Join ADL NextGen Lawyers and the NGPC Outreach Network for a late happy hour and an intimate with conversation Gadi Ezra, an Israeli human rights attorney and 2016 Forbes Israel's 30 Under 30, about his experiences in the IDF and the difficult dilemmas soldiers face in modern warfare.

Event begins at 8:30pm, right after ADL's Middle East Conference.

Space is limited. RSVP required.

About the Speaker

Gadi Ezra headed the Laws of War desk at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he advised policy makers and diplomats on humanitarian law, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, human rights and sanctions regimes. Gadi has a truly insightful perspective as both a human rights attorney on the one hand, and a soldier in the Israeli Special Forces on the other. He is an experienced public-speaker, has written for well-known Israeli newspapers, and was selected by Forbes Magazine as one of the most influential young leaders in Israel under the age of 30 (the "30 UNDER 30" article is available here). Recently, he was chosen to partake in the Flagship Program of the World Jewish Congress – "The Jewish Diplomatic Corps".

Gadi earned his bachelor and master degrees in law from Tel-Aviv University School of Law, specializing in public law. He then earned his second master in law from New York University School of Law, specializing in the laws of war and human rights. At NYU, Gadi was the first Israeli chosen to deliver the convocation speech on behalf of his classmates at graduation (the video of the speech is available here). Gadi was also selected to clerk directly for the State Attorney of Israel, Mr. Moshe Lador, and to participate in cardinal decision-making processes.

During his studies in Tel-Aviv, Gadi was recruited to fight in Operation Cast Lead, in which his Special Forces unit was among the first infantry units to enter the Gaza Strip. Drawing from his personal experience as well as his strong academic and practical background as a human rights lawyer, Gadi examines the complexities of applying the laws of warfare in actual combat, illustrating modern challenges using first-hand experiences. Gadi’s lecture exemplifies the difficult dilemmas soldiers face in modern warfare, and the high standards applied in the IDF despite lacunas in the law.