The Pepperdine School of Law hosted the eighth National Convention of the Jewish Law Students Association (JLSA) at the Villa Graziadio Executive Center on Sunday. The convention was made possible through a collaborative effort among the Diane and Guilford Glazer Institute for Jewish Studies the Pepperdine chapter of the JLSA and the School of Law. ? The convention featured panelists specializing in law and Jewish studies who discussed the current controversies in Israel and how international law affects the state.? Harvard Law professor Alan M. Dershowitz delivered the keynote speech on the topic “The Goldstone Rebuttal and Israel’s Haiti Relief Efforts to the smallest audience of his career; normally, Dershowitz speaks in front of thousands of people. Time magazine has called him the top lawyer of last resort in the country”— a sort of judicial “St. Jude” and a “legal star.”? Dershowitz has won more than 100 cases throughout his 35 years as a lawyer and he has represented high-profile cases such as O.J. Simpson Mike Tyson and Patricia Hearst. ? While addressing many topics Dershowitz touched on the Goldstone Report as well as the progress the state of Israel has made. ? The Goldstone Report established by the United Nations Human Rights Council accused both Palestinian militants and Israeli Defense Forces of war crimes pertaining to their involvement in the Gaza conflict.? According to Dershowitz errors in the Goldstone Report have caused problems for Israel.? “It is only looking at Israel’s faults and problems he said in his speech. I don’t know why anyone takes seriously the evidence of this report.” ? He cited some of the Report’s many repercussions as complicating peace with the Islamic world and encouraging the terrorist group Hamas.? Dershowitz also spoke about the tremendous progress Israel has made while establishing itself as a nation. He said Israel has made strains to protect the lives of its citizens during the recent terror attacks.? “No country in history of the world has accomplished what Israel has in 60 years he said.? According to Dershowitz, due to the constant terror attacks in Israel, the state knows how to deal with disaster— something that has positively impacted other nations. Israel was the first country to get to Haiti Dershowitz said.? The audience acknowledged Dershowitz with multiple standing ovations.? A panel titled, How Israel Has Affected and Been Affected by International Law also took the floor at the convention. The panel included Paul Dubinsky, professor at Wayne State University; Avi Bell, professor at the University of San Diego and Bruce Einhorn, professor at the Pepperdine School of Law.? The panel discussed the role of international law, which Bell defined as the agreed-upon rules among states.? One couldn’t imagine Israel as prosperous as it is today without international law Dubinsky said.? Dubinsky also explained why international law is unpopular amongst Israelis.? There is not international law— only a veneer cover of power. ? “I think Israelis genuinely view the body of law being externally imposed on them Dubinsky said. International law is created by states and organizations that don’t understand Israel’s predicaments.”? According to Einhorn the United Nations has focused its attention negatively on Israel. ? “Six out of 10 emergency sessions were focused on Israel he said.? I do not see a full normalization of Israel’s situation in the world until Israel comes to a different relationship with international law in general Dubinsky said.? Students met the convention with enthusiasm. This conference is a tremendous opportunity in our community to highlight these events which are going on in Israel right now Eyal Aharono, president of JLSA, said.? According to Pepperdine professor of Jewish law and panelist Samuel Levine, The conference was driven by the law students at Pepperdine.” ? Dean Kenneth Starr also played a key role in supporting the convention as he and Levine traveled to Israel last summer and taught a course on Jewish Christian and Islamic legal traditions at Bar-Ilan University School of Law.? Students also seemed to appreciate the event. “I thought it was wonderful law student Matthew Taylor said. It was fantastic to hear his arguments on behalf of Israel.”? The conference succeeded in bringing members from the Jewish community together to speak about the current issues in Israel.? “It was very informative and intimate Jasmine Duel, co-president of JLSA at Loyola Marymount, said. I think it’s great that a Christian school has a Jewish conference. It promotes tolerance.”