Updates

The Gaza Strip

Washington Post Op-Ed

"Beyond Goldstone: A Truer Discussion of Israel, Hamas and the Gaza Conflict"By Jessica Montell, B'Tselem Executive Director, The Washington Post, 5 April 2011.

5 April 2011

No Accountability

B'Tselem's op-ed in the Washington Post

In an opinion piece, Jessica Montell concludes that "It is vital that we move beyond the slogans and soundbites around Goldstone. Instead, we must honestly discuss how to ensure genuine accountability for past wrongs, full respect for international humanitarian law and protection for civilians in any future military operations."

5 April 2011

Attacks on Israeli Civilians by Palestinians

B'Tselem strongly condemns attack in Jerusalem

B'Tselen strongly condemns the attack today (23 March) near Jerusalem's central bus station, in which a woman was killed and dozens of persons injured, some of them severely. As yet, no organization has taken responsibility for the act, which was clearly aimed at harming innocent civilians.

23 March 2011

The Gaza Strip

Stop mortar fire at populated areas in Gaza

On 22 March '11, Israeli mortar fire killed four Palestinian civilians east of Gaza City. Despite promises following Operation Cast Lead, it seems the military has not made the changes necessary to prevent harm to civilians from this imprecise weapon.

23 March 2011

Attacks on Israeli Civilians by Palestinians

Keep civilians out of hostilities

In light of the recent escalation in violence around the Gaza Strip, and the wounding of civilians in southern Israel and in Gaza by mortar and artillery fire, B'Tselem repeats its demand that all parties to the conflict take all feasible measures to protect civilians from harm.

20 March 2011

The Gaza Strip

Youth from Gaza whose medical treatment was delayed dies in JM

In early Dec. 2010, Mahmud a-Najar, 15, was diagnosed with leukemia. He was given an appointment at an East Jerusalem hospital and submitted a request to enter Israel. He and his mother described to B'Tselem the wait for the precious permit, which arrived 16 days after the set date. On 21 Jan. 2011, he died in the East Jerusalem hospital.

16 March 2011

House demolition

Civil Administration demolishes Jordan Valley village Khirbet Tana

In the past four months, the Civil Administration has demolished all the structures in Khirbet Tana, a Bedouin village of 250 people in the Jordan Valley. Following the completion of the demolition, on 2 March, only a mosque was left standing in the village. The demolition is part of Israel's ongoing attempt to expel the Bedouin from the Jordan Valley.

15 March 2011

Attacks on Israeli Civilians by Palestinians

Palestinians killed five members of a family in Itamar

B'Tselem strongly condemns the attack and expresses its horror at the killing of five members of the same family. The intentional killing of civilians is a war crime and cannot be justified under any circumstances. The Israeli and Palestinian authorities must act to locate and bring to justice the perpetrators.

12 March 2011

Freedom of Expression

Bill banning protest is dangerous

The bill banning boycotts, which passed its first reading on 8 March, clearly seeks to restrict political action criticizing state authorities and to block public debate on controversial issues. Civil-society organizations wrote to the Knesset's Speaker firmly objecting to the bill.

8 March 2011

Settler Violence = State Violence

B'Tselem to authorities: Deploy to protect Palestinians

Yesterday (3 March '11), B'Tselem wrote to the defense minister, OC Central Command, and the commander of the SHAI District Police requesting urgent action to ensure that security forces are properly prepared to protect Palestinians and their property from violence by settlers expected today, proclaimed a"Day of Rage" by settlers in response to outpost demolitions.

3 March 2011

Economic & Social Rights

17 years after Hebron massacre: city center paralyzed

The army has restricted Palestinian movement on Shuhada St. since Goldstein's 1994 massacre in the Tomb of the Patriarchs. Since the second intifada began, it has barred Palestinian access to the main thoroughfare altogether, resulting in the economic collapse of the city center. Zlikhah Muhtasab describes life in a ghost town

3 March 2011

Legislation

Elkin bill: right-wing diversionary tactic

In an op-ed on leading news site Ynet, B'Tselem's spokesperson explains why focusing on foreign governmental funding of Israeli NGOs is aimed at diverting attention from the enormous sums donated by wealthy foreigners to the settlement enterprise, which go unsupervised.

1 March 2011

Attacks on Israeli Civilians by Palestinians

In Silwan, like in Tel Aviv, Youth Law not enforced

On 4 February 2011, Ha'aretz published an article on the police's handling of central-region youth suspected of drug use. The article indicates that, like the conduct of the police when interrogating minors from Silwan, the parents in central –region Israel were also not allowed to be present in their child's interrogation, and the minors were pressured into incriminating additional youths.

16 February 2011

Detainees & Prisoners

Footage: army wakes children to photograph them

Israeli TV aired rare footage, filmed by B’Tselem volunteers, of a new military method: soldiers enter homes in Nabi Saleh at night, waken minors over the age of 10, photograph them and leave.

14 February 2011

Open-Fire Policy

High Court petition: order JAG's decision in killing case

On 2 Dec. '07, soldiers shot Firas Qasqas to death. He was unarmed and posed no threat. For more than a year and a half, the JAG's Office has delayed the decision whether to prosecute the soldiers or close the file.

7 February 2011

From Where I Stand

Noam Raz, a data coordinator at B'Tselem, in a personal op-ed on a leading Israeli news site in light of the delegitimization attack on human rights organizations.

3 February 2011

Open-Fire Policy

Ni'lin sentencing: army must internalize gravity of incident

In response to today's (27 Jan. '11) sentencing in the Ni'lin affair, B'Tselem reiterates that military justice system's choice to ignore much more severe cases is what enabled this incident to take place, and expressed hope that the army will internalize the court's severe criticism of the incident.

27 January 2011

Beating and Abuse

Personal angle: One man's voice

A B'Tselem data coordinator relates the story of Muhammad Dababseh from Hebron, who was arrested working illegally in Israel and severely beaten. The trauma caused him to lose his voice, and all hope of recovering it – until an Israeli speech therapist stepped in.

19 January 2011

The Gaza Strip

Two years since Cast Lead: investigation vital

B'Tselem again calls on Israel to conduct an independent and effective investigation into the serious suspicions of violations of human rights and of international law it committed during Operation Cast Lead in Gaza. Willingness to examine the policy that guided the forces, and not only isolated incidents, is vital for the morality of Israeli society.

18 January 2011

Open-Fire Policy

Police refutes claims of Ni'lin video forgery

Claims made by the defense in the trial relating to the shooting of the bound detainee in Ni'lin, that B'Tselem's video had been tampered with, have been disproved by the Israel Police Forensics Department.

10 January 2011

Freedom of Expression

B'Tselem proud of its activities and completely transparent

In reaction to the Knesset's decision to establish a parliamentary committee of enquiry to "examine the activities of Israeli organizations involved with the collection of information about soldiers and follow their funding sources", B'Tselem says: We are proud of our work to promote human rights in the Occupied Territories, which is conducted legally and with complete transparency. Persecution and attempts at silencing will not stop us.

5 January 2011

General

Video Summary of 2010

In a video clip to mark the end of 2010, B'Tselem makes 6 wishes for the coming year

29 December 2010

Deportation

Palestinian expelled from Jerusalem withdraws petition to High Court

On 29 Dec., 'Adnan Gheith withdrew his petition to Israel's High Court of Justice contesting the order issued by the Home Front commander restricting him from entering Jerusalem for four months. Prior to the hearing on his petition, Gheith said that he did not believe the court could make a just decision in his case and that a decision approving his expulsion might create a precedent for expelling other political activists from Silwan and East Jerusalem.

29 December 2010

Deportation

High Court delays ban of political activist from East Jerusalem

Yesterday, 26 December, the High Court of Justice delayed implementation of the order banning 'Adnan Gheith from Jerusalem for four months. Earlier in the day, the Military's Home Front commander issued the order against Gheith, a resident of Silwan, a neighborhood situated south of Jerusalem's Old City. This is the first time that the military has issued an assigned-residence order against a resident of East Jerusalem. Tomorrow, 29 December, the High Court will hear Gheith's petition objecting to the action.

28 December 2010