Sarah Weiss Ma'udi '02 discusses the development of gas resources in the Mediterranean

Sarah Weiss Ma'udi '02Sarah Weiss Ma'udi '02, deputy director of the International Law Department at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, visited NYU Law in October to share her expertise in maritime law, international law relating to natural gas and oil, and Israeli policies regarding its neighboring countries with students.

As part of her visit, Weiss Ma'udi, who negotiated a maritime border agreement with the Republic of Cyprus in 2010 and is currently the head of the Israeli delegation negotiating with that country for the joint development of cross-boundary gas reserves, met with members of the International Law Society. The conversation centered on the discovery of gas in the Eastern Mediterranean and the challenges of figuring out how to divide it in accordance with international law. "We're not talking about simply dividing up pieces of a pie," said Weiss Ma'udi. "It's much more like two people drinking out of the same cup. And beyond the legal and technical complexities of this issue, we cannot ignore the broader political context in which all this is taking place."

While on campus, Weiss Ma'udi also guest-lectured in Professor Robert Howse's class on International Law. There, she examined current issues of maritime law and resource development, using case studies from her own practice. Weiss Ma'udi concluded her visit by participating in a special Q&A session with Professor Eyal Benvenisti's students in his International Law and the Resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict class.

Posted November 12, 2012