Dr. Iyad Zahalka

Dr. Zahalka is Qadi of the Sharia Court of Appeals since 2017 and serves as a lecturer at various universities and academic colleges since 2013.

He completed his doctorate at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, in which he wrote about the laws of Muslim minorities (the doctrine of fiqh al-aqliyyat) and its implications for Muslims in Israel. He is a graduate of the Faculty of Law at Tel Aviv University and holds a master’s degree with distinction from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Prior to his appointment as Qadi of the Sharia Court of Appeals, Dr. Zahalka served as Qadi at the Sharia Courts in Haifa and Jerusalem (2009-2017), as Director of the Sharia Courts in Israel (2005-2009, 2016-2025), and as Deputy and Acting Director of the Sharia Courts (2003-2005). He also worked in a private law firm (1995-2003).

Dr. Zahalka has won awards and scholarships for his achievements in the fields of science and academia, and to date he has published five books alongside numerous articles in Hebrew, Arabic, and English.