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Joel M. Margolis

AAJLJ Legal Commentator

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Sep 1, 2026, 7:30 PM

Another International Jewish Conspiracy?

The notion that an international Jewish conspiracy controls the US government is, by definition, antisemitic. Yet that is exactly the message of the new book, Israel’s Lobby: America in the Grip of a Foreign Power, by Eli Clifton and...

Dec 4, 2025, 1:38 PM

How to Preserve Israel’s QME

How to Preserve Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge On Tuesday, November 18th President Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reached an agreement in principle which deepened the US-Saudi defense partnership. The agreement made Saudi Arabia a “major non-NATO ally”...

Aug 7, 2025, 12:01 AM

Palestinian Self-Determination vs Statehood

On July 28th, Saudi Arabia and France began a conference of world leaders to solicit global recognition for a “State of Palestine.” They hope the sovereign status will justify a follow-up meeting in September, when the attendees may adopt...

Jun 13, 2025, 7:01 PM

The Futility of Recognizing a Palestinian State

On June 17th the UN will hold a conference to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, perhaps by recognizing a “State of Palestine.” However, for practical and legal reasons the initiative is bound to fail. The Jewish people attained statehood through Israel’s...

May 30, 2025, 10:28 PM

Israel’s Legal Options to Deal with Syria

The overthrow of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in December created a dangerous power vacuum. Actions to fill this void were attempted by Assad loyalists, competing Syrian terrorist groups, Russia, Turkey, and Israel. The range of possibilities for Syria’s future...

Apr 25, 2025, 12:25 AM

The Sharaka Story

Last month I discovered the cure for Muslim hatred of Jews. I attended a seminar hosted by the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington and the American Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists at a law firm in downtown...

Apr 8, 2025, 9:53 AM

Sanctioning All Palestinian Terror Groups

Two weeks ago, the U.S. Congress made progress towards the goal of designating all Palestinian terrorist groups as foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs). Amidst the heightened media focus on Hamas, the most powerful Palestinian terrorist organization, readers of the news may...

Feb 25, 2025, 6:36 AM

When College Antisemitism Breaks the Law

The First Amendment is not a complete defense for pro-Palestinian protestors in American colleges. The number of violent pro-Palestinian demonstrations over the war in Gaza that roiled U.S. colleges has declined significantly in this academic year. Universities have improved their...

Jan 14, 2025, 3:09 AM

Is Syria Still a State?

According to the 1933 Montevideo Convention, a community that claims to be a state may legally constitute a state only if it meets four criteria: a permanent population; a defined territory; an effective government; and the capacity to sign...

Oct 2, 2024, 1:03 AM

No, Mr. Panetta, the Radio Bombs Were Legal

The Hezbollah terrorist organization recently suffered a severe military setback with astonishingly few civilian casualties. And it was done by the book. Two weeks ago, numerous one-way and two-way radios exploded in Lebanon and Syria. The detonations killed or maimed...

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About Me

Joel M. Margolis is the legal commentator of the American Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists, the US affiliate of the International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists. He is the author of The Israeli-Palestinian Legal War.