Minister of Justice

Deputy Image

Welcomeing Message


It is my pleasure to welcome you through the electronic portal of the Ministry of Justice, which is dedicated to serving the Palestinian citizen. The Ministry works hand in hand with justice sector institutions to guarantee public rights and freedoms, particularly the right to access justice and ensure a fair trial. This is achieved through supporting justice institutions and fostering an environment conducive to ensuring the integrity, impartiality, and independence of the judiciary, in addition to providing judicial services to the Palestinian citizen.

We are committed to respecting and implementing the legal implications of joining international agreements, in parallel with the evolving legal status of the State of Palestine within the United Nations. We aim to be soldiers in the legal battle led by the Palestinian leadership in international institutions to provide legal protection for Palestinian citizens, their land, and their holy sites against the continuous Israeli violations of our people's inalienable historical, cultural, religious, humanitarian, and political rights.

We are keenly focused on developing the institutional and organizational structure of the justice sector by upholding the principle of the separation of powers and reinforcing the rule of law. We strive to enhance citizens' access to justice and strengthen the legislation governing human rights and fair access to justice services, ensuring an integrated approach, especially for women and juveniles.

May God grant us success،،،

Counselor Sharhabeel Yousef Al Zaeem
Minister of Justice

Curriculum Vitae of the Minister of Justice

Personal Information

  • Name: Sharhabeel Yousef Al Zaeem
  • Date of Birth: 1 August 1959, Gaza
  • Nationality: Palestinian

Education 

Master in Law, from Al Azhar University – May, 2008

 Master’s degree in Regional Studies from Al QudsAbu Deis University, for the thesis "The Effect of the American Aids on the Palestinian Judiciary" – November, 2007

BA in Law, University of Alexandria, 1982

Certificate in Insurance Management, Chartered Insurance Institute Certificate, UK

Certificate in International Arbitration, Houston, Texas, USA

Certificate in Industrial Relations and Labor Dispute Resolution, Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, Washington DC, USA

Certificate in Commercial Arbitration, American Arbitration Association, Washington DC, USA

Certificate in Commercial Mediation and Dispute Resolution Systems Design, Harvard Law School, Boston, USA

Certificate of Training, Arab Society for the Protection of Intellectual Property

Arabic native speaker

Fluent spoken & written English

Spoken Hebrew

Palestine

Israel

UAE

Yemen

Researches and Papers in Arabic Language :

Research in Commercial Law (Negotiations Strategies and Factors of Their Success in International Contracts)

Research in International Law (Acknowledgement in International Law)

Research in Constitutional Law (Right of Authentication and Opposition Granted to the Resident of the country)

Research in Criminal Law (The criminal liability of internet service providers)

Research in Criminal Law (The guarantees of accused during extraordinary appeals)

Thesis: The Effect of the American Aid on Palestinian Judiciary

Researches and Papers in English Language :

International Commercial Transactions in the West Bank and Gaza (Center for Institutional Reform and the Informal Sector, University of Maryland, 1996)

Business Laws & Economic Prospects in the MENA Region (Palestinian Authority Section)

Legal Aspects of Doing Business in Palestine (with Mazen Qupty, 1995)

A Guide to Housing, Land and Property Law in the Gaza Strip (prepared for Norwegian Refugee Council), 2015

Gaza (Gaza, The Past, Present and Future 100 Years after Sykes-Picot), submitted to Yale Law School – 2016

The Legal System in the Palestinian Territories under Israeli Occupation (1948 – to present), submitted to Yale Law School – 2019

  • Founder and Senior Partner at Al Zaeem & Associates, from July 1987 till present. Commercial practice in company law, intellectual property, litigation, land taxation, business development, international work, licenses, and alternative dispute resolution; also over 1000 cases before Israeli military courts. Currently, there are 14 attorneys each specialized in a different area of law. The strong international department within Al Zaeem & Associates provides multilingual services to foreign clients.
  • Lecturer of Law at the faculty of Commerce in Al Azhar University – Gaza, 2011-2012
  • Lecturer of Law at the faculty of Commerce in Islamic University – Gaza, 2009-2010
  • Lecture of law aspects of banking activities at the Palestinian Banking Institution, 1998 – 2003
  • Deputy General Manager for Trust International Insurance Company, June 1994 - December 1994
  • Regional Manager for Arab Insurance Association, Gaza, June 1993 - June 1994
  • Legal Advisor to the Palestinian Delegation to the Peace Talks, Washington DC, 1992 – 1993
  • Development Manager: United Insurance Company, Sana’a, Yemen, November 1985 - July 1987
  • Head of Life Department: Arab Insurance Company, Abu Dhabi, UAE, November 1983 – November 1985
  • Listed International Arbitrator

Member of Steering Committee for Middle East Studies, Yale School of Law, 1995 – present

Member of the Palestinian Legal Study Group; attending annual seminars to study the reformation of the Palestinian Judicial and Legal System.

Member at Palestinian Bar Association

Member at American Bar Association

Member of the Arab Society for Intellectual Property

Member of the Board of Trustees of Al Azhar University in Gaza

Member of the Board of Trustees of Al Quds University in Gaza  

Member of AMIDEAST’s Palestine Advisory Board

Member of the Board of Directors Palestine Electricity Company (PEC)

Member of the Board of Directors Gaza Power Generating Company (GPGC)

Member of the Board of Directors Palestine Power Generating Company (PPGC)

Member in Palestinian Telecommunication Company from 2001-2021

Chairman of the Board of Directors of ATFALUNA Society for Deaf Children

Board Member of the Palestinian Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession - Musawa

Deputy Chairman and one of the founders of Palestine Forum

Deputy Chairman of Women Affairs Center – Gaza

Member of the Board of Directors of the Palestinian Capital Market Authority