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{{Infobox Non-profit {{Short description|Non-profit human rights organization}}
{{pp-extended|small=yes}}
| Non-profit_name = B'Tselem
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
| Non-profit_logo = ]
{{Infobox organization
| Non-profit_type = ]<br>]
| name = B'Tselem
| founded_date = 1989
| logo = Logo of B'Tselem.jpg
| tax_id =
| type = ], ]
| founder =
| founded_date = {{start date and age|1989|02|03|df=y}}
| location = ]<ref name="btabout">{{cite web|url=http://www.btselem.org/English/About_BTselem/Index.asp|title=About B'Tselem|publisher=B'Tselem|accessdate=2 February 2010}}</ref>
| headquarters = ]<ref name="btabout">{{cite web |url=http://www.btselem.org/English/About_BTselem/Index.asp |title=About B'Tselem |publisher=B'Tselem |access-date=2 February 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100129071645/http://www.btselem.org/english/About_BTselem/Index.asp| archive-date= 29 January 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref>
| origins =
| key_people = ] | key_people = Yuli Novak (Executive Director)
| area_served = ]<ref name="btabout" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=A regime of Jewish supremacy from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea: This is apartheid|url=https://www.btselem.org/publications/fulltext/202101_this_is_apartheid|access-date=2021-05-15|website=B'Tselem|language=en}}</ref>
| area_served = ] and the ]<ref name="btabout"/>
| product = | product =
| focus = Changing Israeli policy in the ] to protect and sustain ] human rights<ref name="btabout" />
| 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."<ref name="btabout"/>
| num_employees = 38<ref name=Staff />
| 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."<ref name="btabout"/>
| website = {{URL|https://www.btselem.org/}}
| method =
| footnotes =
| revenue =
| endowment =
| num_volunteers =
| num_employees = 38<ref name=Staff/>
| num_members =
| subsid =
| owner =
| Non-profit_slogan =
| homepage = http://btselem.org
| dissolved =
| footnotes =
}} }}
'''B'Tselem''' ({{lang-he|בצלם}}, "]", as in ] {{bibleverse-nb||Genesis|1:27|HE}}) is an ]i ] (NGO). It calls itself "The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories". The group was founded on February 3, 1989 by a group of prominent Israeli public figures, including ]s, ]s, ]s, and members of the ].<ref name="btabout"/>


'''B'Tselem''' ({{langx|he|בצלם}}, {{IPA|he|beˈtselem|IPA}}; {{translation|"In the ]]"}}) is a ]-based ] whose stated goals are to document ] in the ], combat any denial of the existence of such violations, and help to create a ] culture in ].<ref name="btabout"/> It is currently headed by Yuli Novak, who took over in June 2023 from ], who had served as its director-general since May 2014.<ref name="Staff">{{cite web |url=https://www.btselem.org/about_btselem/staff_members |title=B'Tselem's Staff |website=B'Tselem |access-date=2023-10-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.btselem.org/about_btselem/20230625_yuli_novak_btselems_new_executive_director|title=Yuli Novak – B'Tselem's new executive director|website=B'Tselem|access-date=2023-10-28|date=2023-06-26}}</ref> B'Tselem also maintains a presence in ], where it is known as B'Tselem USA. The organization has provoked sharp reactions within Israel, ranging from harsh criticism to strong praise.
B'Tselem's stated goals are "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".<ref name="btabout"/> In December 1989 the organization received the ].<ref></ref><ref>, '']'', 16 November 1989.</ref>
Its executive director is Jessica Montell.<ref name=Staff>, B'Tselem.</ref>


==History== ==Overview==
B'Tselem was established in February 1989 by a large group of Israeli lawyers, doctors and academics with the support of a lobby of ten members of ]. Its objective was to document human rights violations in the occupied territories (] and the ]), while being committed to the security and humanistic character of the State of ].<ref>Talmor, Ronny (July 1990). . Translated by Ralph Mandel. B'Tselem. {{ISSN|0792-4003}}. Back cover.</ref> In the previous year, Israeli forces killed 311 Palestinians, of whom 53 were under the age of 17.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Afflerbach|first1=Holger|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gh6VIodYxNMC&pg=PA426|title=How Fighting Ends: A History of Surrender|last2=Strachan|first2=Hew|date=2012-07-26 |location=Oxford |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-969362-7|language=en}}</ref> The killings occurred during a wave of Palestinian protest and rebellion in which 12 Israelis were also killed. The rebellion is referred to as the ].<ref name=Kessler/><ref>{{cite news|last1=Fairbanks|first1=Eve|title=The battle to be Israel's conscience|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/12/the-battle-to-be-israels-conscience|access-date=11 August 2015|work=] |location=London |date=12 March 2015|quote=The group's employees have always identified with the Israeli left}}</ref>
B'Tselem was founded on February 3, 1989 by a group of prominent Israeli public figures, including lawyers, academics, journalists, and members of the ].<ref name="btabout"/> B'Tselem's stated goals are "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" with the primary objective being "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."<ref name="btabout"/>


B'Tselem's funding comes from private individuals (both Israeli and foreign)<ref name="btabout" /> and European and North American foundations focusing on human rights.<ref name="btabout" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Total reported funding 2018 |url=https://fts.unocha.org/global-funding/donors/2018?f%5B2%5D=destinationOrganizationIdName:2265:B%27Tselem%20-%20the%20Israeli%20Information%20Center%20for%20Human%20Rights%20in%20the%20Occupied%20Territories|access-date=2021-01-23|publisher=Financial Tracking Service, ]}}</ref>
The NGO's key founders were:
*Dr Daphna Golan-Agnon (academic and founding director of feminist peace group ])
*] (Knesset member for the ] party, one of the founders of ] movement)
*] (Knesset member for the ] party, one of the founders of ] movement)
*] (] party activist and future Knesset member for the ] party formed through the merger of Ratz and Mapam)
*Avigdor Feldman (] lawyer)
*Dr Edy Kaufman (academic and civil liberties ])


In 2014, B'Tselem stopped sending the ] (IDF) complaints it received from Palestinians in Gaza about ] there. In 2016, B'Tselem also stopped sending the IDF complaints of alleged IDF war crimes in the West Bank because it alleged the IDF was whitewashing the complaints.<ref>{{cite web|title=B'Tselem cuts ties with IDF over 'whitewashing'|url=http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/BTselem-cuts-ties-with-IDF-over-whitewashing-454951|website=]|access-date=1 June 2016|date=May 25, 2016|last1=Bob|first1=Yonah Jeremy}}</ref>
==Main activities==
The focus on documentation reflects B'Tselem's objective of providing as much information as possible to the Israeli public, since information is indispensable to taking action and making choices. {{Citation needed|date=April 2009}}


In 2016, B'Tselem executive director Hagai El-Ad asked the UN to take action against Israel's settlements, which he said were compromising a peace agreement with the Palestinians.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/leftist-mk-by-going-to-un-btselem-helps-demonization-of-israel/ | title=Leftist MK: By going to UN, B'Tselem helps 'demonization of Israel'| website=]}}</ref>
===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. {{Citation needed|date=April 2009}}


In a report published 12 January 2021, B'Tselem called ] devoted to ] and said the nation was no longer a democracy.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A Regime of Jewish Supremacy from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea: This Is Apartheid |url=https://www.btselem.org/publications/fulltext/202101_this_is_apartheid |publisher=B'Tselem |access-date=2021-01-23 |language=en}}</ref> This follows a similar report by the ] released in 2017 that concluded that Israel is "guilty of the ]".<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Falk |first1=Richard |last2=Tilley |first2=Virginia |date=March 2017 |title=Israeli Practices Towards the Palestinian People and the Question of Apartheid |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/329990893 |journal=Palestine and the Israeli Occupation |issue=1 |publisher=UN Economic and Social Commission on West Asia |access-date=2021-01-23 |via=ResearchGate |language=en}}</ref>
===Public action===
B'Tselem has hundreds of supporters and volunteers{{Citation needed|date=June 2009}} 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 ]s in the West Bank.


===Reports=== ==History==
Several years before B'Tselem was founded, ], Knesset member for the ] party, began publishing information pages about several topics, including Israeli involvement in the territories. In late 1988, Zucker flew to the United States and there he met the head of the ] organization, ], who offered him to form an "arranged organization" and Zucker began forming one using the $25,000 he was given in the U.S.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lori |first1=Aviva |title=מחפשים את "בצלם" |url=https://www.haaretz.co.il/misc/1.805196?lts=1571665370681 |access-date=21 October 2019 |publisher=Haaretz |date=26 August 2002}}</ref>
B'Tselem publishes reports on various issues such as ], fatal shootings by security forces, restrictions on movement, ] of land and ] in planning and building in ], administrative detention, ]s, and violence by ]s. 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 was founded on 3 February 1989. The name comes from ] {{bibleverse-nb||Genesis|1:27|HE}}, which states that all mankind was created ''"b'tselem elohim"'' (in the ]), which the organization says is in line with the UN ] that all humans are equal in dignity and so deserve the same fundamental rights.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.btselem.org/sites/default/files/2011_btselem_english_brochure.pdf|title=B'Tselem Brochure|publisher=B'Tselem|access-date=16 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120805114107/http://www.btselem.org/sites/default/files/2011_btselem_english_brochure.pdf|archive-date=5 August 2012|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> In December 1989, B'Tselem shared the ] with the Palestinian group ].<ref>{{cite web|title=A Peace Organization Making Peace Around The World - Carter Center|url=http://www.cartercenter.org/news/documents/doc181.html#previous|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101212232823/http://cartercenter.org/news/documents/doc181.html|archive-date=12 December 2010}}</ref><ref name="r19891116">{{cite news|date=16 November 1989|title=Carter-Menil Rights Award For Israeli and Arab Groups|newspaper=The New York Times|agency=Reuters|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/11/16/world/carter-menil-rights-award-for-israeli-and-arab-groups.html}}</ref>
B'Tselem also campaigns against the ] and the human rights record of the ]. On 17 February 2005, the organization called on Palestinian Authority President ] 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.{{Citation needed|date=April 2009}}


Some of the key founders were:
===Video===
* Daphna Golan-Agnon, academic and founding director of the feminist peace group ]
B'Tselem has expanded its operations in recent years to increasingly include video-based footage.<ref name=sharmouta>{{Cite video
* ], Knesset member for the ] party, one of the founders of the ] movement
| people = B'Tselem (Contributor)
* ], Knesset member for the ] party, one of the founders of the ] movement
| title = Sharmouta ("whore" in Arabic)
* ], ] party activist and future Knesset member for the ] party formed through the merger of Ratz and Mapam
| accessdate = 2007-12-30
* Avigdor Feldman, ] lawyer
| date = 2007-01-11
* Edy Kaufman, civil liberties ].
| time = 01:03 minutes
| url = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUXSFsJV084
}}</ref> The expansion of its video project began in August 2007 with the launching of ], ] and ] 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 ] websites were following.<ref> at ]<br />
at ]<br />
at ]<br />
at ]<br />
at ]<br />
at ]</ref>


In 2015 '']'' reporter Glenn Kessler described the link between human rights groups and "political entities" in Israel as "at times... very blurry." He noted that after serving as director of B'Tselem, Zehava Gal-on directed the ].<ref name=Kessler>{{cite news|last1=Kessler|first1=Glenn|title=Netanyahu's claim that 'tens of millions' in foreign money was aimed against him|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/wp/2015/03/20/netanyahus-claim-that-tens-of-millions-in-foreign-money-was-aimed-against-him/|access-date=3 June 2018|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=20 March 2015}}</ref>
==Main research areas==
B'Tselem investigates in a number of aspects related to the Arab-Israeli conflict. In particular the following:


==Work==
* The accountability of ] and ] forces in the territories.<ref> 14 August 2008 B'tselem: IDF only launched 4 probes into 189 Palestinian deaths By Yuval Azoulay</ref>
B'Tselem states that it is devoted to "documenting human rights violations that come under Israel's purview as the occupying power".<ref name="btabout"/> Between 1989 and 2020 B'Tselem has published 185 reports and position papers which can be accessed through their website. They currently produce 3–4 reports a year.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Publications |url=https://www.btselem.org/publications |website=www.btselem.org |access-date=2022-12-28}}</ref>
* The use of administrative punishment.
* The continued use of ] during ]s, particularly by the ] (General Security Services of Israel).
* The illegal policy of house demolition, as a form of ], which is often justified for alleged military purposes.
* Inequalities in the planning and building procedures which discriminate against ] ].
* The legal status of residents of ].
* The path and effects of the ] and its legal status.
* Problems related to family unification and child registration.
* Neglect of infrastructure and services.
* Illegal ]s and the extreme closures placed upon the Palestinian population of ].
* Breaches of international ] law.
* The water crisis in Palestinian areas.
* Family separation.
* Restrictions on movement, such as checkpoints roads, ] and the effect these have on the economy and medical treatment.
* Israeli settlement land expropriation, ] and attacks on Israeli civilians by ]s.
* ] - The scope of Israeli control, economic and social decline, ]s, access restrictions, the firing of ]s.
* Use of force - beating and abuse, use of firearms and ]s.
* Violations by Palestinians - attacks on civilians, harm to suspected collaborators, death penalty in the Palestinian Authority.
* Rights of workers from the territories.


===Israel's land policies in Area C===
==Report on rockets from Gaza==
In 2013, B'Tselem released a report called ''Acting the Landlord: Israeli Policy in Area C, the West Bank''. It stated that ], comprising about 60% of the West Bank, is under full Israeli control, and stated:
A B'Tselem report devoted to Palestinian attacks on Israeli civilians gave no information about Israeli attacks on Gaza but reported
<blockquote> Israel strictly limits Palestinian settlement, construction and development in Area C, while ignoring the needs of the Palestinian population. Palestinian residents are ... denied any legal avenue to build homes or develop their communities, so they face the constant fear that their homes might be demolished, and that they be expelled and lose their livelihood.</blockquote>
that from June 2004 to 17 January 2009, 19 civilians and 2 soldiers were killed in Israel by rockets and mortar fire by Palestinians. Four of them were minors.


B'Tselem also stated that some parts of Area A and B only have available land in Area C for construction, which Israel forbids almost completely. Therefore, "Israel’s policy in Area C has ramifications for residents throughout the West Bank. The boundaries outlined for Areas A and B impose an artificial scarcity of land for some of the communities in these areas." B'Tselem accused Israel of violating ] and ] by its actions.<ref name="ActingTheLandlord2013">{{Cite web |url=https://www.btselem.org/download/201306_area_c_report_eng.pdf |title=Acting the Landlord: Israeli Policy in Area C, the West Bank |date=June 2013 |website=B'Tselem}}</ref><ref name="EUReport2014">{{Cite web |url=https://ec.europa.eu/neighbourhood-enlargement/sites/near/files/c_2014_5986_aap_part_i_annex_4.pdf |title=ANNEX 4 of the Commission Implementing Decision on the Annual Action Plan 2014 for Palestine |date=2014 |website=European Commission}}</ref><ref name="EchoesOfEmpire2016">{{Cite journal |title=Echoes of Empire: British Mandate planning in Palestine and its influence in the West Bank today |journal = Planning Perspectives|volume = 32|last=Crookston |first=Martin |pages=87–98 |doi=10.1080/02665433.2016.1213183|year = 2017| issue=1 | bibcode=2017PlPer..32...87C |s2cid = 151586867}}</ref>
According to the UN, cited by B'Tselem the number of rockets fired at Israel was as follows:

* 2005: 1194 Qassam rockets (an average of 100 a month)
===View of Israel as an apartheid state===
*2006: 1786 rockets
{{see also|Apartheid (crime)|Israeli apartheid}}
*2007: 1331
In January 2021, B'Tselem released a report characterizing Israel as an "apartheid" regime, a term the organization had hitherto only used in specific contexts, and which the Israeli government vehemently rejects. B'Tselem director Hagai El-Ad said of the report: "One of the key points in our analysis is that this is a single geopolitical area ruled by one government. This is not democracy plus occupation. This is apartheid between the river and the sea."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Krauss |first1=Joseph |title=Leading human rights group calls Israel an 'apartheid' state |url=https://apnews.com/article/religion-race-and-ethnicity-israel-mediterranean-sea-west-bank-3c9adae04858a7735b031e58e3419c64 |website=AP News |date=20 April 2021 |publisher=The Associated Press |access-date=13 May 2021}}</ref>
*2008: 2048 rockets and more than 1672 mortar shells.

=== Israel-Hamas War ===
Former B'Tselem board member, ], was killed in the ] during the ].<ref name="cbc">{{cite news |date=November 13, 2023 |title=Canadian Israeli peace activist Vivian Silver, feared to be held hostage, confirmed killed in Hamas attacks |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/israel-gaza-vivian-silver-1.7027333 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231113233658/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/israel-gaza-vivian-silver-1.7027333 |archive-date=November 13, 2023 |access-date=November 13, 2023 |work=CBC News}}</ref>

In October 2024, during Israel's ], B'Tselem released a statement accusing Israel of ethnically cleansing North Gaza and urging the international community to stop the war.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-23 |title=Photos and videos show devastation of Israel's assault on northern Gaza |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/harrowing-images-emerge-northern-gaza-un-warns-non-stop-israeli-strike-rcna176360 |access-date=2024-11-20 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Tharoor |first=Ishaan |date=2024-10-25 |title=Is Israel carrying out de facto ethnic cleansing? |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/10/25/israel-ethnic-cleansing-gaza-settlements/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241025050955/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/10/25/israel-ethnic-cleansing-gaza-settlements/ |archive-date=2024-10-25 |work=Washington Post}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Mraffko |first=Clothilde |date=2024-11-14 |title=In northern Gaza, the workings of 'ethnic cleansing' |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2024/11/14/in-northern-gaza-the-workings-of-ethnic-cleansing_6732868_4.html |access-date=2024-11-20 |work=Le Monde |language=en}}</ref> B'tselem stated that the "magnitude of the crimes Israel is currently committing is impossible to describe" and reported dire conditions in North Gaza including ], bombings, and lack of medical care.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-22 |title=The world must stop the ethnic cleansing of northern Gaza |url=https://www.btselem.org/press_releases/20241022_the_world_must_stop_the_ethnic_cleansing_of_northern_gaza |website=B'Tselem}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Israel is ethnically cleansing north Gaza, says B'Tselem |url=https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-committing-gravest-crimes-laws-war-northern-gaza-btselem |access-date=2024-11-20 |website=Middle East Eye |language=en}}</ref>


==Board members== ==Board members==
B'Tselem board members are:<ref>, B'Tselem.</ref> B'Tselem board members include:<ref>, B'Tselem.</ref>


*Orly Noy (chair)
*Co-chairs:
*Thair Abu Rass
**David Kretzmer, Professor of Law, Faculty of Law and School of Public Policy, ].
*Meir Amor
**Gila Svirsky, Co-founder of ].
*Smadar Ben Natan
*Ido Blum
*Ron Dudai
*]
*Vered Madar
*Osama Tanous
*Sawsan Zaher
*David Zonsheine


Notable former board members include:
*Neta Amar: Lawyer, Legal Advisor for IHL Project, Diakonia and Staff Attorney for ].
*]: Professor of Philosophy, ].
*Orna Ben-Naftaly: Head of the Law and Culture Division and the International Law Division, the Law School, the College of Management Academic Studies.
*Menachem Fisch: Professor of the History and Philosophy of Science, Tel-Aviv University and Senior Fellow, ].
*Tamar Hermann: Dean of Academic Studies, the ], and Senior Research Fellow, the ].
*]: Journalist, ] (] named A.Kapeliouk as one of the founders of B'Tselem<ref></ref>).
*Peretz Kidron: Journalist and Translator.
*Menachem Klein: Lecturer in Political Science, ].
*Victor Lederfarb: Financial Administrator, the ].
*David Neuhaus: ] Priest, Reverend, Lecturer in Religious Studies at ] and Seminary of the Holy Land in ].
*]: Journalist, ] Newspaper.
*Alla Shainskaya: Senior Staff Scientist, ].
*Ronny Talmor: Author and editor.
*]: professor of political geography and urban planning, ].
*Rayef Zreik: Co-founder of ], The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, Lecturer at the Faculty of Law, Tel-Aviv University.


*]
Board members have changed over the past 10 years. Four board members from 1998 remain on the board in 2008.<ref>, December 1998</ref><ref>, 2008</ref>
*]
*]
*]
*]


==Staff== ==Staff==
The group's executive director is Jessica Montell. In 2011 the group staff has 38 employees in a Research Department, a Data Coordination department, a communications department, and an administration department.<ref name=Staff /> B'Tselem's executive director is Yuli Novak. In 2011, the group staff has 38 employees in a Research Department, a Data Coordination department, a communications department, and an administration department.<ref name=Staff /> Field data research in the West Bank and Gaza Strip for B'Tselem was, until the ], 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.<ref>{{cite news|first=Tamar |last=Hausman|work= Haaretz|title= B'Tselem chooses its first Anglo director|date= 17 July 2001|url=http://www.haaretz.com/b-tselem-chooses-its-first-anglo-director-1.64017}}</ref>

===Attacks on staff===
B'Tselem staff members have been both verbally and physically attacked by both Israeli settlers and 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.<ref></ref> In another, on 20 June 2008, according to the organization, a worker was beaten and had his film confiscated after filming IDF troops ignoring violent crimes by Israeli settlers. Following B’Tselem’s complaint, Israeli military police opened an investigation.<ref></ref> 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== ==Funding==
B'Tselem is independent and is funded by contributions from foundations in ], ] and ] that support human rights activity, by private individuals in Israel and abroad, and by the governments of some ] countries and the European Commission.<ref name="btdonors">{{cite web|url=http://www.btselem.org/english/About_BTselem/Donors.asp|title=List of donors to B'Tselem|publisher=B'Tselem|accessdate=2 February 2010}}</ref> B'Tselem describes itself as an independent NGO, "funded by contributions from foundations in ] and ]... and by private individuals in Israel and abroad", and by the governments of some ] countries and the European Commission.<ref name="btdonors">{{cite web|url=http://www.btselem.org/english/About_BTselem/Donors.asp|title=List of donors to B'Tselem|publisher=B'Tselem|access-date=2 February 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100129065402/http://www.btselem.org/english/About_BTselem/Donors.asp| archive-date= 29 January 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref>


According to B'Tselem's 2016 financial report, they had received NIS 9,549,286 in donations, of which NIS 4,665,144 was received from foreign governmental bodies.<ref>{{cite web|title=2016 B'Tselem Financial Report|url=http://www.guidestar.org.il/vf_view_file?guid=e025038d79735b4-2b6752a42ad4a69f-8c66319cf0759eef0741e701e26bde462c38d74d33040d8457609ac05888f698-3538278af6b44226-912edcbc6ca736678|website=Guidestar}}</ref>
According to B'Tselem, their donors include:<ref name="btdonors"/>


According to the ]'s 2016 financial report, they transferred US$414,433 to B'Tselem over the course of the year.<ref>{{cite web|title=2016 New Israel Fund Financial Statement|url=https://www.nif.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/NIF-2016-Audited-Financial-Statements.pdf|website=New Israel Fund}}</ref>
*]
*] (])
*] - 99,717 € per year (2007) <ref></ref>
*] (])
*Diakonia (])
*Development Corporation Ireland
*] (Church Development Service, ])
*Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland
*] (])
*]
*] (Interchurch Organisation for Development Co-operation, ])
*], Swedish Section
*Naomi and Nehemiah Cohen Foundation
*] (Israel)
*]
*Shefa Fund
*SIVMO (Netherlands)
*Stichting Het Solidariteitsfonds (Netherlands)
*] (])


==Reception==
==Critical commentary and response==
Historian ] 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.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Bar-On|first1=Mordechai|title=In Pursuit of Peace|publisher=USIP|isbn=978-1-878379-53-5|pages=243–245, 401|year=1996}}</ref><ref>'In one case the IDF chief of staff publicly challenged the numbers B'Tselem reported on Palestinian casualties, and subsequently apologized when he learned that his figures were wrong and B'tselem's report was correct. In later years the military authorities often asked B'tselem to confirm their own information.' ], ] {{isbn|978-1-878-37953-5}} 1996 p.401 n.119</ref> It has also been called the best neutral source for incidents in the Palestinian territories.<ref> Jack Donnelly, 'International human rights: unintended consequences of the war on terrorism,' in Margaret Crahan, John Goering, Thomas G. Weiss (eds.), ''The Wars on Terrorism and Iraq: Human Rights, Unilateralism and US Foreign Policy,'' ], 2004 {{isbn|978-1-135-99507-2}} pp.98-111, p.110 n.10</ref>
The ] (CAMERA), a pro-Israel media watchdog group, has voiced concern that B'Tselem classifies casualties into military versus civilian rather than combatant versus non-combatant.<ref>, ] Media Analyses, 7 July 2003.</ref> Tamar Sternthal, director of CAMERA's Israel office, and Yehonatan Dachuch-Halevi, a former Israeli Military Intelligence officer, argued that B'Tselem wrongly classifies Palestinian militants as civilians.<ref name="sternthal">{{Cite news
| last = Sternthal
| first = Tamar
| title = Bending the truth
| work = ]
| accessdate = 2008-09-26
| date = 2008-09-24
| url = http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3601691,00.html
}}</ref><ref></ref><ref></ref> CAMERA also alleged that B'Tselem defined as "civilian" Palestinians those killed while engaged in attacks on Israelis.<ref>, CAMERA Media Analyses, January 3, 2007.</ref>


Critics of B'Tselem, including the ], the ], and ], have challenged the accuracy of its reports, arguing that B'Tselem has at times classified Arab combatants and terrorists as civilian casualties.<ref name="sternthal">{{Cite news
B'Tselem replied by stating that initial media reports or statements from the IDF were inaccurate:<blockquote>B'Tselem's methodology is completely transparent; indeed much of CAMERA's "ammunition" was taken from our own website. Palestinians employing potentially lethal force (]s, rockets, ], ]s) are listed as having participated in hostilities at the time they were killed. The fact that a person carried a weapon but did not actually take it out and use it does not make that person a combatant. Likewise with regard to stonethrowing; in most situations, stonethrowing does not constitute lethal force. This does not relieve the stonethrower of criminal liability, and his crime is plainly noted in our statistics. However, a 14 year-old boy throwing stones at an armoured jeep from a distance of over 50 feet – as was the case when soldiers shot Jamil al-Jabji – is not participating in an armed conflict, and the military does not need to respond with live ammunition (the fact that the military has initiated an investigation into this case would indicate that they retroactively agree). The devil is in the details. In those cases, where stonethrowing does indeed endanger lives (dropping ]s from a roof, for example) this is classified as participation in hostilities.</blockquote>
|last=Sternthal
The group also said it no longer classifies Palestinians into civilians and security forces in a position which has also been articulated by Israel's ].<ref name=Resp>B'Tselem Official written response to the CAMERA Organisation, Fax & Press Release, 22nd August 2007</ref></blockquote>
|first=Tamar
|title=Bending the truth
|work=]
|access-date=26 September 2008
|date=24 September 2008
|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3601691,00.html
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080925181327/http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0%2C7340%2CL-3601691%2C00.html
|archive-date=25 September 2008
|url-status=live
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/128086|title=Researcher Slams B'Tselem - Defense/Middle East - News - Arutz Sheva|work=Arutz Sheva|date=26 October 2008 }}</ref><ref>Amos Harel, , ], 26 October 2008.</ref><ref name="Glick">{{cite web |url=http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Columnists/Column-One-Agents-of-influence |title=Column One: Agents of influence |work=The Jerusalem Post - JPost.com |author=Caroline B. Glick |date=7 January 2011 |access-date=24 May 2017}}</ref> B'tselem has issued rebuttals to its critics.<ref name=Resp>B'Tselem Official written response to the CAMERA Organisation, Fax & Press Release, 22 August 2007</ref><ref name=Montell>Jessica Montell, , ], 21 January 2011</ref><ref> from the B'Tselem website.</ref>


In 2011, Foreign Minister ] called for a parliamentary investigation of B'Tselem and other human rights organizations. In a speech to fellow members of his right-wing ] ("Israel our home") party he said such groups "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".<ref name="nrgbender">{{cite news|first=Arik|last=Bender|url=http://www.nrg.co.il/online/1/ART2/198/881.html|title=הוועדה הפרלמנטרית תחקור את בצלם, עדאלה ופרופיל חדש|trans-title=Parliamentary committee to investigate B'tselem, Adallah and New Profile|language=he|date=10 January 2011|access-date=15 June 2011|publisher=]|quote=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.}}</ref>
], a pro-Israel non-governmental organization which aims to stop humanitarian NGOs from promoting agendas which it perceives as anti-Israel, has accused B'Tselem of having a political agenda and falsifying and distorting data. NGO Monitor further writes that B'Tselem employs "abusive and demonizing rhetoric designed to elicit political support for Palestinians".<ref>, NGO Monitor Analysis (Vol. 2 No. 12), 15 August 2004.</ref> The group states it "stands behind the accuracy of its data" which is "based on independent fieldwork by its own well-trained staff" and that its methodology is "completely transparent".<ref name=Resp />


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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mfa.gov.il/MFA/ForeignPolicy/Peace/MFADocuments/Pages/IDF%20ACTIVITIES%20AGAINST%20ARMED%20TERRORISTS%20IN%20JUDEA-.aspx |title=IDF Activities Against Armed Terrorists in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza District |date=1 May 1992 |publisher=] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307152740/http://mfa.gov.il/MFA/ForeignPolicy/Peace/MFADocuments/Pages/IDF%20ACTIVITIES%20AGAINST%20ARMED%20TERRORISTS%20IN%20JUDEA-.aspx |archive-date=7 March 2016 |access-date=11 January 2018 }}</ref> In an interview with '']'' in 2009, ] Brigadier General ] praised B'Tselem, saying that they help his office talk to witnesses and clarify complaints. He also said the organization "strives, like us, to investigate the truth".<ref>, ''Haaretz'', 18 September 2009</ref><ref>, ''Haaretz'', 29 April 2013</ref>
In May 2007, B'Tselem and ] released a report detailing testimonies of Palestinian prisoners that said they were subjected to "beatings, painful binding, swearing, humiliation and denial of basic needs" by IDF soldiers and Shin Bet agents.<ref></ref> ], deputy managing editor of '']'' and former advisor to ], asserted in an editorial that B'Tselem and the Israeli human rights group ] are "] ] organizations with a documented history of falsifying and distorting data".<ref name = Glick> Column one: What is Israel's problem? {{dead link|}}, , ''The Jerusalem Post'', May 10, 2007.</ref> The findings of the report were publicized in Israeli and foreign media.<ref name = Glick /><ref></ref> The World Bank published a similar report the next week which used information provided by B'Tselem, Hamoked, and other Israeli human rights groups.<ref></ref>


In 2010, ] of ], a critic of the organization, expressed admiration for B'Tselem's research capability, saying 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." Steinberg cautioned that the reliability of B'Tselem's testimony had not been tested in court, and that he would withhold judgement until it was.<ref name="IDF Recognizes">{{cite web |url=http://forward.com/news/129361/idf-recognizes-help-from-israeli-human-rights-grou/ |title=IDF Recognizes Help From Israeli Human Rights Group |first=Nathan |last=Jeffay |date=14 July 2010 |work=] |access-date=17 January 2018 }}</ref> In 2014, NGO Monitor criticized B'Tselem's presentation of casualties in ] saying "B'Tselem presents what it terms 'initial' and 'preliminary' data, but these are inherently unverifiable and based solely on information from Palestinian sources in Hamas-controlled Gaza."<ref>, JPost, 20 August 2014</ref> In 2015, NGO Monitor said a B'Tselem report that accused Israel of violating international humanitarian law in the 2014 war against ], contained "major omissions and distortions" and failed to "present definitive evidence that would justify the allegations".<ref>, 28 January 2015, Times of Israel, 28 January 2015]</ref> Later in 2015, Steinberg characterized B'Tselem as seeking to delegitimize the Israeli state and said that the organization was waging "a very dangerous form of warfare" against Israel.<ref>, ], 6 October 2015</ref>
In July 2010, indicting two Israeli soldiers for alleged manslaughter, Israeli Military Advocate General Avichai Mendelblit thanked the organisation for "testimonies its activists passed on to the IDF and for assisting in coordinating the questioning of Palestinian eyewitnesses at the Erez crossing".<ref>{{cite news|last=Pfeffer|first=Anshel|title=IDF soldier charged with killing women during Gaza op|url=http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/idf-soldier-charged-with-killing-women-during-gaza-op-1.300457|newspaper=Haaretz|date=7 July 2010}}</ref>


In response to a speech given by El-Ad to the ] urging the international community to take action against Israeli settlements,<ref>{{cite web |title=B'Tselem head urges Security Council to act now on settlements |url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/un-discusses-settlements-includes-speeches-from-btselem-peace-now/ |access-date=27 October 2016 |website=]}}</ref> Prime Minister ] announced that he would work to ban national service volunteers from working in B'Tselem.<ref>{{cite web|title=Netanyahu supports end of national service volunteers working with B'Tselem|url=http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Netanyahu-calls-to-end-national-service-volunteers-working-with-BTselem-470189|website=Jerusalem Post|date=15 October 2016 |access-date=27 October 2016}}</ref> 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."<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/us-troubled-by-attacks-on-rights-group-btselem/ | title=US 'troubled' by attacks on Israeli rights group B'Tselem| website=]}}</ref>
The Israeli newspaper '']'' also refers to B'Tselem as a ] rights group.<ref></ref><ref></ref><ref></ref>


===''Uvda'' Investigation===
==Representative publications==
{{See also|Ezra Nawi#Uvda Investigation 2016}}
*

*
In January 2016, ] broadcast footage of ] activist ] 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."<ref name=Leftist>{{cite news|title=Israeli Leftist Taped Trying to Set Up Palestinians Who Seek to Sell Land to Jews|url=http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.696313|access-date=14 January 2016|publisher=Haaretz|date=8 January 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/left-wing-israeli-says-he-helps-kill-palestinians-who-sell-land-to-jews/|title=Left-wing Israeli says he helps kill Palestinians who sell land to Jews|website=]}}</ref><ref name=Kubovich>{{cite news|last1=Kubovich|first1=Yaniv|title=Police Make Airport Arrest of Left-wing Activist Who Turned Palestinians in to PA|url=http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.696821|access-date=14 January 2016|publisher=Haaretz|date=11 January 2015}}</ref> No reports have confirmed that Nawi's actions brought about the execution of any Palestinians.
*
*


==See also== ==See also==
{{Portal|Human rights}} {{Portal|Israel}}
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* ]
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* '']''


==References== ==References==
{{Reflist|2}} {{Reflist|30em}}


==External links== ==External links==
{{commons category}}
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* {{Official website|https://www.btselem.org/}}

{{Authority control}}


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Latest revision as of 13:11, 1 December 2024

Non-profit human rights organization

B'Tselem
Founded3 February 1989; 35 years ago (1989-02-03)
TypeNon-profit, NGO
FocusChanging Israeli policy in the occupied territories to protect and sustain Palestinian human rights
HeadquartersJerusalem
Area served Palestinian territories
Key peopleYuli Novak (Executive Director)
Employees38
Websitewww.btselem.org

B'Tselem (Hebrew: בצלם, IPA: [beˈtselem]; transl. "In the Image ") is a Jerusalem-based non-profit organization whose stated goals are to document human rights violations in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories, combat any denial of the existence of such violations, and help to create a human rights culture in Israel. It is currently headed by Yuli Novak, who took over in June 2023 from Hagai El-Ad, who had served as its director-general since May 2014. B'Tselem also maintains a presence in Washington, D.C., where it is known as B'Tselem USA. The organization has provoked sharp reactions within Israel, ranging from harsh criticism to strong praise.

Overview

B'Tselem was established in February 1989 by a large group of Israeli lawyers, doctors and academics with the support of a lobby of ten members of Knesset. Its objective was to document human rights violations in the occupied territories (Gaza Strip and the West Bank), while being committed to the security and humanistic character of the State of Israel. In the previous year, Israeli forces killed 311 Palestinians, of whom 53 were under the age of 17. The killings occurred during a wave of Palestinian protest and rebellion in which 12 Israelis were also killed. The rebellion is referred to as the First Intifada.

B'Tselem's funding comes from private individuals (both Israeli and foreign) and European and North American foundations focusing on human rights.

In 2014, B'Tselem stopped sending the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) complaints it received from Palestinians in Gaza about alleged IDF war crimes there. In 2016, B'Tselem also stopped sending the IDF complaints of alleged IDF war crimes in the West Bank because it alleged the IDF was whitewashing the complaints.

In 2016, B'Tselem executive director Hagai El-Ad asked the UN to take action against Israel's settlements, which he said were compromising a peace agreement with the Palestinians.

In a report published 12 January 2021, B'Tselem called Israel an "apartheid regime" devoted to Jewish supremacy and said the nation was no longer a democracy. This follows a similar report by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia released in 2017 that concluded that Israel is "guilty of the crime of apartheid".

History

Several years before B'Tselem was founded, David Zucker, Knesset member for the Ratz party, began publishing information pages about several topics, including Israeli involvement in the territories. In late 1988, Zucker flew to the United States and there he met the head of the Human Rights First organization, Michael Posner, who offered him to form an "arranged organization" and Zucker began forming one using the $25,000 he was given in the U.S.

B'Tselem was founded on 3 February 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. In December 1989, B'Tselem shared the Carter-Menil Human Rights Prize with the Palestinian group Al-Haq.

Some of the key founders were:

In 2015 The Washington Post reporter Glenn Kessler described the link between human rights groups and "political entities" in Israel as "at times... very blurry." He noted that after serving as director of B'Tselem, Zehava Gal-on directed the Meretz Party.

Work

B'Tselem states that it is devoted to "documenting human rights violations that come under Israel's purview as the occupying power". Between 1989 and 2020 B'Tselem has published 185 reports and position papers which can be accessed through their website. They currently produce 3–4 reports a year.

Israel's land policies in Area C

In 2013, B'Tselem released a report called Acting the Landlord: Israeli Policy in Area C, the West Bank. It stated that Area C, comprising about 60% of the West Bank, is under full Israeli control, and stated:

Israel strictly limits Palestinian settlement, construction and development in Area C, while ignoring the needs of the Palestinian population. Palestinian residents are ... denied any legal avenue to build homes or develop their communities, so they face the constant fear that their homes might be demolished, and that they be expelled and lose their livelihood.

B'Tselem also stated that some parts of Area A and B only have available land in Area C for construction, which Israel forbids almost completely. Therefore, "Israel’s policy in Area C has ramifications for residents throughout the West Bank. The boundaries outlined for Areas A and B impose an artificial scarcity of land for some of the communities in these areas." B'Tselem accused Israel of violating international humanitarian law and international human rights law by its actions.

View of Israel as an apartheid state

See also: Apartheid (crime) and Israeli apartheid

In January 2021, B'Tselem released a report characterizing Israel as an "apartheid" regime, a term the organization had hitherto only used in specific contexts, and which the Israeli government vehemently rejects. B'Tselem director Hagai El-Ad said of the report: "One of the key points in our analysis is that this is a single geopolitical area ruled by one government. This is not democracy plus occupation. This is apartheid between the river and the sea."

Israel-Hamas War

Former B'Tselem board member, Vivian Silver, was killed in the Be'eri Massacre during the 7 October Hamas-led attack on Israel.

In October 2024, during Israel's siege of North Gaza, B'Tselem released a statement accusing Israel of ethnically cleansing North Gaza and urging the international community to stop the war. B'tselem stated that the "magnitude of the crimes Israel is currently committing is impossible to describe" and reported dire conditions in North Gaza including starvation, bombings, and lack of medical care.

Board members

B'Tselem board members include:

  • Orly Noy (chair)
  • Thair Abu Rass
  • Meir Amor
  • Smadar Ben Natan
  • Ido Blum
  • Ron Dudai
  • Elias Khouri
  • Vered Madar
  • Osama Tanous
  • Sawsan Zaher
  • David Zonsheine

Notable former board members include:

Staff

B'Tselem's executive director is Yuli Novak. In 2011, the group staff has 38 employees in a Research Department, a Data Coordination department, a communications department, and an administration department. 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.

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.

According to B'Tselem's 2016 financial report, they had received NIS 9,549,286 in donations, of which NIS 4,665,144 was received from foreign governmental bodies.

According to the New Israel Fund's 2016 financial report, they transferred US$414,433 to B'Tselem over the course of the year.

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. It has also been called the best neutral source for incidents in the Palestinian territories.

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. B'tselem has issued rebuttals to its critics.

In 2011, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman called for a parliamentary investigation of B'Tselem and other human rights organizations. In a speech to fellow members of his right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu ("Israel our home") party he said such groups "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".

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. In an interview with Haaretz in 2009, Military Advocate General Brigadier General Avichai Mendelblit praised B'Tselem, saying that they help his office talk to witnesses and clarify complaints. He also said the organization "strives, like us, to investigate the truth".

In 2010, Gerald Steinberg of NGO Monitor, a critic of the organization, expressed admiration for B'Tselem's research capability, saying 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." Steinberg cautioned that the reliability of B'Tselem's testimony had not been tested in court, and that he would withhold judgement until it was. In 2014, NGO Monitor criticized B'Tselem's presentation of casualties in 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict saying "B'Tselem presents what it terms 'initial' and 'preliminary' data, but these are inherently unverifiable and based solely on information from Palestinian sources in Hamas-controlled Gaza." In 2015, NGO Monitor said a B'Tselem report that accused Israel of violating international humanitarian law in the 2014 war against Hamas, contained "major omissions and distortions" and failed to "present definitive evidence that would justify the allegations". Later in 2015, Steinberg characterized B'Tselem as seeking to delegitimize the Israeli state and said that the organization was waging "a very dangerous form of warfare" against Israel.

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, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he would work to ban national service volunteers from working in B'Tselem. 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."

Uvda Investigation

See also: Ezra Nawi § Uvda Investigation 2016

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." No reports have confirmed that Nawi's actions brought about the execution of any Palestinians.

See also

References

  1. ^ "About B'Tselem". B'Tselem. Archived from the original on 29 January 2010. Retrieved 2 February 2010.
  2. "A regime of Jewish supremacy from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea: This is apartheid". B'Tselem. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  3. ^ "B'Tselem's Staff". B'Tselem. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  4. "Yuli Novak – B'Tselem's new executive director". B'Tselem. 26 June 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  5. Talmor, Ronny (July 1990). The Use of Firearms by the Security Forces in the Occupied Territories. Translated by Ralph Mandel. B'Tselem. ISSN 0792-4003. Back cover.
  6. Afflerbach, Holger; Strachan, Hew (26 July 2012). How Fighting Ends: A History of Surrender. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-969362-7.
  7. ^ Kessler, Glenn (20 March 2015). "Netanyahu's claim that 'tens of millions' in foreign money was aimed against him". The Washington Post. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
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  36. 'Information on Israeli human rights violations is highly politicized. B'tselem, the Israeli Information center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories is perhaps the best neutral source.' Jack Donnelly, 'International human rights: unintended consequences of the war on terrorism,' in Margaret Crahan, John Goering, Thomas G. Weiss (eds.), The Wars on Terrorism and Iraq: Human Rights, Unilateralism and US Foreign Policy, Routledge, 2004 ISBN 978-1-135-99507-2 pp.98-111, p.110 n.10
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