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Responsibility to Express a Study of Local And I Lene G. Espelund Responsibility to Express A study of local and international organizations working on human rights in the Israel-Palestine situation Noragric The Department of International Environment and Development Studies, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (UMB) II The Department of International Environment and Development Studies, Noragric, is the international gateway for the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (UMB), which includes eight departments, associated research institutions and the Norwegian College of Veterinary Medicine in Oslo. Established in 1986, Noragric’s contribution to international development lies in the interface between research, education (Bachelor, Master and PhD programmes) and assignments. The Noragric Master thesis are the final thesis submitted by students in order to fulfill the requirements under the Noragric Master programme “International Environmental Studies”, “International Development Studies” and other master programmes. The findings in this thesis do not necessarily reflect the views of Noragric. Extracts from this publication may only be reproduced after prior consultation with the author and on condition that the source is indicated. For rights of reproduction or translation contact Noragric. © Lene Espelund, May 2012 Noragric, Department of International Environment and Development Studies P.O. Box 5003 N-1432 Ås Norway Tel.: +47 64 96 52 00 Fax: +47 64 96 52 01 http://www.umb.no/noragric III Declaration: I, Lene Espelund, declare that this thesis is a result of my research investigations and findings. Sources of information other than my own have been acknowledged and a reference list has been appended. This work has not been previously submitted to any other university for award of any type of academic degree. Date: 10 May 2012 Signature: ……………………………………… IV Abstract: The study “Responsibility to express” seeks to answer the question “How can local and international organizations contribute to the realization of a greater number of human rights in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?” The objectives are: “To emphasize how the organizations work to progressively implement or achieve the selected human rights and how they choose what to focus upon”; “To examine what could be achieved with human rights work”; and “To analyze how freedom of expression plays a role for local and international organizations working on human rights”. Participants interviewed and observed are the Israeli organizations Machsom Watch, Breaking the Silence and Amnesty International Israel; the Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group and the Middle East Non-Violence and Democracy; and the Temporary International Presence in Hebron, the UN Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights, and Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel. The field work was conducted in Jerusalem August-October 2010, and in Hebron September-December 2011. The organizations focus on the military occupation; the separation barrier, military checkpoints and permit system; demolition of Palestinian houses and building of Israeli settlements; and the use of violence and arrests. The organizations work on collecting and providing information by observing, documenting and reporting on the issues they focus on. Israeli organizations focus on the Israeli policies in the territory, and Palestinian organizations focus on internal issues in the Palestinian society and the occupation. The international organizations work on human rights violations related to the military occupation and the behaviour of the Israeli and Palestinian governments. The organizations meet internal challenges within the organizations, and external challenges related to the society and political situation. The goals of the Israeli organizations are to provide information and contribute to debate about the occupation. The goals of the Palestinian organizations are to focus on human rights internally in the Palestinian society and the Israeli occupation. The local organizations aim to influence the civil society, while the international organizations aim to influence the behaviour of the Israeli and Palestinian governments in addition to the grass root level. All organizations aim to influence both locally and internationally. Freedom of expression is important organizations working on human rights and the responsibility to express is the motivation behind observing, documenting and reporting on the situation. This study shows that local and international organizations work to provide information, knowledge and experiences to create awareness locally and internationally to contribute to the realization of a greater number of human rights in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. V Acknowledgments: I am very grateful to all the participants for their willingness to share knowledge, experiences and dedication by spending time with me and participate in the research. I admire these people for their engagement with human rights work and the situation in Israel-Palestine. This project has not been possible without your contributions. I am very thankful to my advisor, Bill Derman, for always being there, and for answering questions and giving advises I did not always understand but knew that I should listen to and I have done my best to follow. Thank you for not giving up on me. After my first visit in the Middle East in 2007, there was so much I would like to understand and experience and it became a part of my life. The last years there haven’t been many days without thinking, reading, writing and talking about the Israel- Palestine situation. Thanks to the Freedom of Expression Foundation in Oslo for allowing me a stipend to do research in Jerusalem. Thanks to the Norwegian Church Aid for accepting me as a participant in the EAPPI program. Thanks to the Norwegian Trade Union College for providing academic and personal freedom for me to spend time in the Middle East. This project has been a journey of experiences, impressions and reflections. Thanks to my family and friends who have showed support and interest on the way! With gratitude and respect for all people who have been involved and have contributed with thoughts, words and actions – no one mentioned, no one forgotten. All mistakes are solely my responsibility. VI Preface: Unfortunately, it was paradise? The Middle East – this area is famous and notorious and so often in the spotlight. There is so much to believe, think and say. There are many realities, important stories, contradictory opinions and strong emotions. It is a journey through holy land and occupied territory. The Holy Land is boiling and bleeding, and the passion for the land has captured people in violence and oppression. Jerusalem and Hebron are cities that are united in name, but divided in the hearts and minds of the peoples. When rocks and land in Jerusalem and Hebron become holier than people, then don’t these places lose their holiness? It is possible to share in a way that protects human lives and preserves the holiness, but there is a lack of willingness to respect each other's ties to the land. This land is magical and tragic at the same time. There is fear, suspicion and hatred – and faith, love and hope. An eyewitness gets knowledge and impressions about events through its own impressions and senses – to see, hear, smell, experience and feel. By observing, documenting and reporting, eyewitnesses can provide testimonies with words and pictures of what one has experienced, with a promise of telling its own truth – which is a part of writing the history. It shouldn’t be possible to say that it didn’t happen. When I'm here, I don’t know what to believe – I think everything but know nothing. For my own conscience, I know that I was here... “The Middle East has become a useless case in my opinion, which I consider as paradise.” Lene Espelund Jerusalem, April 2012 VII Table of content: Declaration: ...................................................................................................................... IV Abstract: ............................................................................................................................ V Acknowledgments: ........................................................................................................... VI Preface: ............................................................................................................................ VII 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 1 2 Literature review ................................................................................................................... 2 3 Study area ............................................................................................................................ 10 4 Methodology ........................................................................................................................ 12 5 Introduction of the local and international organizations ............................................... 21 5.1 Machsom Watch - Women against Occupation and for Human Rights .................... 21 5.2 Amnesty International, Israel ..................................................................................... 22 5.3 Breaking the Silence................................................................................................... 25 5.4 Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group, PHRMG ........................................... 26 5.5 Middle East Nonviolence
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