25 Fall 2026 Office of the Prosecutor, and UN commissions of inquiry. This is not Israel’s burden alone, but achieving meaningful reform requires sustained diplomatic investment and coalition-building. Conclusion: The Measure of a Nation The situation is grave, and its consequences are far-reaching. Israel faces a decentralized but mutually reinforcing web of legal, quasi-legal, and political proceedings that threatens to reshape the state’s standing in the international order. This article has surveyed the landscape – from The Hague to domestic courtrooms, from UN resolutions to corporate boardrooms – and suggests concrete steps Israel can and should take to contend with these challenges: uphold compliance with the law; strengthen its democratic institutions; engage rather than retreat; leverage alliances; and equip its advocates abroad. At the front lines of this effort are lawyers in Israel’s public service – in the Foreign Ministry, the IDF’s International Law Department and other departments in the Military Advocate General’s Corps, the Attorney General’s office, and other agencies. They are professional, excellent, and deeply dedicated. Their work, and the independence of the legal system they serve, must be protected and resourced – not undermined from within. Lawyers in Jewish communities worldwide, and other supporters of Israel, have an important role to play as well. They can demand that their own national justice systems retain their integrity and not yield to political pressures disguised as legal proceedings. They can contend with disinformation and incitement in social and traditional media, armed with facts and proper legal arguments. They will often be outnumbered – but truth, well presented, speaks loudly. They can insist that international institutions live up to their founding promises of justice, objectivity, and fairness – promises that ring hollow when applied selectively and weaponized against a single state. And as supporters of Israel, they should also demand that Israel live up to the vision of its own Declaration of Independence: a state “based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel,” one that will “ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race, or sex.” That dual demand – accountability outward and inward – is not a contradiction. It is the very foundation of the rule of law. The prophet Zechariah, speaking to a people rebuilding their commonwealth after destruction and exile, offered words that resonate across the millennia with striking force: “These are the things you shall do: speak truth each one to his neighbor; render judgments of truth and justice in your gates” (Zechariah 8:16). Truth and justice are not merely aspirations – they are obligations, owed equally to those within the gates and to those beyond them. If Israel holds fast to that standard, and demands that others meet it too, it will possess the most durable defense available to any nation: the moral authority that comes from practicing what it preaches.n Dr. Eran Shamir-Borer is the Director of the Center for Security and Democracy at the Israel Democracy Institute. He previously served in a range of positions at the IDF’s International Law Department, including as the Head. He retired at the rank of Colonel. Adv. Ben Wahlhaus is a partner at Herzog, Fox & Neeman. His practice focuses on international corporate transactions and advising governments and corporations in different international matters, including sanctions efforts in various jurisdictions. Prior to Herzog, Ben served for over a decade in the IDF’s International Law Department. Both authors have represented the State in various international proceedings involving Israel. After October 7, 2023, both authors served in reserve duty and participated in different efforts defending Israel internationally, including as members of Israel’s defense team at the International Court of Justice in the Genocide case.
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