Richard D. Heideman to Appear on the Brandeis Center Blog

Richard Heideman

Richard D. Heideman

We’re pleased to announce that Washington, D.C., lawyer Richard D. Heideman, a world-famous international lawyer, will appear as a guest on the Brandeis Center Blog in the coming week.

Heideman, the Honorary President of B’nai B’rith International,  is known as a tireless advocate for victims of terrorism around the world whose human and individual rights have been violated, as well as a strong supporter of the State of Israel.

Founder of the law firm of Heideman Nudelman & Kalik PC, Heideman serves as lead trial counsel on behalf of American victims of terrorism in claims brought against Libya, Syria, Iran and other organizations and financial institutions accused of providing material support for terrorism. In the past few years, his firm’s clients have been awarded Judgments against the Islamic Republic of Iran in the amounts of $1.27 billion and $813 million; and against Syria in the amounts of $601 million, $51 million and most recently a landmark Judgment of $3.58 billion.

Heideman has served as the Chair of The Herzliya Conference International Advisory Board and is the Honorary Chairman of the Jerusalem based Student Conference on International Law and the Chairman of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Washington Lawyers Committee. He has at various times served on the Boards of the Anti-Defamation League, the Jewish Agency for Israel, World Zionist Organization, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the World Jewish Congress, Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life and as a Trustee of the B’nai B’rith World Center in Jerusalem.

The Hague Odyssey

The Hague Odyssey

Heidman’s appearance on the Brandeis Center Blog comes at an auspicious time.  The international lawyer has just published an important new book, The Hague Odyssey: Israel’s Struggle For Security On The Front Lines Of Terrorism And Her Battle For Justice At The United Nations (Bartleby Press, August 2, 2013; $27.50).  In The Hague Odyssey, Heideman presents a strong defense of the right and obligation of the State of Israel – as every other nation – to protect her citizens. This is indeed an important corollary of the human right to life and physical security.  When Israel constructed a terrorism prevention security fence in an attempt to stop suicide bombings, the United Nations General Assembly requested an Advisory Opinion from the International Court of Justice at The Hague regarding this construction.  It is well known that Israel’s enemies dispute the legality of the barrier.  Heideman presents a legal and scholarly defense of the security barrier, arguing that Israel needs to fence out the terrorists and that this is integral to achieving peace and stability in the region.

In describing The Hague Odyssey, former Director of Central Intelligence, Ambassador James Woolsey lauded what he called Heideman’s “clear and persuasive chronicle of Israel’s struggles over the last twenty years” and wrote that the book “demonstrates with clarity and eloquence why the nation continues to face a two-front war: on one front the attackers wear explosive vests and fire rockets at civilians; on the other they dwell at the UN and The Hague and resemble no one so much as the bureaucrats in George Orwell’s Ministry of Truth.”

LDB President Kenneth L. Marcus commented, “We are very fortunate to have this distinguished international lawyer gracing the pages of the Brandeis Center Blog.”