Issue no.9 September 2007 | Donate  | Subscribe 
In Brief

Condemning Illegal "Debt Collection" Checkpoints



In August, ACRI submitted a petition to Israel`s Supreme Court, demanding an immediate end to mobile police checkpoints set up to collect debts owed to the National Insurance Institute and the Tax Authority – almost exclusively in East Jerusalem. ACRI found that the abovementioned institutions employ the police officers as debt collectors and not for security purposes, as the police claim. Under Israeli law, such roadblocks are legal only when police officers are executing security checks. Because of the long waits and traffic jams created by the checkpoints, East Jerusalem residents have consistently arrived late to work, school and doctors` appointments. Thus, the checkpoints are not only discriminatory, but constitute an infringment on residents' freedom of movement and their right to work, education, and timely medical care. To read more, click here.
 
Protecting Privacy

ACRI worked in the legal and public spheres to oppose draft legislation that would give police unlimited access to the contact information of individual citizens. The proposed database would be the largest and most intrusive of its kind in the Western world. Not only would such a database violate Israel's criminal laws regarding privacy in investigations, it would also give police access to the personal and contact information of people with no criminal records or involvement in crimes. ACRI submitted a position paper to Knesset members and other relevant authorities highlighting the severe violation of the proposed law on the right to privacy. Some of our suggestions were adopted in the interim. To read an article in Ha'aretz about the draft legislation, please click here.
 
Equal Access to Public Transportation

Following a petition submitted by ACRI and partner organizations to the Tel Aviv-Yaffo Administrative Court demanding equal access to public transportation for the Arab neighborhoods of Gan Hakal and Juarish in Ramle, the Municipality set up bus lines there in August. The installation of these lines came after many years of neglect of these two neighborhoods on the part of the Ramle Municipality. Until now, the 7,000 residents of these two neighborhoods were forced to walk long distances to work, school and other services. The decision to introduce public transportation came after the Court ordered the two sides to negotiate a viable solution.
 
Status for Migrant Workers' Children

For several years, ACRI has taken a leading role in reaching a solution for the children of migrant workers to obtain status in Israel. Despite critical advances, a number of children still remain outside of the framework. Most recently, ACRI and the Hotline for Migrant Workers, in a petition to the High Court of Justice, demanded the cancellation of the condition according to which permanent status would only be granted to children whose parents entered the country legally before they were born. The petition emphasized that the children who do not meet this criterion grew up in Israel, speak Hebrew, and their center of life is in Israel; deportation to their country of origin (or that of their parents) would be tantamount to deportation to a foreign land. In July, the Court ruled that the children would be able to apply for status again, and the Interior Ministry would not consider the legality of their parents' entry to Israel as a criterion.


 

Security Workers' Rights



In response to a petition submitted by ACRI and two partner organizations, the Jerusalem Administrative Court ruled that a tender for the employment of security guards in schools must follow certain guidelines, including setting a minimum hourly wage to ensure the guards receive fair and lawful compensation. Specifically, the manpower agency which employs the security guards must follow guidelines issued by the Accountant General in formulating the cost of the tenders (i.e. count the salary of each employer at a minimum of NIS 28-29 per hour including pay and benefits); any tender falling below those guidelines would be cancelled.
 
Dismantling Secondary Barrier

In response to a contempt of court motion submitted by ACRI, the High Court of Justice ordered the State to dismantle a secondary barrier in the Southern Hebron Hills. Despite a landmark ruling in December 2006 stating that it violated the basic rights of local Palestinians, the state had deliberately failed to remove it. Only following ACRI's second appeal was the barrier finally removed in August. The initial petition argued – based on the expert opinion of the independent Council for Peace and Security – that the barrier would effectively increase the danger to drivers on the road: while it would prevent the passage of agricultural vehicles, donkeys and carts, and flocks of sheep to residents' lands, it would not prevent a terrorist from crossing and would create a strip of firing positions along the side of the road.  
 
Fair Treatment for Darfur Refugees

In response to a drastic increase in the number of African asylum-seekers crossing into Israel, ACRI and partner organizations petitioned the Supreme Court to demand an immediate end to the deportation to Egypt of asylum seekers according to the "Hot Return Procedure," a procedure that may endanger their lives and is against Israeli and international law. The petition was submitted following the deportation of 48 asylum seekers by the IDF back to Egypt, after Israel announced it would accept only 500 refugees, who they claimed were from Darfur. Most of the deportees were Sudanese citizens, among them 18 children. The deportation was executed without allowing the deportees to present their claims before those authorized to deport them. To read ACRI's op-ed in the Jerusalem Post on this issue, click here.
 

Electricity for Bedouin Clinics



ACRI petitioned the High Court of Justice in July to demand that primary healthcare clinics and family health stations operating in the unrecognized villages in the Negev be connected to the electricity grid. The State's failure to connect the clinics and family health stations violates the right to health and equality to which residents of the unrecognized villages in the Negev are entitled. The irregular supply of electricity (the clinics are forced to rely on generators) significantly lowers the level of medical services provided to the villages' residents compared to other residents of Israel. To read more, click here.
 
ACRI's Public Hotline

ACRI operates a “Public Hotline” for consultation and information on rights entitlement: 02-6521218 (Jerusalem and the south), 03-5608185 (Tel Aviv, the Sharon area and the center of the country), and 04-8526333/4/5 (Haifa and the north of the country).
 
 
© ACRI 2007
The Association for Civil Rights in Israel
PO Box 34510
Jerusalem 91000
Israel

Tel: +972-2-652-1218
Fax: +972-2-652-1219
E-mail: mail@acri.org.il
www.acri.org.il
 
A Message from Rachel Benziman:
ACRI's Executive Director


Dear Friends, 

Typically, when people wish each other "Happy New Year" as Rosh Hashana approaches, a few mandatory modifiers accompany the greeting. These are "happy," "sweet" (tied to the Jewish custom of eating honey to ensure a sweet year), and "healthy."

At the heart of human rights is the hope that all people will live happy and healthy lives, regardless of race, religion, nationality, or social-economic status. In recent years, health has become less and less accessible to many Israelis. The rapid privatization of our health system – still considered a model of universal care throughout the world – has put many services out of reach, because they have been categorized as "premium" services, only available for a fee.

As usual, the weakest Israelis suffer most acutely: approximately 50% of Russian and Arabic speakers are not insured with premium services, compared to about 10% of Hebrew speakers, according to a recent Knesset report. Surprisingly, one-third of senior citizens (aged 65 and over) – those who are most dependent on health care and medications – must rely on the diminishing array of basic services and medications included in the universal "basket" offered free to all citizens and residents by the state.

This year, ACRI is launching a widespread campaign to combat the grave violations on the right to health in this country. Keep reading our newsletter and our Web site for more news and updates.

With Warm Regards,

Rachel Benziman

 
 
Promoting Human Rights through Street Theater


In cooperation with the Tel Aviv College for Management and the "Zaza" Theater group, ACRI organized two dynamic street theater events in Tel Aviv, entitled "Spotlight on Human Rights." The idea was born when a group of marketing students decided to use ACRI as a case study. The dynamic performances attracted many passersby and highlighted the importance of human rights through artistic interpretations. In the first event, the actors performed three skits – featuring gender equality, the right to work in dignity, and the right to protest. Please follow this link to view a video of the event. The performances took place at busy boulevards in Tel Aviv on two Friday afternoons, locations many young pedestrians frequent on weekends. The end result was a youthful, creative approach to human rights and a winning combination to attract the attention of many potential supporters. ACRI succeeded in recruiting many new members during the two events.
 
 
Arab and Jewish Social Workers Explore Human Rights in Joint Workshop 



ACRI staff meet with social workers from Fureidis and Zichron Ya'akov
By Etan Newman

Though separated geographically only by a narrow highway, residents of the Jewish town of Zichron Ya’akov and the Israeli Arab town of Fureidis maintain very little contact. The differences in language, culture, and socio-economic status create an invisible barrier between the two towns, breeding stereotypes and suspicion instead of understanding and cooperation.

But this spring, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) led a unique workshop series for social workers from both towns. The goal was to bridge these gaps, and help them – as social-work professionals - understand the importance of protecting the rights of all members of society.

The series also marked an important milestone: It was the first meeting in Israel between Arab and Jewish social workers specifically to discuss human rights.

Twenty social workers (twelve from Zichron and eight from Fureidis) from each town's Office of Social Welfare gathered in six sessions this spring to explore how their day-to-day work broaches various human rights, including the right to privacy, the right to health, and the right to family. 

To read the full article, click here.
 
 
ACRI President Wins Prestigious Emet Prize for 2007


ACRI's Board and Staff warmly congratulate Author Sami Michael, President of the Board, for winning this year's Emet Prize for Culture & Arts. The prestigious monetary prize is awarded to individuals each year who have made outstanding contributions to Israeli society in five categories, under the auspices of the A.M.N. Foundation and the Prime Minister's Office. A native of Baghdad, Mr. Michael is one of Israel's most beloved writers, and is the recipient of several literary prizes both in Israel and abroad.
 
 
Presentation to International Jurists on The Citizenship Law

In August 2007, ACRI Attorney Sharon Abraham-Weiss appeared before the International Commission of Jurists' Eminent Jurist Panel on Terrorism, Counter-Terrorism, and Human Rights to provide information on the Citizenship and Entry into Israel Law (Temporary Order) during an NGO briefing held in Jerusalem.

The Eminent Jurists Panel is a panel of eight highly respected jurists established by the ICJ in October 2005 to conduct a global inquiry into counter-terrorism and human rights. The Panel is inquiring into the global impact of counter-terrorism measures on human rights and the rule of law and assessing whether these measures are justified in light of the current terrorist threats. The Panel is exploring policy dilemmas, going beyond superficial assessments and identifying which changes do not raise any human rights concerns, which are incompatible with human rights and humanitarian law and which fall within an acceptable margin of appreciation or are proportionate and necessary to respond to security threats. In August 2007, members of the Panel visited Israel and the Occupied Territories to meet with the authorities, civil society organizations, lawyers, judges and academics in order to receive a wide range of perspectives. It was the sixteenth and final visit of the Panel, which will issue its global report in 2008. The visit to Israel was facilitated by ACRI. 

Below is the text of Attorney Abraham-Weiss's presentation:

The multi-staged naturalization process in Israel takes a total of four and a half years, during which time the couple has to prove the authenticity of their marriage. In the process, couples are granted a permit allowing them to stay for a limited time in the country, and at a later date they receive a renewable annual permit from the Minister of the Interior. As each permit expires the authorities check to see that the family unit is still intact and that there is no security or criminal basis to rescind the temporary residency status.

During March 2002, ACRI's public hotline received numerous phone calls from Palestinians claiming that the Ministry of Interior was refusing to renew their permits or to receive their citizenship applications. On May 12th 2002, ACRI submitted a petition to the Supreme Court against this policy (which had not yet been published).

That same day, the government published its decision to freeze all new and pending citizenship applications where the foreign national spouse is of Palestinian origin. During the hearing in the court, the judges criticized the decision and stated that it violated human rights.

In July 2003 this policy was enshrined in law -- The Law of Citizenship and Entry into Israel (Temporary Order), 2003. The law states that no request for a temporary residency permit will be granted to Palestinian residents of the Occupied Territories who are married to Israeli citizens.


For the full text of ACRI's presentation, click here.