B'Tselem

B'Tselem
Founded 1989
Type Non-profit
NGO
Focus "acts primarily to change Israeli policy in the Occupied Territories and ensure that its government, which rules the Occupied Territories, protects the human rights of residents there and complies with its obligations under international law."[1]
Location
Area served
Palestinian territories[1]
Key people
Hagai El-Ad
Employees
38[2]
Mission "to document and educate the Israeli public and policymakers about human rights violations in the Occupied Territories, combat the phenomenon of denial prevalent among the Israeli public, and help create a human rights culture in Israel."[1]
Website www.btselem.org

B'Tselem (Hebrew: בצלם, IPA: [beˈtselem], "in the image of [God]") is a Jerusalem-based independent non-profit organization whose stated goals are to document human rights violations in the Israeli-occupied territories, combat denial of the existence of such violations, and help to create a human rights culture in Israel.[1] Its executive director is Hagai El-Ad.[2] B'Tselem also maintains a presence in Washington, D.C., known as B'Tselem USA. B'Tselem has come under intense fire for what its critics describe as misrepresenting and distorting facts.

Overview

B'Tselem was founded in 1989, during the First Intifada, by Israeli academics and members of civil rights organizations.[3] B'Tselem's funding comes from private individuals (both Israeli and foreign), governments,[4] and European and North American foundations focusing on human rights.[1]

B'Tselem has published over a hundred reports on various issues such as torture, fatal shootings by security forces, restrictions on movement, expropriation of land and discrimination in planning and building in East Jerusalem, administrative detention, house demolitions, violence by Israeli settlers and Palestinians, and Israeli operations in the occupied territories.

In December 1989, B'Tselem shared the Carter-Menil Human Rights Prize with the Palestinian group, Al-Haq.[5][6]

B'Tselem has been harshly criticized. In 2011, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman charged the group with abetting terrorism and weakening Israel's defense forces.[7]

In 2016, B'Tselem announced that it was cutting ties with the IDF over the alleged whitewashing of complaints raised by the NGO.[8]

History

B'Tselem was founded on February 3, 1989. The name comes from Genesis 1:27, which states that all mankind was created "b'tselem elohim" (in the image of God), which the organization says is in line with the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights that all humans are equal in dignity and so deserve the same fundamental rights.[9]

Key founders were Daphna Golan-Agnon (academic and founding director of feminist peace group Bat Shalom), David Zucker (Knesset member for the Ratz party, one of the founders of the Peace Now movement), Haim Oron (Knesset member for the Mapam party, one of the founders of the Peace Now movement), Zehava Gal-On (Ratz party activist and future Knesset member for the Meretz party formed through the merger of Ratz and Mapam), Avigdor Feldman (civil liberties lawyer), and Edy Kaufman, a civil liberties activist). The Washington Post describes the line between human rights groups and political parties in Israel as "very blurry", noting that Gal-on has served as director, by turns, of both the Socialist Meretz Party and of B'Tselem.[10]

Main activities

Activity in the Knesset

B'Tselem regularly provides Knesset members with information on alleged human rights violations in the West Bank, and alleged injustices caused by Israeli authorities. Several Knesset members, from various factions, assist B'Tselem in placing human rights matters on the public agenda and in safeguarding human rights.

Public action

B'Tselem has hundreds of supporters and volunteers who work to improve the human rights situation in the West Bank. These activities include, in part, setting up information stands, distributing printed material, addressing problems and requests to decision-makers, and participating in protests in the West Bank.

Reports

B'Tselem publishes reports on various issues such as fatal shootings by security forces, restrictions on movement, expropriation of land and discrimination in planning and building in East Jerusalem, administrative detention, house demolitions, and violence by Israeli settlers. Over one hundred reports have been published so far. The organization serves as a source of information for journalists, researchers and the diplomatic community at the national and international level. B'Tselem's activities receive extensive media coverage.

B'Tselem also campaigns against the death penalty and the human rights record of the Palestinian Authority. On February 17, 2005, the organization called on Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to commute the sentences of Palestinians condemned to death and abolish the death penalty. Abbas had shortly before ratified the death sentences of a number of Palestinians accused of collaborating with Israel or of other criminal charges.

Environment

Gaza

House Demolition

Human Rights

Israeli army

Jerusalem

Settlements

- The army, police and Civilian Administration should enforce the law on settlers, with respect to un-authorized taking of land and violence against Palestinians.
- Dismantle fences and physical obstructions placed without official approval.
- Protect Palestinians from settler violence.[32]

Torture

Video

B'Tselem has expanded its operations in recent years to increasingly include video-based footage.[37] The expansion of its video project began in August 2007 with the launching of MySpace, Facebook and YouTube sites which are to act as an alternative area for the showcasing of the organisation's films - aimed at expanding the group's presence amongst a younger age category and attracting people to its main website. Other video sharing websites were following.[38]

B'Tselem USA

B'Tselem also maintains a presence in Washington, D.C., known as B'Tselem USA. B'Tselem USA states that its mission is "to inform the political and public discourse" in the US, ensuring that "human rights are a centerpiece of both the bilateral relationship [between the US and Israel] as well as diplomatic efforts" by the US to work toward peace in the region.[39] The group's director was Uri Zaki, a former IDF officer and member of the Meretz party in Israel.[40] In 2013, Zaki, who is tenth on the Meretz party list, left Washington for Israel, where he planned to take an active role in politics.[41]

Main research areas

B'Tselem investigates in a number of aspects related to the Arab-Israeli conflict. In particular the following:

Board members

B'Tselem board members are:[44]

Board members have changed over the past 10 years. Four board members from 1998 remain on the board in 2008.[46][47]

Staff

B'Tselem's executive director is Hagai El-Ad. In 2011 the group staff has 38 employees in a Research Department, a Data Coordination department, a communications department, and an administration department.[2] Field data research in the West Bank and Gaza Strip for B'Tselem was, until the Second Intifada, performed by Israeli Arabs. Data analysis and dissemination was conducted at the Jerusalem office. Because of restriction on entry to these areas for Israeli citizens, the Israeli Arab field workers were replaced with similarly qualified Palestinian Arabs who transmit research data to the office via fax or phone, sometimes negotiating checkpoints to reach the Jerusalem office for debriefings.[48]

Attacks on staff

B'Tselem staff members have been both verbally and physically attacked by both Israeli settlers and Israeli military/police, including the assault of two of its fieldworker staff. According to B'Tselem, in one such incident, captured on film on 19 January 2008, a fieldworker was beaten by Israeli soldiers, then arrested for attacking them.[49] In another, on 20 June 2008, according to the organization, a worker was beaten and had his film confiscated after filming IDF troops allegedly ignoring violent crimes by Israeli settlers. Following B'Tselem's complaint, Israeli military police opened an investigation.[50] The group also claims to have been the victim of other kinds of harassment, such as the slashing of tires on the organisation's jeep.

Funding

B'Tselem describes itself as an independent NGO, "funded by contributions from foundations in Europe and North America... and by private individuals in Israel and abroad", and by the governments of some EU countries and the European Commission.[51]

According to B'Tselem's 2010 financial report, they received donations from those listed in the table below.[52] (As required by Israeli law, all donations of 20,000 New Israeli Shekels (NIS) or more must be reported.)

Name of Donor Amount as contributed Amount in NIS
Annenberg Foundation $24,987 93,001
Commission of the European Communities €157,990 787,661
British Embassy 589,113NIS 589,113
Iris O'brien Foundation $45,595 168,973
Craig Fulton 144,750NIS 144,750
Bequeathed by Prof. Amos Matan 721,946NIS 721,946
New Israel Fund - Ford Israel Fund $70,000 + 380,030NIS 633,311
Naomi and Nehemia Cohen Foundation $20,000 + 95,050NIS 173,175
Thomas C. Hoegh $10,000 38,640
Diakonia $84,307 310,444
EED - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst €204,070 990,777
ICCO - Interchurch Organisation for Development Co-operation €120,000 614,000
Spunk Foundation International $35,000 131,950
Royal Norwegian Embassy 561,963NIS 561,963
SIVMO €12,624 62,885
Trocaire €49,979 249,795
Catholic Relief Services $175,000 650,950
Dan Church Aid $78,629 291,817
Christian Aid €39,984 193,123
Samuel Sebba Charitable Trust 300,000NIS 300,000
Stiftung Open Society Institute $96,956 370,905
NGO Development Center (NDC) $179,860 643,419
Pro Victimis Foundation $176,000 640,100
Sigrid Rausing Trust £281,981 1,689,868
Other donations (under 20,000NIS) 507,234
Total 9,349,724

Award nominations

Together with two other human rights organizations, B'Tselem was a nominee for the 2014 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize selected by a panel of six independent experts chaired by Anne Brasseur, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.[53]

Reception

Historian Mordechai Bar-On writes that B'Tselem's reports "frequently included ugly accounts of the behavior of Israeli security officials" and that Israelis "were often disturbed by these reports." At the same time, the Israeli media viewed the organization as "a reliable source of information" and their reports were in most cases proven to be accurate. Israeli military authorities also frequently turned to B'tselem to confirm the IDF's own information.[54] Critics of B'tselem, including the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America, the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, and Caroline B. Glick, have challenged the accuracy of its reports arguing that B'tselem has at times classified Arab combatants and terrorists as civilian casualties.[55][56][57][58] B'tselem has issued rebuttals to its critics.[59][60][61]

In 2011, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman called for a parliamentary investigation of B'Tselem and other human rights organizations. These groups, he said, "are clearly not concerned with human rights. They spread lies, they slander and incite against the state of Israel and against Israeli soldiers... Clearly these organizations are abetting terrorism and their only objective is to undermine Israel," he said in a speech to fellow members of his right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu ("Israel our home") party.[7]

In 2015, the Israeli NGO Regavim disagreed with B'tselem on a question of fact. B'tselem had said that 14 families were left homeless after the IDF demolished a number shacks in the West Bank near the settlement of Maale Adumim. Ragavim contended that nobody lived the structures in question.[62]

A response from the IDF from 1992 to a particular B'Tselem report on the activities of military undercover units remarked that "a large portion of the incidents cited are attributed to vague, anonymous sources - often rumors or stories gleaned from the press." The IDF letter added that B'Tselem's report "ignores the prevailing situation in the area, in which armed, hard-core terrorists, who do not adhere to any code of law, have engaged in terror attacks." At the same time, the IDF letter also acknowledged wrongdoing by military forces. In an incident that B'Tselem reported on at Idna, the IDF commented that a police investigation "found that an officer and several soldiers were apparently negligent in performing their duties and acted in an illegal manner." The IDF said it could not comment on some of the other cases from the B'Tselem report due to ongoing legal proceedings.[63]

Some opponents of the organization have grudgingly expressed admiration for B'Tselem's research. Gerald Steinberg said that "B'Tselem really does have a credible research capability, and even among serious critics like me who disagree with B’Tselem’s political agenda, their research ability is acknowledged."[64]

The IDF has also expressed gratitude to the organization for publishing information about the military's wrongdoing, including information that led, in July 2010, to indictments of a number of soldiers. The IDF's top lawyer at the time General Avichai Mendelblit "voiced his gratitude to the human rights organization B’Tselem, thanking the organization for testimonies its activists passed on to the IDF and for assisting in coordinating the questioning of Palestinian eyewitnesses at the Erez crossing."[64]

In response to a speech given by El-Ad to the United Nations Security Council urging the international community to take action against Israeli settlements,[65] Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he will work to ban national service volunteers from working in B'Tselem.[66] The United States government said it was "troubled" by attacks by government officials on B'Tselem with State Department spokesman John Kirby saying that the U.S. "believe(s) that a free and unfettered civil society is a critical component of democracy... it is important that governments protect the freedoms of expression, and create an atmosphere where all voices can be heard."[67]

Uvda Investigation

See Uvda Investigation

In January 2016, Channel 2 (Israel) broadcast footage of Ta'ayush activist Ezra Nawi boasting that he has worked together with B'Tselem activist Nasser Nawaj'ah, posing as a prospective Jewish purchaser of land owned by Palestinians, then provided the Palestinian National Security Forces with the names and telephone numbers of Palestinian land brokers willing to sell land to him. Nawi is both Jewish and Israeli, and the Palestinian legal code regards sale of land to Israelis as a capital offense. Nawi said such people are beaten and executed. In the recording, Nawi says "The Authority catches them and kills them. But before they kill them they beat them up."[68][69][70]

Representative publications

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "About B'Tselem". B'Tselem. Archived from the original on 29 January 2010. Retrieved 2 February 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 Staff, B'Tselem.
  3. Fairbanks, Eve (12 March 2015). "The battle to be Israel’s conscience". The Guardian UK. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  4. "About B’Tselem".
  5. "A Peace Organization Making Peace Around The World - Carter Center". Archived from the original on 2010-12-12.
  6. "Carter-Menil Rights Award For Israeli and Arab Groups". The New York Times. Reuters. 16 November 1989.
  7. 1 2 Bender, Arik (10 January 2011). "הוועדה הפרלמנטרית תחקור את בצלם, עדאלה ופרופיל חדש" [Parliamentary committee to investigate B'tselem, Adallah and New Profile] (in Hebrew). NRG (Maariv). Retrieved 15 June 2011. ברור שהארגונים האלו לא עוסקים בזכויות אדם. הארגונים האלו מפיצים שקרים, מכפישים ומסיתים נגד מדינת ישראל ונגד חיילי צה"ל. מעולם, אף אחד מהארגונים האלו לא אמרו שישראל צדקה. ברור שמדובר בארגונים סייעני טרור נטו, שכל מטרתם להחליש את צה"ל." "שר החוץ אביגדור ליברמן יוצא במתקפה חריפה נגד ארגוני זכויות אדם ישראלים שיעמדו במרכז עבודתה של ועדת החקירה הפרלמנטרית שתקים הכנסת, וטען כי שורה של אי-סדרים כלכליים שלדבריו מאפיינים אותם עשויה להצביע על סיוע לפעילות טרור.
  8. "B’Tselem cuts ties with IDF over 'whitewashing'". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  9. "B'Tselem Brochure" (PDF). B'Tselem. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  10. Kessler, Glenn (20 March 2015). "Netanyahu’s claim that ‘tens of millions’ in foreign money was aimed against him". Washington Post. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  11. June 2009. Pages 41-42.
  12. "Rocket and mortar fire into Israel". B'Tselem. 24 Jul 2014. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  13. February 2002. Pages 41,42. Also questions effectiveness.
  14. Information Sheet November 2004. Pages 57,58. Heshin cites the Torah; "senior defense establishment official": As for those who carry out the suicide attacks, the supply is greater than demand.
  15. Information sheet December 2000. Pages 39, 40.
  16. Information Sheet January 2001. Page 32.
  17. Information Sheet June 2001. ISSN 0792-8114. Page 14.
  18. Position Paper, Jerusalem March 2003. Page 36.
  19. Information Sheet September 2006. ISSN 0792-8114. Pages 41-43.
  20. July 2006. ISSN 0793-520X. Page 46.
  21. October 2009. ISSN 0793-520X. Page 65.
  22. December 2010. ISSN 0793-520X. Pages 31,32.
  23. Information Sheet March 2002. Page 28.
  24. Information Sheet May 2005. ISSN 0792-8114. Page 30.
  25. October 2010. ISSN 0793-520X. Page 49.
  26. April 1997. Page 33.
  27. Status report September 2003. Page 24.
  28. March 2001, ISSN 0792-8114. Page 37.
  29. Status report August 2003. Page 35.
  30. Information sheet August 2004. ISSN 0792-8114. Pages 36,37.
  31. December 2008. ISSN 0792-8114. Pages 32,33.
  32. September 2008. Page 79.
  33. "The Interrogation of Palestinians During the Intifada: Ill-Treatment, "Moderate Physical Pressure" or Torture?, March 1991".
  34. January 2000, Position Paper ISSN 1565-1746. Page 75.
  35. Information Sheet July 2001. Page 20.
  36. "Kept in the Dark". btselem.org. October 2010. p. 60.
  37. B'Tselem (Contributor) (2007-01-11). Sharmouta ("whore" in Arabic). Event occurs at 01:03 minutes. Retrieved 2007-12-30.
  38. B'Tselem at YouTube
    B'Tselem at MySpace
    B'Tselem at Facebook
    B'Tselem at Dailymotion
    B'Tselem at Sevenload
    B'Tselem-Videos at Yahoo! Video
  39. "B'Tselem USA". B'Tselem. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  40. "Staff Bios". B'Tselem USA. B'Tselem. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  41. Ben Zehavi (May 29, 2013). "Human rights activist trades DC for Israeli politics". Times of Israel.
  42. Weinthal, Benjamin (20 August 2014). "B’Tselem’s Gaza war statistics under fire". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
  43. Ha'aretz 14 August 2008 B'tselem: IDF only launched 4 probes into 189 Palestinian deaths By Yuval Azoulay
  44. Board members, B'Tselem.
  45. "Journalist, B'Tselem Founder Amnon Kapeliouk Dies Aged 78". Haaretz.com.
  46. B'Tselem Quarterly for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, December 1998
  47. List of Btselem board members, 2008
  48. Hausman, Tamar (July 17, 2001). "B'Tselem chooses its first Anglo director". Haaretz.
  49. "Soldiers assault and arrest B'Tselem worker in Hebron".
  50. "22 June '08: Soldier assaults B'Tselem worker filming settler violence, takes the cassette".
  51. "List of donors to B'Tselem". B'Tselem. Archived from the original on 29 January 2010. Retrieved 2 February 2010.
  52. "Btselem 2010 Financial Statement" (PDF). documents.guidestar.org.il.
  53. Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe website, "Three Nominees for the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize 2014," 26 August 2014, http://www.assembly.coe.int/nw/xml/News/News-View-EN.asp?newsid=5163&lang=2&cat=37
  54. Bar-On, Mordechai. In Pursuit of Peace. USIP. pp. 243–245, 401. ISBN 1-878379-53-4.
  55. Sternthal, Tamar (2008-09-24). "Bending the truth". Ynetnews. Archived from the original on 25 September 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
  56. "Researcher Slams B'Tselem - Defense/Middle East - News - Arutz Sheva". Arutz Sheva.
  57. Amos Harel, מחקר: "בצלם" מפרסם מידע שגוי ומשמיט פרטים חיוניים, Haaretz, October 26, 2008.
  58. Caroline B. Glick (January 7, 2011). "Column One: Agents of influence". The Jerusalem Post - JPost.com. Retrieved May 24, 2017.
  59. B'Tselem Official written response to the CAMERA Organisation, Fax & Press Release, 22nd August 2007
  60. Jessica Montell, B’Tselem chief: "Caroline Glick a hack who parrots any drivel", +972 Magazine, January 21, 2011
  61. "Explanation of statistics on fatalities" from the B'Tselem website.
  62. "IDF demolishes 14 illegal Palestinian tents and shacks in Ma’aleh Adumim". Jerusalem Post. 18 August 2015. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
  63. IDF Activities Against Armed Terrorists in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza District. Reply to a Report by the Betzelem Organization, May 1992
  64. 1 2 http://forward.com/news/129361/idf-recognizes-help-from-israeli-human-rights-grou/
  65. "B’Tselem head urges Security Council to act now on settlements". Times of Israel. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
  66. "Netanyahu supports end of national service volunteers working with B'Tselem". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
  67. http://www.timesofisrael.com/us-troubled-by-attacks-on-rights-group-btselem/
  68. "Israeli Leftist Taped Trying to Set Up Palestinians Who Seek to Sell Land to Jews". Haaretz. 8 January 2015. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  69. "Left-wing Israeli says he helps kill Palestinians who sell land to Jews".
  70. Kubovich, Yaniv (11 January 2015). "Police Make Airport Arrest of Left-wing Activist Who Turned Palestinians in to PA". Haaretz. Retrieved 14 January 2016.

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