In his address on Sunday at the opening of the conference of the International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists (IJL), President Isaac Herzog, himself a lawyer, praised the work of Jewish lawyers in combating antisemitism and lies about Israel.
“We are seeing an expanding cycle of prominent entities, governments, NGOs, media outlets, politicians, and influencers investing infinite resources in indoctrinating the lies about the Jewish people and the world’s only Jewish democratic state,” he said.
“We are seeing our enemies exhibit their distorted view of Israel, and lecture the free world with vile, false allegations against us, while completely overlooking truth, fact, and reality.”
Looking out at the large gathering of distinguished lawyers and jurists from around the world who were seated in Jerusalem’s Museum of Tolerance, Herzog remarked that it is no coincidence that IJL has a special consultative status at the United Nations.
IJL’s reputation and legal expertise, he continued, have informed and influenced international discourse, proving particularly significant for legal matters involving Israel and its worldwide family.
Herzog attributed this to the fact that, in the eyes of the international community, Israel is the focal point of nearly every debate concerning human rights and the rule of law “as a single issue that plagues the family of nations.”
He surmised that the distorted views shared of Israel and the false allegations against it and the Jewish people could be considered antisemitism, as those who repeat them completely overlook truth, fact, and reality.
“The reality is that, for three years, Israel has been embroiled in a war we did not seek, in civilian terrain of our enemies’ choosing,” he said, adding that Israel had no choice other than to defend itself, “despite being dragged into an urban battlefield, forcing us to combat terrorists in schools and hospitals just to keep our borders and people safe and bring our hostages back home.”
Herzog recalled that it was his great-uncle, Sir Hersch Lauterpacht – a Holocaust survivor who prosecuted Nazis at the Nuremberg trials – who was the first to formulate the legal definition of Crimes Against Humanity.
Herzog warns of collapse of the post-Holocaust world order
Based on current disruptions in geopolitics, Herzog warned of a collapse of the post-Holocaust world order, which includes an aggressive delegitimization of Israel by international institutions and a dangerously violent assault on world Jewry.
Turning to Israel’s recent elections, Herzog noted that the pillars of democratic life must be strengthened through foundational judicial cornerstones.
Israel’s ultimate task is to ensure that the state remains rooted in the ideals on which it was founded, he said, listing security, freedom, Jewish pride, democracy, and a commitment to upholding rights for all.
He also emphasized that, on the “day after” the war, Israel must continue to pursue peace agreements with its neighbors.
“At this moment, your role is particularly important,” Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion told conference participants, citing the chilling reality that Jewish students outside of Israel cannot study in safety. He said that it is the duty of IJL members to defend Jewish communities and institutions.
US Ambassador Mike Huckabee, who is, as he pointed out, neither Jewish nor a lawyer, noted that, as an American, he is very proud that his country’s embassy is in Jerusalem, the capital of the State of Israel.
In acknowledging that God gave the land and the law to the Jewish people, Huckabee said that Western civilization would not have evolved without the foundation of Jewish law, which details human beings’ rights and responsibilities.
Huckabee: Israel is America's 'partner' in fight against our enemies
On the subject of US-Israel relations, Huckabee said that the United States has many allies around the world, “but Israel is our partner. Israel is our ally and partner to fight not against each other but with each other, against our enemies. We are partners not just for now but forever.”
The three-day conference includes discussions, interviews, and workshops on Iran, terror, illicit financing, the legal tool-chest for combating antisemitism, peace initiatives, business boycotts, and the targeting of Israeli companies and investors.
Other workshops include Judging and Justice in the Hebrew Bible, International Law and the New World Order, antisemitism on university campuses, confronting antisemitism in an era of social media and AI, and teaching Holocaust and law.
The IJL was founded in 1969 by Israeli Justice Haim Cohn, US Justice Arthur Goldberg, and French Nobel Peace Prize laureate Rene Cassin. Its mission was to fight racism, antisemitism, and xenophobia, and to advance human rights and promote international cooperation based on the rule of law.
The current president of IJL is Meir Linzen, the chairman of Herzog, Fox, & Neeman, the law firm established by Chaim Herzog, Israel’s sixth president and the father of the state’s current president.