Vice Rector of Bar Ilan University, former Dean of the Faculty of Law; Jean Monnet Professor of EU Law & Institutions. Experienced arbitrator, especially in international disputes. Member of seven different World Trade Organization dispute settlement panels in trade disputes between the US, EU, China, Russia, Indonesia and Malaysia; Member of the ICSID Panel of Conciliators and Arbitrators; former Chairman of Israel’s Anti-Dumping and Countervailing Duty Tribunal; Standing Arbitrator in Tel-Aviv’s Red Line Subway Line construction project. Specializes in International Economic Law, EU Law and Arbitration. Has authored over 50 academic books and articles on topics ranging from Commercial Arbitration, International Trade Law, Public Procurement Law, European Union Law, International Investment Law, Energy Law; Competition Law and Torts.

Adv. Benjamin Zelmanovich is an expert in the field of planning and construction law.  Since 2016 he has served as chairman of the Board of Appeals under the Planning and Construction Law. In his current role, Benjamin hears and decides appeals concerning licensing, taxation, economic and appraisal aspects of construction projects and infrastructure projects. Prior to his current position, Benjamin served as planning and construction legal coordinator at the office of the Ministry of Interior. As part of his role, Benjamin served as legal advisor to the Committee on Planning Issues, the Tel Aviv District Committee and the National Infrastructure Committee. Benjamin teaches planning and construction law in academic institutions and lectures at conferences of the Israeli Bar Association and the Real Estate Association in Israel. Benjamin holds a law degree (LLB) from Tel Aviv University, and was the editor of the Tel Aviv University Law Review.

Head of the Federmann School of Public Policy and Governance and a member at the Department of Geography at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem. She earned her PhD from the Free University of Amsterdam and spent a year as a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government. Her main research interests include transport public policy, urban policy and environmental policy, as well as public involvement in policy processes. She is interested in policy processes and examining different societal, institutional and political aspects of transport policy and the interaction between policy and community.

In 1971, he studied law in the Tel Aviv University (magna cum laude), and was admitted to the Israeli Bar in 1977. He founded the leading law firm, Melcer and Co., specializing in public law, communication law, infrastructure law, and commercial law. He was also responsible for the legal aspects of key infrastructure projects in Israel, such as the Cross-Israel Highway, the Ben-Gurion Airport Terminal 2000 Project, the Israeli initiative for the underwater wire communication cable, the Israeli Civil Satellite, and the Light Railway Project in Tel Aviv. He also lectured in the leading law faculties in Israel. Justice Melcer was appointed as Justice of the Supreme Court of Israel in 2007, and in 2017 he was sworn-in as the Deputy President of the Supreme Court.   On April 12th, 2021, he retired at the age of 70 (mandatory under the Israeli Law).

Mr. Hussam Bishara (CPA) is chairman of TransIsrael Ltd. (Hotze Israel) board of directors. The governmental company is responsible for implementing transportation projects nationwide, such as roads and tracks, including the light rail project from Haifa to Nazareth, in addition to other budget-funded projects, some in collaboration with the private sector (PPP). Mr. Bishara served as chairman of the board of directors of Israel Railways Ltd. He is a partner at RSM Schiff Hazenfertz & Co. accountancy firm, which provides services to both the private sector and the public sector. Mr. Bishara, holds a BA in Accounting and a BA in Economics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Mr. Bishara lectures on auditing and accounting in professional forums.

Former justice at the Magistrates Court, Rishon LeZion (2003-2016). Dealt with cases across the commercial and civil fields including contractual disputes, real estate issues, torts, banking, insurance, construction, disputes between contractors. Arbitrator and mediator at the Center for Arbitration and Dispute Resolution in Tel-Aviv. Head of the Heth Academic Research Center of Competition and Regulation, in the academic division of the College of Management. Lecturer at the law school of the College of Management in various courses dealing with commercial law, competition and regulation and intellectual property. LLD from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem (2004). Thesis paper on “Limiting the Property Right of a Patent Owner with Monopoly Power.” Graduated with Dean Distinction. Fields of research and publications: competition and regulation, intellectual property and franchising.

Mr. Abo rukun is a retired Major General. In his last position he was a member of the General Staff of the IDF and served as the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, where he was in charge of the Israeli- Palestinian’s affairs, as well as the international affairs regarding the territories. In this role he was in charge of infrastructures, housing planning, land allocation and planning committees. Prior to this role, he was chief of civilian administration in the West Bank. Mr. Abo rukun managed teams of hundreds of people and is well experienced in managing projects with large budgets as well as complex time schedules. He holds a BA in Middle Eastern Studies and an MA in International Relations both from Haifa University. In addition, he was trained to be a director in the Israeli Centre for Management.

Adv. Orit Sonn served as the Deputy State Attorney, Civil Division, where she was in charge of managing, leading and representing Israel in legal proceedings. Her decisions influenced legal actions taken by the State of Israel in areas of civil law, including construction and tender laws. She has handled complex issues relating to the distribution of public resources including: the allocation policy of Israel’s Land Authority, tort liability in governmental and public entities, commercial litigation disputes in courts and arbitration, including the most complex infrastructure arbitration proceedings managed on behalf of the State of Israel, class actions, tender and administrative appeals, and leading the legal proceedings of contracts complex infrastructure projects.  Adv. Sonn has also initiated actions to protect the public’s interests and was recognized as a Notable Public Service Officer.  She is a director in corporations that combine business and public interests that are of strategic...

Ms. Hozman Bechor is an experienced CEO of four government ministries, and a skilled director in government and public business entities. She has extensive financial experience in managing budgets of billions of shekels, as well as experience, knowledge and a broad understanding of the way all national and local government systems work. Ms. Hozman Bechor is skilled in leading large and complex projects, and has an in-depth understanding in the areas of regulation, strategic vision, and risk management. Since 2017, she has been the chairwoman of the Ashdod Port, in charge of determining company policy and its annual budget. The Ashdod Port is Israel’s largest port, with revenues of NIS 1.3 billion, and more than 1,300 employees. She is also in charge of the port’s investment budget of approximately NIS 2.5 billion. Between 2015 and 2021, she was a board member at serval public companies.

Mr. Abo-Razak (Tax Partner) is a partner at PWC accounting firm. Prior to working at the firm, he served as the Director General of the Ministry of Interior, Chairman of the National Planning and Construction Council, and Deputy Director of the Tax Authority. Since 2005 he has been serving as the Chairman of the Real Estate Appraiser Examinations Committee — Ministry of Justice. He served as the employee’s representative at the Tel Aviv District Labor Court and studied mediation. Mr. Abo-Razak was a member of the following committees: Committee for the Taxation of the Construction Industry, Committee for the Taxation of Statutory Bodies, and the Tax Planning Committee. Mr. Abo-Razak lectures on taxes at leading Israeli universities. He holds an MA in Public Policy (Hebrew University), a BA in Social Sciences (Open University), and is a qualified accountant and licensed tax advisor. In addition, Mr. Abo-Razak has published multiple books on taxation.

Rachelle Alterman is emeritus (non-retired) professor of urban planning and law at the Technion— Israel Institute of Technology. She is also a senior researcher at the Neaman Institute for National Policy Research. She is the Founding President of the International Academic Association on Planning, Law and Property Rights and Honorary Member of the Association of European Schools of Planning (the only non-European). Her research and extensive publications focus on international comparative analysis of planning laws and institutions, property rights, land and housing policy. She was selected among 16 global “leaders in planning thought” (Routledge 2017). Alterman’s advice (often pro-bono) is frequently sought by UN Habitat, the OECD, the World Bank and Chinese government bodies. In Israel, her opinions are sought by the Knesset (parliament), national and local government agencies, civil society, and the media, and her publications are often cited by the courts.

Mr Hizkiyahu served as the Accountant General at the Ministry of Finance since January 2017 till October 2020. Prior to joining the Ministry, Mr Hizkiyahu held several managerial positions in the public and private sector. He served as Chairman of the First International Bank, and prior to that as the Supervisor of Banks at the Bank of Israel, a position he held from 1/2017 to 12/2010. During his tenure as Supervisor, he faced many challenges spurred by the 2008 Global Financial Crisis. Mr Hizkiyahu stated his professional career at Bank Hapoalim. After several managerial positions, he was appointed as the CEO of the Maritime Bank and then appointed as EVP and Head of the Business Division at Discount Bank. Additionally, he served as a member in several Boards of Directors.   Mr Hizkiyahu holds a B.Sc in Industrial and Management Engineering from the Ben Gurion University.

Mr. Shmuel Slavin is the founder and chairman of Israel’s leading REIT fund, Sella Capital. Mr. Slavin served as a financial advisor to prime minister Shamir and subsequently became the managing director of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. In 1997 he was appointed the managing director of the Ministry of Finance. In addition, he was the chairman of the Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Council. He also served as a public representative in the labour tribunal in the Israeli labour courts (a judicial position) and acted as an arbitrator in disputes involving the government. He holds a BA (Economics and International Relations), as well as an MBA from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

(LLB, BA (Hebrew University of Jerusalem); SJD (University of Toronto), is the Bessie and Michael Greenblatt QC Chair in Public and International Law at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Faculty of Law and Department of International Relations. He specializes in public international law, international economic law, dispute settlement and human rights. He is an Editor of the Journal of International Dispute Settlement (Oxford University Press) and of the Cambridge University Press International Economic and Trade Law book series. He is on the rosters of panelists and arbitrators of several international agreements (the WTO, the Israel-MERCOSUR Free Trade Agreement and Chapter 10 of the Canada-US-Mexico Agreement).