Achievements

EU Advocacy: Holding Israel Accountable for its Human Rights Commitments

In February 2011, Adalah, the EMHRN, and the Arab Association for Human Rights (HRA) published a new report, "The EU and the Palestinian Arab Minority in Israel." The report describes the Palestinian minority's status, and specific steps the EU can take to improve minority treatment while maintaining relations with Israel.

The tenth meeting of the EU-Israel Association Council was held immediately following the report's release. In the same month, the EU issued a statement for the first time calling upon Israel for the first time "to increase efforts to address the economic and social situation of the Arab minority, to enhance their integration in Israeli society, and protect their rights."

Adalah's Press Release, "EU: Israel should increase efforts to protect rights of the Arab Minority," 23 February 2011

In June 2009, the EU-Israel Association Council (AC) decided to put the process of upgrading of the EU's relations with Israel on hold. The decision followed a letter from Adalah and the Arab Association for Human Rights (HRA) to the EU and EU member states detailing the flood of new discriminatory legislation against Arab citizens of Israel that have entered the Knesset under Netenyahu's government, and Adalah lobbying trips to Brussels organized by EMHRN.

In the EU-Israel Association Council statement, the EU stated that it "reiterates the need for a continued discussion with the Israeli side on human rights situations of common concern, in particular the protection of the Palestinian population and Israeli Arab minority."

UN Advocacy: Key Contributions to Factual and Legal Findings on Operation Cast Lead

In addition to extensive Concluding Observations and Recommendations for Israel based on Adalah's recommendations from UN bodies since 1996, Adalah works with Special Rapporteurs, Committees, and Missions from the UN to increase Israel's compliance with international law.

Adalah worked with the UN Fact-Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict (The Goldstone Mission), established by the UN Human Rights Council in 4/09 to investigate the events. The Goldstone Mission report is a watershed. It sets out clear factual and legal findings and implementation mechanisms, and constitutes a significant step towards obtaining redress for the victims.

The Goldstone Mission report contains 35 direct references to Adalah on ten separate legal cases, and mentions many other Gaza cases handled by Adalah without specifically citing the organization. The Goldstone Mission dedicated an entire chapter of the report to the arbitrary arrest and harassment of anti-war protestors in Israel, relying extensively on Adalah’s report “Prohibited Protest."

US Advocacy: Raising Awareness

Adalah sent extensive documentation to the US Department of State in preparation for its 2006 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Israel and the Occupied Territories, issued in March 2007. The report cites Adalah's work on 12 different cases.

In 2011, Adalah participated in a Project Engage-organized US advocacy visit together with ten other human rights organizations in Israel. The group met with US State Department officials to discuss the 2011 US State Department Human Rights Report for Israel and the OPT. The group also met with advisors and legislative assistants for US Congressional representatives, as well as prominent US-based organizations working on Israel/OPT to them brief them on key rights concerns.

See Outreach by Year to see more about international advocacy initiatives.