Last week’s conference on "Hamas, the Gaza War, and Accountability under International Law" responded to accusations that Israel violated international law and perpetrated war crimes during Operation Cast Lead in Gaza earlier this year. According to JPost, three key speakers said that Israel must continue to abide by international law, but noted that the law needs to, and eventually will, adjust itself according to the real-world experiences and needs of the countries that create it.

"You have to reach a situation in which the practical experience of the nations will lead to solutions to legal problems," said Tel Aviv University law Professor Yoram Dinstein. "It takes time for this practice to consolidate." He noted that reality has already influenced the relationship between international law and terrorism, pointing to changes caused by the al-Qaida terror attacks on September 11, 2001. Many speakers called on Israel to present its case before most international forums and not to assume that it was useless to try to convince foreign representatives of Israel's position.