Mustafa Mari (PhD, law) is senior researcher at the Institute of Law, Birzeit University, where he has taught law and human rights graduate courses since 2001. Dr. Mari was elected member of the Kufr Aqab Local Council and in this capacity has experienced informal dispute resolution firsthand in an area that is densely populated and without the presence of formal security or justice institutions of either the Israeli occupation or the Palestinian governments. Furthermore, Dr. Mari has been engaged in efforts aimed at justice-sector reform for over two decades. Any views expressed in this paper are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Institute of Law, Birzeit University, or any other entity with which the author is affiliated.