Neil Kritz Joins Middle East Quartet
As part of its ongoing efforts to assist the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, the United States Institute of Peace has agreed to provide expert support for the Middle East Quartet. Effective immediately, Neil Kritz, USIP’s senior scholar in residence, has been appointed as Rule of Law/Justice Sector Advisor in the Office of the Quartet Representative. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair serves as Quartet Representative, a position he has held since 2007.
For Immediate Release, January 24, 2011
Contact: Allison Sturma
202-429-4725
asturma@usip.org
(Washington) - As part of its ongoing efforts to assist the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) has agreed to provide expert support for the Middle East Quartet. Effective immediately, Neil Kritz, USIP’s senior scholar in residence, has been appointed as Rule of Law/Justice Sector Advisor in the Office of the Quartet Representative. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair serves as Quartet Representative, a position he has held since 2007.
Established in 2002 to coordinate and facilitate work leading to a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the Quartet is comprised of the United States, the European Union, the U.N. and Russia.
As senior scholar in residence, Kritz focuses primarily on analyzing and advising on efforts to strengthen the Palestinian justice system, and has long led USIP work on the topic. Beginning in 1999, he has guided a project on Palestinian-Israeli legal dialogue and cooperation initiated at the request of the two respective Ministers of Justice. He organized a series of joint legal seminars, co-sponsored by the Government of Israel, the Palestinian Authority and USIP, that brought together some 150 members of the two legal communities to address practical issues affecting day-to-day interaction between Palestinians and Israelis. In 2008-2009, he served as an expert advisor on Palestinian justice system issues to the U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Regional Security. In his new capacity, Kritz will divide his time between USIP’s Washington office and the Office of the Quartet Representative in East Jerusalem.
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The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) provides the analysis, training and tools that help to prevent, manage and end violent international conflicts, promote stability and professionalize the field of peacebuilding. Learn more at www.usip.org.
