Modern Legal Education in Palestine: The Clinical Programs of Hebron University

Abstract

From 1948 until 1994, Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza had no law school; lawyers and judges received their legal training mainly from Europe or in neighboring countries, notably Egypt and Jordan. In 1986, an ambitious LLB program launched at Hebron University and lasted for one year only due to an Israeli military commander’s decision to close down the initiative. It was not until after the establishment of the Palestinian Authority in 1994 that Palestinians were able to open their first law school. The three inaugural law professors, although employed by Hebron University, moved the school to Al-Quds University in the Jerusalem area, as the Hebron campus was still prohibited from teaching law while under Israeli control until 1996. The ban lasted until Israeli troops withdrew from portions of Hebron in 1997. Twenty years after the attempt to open Hebron law faculty, there are now twelve universities in Palestine teaching law. Half of them host legal clinics and the rest are on their way to setting up new clinics. In chapter 11, Mutaz Qafisheh tells the story of modern legal education in Palestine, describing in detail the Hebron University clinical programs over the past five years.