John V. Whitbeck is an international lawyer who writes frequently about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, often from Arab viewpoint, and has advised the Palestinian negotiating team in negotiations with Israel.[1] He is also an adviser to various Fatah committees that negotiate on a proposed solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Since 1988, his articles on behalf of Palestinian rights and Middle East peace have been published more than 600 times in more than 80 Arab, Israeli and international newspapers, magazines, journals and books.[2]
In 1993, his "Two States, One Holy Land" framework for peace was the subject of a three-day conference in Cairo, attended by 24 prominent Israelis and Palestinians, including four Knesset members, under the sponsorship of the Middle East Institute (Washington), and his "condominium solution" for sharing Jerusalem in a context of peace and reconciliation has been published more than 50 times in various lengths and languages.
A graduate of Harvard College (1968) and Harvard Law School (1973), he left the United States in 1976 and has since lived and practiced law in Paris, London and Jeddah.
On July 23, 2001, Whitbeck was suspended from practicing law in New York state for four years for professional misconduct during his employment with Pharaoh Holdings Ltd., a company owned and controlled by Saudi businessman Ghaith Rashad Pharaon.[3] A referee appointed by the Supreme Court of New York, Appellate Division (1st Department) sustained two charges that Whitbeck had engaged in conduct to "harass" an adversary and sustained one charge of "failure to comply with a ruling of a tribunal," all in violation of the New York Code of Professional Responsibility.[4]