. As the summer came to a close, I realized that I have gained a deep appreciation for Israel, and the remarkable people who live there. More than ever before, I feel compelled to fight for peace in the most special country I have ever visited.

Now safely back in the United States, I feel deeply thankful for those who made this summer of growth possible. To the Jerusalem Institute of Justice, Onward Israel, the ’68 Center for Career Exploration, and the Class of 1972: thank you from the bottom of my heart. Words cannot sufficiently express my gratitude for your support.