Conflict Resolution and Mediation- the International Program

This course introduces the role of international law in armed conflict and its relationship to conflict resolution, using Israel’s recent multi-front war - spanning Gaza, Lebanon, Iran, and beyond - as a reference point. The course approaches law and force not as opposites but as points along the same continuum, and asks throughout: in what ways does international law, and the law of armed conflict in particular, shape how armed conflicts are conducted, and does it contribute to their resolution?

The course provides theoretical background on the basic rules and principles of key areas of international law, including the normative sources of international law, the Law of Armed Conflict, the prohibition on the use of force (jus ad bellum), and the law governing the conduct of hostilities (jus in bello). It will examine how these rules have played out across Israel’s recent conflicts.

By the end of the course, students should have an overview of the primary topics in international law (sources, actors, and substantive fields), an understanding of the legal and diplomatic mechanisms through which armed conflicts are paused, managed, or resolved, and a grounded understanding of the international-legal dimensions of the conflicts involving Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran.