When: Wednesday, November 15, 2023

Where: The National Press Club

529 14th St. NW, 13th Floor, First Amendment Room

Washington, D.C. 20045

Event Synopsis

The ongoing conflict in Palestine and Israel has garnered significant attention across the globe since October 7th. Although political and media circles are focused on the Gaza Strip other factors are at play including the situation in surrounding kibbutzim and Tel Aviv, emboldened settler incursions into neighboring villages, operations in the West Bank, as well as the role of regional and international powers. We have assembled a panel of notable experts and professionals to analyze editorial coverage of the conflict which has been subject to scrutiny with allegations of bias in favor of either party. Simultaneously, there have been allegations of serious war crimes which have been offset by declarations of the right to self-defense either of a sovereign state or an occupied people as referenced in Article 51 of the UN charter, Article 27 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, and United Nations General Assembly Resolution 37/43 (1982).

Panel I: Media Coverage & Editorial Accountability

Miko Peled is considered by many to be one of the clearest voices calling for justice in Palestine, support of the Palestinian call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS), and the creation of a single democracy with equal rights in all of historic Palestine. Miko is also a contributor to several online publications including the Mint Press, The Electronic Intifada, Democracy Now, and Mondoweiss, and has been invited to speak all over the world.

James Zogby is the founder and president of the Arab American Institute (AAI), a Washington, D.C.–based organization that serves as a political and policy research arm of the Arab-American community. He is also the managing director of Zogby Research Services, LLC. Zogby is featured frequently on national and international media as an expert on Middle East affairs. In 2010, Zogby published the highly-acclaimed book, Arab Voices.

Ryan Grim is The Intercept’s D.C. Bureau Chief and the host of the podcast Deconstructed. He authors the newsletter Bad News and was previously the Washington bureau chief for HuffPost, where he led a team that was twice a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, and won once.

Laila Al-Arian is an executive producer for Fault Lines. Prior to joining Fault Lines, Laila worked for AJE for four years, covering everything from Guantanamo Bay’s youngest detainee to the re-settlement of Iraqi refugees in the U.S

Hafez Al Mirazi (Moderator) is a Columnist, Independent Broadcaster, and Professor of Practice in television journalism. He’s currently a columnist at Al Manassa, an Egyptian news website, writer and media critic, and host of YouTube shows, including his current series “On Gaza from Washington.”

Panel II: International Law and the Case for War Crimes

Bruce Fein is a nationally and internationally renowned constitutional lawyer, scholar, and writer. Currently, Fein serves as the President and founder of the law firm, Bruce Fein and Associates Inc. He makes regular appearances on national television and radio, including MSNBC, FOX News, C-Span, BBC, Reuters, and NPR.

Sarah Leah Whitson is the Executive Director of DAWN. Previously, she served as executive director of Human Rights Watch's Middle East and North Africa Division from 2004 – 2020, overseeing the work of the division in 19 countries, with staff located in 10 countries.

Emily Schaeffer Omer-Man is a human rights litigator with over 15 years practice challenging policies and practices of the Israeli occupation in Israeli and foreign courts and representing human rights defenders denied access to Israel and Palestine. She is currently a Lecturer and specialist in International Humanitarian Law, International Criminal Law, and International Human Rights Law at American University.

Bruce DelValle (Moderator) is the founder and principal shareholder of DelValle Law PLLC. Mr. DelValle often appears in various international courts and tribunals in matters relating to genocide, voting irregularities, and crimes against humanity. Mr. DelValle is also considered a constitutional law expert and often represents various international and domestic clients on matters concerning individual civil rights, freedom of speech and of the press, human rights, and constitutional law litigants.

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Decoding the War on Gaza