The International Law Review Association: Online Forum
The Future of Peace: Solutions for Arbitration Procedures between Israeli and Saudi Arabian Entities
Abstract
and Saudi Arabia are not natural partners. Despite a murky future at the present, peace between the two is on the horizon. With the advent of the Abraham Accords, a historic initiative by the Trump Administration to foster peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors, Israel has reached previously unthinkable diplomatic heights. Israeli citizens can now visit places like Dubai. Through remarkable events such as this, now the future beckons that an Israeli deal with Saudi Arabia appears to be the next step towards comprehensive peace in the region. Of course, with peace comes a trade agreement. With that trade agreement would come with eventual business disagreements or issues between Saudi and Israeli entities that would end up in arbitration. In this context, an arbitration agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia would likely be akin to Israel’s provisions with the UAE. Nonetheless, enforcing an arbitration award in Saudi Arabia would be risky due to the Kingdom’s legal quirks.
In a new relationship between Saudi Arabia and Israel, there could be even greater stakes to arbitration due to the fragile perceptions the nations have of one another. Furthermore, it is likely many of the Saudi entities subject to arbitration would be government businesses or under the control of the Sovereign Wealth Fund. Consequently, not only would Israeli businesses be arbitrating with Saudi companies, but in fact the government itself and by extension, the King. These issues set up interesting questions both for the process of arbitration and its potential.
Recommended Citation
Avi Steinberg,
Case Note,
The Future of Peace: Solutions for Arbitration Procedures between Israeli and Saudi Arabian Entities,
ILRA Student Forum
(2023)
