Legal Encounter Discusses Commercial Courts and Judicial Reform

Key stakeholders met through the Birzeit University Institute of Law and Faculty of Law and Public Administration, which organized a joint legal encounter on “The Reform of the Palestinian Judiciary: The Commercial Courts as an Example.”

 Invitees included members of the Palestinian legal community, including commercial law specialists and law students. Welcoming them, Faculty of Law and Public Administration Dean Asem Khalil highlighted the significance of institute-sponsored legal encounters and their role in developing the legal environment in Palestine.

Chief Justice and Chairman of the High Judicial Council Farid al Jallad, spoke at the event, saying that  improvement of the Palestinian judicial system is a priority for the justice sector and should ultimately enhancing the Palestinian legal environment. Chief Justice Jallad explained that development of the Palestinian judicial system should take account of the available national resources.

Recently, the Palestinian Judicial Authority has recognized the need for specialized judicial branches, including a focus on commercial and bank-related cases. As such, the Higher Judicial Council has already started to establish specialized judicial bodies. Dedicated chambers are now functioning within the courts, delivering dispositions on labor disputes and juvenile delinquency cases, for example. This development has contributed dramatically to summary adjudication and saves time and effort.

Minister of Justice Ali Muhanna also contributed, articulated his vision of establishing a specialized commercial court. “Palestine has gone through an extraordinary experience and has, therefore, extraordinary instruments to overcome challenges to further development,” he said. He inquired as to the current Palestinian capacity to promote investment through an enabling environment.

 “What role does the Palestinian Judicial Authority play in attracting foreign investments?” Minister Muhanna asked, “How can judicial practice improve investors’ trust of the Palestinian justice sector?” 

Delivering concluding remarks, Birzeit University Professor of Commercial Law Mohammed ‘Ureiqat argued that a specialized commercial court would positively impact the Palestinian economy. He also said that chambers of commerce and industry should be duly represented in this prospective court. 

 The legal encounter was organized with support from Konrad Adenauer Stiftung ‒ Ramallah Office.