The Jewish Federation of Ottawa is pleased to join with Jewish Federations across Canada to partner with the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) to co-host CIJA's sixth annual Legal Conference, on March 2, where experts will explore the implications of the Abraham Accords from a legal perspective. 

The Legal Task Force Conference, called the Abraham Accords: A Turning Point in the Legal World, which is sponsored by Soloway Wright, aims to provide answers to the following questions and more: What are the key elements of negotiating bilateral agreements and navigating the different legal systems? How do lawyers from countries party to the Abraham Accords view them? How can the law be used to enhance ties between Israel and the Arab World? What should Canadian lawyers know about the new situation? 

Lawrence Soloway, of Soloway Wright, is the Ottawa chair for the conference and will be introducing the first panel discussion that gives a legal view from behind the scenes of the historic accords. This panel features Dr. Tal Becker, the legal adviser for the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs who was the leading drafter and negotiator in the accords process. It will be moderated by Eta Yudin, Vice-President (Quebec) at CIJA. 

“The accords are historically significant, contribute to Israel’s security, and may well serve as precedents for further agreements with other Arab/Muslim nations,” said Soloway, adding he and his firm are honoured to participate. "My partners at Soloway Wright quickly recognized the importance of the conference and were pleased to sponsor such a significant educational experience.” 

Indeed, the Abraham Accords have fundamentally changed the Middle East. Israel now has peace and normalized relations with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco (in addition to pre-existing treaties with Egypt and Jordan). The ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia are slowly but surely expanding, and Israel has signed a treaty to delineate the maritime border with Lebanon. While the situation between Israel and the Palestinians remains fraught, we can no longer talk about the “Arab-Israeli conflict.”  

The name “Abraham” refers to the biblical father of the faith of the three Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. It’s a symbolic title intended to promote unity between Arabic and Jewish people by recognizing our shared patriarch. 

In other panel discussions, participants will learn more about the United Arab Emirates and their legal system and constitutional framework to help Canadian lawyers navigate the legal, economic, and political environment. There will be an introduction by the Kingdom of Morocco’s Ambassador to Canada, Her Excellency Souriya Otmani on the new set of opportunities as well as Morocco’s Jewish community heritage. The conference will also provide insight into what the accords mean for Israeli Arabs in the legal sector. The Abraham Accords have advanced the integration of Arab Israelis in numerous ways and there will be a panel exploring the role played by Arab Israelis as a bridge or mediator to the countries of the Abraham Accords.  

There will also be a discussion on how the peace negotiations have had an impact on the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement from a human rights perspective with participants learning how businesses and human rights movements can be hijacked by the BDS agenda and how to legally combat these issues. Finally, the conference will discuss what the accords mean for Canadian lawyers in such areas as procurement, corporate law, and immigration. 

Along with the Jewish Federation of Ottawa, this conference is presented jointly with Atlantic Jewish Council, Calgary Jewish Federation, Montreal’s Federation CJA, Hamilton Jewish Federation, Jewish Federation of Edmonton, Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, and UJA Federation of Greater Toronto.  

Sponsorship by the legal firm Soloway Wright means law students can participate in this conference for free. If you are a student interested in participating click here to send an email with your first and last name along with a copy of your student card to receive your registration credentials.  

For more information and to register, visit here.