“Putting Rights into Practice”
BADIL Action Plan 2008 - 2010
2009 BADIL Annual Report
Summary of Results
Activity Report BADIL Resource Center was established in January 1998 based on recommendations issued by popular refugee conferences in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip. BADIL is registered with the Palestinian Authority and legally owned by a General Assembly composed of activists in Palestinian national institutions and refugee community organizations. BADIL’s current Board and Oversight Committee were elected by the extraordinary General Assembly convened on 12 June 2008.
Cover Photo: View of Aida Refugee Camp, Apartheid Wall, and Gilo Settlement. photo by Abdulfattah Daajnah. 1st place winner, Best Nakba Photo, Al-Awda Award 2009, (©BADIL) Backcover Photo: «Jafa My City», by Muhammad Abdulhadi, Jenin. Category of Best Nakba Poster, 2nd place winner , Al-Awda Award 2009, (©BADIL)
BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights
PO Box 728 Bethlehem, Palestine Tel/fax. 02-2747346 [email protected] www.badil.org General Assembly Board of Directors
Adnan Abdelmalik (Nur Shams RC/Tulkarem) Head: Afif Ghatasha (Social Service Network - Fawwar Adnan Ajarmeh (Aida RC/Bethlehem) camp, Hebron) Deputy Head: Tayseer Nasrallah (PNC, Yafa Cultural Afif Ghatashe (Fawwar RC/Hebron) Center; Balata camp, Nablus) Ahmad As’ad (Al-Far’ah RC/Toubas) Secretary: Dr. Nayef Jarrad (PNC, Popular Committee- Ahmed Muhaisen (Deheisha RC/Bethlehem) Aidoun; Tulkarem) Anwar A. Hamam (Balata RC/Nablus) Treasurer: Wajih Atallah (Union of Youth Activity Centers, Atallah Salem (Deheisha RC/Bethlehem) HQ, Kalandia camp) Ayed Ja’aysah (Al-Far’ah RC/Toubas) Members: Jamal Shati (Palestinian Injured Association; Bassam Abu ‘Aker (Aida RC/Bethlehem) Jenin camp); Fayez Arafat (Committee for the Defense Buthaina Darwish (Beit Jala/USA) of Palestinian Refugee Rights, Balata camp); Ayed Dr. Abdelfattah Abu Srour (Aida Camp/Bethlehem) Ja’aiseh (Youth Activity Center – Far’ah camp); Dr. Dr. Adnan Shehadeh (Arroub RC/Hebron) Adnan Shehadeh (lecturer, Hebron Politechnic; Arroub Dr. Nayef Jarrad (Tulkarem) camp); Ghassan Khader (Committee for the Defense of Faisal Salameh (Tulkarem RC/Tulkarem) Palestinian Refugee Rights, Balata camp) Fayyez H. Arafat (Balata RC/Nablus) Ghassan M. Khader (Balata RC/Nablus) Oversight Committee Haitham Zahran (Deheisha RC/Bethlehem) Faisal Salame (Popular Committee, Tulkarem camp) Hassan Faraj (Deheisha RC/Bethlehem) Anwar Hamam (Yafa Cultural Center, Balata Camp/Nablus) Hussam M. Khader (Balata RC/Nablus) Rifa’ Abu al-Reesh (al-Am’ari camp, Ramallah) Imad Shawish (Al-Far’ah RC/Toubas) Ingrid Jaradat Gassner (Beit Jala) Executive Committee Issa Qaraq’a (Aida RC/Bethlehem) Jamal Shati (Jenin RC/Jenin) Ingrid Jaradat Gassner, director Karine Mac Allister (Bethlehem/Canada) Najwa Darwish, admin-finance coordinator Muhammad al-Lahham (Deheisha RC/Bethlehem) Muhammad Jaradat, coordinator, campaign unit Muhammad Jaradat (Beit Jala) Nidal Azza, coordinator, resource unit Naji Odeh (Deheishe RC/Bethlehem) Najwa Darwish (Beit Jala) Organizational Affiliations Nidal Azza (Aida RC/Bethlehem) Nihad Boqa’i (Sha’b/Galilee) BADIL has consultative status with UN ECOSOC and a framework partnership agreement with UNHCR. Rifa’ Abu al-Reesh (al-Am’ari Camp/Ramallah) Salem Abu Hawwash (Doura/Hebron) BADIL is a member of the global Palestine Right-of- Samir Ata Odeh (Aida RC/Bethlehem) Return Coalition, al-Awda Right-to-Return Coalition (USA), Shaher J. al-Bedawi (Balata RC/Nablus) National Committee for Nakba Commemoration, BNC- Tayseer S. Nassrallah (Balata RC/Nablus) Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Terry Rempel (Candada) Committee, HIC-Habitat International Coalition (Cairo), Wajih Atallah (Kalandia Camp/Jerusalem) CRIN-Child Rights Information Network (UK), ICVA- Walid M. Ja’arim (Balata RC/Nablus) International Council of Voluntary Agencies (Geneva), Walid Qawasmeh (Jerusalem) ICNP-International Coordinating Network on Palestine, and Wisal F. al-Salem (Nur Shams RC/Tulkarem). PNGO-Palestinian NGO Network. Photo: A comparison between the roads used in the West Bank. The open road on the left is an Israeli by-pass road, meant for Israeli settlers only. The road on the right is a Palestinian road closed by two roadblocks placed there by the Israeli army. Halhoul, West Bank, Palestine. 2003 (Source: CPT) Table of Contents
Introduction ...... 7
Part I: BADIL Organizational Profile
Governance and Management Structures ...... 13 Units and Human Resources ...... 13 Organizational Learning: Management Reform ...... 16 Finances and Cooperation with Donors ...... 16
Part II: Summary of Main Results
1. Progress towards the Strategic Objective ...... 21 2. How has BADIL contributed to the Strategic Objective? ...... 24 3. Gaps yet to be bridged - obstacles to be overcome ...... 30
Part III: 2009 Progress Report Outputs from Projects and Activities; Challenges, Problems and Solutions
(1) Building Local Capacity to Participate and Engage ...... 33 1.1 Youth Education & Activation ...... 3 3 1.2 Academic and Activist Training ...... 3 5 1.3 Al-Awda Award ...... 3 6 1.4 Strategy Forum ...... 39 (2) Outreach, support and alliance building ...... 40 2.1 The Ongoing-Nakba Education Center ...... 40 2.2 International Networking, Meetings and Conferences ...... 45
(3) Research, Mobilization and Intervention with Duty Bearers ...... 46 3.1 Research ...... 46 3.2 Facilitation of CBO actions and Civil Society Campaigns ...... 47 3.3 Special Public/Media Outreach Activities ...... 49 3.4 Legal Advocacy ...... 51
Part IV: 2008 External Audit Report ...... 55
Annexes 1- BADIL in Palestinian civil society coalitions 2009 ...... 71 2- List of BADIL tools and publications 2008-2009 ...... 72 3- BADIL participation in international conferences 2008-2009 ...... 74 Introduction
Another year has passed and the “big picture” here in Palestine has remained very much the same. The governments that condoned and supported Israel’s military aggression against the occupied Palestinian population of the Gaza Strip in the winter of 2008/9 and delayed the Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire, have cooperated in 2009 with the new Israeli government whose members publicly endorse and promote colonialism, racial discrimination, segregation and population transfer as means to maintain domination.
New hope in U.S.-led diplomacy stirred by the promises of the Obama administration early in the year has come to naught, and most European governments and the EU have denied support to a UN-led initiative for effective, transparent and impartial investigation into war crimes and possible crimes against humanity committed in the context of the 2008/9 “Gaza conflict” (Goldstone Report). Israel has remained a state “above the law” and continues colonization of Palestinian land and dispossession and displacement of the Palestinian people with impunity.
In this context, where international law and the rights of the Palestinian people are violated and the voices of the victims are silenced, BADIL is implementing its program entitled “Putting Rights into Practice.” Our 2008 – 2010 program aims to galvanize energy among civil society for action that can generate accountability and political will among duty bearers to respect and protect the rights of the Palestinians people, in particular the rights of the Palestinian refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) and those at risk of forced displacement.
In this 2009 annual report, we present an overview of the main results achieved and activities implemented in the second year of the program.
The first section of this report includes an update about developments in our organization. We are pleased to report that slow but persistent progress has been achieved in the ongoing management reform. With roles of governance institutions and the executive more clearly defined, and with new staff recruited for vacant positions, BADIL has improved management and become a more sustainable organization. Issues pertaining to BADIL’s financial situation and issues pertaining to our relationship with donors are also addressed in this section.
In the second section we present a summary of the main results of BADIL’s work by the end of 2009 and assess progress achieved towards our strategic objective. We show how BADIL has contributed to stronger rights-based Palestinian civil society campaigns that have in some
2009 Badil Annual Report 7 cases generated political will to hold Israel accountable to international law and respect and protect the rights of the Palestinian people, including those of the refugees and IDPs.
The third and final section is a progress report about the implementation of the BADIL 2009 work plan, including projects and activities for: capacity building; outreach, support and alliance building; and research, mobilization and intervention. The section includes a discussion of challenges and problems faced during implementation and solutions found or considered.
We appreciate feedback to this report and extend our gratitude to all those who have been providing encouragement and support.
On behalf of the BADIL team,
Ingrid Jaradat Gassner, director
Afif Ghatasha, head of Board
January 2010
8 Part I
Organizational Profile
Photo: As International protection and accountability remain ineffective, Israel continues violatiing the rights of the Palestinian people. Gaza, 10 March 2009 (Source: Grassroots International)
2009 Badil Annual Report 9 BADIL Governance and Units and Human Resources Management Structures BADIL’s program was implemented by professional staff working in two program units (Campaign is the legal owner The General Assembly (GA) Unit, Resource Unit). Assistance was provided of BADIL and the highest decision-making by contracted personnel, interns, volunteers and body. It sets guidelines for organizational volunteer members of BADIL support networks. three-year plans, approves plans and annual Administrative support and control were provided reports and elects the BADIL Board. The GA by the finance coordinator and the director. is currently composed of 40 members active in Palestinian refugee community organizations Organizational Learning: in the West Bank; it convenes annually. The the 2009 Management Reform last meeting was held on 30 April 2009.
The Oversight Committee (OSC) is elected Main developments for a two-year period by the GA and reports to it. The OSC (3 members) monitors and 8 Slow but persistent progress has been assesses BADIL’s performance under local achieved in BADIL human resource law and BADIL by-laws. The current OSC development towards the aim of ensuring was elected on 12 June 2008. that experienced staff can take charge of strategic program components, as The Board is elected by the GA for a period well as good governance, organizational of up to two years and meets monthly. The effectiveness and sustainability. nine-member Board leads organizational 8 Governance and management procedures affairs on behalf of the GA, reviews/approves were improved and have resulted in clearer plans and reports submitted by the director, division of authorities and responsibilities and facilitates program implementation. The and more collective assessment and planning current Board was elected on 12 June 2008; it of BADL’s work. held 11 meetings in 2009. Human resource development undertaken: The Executive Committee (EC) forms the collective executive management of BADIL. n A new policy for annual salary increments The EC is led by the director and composed based on seniority became operational on 1 of program unit coordinators and the finance January 2009. coordinator. It monitors and adapts program n Staff recruitment was partially successful: implementation, and recruits and allocates recruitment was undertaken for the two resources as approved by the Board. The EC vacant positions, the executive secretary reports to the Board via the director. who is to reduce the administrative
10 Units and Human Resources (2009) Director Ingrid Jaradat Gassner Admin-Finance Coordinator Najwa Darwish Executive Secretary Ala’ Khalifeh (1/09 – 5/09) Issam Awwad (June - July) Receptionist Haitham Zahran
Campaign Unit
Unit Coordinator: Muhammad Jaradat Campaign Organizer Basem Sbaih (as of 3/09) Communications Officer Hazem Jamjoum Logistical Support Officer Hassan Faraj
Contracted Organizations and Personnel Media outreach, advertising MA’AN News Agency Field-Activity Coordination Northern West Bank Yafa Cultural Center (1-12/09) Central West Bank Union of Youth Activity Centers (1-12/09) Gaza Strip Union of Youth Activity Centers (1-12/09)
31 Consultants/Jury, Al-Awda Award: Children’s story: Issa Qaraqe’, Salman Natour, Zakaria Muhammad, Renad Qubbaj, Mahmoud Shuqair, Majdi Shomali; Poster: Yusef Katalo, Suleiman Mansour, Umaya Juha, Makbula Nassar, Sharif Waked, Muhammad Alayan, Omar Assaf, Nassar Ibrahim; Research Paper: Ass’ad Ghanem, Norma Massriya, Aziz Haidar, Musleh Kanaaneh, Shawqi Issa; Children’s Photography: Ibrahim Melhem, Loay Sababa, Ammar Awad, Atef Safadi, Rula Halawani, Alaa Badarnah; Written Journalism: Abdelnasser Najjar, Qassem Khatib, Shireen Abu Aqleh, Nasser al-Lahham, Najib Farraj, Khalil Shaheen.
15 CBOs, Youth Education & Activation: Palestinian Children’s Cultural Center (Fawwar camp); Lajee Center (Aida camp); Doha Children’s Cultural Center (Doha, Bethlehem); Yafa Cultural Center (Balata Camp); Youth Activity Center (al Far’ah camp); Palestinian Children’s Center (Shu’fat camp); Kay-La-Nansa Society (Jenin camp); Youth Activity Center (Jelazoun camp); Youth Activity Center (Aqbat Jabr camp); Youth Activity Center (Nur Shams camp); Tawassul Society (Nusseirat camp); el-Karmel Association (Nusseirat camp, Gaza Strip); ADRID (Nazareth); Jama’ah for Leadership Development and Community Empowerment (Kafr Qassem); Aidoun-Syria Youth Group (Damascus)
Volunteers Student activism, al-Quds University Hamdi al-Sheikh Khalil, Ahmad Nouba, Fawaz al-Suweiti, Bader al- Tamimi Media outreach MA’AN staff Campaigner/Europe Rania Madi, Geneva
Resource Unit
Unit Coordinator Nidal Azza Coordinator, Legal Advocacy Reem Mazzawi Technical Support Officer: Atallah Salem
2009 Badil Annual Report 11 Contracted Personnel (Consultants) Research Terry Rempel (Handbook/Durable Solutions; contract from 2006) Karine Mac Allister (apartheid analysis) Elna Sondergaard (universal jurisdiction) Yasmin Gado (corporate responsibility) Statistics Mustafa Khawajeh, statistics (2008-9 Survey) Research editors, assistants Salem Abu Hawwash (Expert Forum Reader; contract from 2007) Majdi al-Shomali (Awda Award, children’s stories) Toufic Haddad (2008-9 Survey; UN Tokten, 3-12/09) Legal Advocacy Rania Madi, UN-Geneva (1-12/09) Graphics and design Nihad Boqa’i (4-5/09) Interior design, Ongoing Nakba Education Center Collage, 12/09 - 4/10) Library development Anan Hamad (1-12/09) IT maintenance Isam Ishaq (1-12/09) Web redesign Isam Ishaq (9/08 – 6/09) Web upload Hiba Azraq (8 - 12/09) Translation (per piece) Yara Abu Gharbiya, Salem Abu Hawwash, Rawwa Masalha, Ahmad Abu Ghoush
Volunteers/Interns Research, editing Terry Rempel (Reader, 2003-4 Expert Forum) Susan Akram, Yasmine Gado Legal Advocacy LSN members Transcription, typing Muhammad al-Huweimi Web upload Vanessa Faraj, Constanza Araya Translation Caterina Donattini, Birgit Althaler, Alberto Arce, Beatriz Morales, Amelie Le Goff, IEPALA (Spain) Planning, Ongoing Nakba Education Center Marcy Newman Linux System Maintenance Curtis Rempel, Engima Logic Inc., Canada
BADIL Support Networks
Legal Support Network (LSN): composed of 80 international and local legal experts, academic researchers and human/refugee rights activists. LSN is coordinated by BADIL and meets annually. Members provide professional advice and contribute to BADIL research, seminars and advocacy activities.
Al-Majdal Editorial Advisory Board: 14 researchers, journalists and refugee rights activists who contribute to editorial planning and writing of BADIL’s English language quarterly.
Haq al-Awda Editorial Advisory Board: 14 Palestinian writers and community activists who contribute to editorial planning and writing of BADIL’s Arabic-language magazine.
12 work load of the director, program unit Improvements of governance and management coordinators and the finance coordinator procedures: and improve internal financial control and segregation of duties, and a campaign n The new Basic Law was approved by the organizer who is to develop and implement BADIL General Assembly (GA) on 30 community-based projects and produce April 2009. This law and the 2008 Bylaws/ information and advocacy tools. The latter Human Resource Management are clear position was staffed successfully, while about the mandates and division of tasks recruitment efforts for the first remained and decision-making powers of governance unsuccessful throughout the year. An institutions (General Assembly, Board) agreement on trial basis was reached with and the executive management (director, a new candidate who will be available by finance coordinator, unit coordinators). January 2010. n Review and revision of all 2010 job n New and substantial voluntary human descriptions was undertaken to ensure resource support was secured for program they meet the standards set by the Bylaws/ implementation, in particular from Human Resource Management. IEPALA, Spain, for Spanish-language n Work on additional management manuals is translation and dissemination of BADIL in progress, including customized bylaws/ materials. financial management and an annex to the n Staff participation in program assessment, bylaws/human resource management. reporting and planning was increased: a n Recruitment to the GA was started: a procedure for collective mid- and end-of- special committee appointed by the year reporting was installed, and two staff Board is currently inviting and selecting workshops were conducted for collective candidates who meet the criteria for GA discussion of the main results of the membership with the aim of recruiting 2009 program and planning of the 2010 them as new members in 2010. program. n GA, Board and staff built consensus about Finances and Cooperation with the strategic objective and future program priorities in a three-day strategy seminar Donors conducted with three guest speakers in Jericho (16-18 December) in the Main development framework of the BADIL Strategy Forum (see Part III/4 for detail). Guidelines for 8 BADIL’s financial situation has been stable BADIL’s 2011-13 action plan were derived in 2009, but new challenges arise from from the debates. work among civil society collectives and from donor policies and practices.
2009 Badil Annual Report 13 In 2009, BADIL’s core and program funding tend to require ever more-complex financial were provided by the Arab Human Rights reports of funds spent on specific program Foundation, Broederlijk Delen, Danchurch items and to disregard organizational audit Aid (DCA), EPER/HEKS, the NDC- reports. This trends does not contribute to the Human Rights and Good Governance NGO building of sustainable and transparent local Secretariat, ICCO, Oxfam Solidarity, Spanish organizations. It also increases the financial Development Cooperation (AECID), Trocaire management burden on local organizations. and the United Methodist Church (UMC). Additional project funding was provided by the Catalan Agency for Development (ACCD, via Ciemen) and EPER/HEKS. Oxfam Quebec provided in-kind staff support through its volunteer program. BADIL’s initial budget projected for 2009 was slightly revised (reduced) based on the mid-term financial balance, and grants received from donors did meet BADIL’s actual needs and expenses.
New challenges to fundraising and financial management - as BADIL has come to work more in civil society collectives, more funds have to be raised for coordination, and financial management and reporting become more complex because they have to be shared with a multitude of actors. BADIL’s current resource and funding needs are larger than what is provided by supportive NGO-donors. Careful re-assessment of organizational growth, more fundraising efforts, and a long- overdue BADIL consultation with donors will be required in order to ensure that our organization will be financially sustainable in 2010 and beyond.
Other challenges derive from trends in donor policies and practices the benefits of which are difficult to see. Thus, for example, donors
14 Part II
Summary of Main Results
Note on terms used: results are defined in line with the agenda for aid efficiency formulated in the 2005 Paris Declaration: outputs are results of project activities; outcomes are results related to the strategic (mid-term) objectives, while impact relates to changes relevant to the long-term objective (aim) which are affected by a variety of external, uncontrollable factors.
Photo: Palestinian IDPs during their Annual symbolic return to the depopulated village of al-Kafrain. May 2009. (Source: Activestills)
2009 Badil Annual Report 15 1. Progress towards the Strategic Objective
BADIL’s current three-year program “Putting Holistic problem analysis (apartheid, Rights into Practice” (2008 – 2010) aims colonialism and occupation) and a rights- to contribute to a stronger Palestinian civil based vision of the political solution based on society whose campaigns are based on the principles of freedom, self-determination, collective rights-based analysis and strategic justice and equality are debated by a growing vision and can generate more political will to number of Palestinian social and political hold duty bearers accountable to international actors. The Palestinian Nakba and the right of law and respect and protect the rights of the return of Palestinian refugees and IDPs feature Palestinian people, in particular the right of prominently in this debate. return of the refugees and IDPs. More allies have been recruited and existing 2009 Progress accomplished towards the alliances have consolidated worldwide, in Strategic Objective: particular with the trade union movement and legal experts. These alliances also include Existing Palestinian civil society networks organizations and networks of Jews abroad and and coalitions have become stronger, in Israel, who are ready to support principled especially the Boycott, Divestment and Palestinian civil society-led advocacy and Sanctions National Committee (BNC) which has campaigns. succeeded to activate member unions and grass- roots organizations. New and unprecedented Civil society-led campaigns continued to grow collaboration among Palestinian human rights in scope and impact: law suits abroad against organizations resulted in an effective role in Israeli military and political officials suspected public mobilization for implementation of of war crimes and gross human rights abuses the recommendations of the UN Gaza Fact obstruct Israel›s international relations, the PA/ Finding Mission (“Goldstone Report”; see PLO was successfully pressured to support the box at the end of this section). The Palestinian Goldstone Report and it was adopted by the UN public and political leadership (PA, PLO, General Assembly, and the BDS Campaign was political organizations) have engaged in civil able transform anger and protest against Israel›s society campaigns for Israeli accountability to military assault on Gaza into sustained action international law, in particular investigation and and tangible results, including with states and prosecution of war crimes and the Campaign corporations, and Israeli exporters began to for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS), complain about problems (see box below). mainly in response to Israel›s massive military assault on the Gaza Strip. On 11 December In response, Israel and Zionist organizations 2009, the day marking the 61st anniversary of have launched propagandistic and diplomatic UN Resolution 194 affirming the right of return efforts to block the campaigns and stepped-up of Palestinian refugees, Christian Palestinians oppression of Palestinians on both sides of the launched the Kairos-Palestine document calling “green line.” New law bills, including a law upon churches worldwide to speak a courageous that would criminalize commemoration of the word of truth and adopt BDS measures for the Nakba, have been proposed in Israel for this sake of justice and peace. purpose.
16 The 2009 BDS Campaign – Main Results
The BDS Campaign is a campaign for Israeli accountability to international law, including respect of the right of return of the Palestinian refugees and IDPs. In 2009, the BDS Campaign was able to transform anger and protest against Israel’s crimes committed in Gaza into practical and sustained action and results.
The Kairos-Palestine document was launched by Christian Palestinians, and at least 12 new BDS resolutions were passed worldwide, mainly by the union movement, including the Australian Workers Union, the Scottish Trade Union Congress, the British Fire Brigades Union, the Manchester University students union, and Independent Jewish Voices in Canada.
The Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee (BNC) recorded over 40 BDS calls and actions, including a ban on an Israeli ship declared by South African dockworkers, a first “global BDS Action Day” with dozens of activities worldwide marking the Palestinian Land Day (30 March), “Israeli Apartheid Week” activities coordinated in 40 cities worldwide, intervention in the UN Durban Review Conference by means of a successful international Israel Review Conference, the launching by Israeli women activists of a database of companies supporting Israel’s colonial and oppressive regime in the OPT (www.whoprofits.org), the launching of broad campaigns against Agrexco in France and AHAVA in Holland, Canada, UK and USA, and the expansion of the BDS Campaign into Pakistan, Malaysia and other countries in the global South.
At least 29 significant tangible results were achieved, including with states and corporations, for example: n The UK has tightened control of imports of Israeli settlement products and imposed a partial arms embargo on Israel; n Several states, including Bolivia, Ecuador, Mauritania, Qatar, Turkey and Venezuela, imposed various forms of diplomatic sanctions in response to Israel’s military assault on Gaza. Greece obstructed a US arms shipment to Israel, India suspended a military contract; n The Brazilian Parliament blocked a Mercosur trade agreement with Israel; n The Dutch government opened an investigation into AHAVA, an Israeli cosmetics giant operating in Jewish settlements in the OPT; n The Norwegian Pension Fund divested from Elbit, an Israeli company supplying military technology, based on the recommendation of the Fund’s ethics review committee; n Veolia announced its intention to sell its shares in the illegal Jerusalem light train, after a French court ruled that its has jurisdiction over the case and several municipalities and provinces canceled large business contracts with the company, including Stockholm (Sweden), Galloway (Ireland) and Victoria (Australia); n Africa-Israel, a company promoting aggressive Jewish colonization, faced divestment by many important shareholders, including Blackrock Bank, TIAA-CREF and PFZW; n The Edinburgh International Film Festival returned money to the Israeli consulate admitting that it had been a mistake to receive such support; and the New Orleans Middle East Film Festival became the first in the US to join cultural boycott. Over 50 international film celebrities issued the “Toronto Declaration” to protest the Toronto International Film Festival’s “spotlight on Tel Aviv.” n Israel’s Ariel College in the Jewish settlement of Ariel in the occupied West Bank was barred from participation in a prestigious architecture competition in Spain; n Brazilian football teams refused to play in Israel; n The Palestinian Authority has joined the call for boycott of Israeli settlement products and monitors its implementation in the occupied West Bank.
Media coverage of the BDS Campaign has increased since Israel’s military assault against Gaza. According to the Israeli Manufacturers Association, 21% of Israeli exporters report problems because of the boycott. major success stories are being reported. The Campaign elicits increasingly high level responses from Israeli officials and Zionist lobbyists.
2009 Badil Annual Report 17 2. How has BADIL contributed to the Strategic Objective?
BADIL’s contribution is best demonstrated by a review of the strategic results (outcomes) of our program in 2009:
8 Strategic Result (1) - Palestinian community activists, including refugees and youth, are engaged and participate in the implementation of rights-based analysis, strategic vision and campaigns.
BADIL has built capacity of Palestinian refugee youth to engage through “Youth Education & Activation.” 290 refugee/IDP children and youth aged 14-17 graduated from the course of 2008/9 and 285 are currently under training in CBOs in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Israel and Syria. Trainees are more aware of their rights and responsibilities and mored skilled, and are active organizers in their communities.
Expected Results (Outputs) Actual Results and Progress in 2009* Participants/trainees are more 4The course is interesting for girls and boys: 75% (290) of those aware of their rights and initially registered (386) have graduated from the 2008/9 course. responsibilities, 44% (129) of them are girls. have organizing skills, 4Course implementation across borders has consolidated: the project and are active organizers in their now involves CBO partners and their youth in Syria and 1948 communities. Palestine/Israel, in addition to the OPT (West Bank and Gaza). 4New training tools have been used and more guidance is provided to stimulate interactive learning and better meet the needs of the children and youth. 4Many of the youth involved in BADIL training since 2006 have meanwhile become youth leader/trainers, taken on a leadership role in their CBO, or are active in university student or community organizing elsewhere, in particular as part of the BDS Campaign.
* For base-line information, see the BADIL 2007 Annual Report. Information about indicators and means of verification is available upon request.
18 BADIL has built capacity to engage among Palestinian students and academic institutions through regular law courses (“The Palestinian refugee question under international law”). 97 Palestinian university students have been trained in four courses since 2007/8. Additional lectures and workshops were held with hundreds of activists, mainly students. The university and its students recognize the quality of the BADIL course, and more students/activists and academic institutions have taken-up the Palestinian refugee issue and/or accountability to international law in their academic work and/or social and political activism.
Expected Results (Outputs) Actual Results and Progress in 2009 Students/trainees understand 4BADIL’s course has been adopted as part of the permanent “elective relevant concepts and apply program” and is taught twice each year, instead of only once as them in their professions and/ originally planned, based on the request of the al-Quds University or in community organizing Law School. The al-Quds Law Clinic has partnered with BADIL with the aim of protecting for lectures and student engagement in human rights advocacy and Palestinians from, during and campaigns. after displacement and join civil 465 additional Palestinian law students (18 of them women) improved society campaigns. knowledge of international law applicable to Palestinian refugees, Palestinian history and politics, as well as academic research skills; 61 of them (94%) passed the course with success, among them 17 female students. 42 students (fall semester 09) published their course paper in the student magazine; one student decided to write her thesis on a topic of the course. Students have also requested BADIL publications for the al-Quds University library and distribute BADIL’s Arabic magazine on campus. 4The student committee formed in 2008 organized a series of on- campus activities with BADIL in 2009, including a photo exhibition and 2 seminars. 4Hundreds of students, university staff and human rights activists were introduced to legal concepts and analysis relevant to forced displacement and accountability. Many have applied them, mainly in the Right to Education Campaign, the 2009 Israeli Apartheid Week, and in the public campaign for implementation of the Goldstone Report.
2009 Badil Annual Report 19 BADIL has enhanced engagement of the Palestinian public in intellectual and cultural production on the right of return through the annual competition for the Awda Award which continues to grow in scope and impact.
Expected Results (Outputs) Actual Results and Progress in 2009 The Palestinian public is more 4Peak numbers of visitors to the BADIL website were recorded in engaged in intellectual and November 2009, when the 2010 Award competition was launched. cultural production on the right 4The number of participants in the competition continued to increase of return. (292 in 2007; 387 in 2008; 392 in 2009). 4Audience at Award Festivals continued to increase from 800 in 2007 (West Bank) to 1,200 in 2008 and 1,500 in 2009 (West Bank and Gaza). 4Women have featured strongly among the Award winners (56% in 2007; 33% in 2008 and 2009). 4Much positive feedback was received from the public in Palestine and abroad, this time in particular from the Palestinian community in Abu Dhabi, where one of the Award winners resides. 4The winning poster was adopted by the National Committee for the Commemoration of the Nakba as the poster of the public Nakba-61 commemoration. The second and third winning poster was printed and disseminated widely by the PLO Department of Refugee Affairs. 4The competition has encouraged debate among experts about quality standards for intellectual and cultural production, in particular with regard to literature for children. 4Awda Awards continue to be a major media opportunity for BADIL (see strategic result-3).
BADIL has contributed to collective and rights-based analysis, vision and strategy-building through its Strategy Forum, in particular among organizations, unions, networks and coalitions that form the Palestinian national movement (see Annex-1). Their message has become more united, rights-based and holistic.
20 Two new opportunities have opened up for BADIL in 2009: a) intensive collaboration with Palestinian human rights organizations has demonstrated the need for more systematic debate about a common and more effective human rights advocacy strategy; and, b) strategic planning towards a practical rights-based approach to the return of Palestinian refugees was advanced in collaboration with the Zochrot Association.
Expected Results (Outputs) Actual Results and Progress in 2009 New rights-based strategy 4BADIL prepared and promoted print editions (English and Arabic) documents have been collectively of the BNC’s strategic position paper “United against Apartheid, developed and adopted. Colonialism and Occupation – Dignity and Justice for the Palestinian People”, as well as discussion papers and briefs for civil society networks and political organizations. 4Important components of these documents, such as the apartheid analysis and the BDS Campaign, were adopted not only by grass- roots organizations and unions, but also in programs and statements of political organizations and PA/PLO institutions. 4Palestinian human rights organizations, including BADIL, have recognized the need for in-depth debate about an effective human rights strategy. 4A draft document on practical measures required for refugee return was prepared by a group of 13 veteran Palestinian and Jewish Israeli refugee rights activists during a study visit to Belgrade and Kosovo organized jointly by BADIL and Zochrot.
Photo: Al-Awda Award Ceremony, Ramallah Cultural Palace, 2 May 2009. (©BADIL)
2009 Badil Annual Report 21 8 Strategic Result (2) – more and better-informed allies and supporters are recruited worldwide for implementation of the rights-based strategy.
The Ongoing-Nakba Education Center is being developed. It has already improved scope, quality, visibility and outreach of BADIL information tools and services.
BADIL information, advocacy and networking have resulted in consolidation of global strategic alliances to promote Israeli accountability to international law.
Expected Results (Outputs) Actual Results and Progress in 2009 More and better information and 4The public resource library is being developed according to best advocacy tools and services are international standards and 9,668 visitors have been recorded on-line. available at BADIL. 433 new tools and 63 press releases were produced (as compared to 25 and 79 in 2008; see Annex 2), and the new BADIL website was Outreach of tools and services is launched in several languages. wider than in the past. 4BADIL information was used by a larger public. At the end of the year, 3,164 persons had subscribed to BADIL E-lists (up from 2,300 subscribers in 2008). BADIL’s website was accessed 75,359 times by 61,995 unique visitors (up from 38,500 visits by 32,500 unique visitors in 2008). Most users came from Palestine (Israel and OPT), USA, UK, and Arab countries. New alliances are formed and 4Briefings with almost 1,400 visitors in Palestine, networking via E-mail existing ones have become and in conferences and meetings abroad resulted in contacts, action stronger. plans and working groups that have further consolidated global alliances for implementation of the BDS campaign and legal advocacy.
Photo: Panel on the Applicability of the Crime of Apartheid to the State of Israel Over Mandate Palestine. Israel Review Conference, Geneva, April 2009 (©BADIL)
22 8 Strategic Result (3) – Duty bearers understand and respond by affirming the rights-based message in statements and actions.
BADIL’s research has provided new findings about the scope and causes of Palestinian forced displacement and promoted a holistic and rights-based message. Research relevant for promoting accountability of duty bearers was strengthened by the addition of international criminal law and of law/standards guiding responsibility of the private business sector. 3 research studies and 2 working papers were completed in 2009. BADIL’s research was used and respected not only among civil society activists but also human rights professionals and the academia.
Expected Results (Outputs) Actual Results and Progress in 2009 More professional analysis, 4Findings of BADIL research on the applicability of the crime facts and figures are available of apartheid to Israel’s regime over the Palestinian people were and support the rights-based corroborated by an expert panel at the 2009 Israel Review message. Conference and the findings of additional new research projects not affiliated with BADIL. 4Statistical analysis of the scope of Palestinian displacement resulted in methodological improvements and updated estimates of the size of refugee and IDP populations. 4BADIL research was cited in at least 7 academic works in 2009. Four internationally-renowned legal experts provided supportive commentary for publication in the BADIL 2008-9 Survey of Palestinian Refugees and IDPs.
2009 Badil Annual Report 23 BADIL has facilitated civil society mobilization and campaigning, in particular the work of the National Committee for the Commemoration of the Nakba, the BDS National Committee (BNC) and the ad hoc coalition of human rights organizations formed to ensure implementation of the recommendations of the Goldstone Report. Their campaigns have grown and exert greater pressure on duty bearers.
BADIL has increased outreach and impact of the civil society campaigns through media and public outreach activities. BADIL led implementation of the BNC’s Israel Review Conference which provided a platform for the strategic message and prevented de-legitimization among Western publics in the context of the UN Durban Review Conference.
Expected Results (Outputs) Actual Results and Progress in 2009 Civil Society campaigns have 4After years of substantial logistic and financial support from BADIL, grown in scope and exert greater Nakba 61 commemorations were implemented successfully by the pressure on duty bearers National Committee and its members with much less support from BADIL. 4BADIL media and public outreach activities, in particular joint statements on the Goldstone Report and the Israel Review Conference, were reported by mainstream media and analysts, including al-Jazeera TV, the Swiss press, Democracy Now, and Le Monde Diplomatique (see box below) 4The Palestinian leadership changed its position on the Goldstone Report and came out in support (see box at the end of this section). 4Civil society campaigns, in particular the BDS Campaign, have achieved more tangible results and responses from allies and duty bearers (see point 1, including boxes, above).
24 BADIL in the Media
Practically all BADIL press releases and activities were reported in the local Palestinian press and on internet outlets throughout Arab countries and communities, with the Awda Award and civil society mobilization for the Goldstone Report receiving the most attention. Professional, more mainstream Arab media that featured BADIL information are Sharq al-Awsat press, al-Ittihad press (Emirates) and amin.org.
BADIL also featured in at least 24 separate international media articles and radio programs. Most dealt in some way with the Israel Review Conference, the UN Durban Review Conference or the Goldstone Report. Most of these involved in-depth features in major media outlets (including two hour-long interviews with Flashpoints radio (US), an IPS story (translated into 17 languages), and articles in Le Monde Diplomatique, the Christian Science Monitor, Al-Ahram Weekly, Ma›an News and the major Spanish Language website Rebellion. Because of the reputable nature and broad reach of these outlets, it is likely that these features were re-published/re- broadcast elsewhere.
BADIL press releases were re-published on at least 22 separate websites and media outlets, including ReliefWeb, Palestine Telegraph, Gloobal.net, Belgium Indy-Media, Palestine Think Tank, Aboriginal Newgroup, Mondoweiss, Counter Currents, and others.
At least 13 Badil articles/publications were republished/featured on at least 8 internet journals and media outlets. These were 10 articles from al-Majdal and two separate articles by BADIL staff (“Palestinian Refugee Rights: Time-Out for Politics – a Time for Accountability and the Rule of Law” published in the Palestine-Israel Journal, vol. 15; “Not an Analogy: Israel and the Crime of Apartheid” published on CommonDreams.org). It is difficult to ascertain how many times these articles were republished. al-Majdal was also the top featured publication of March 2009 in Le Monde Diplomatique.
BADIL English language research publications were cited in at least 7 academic works and 5 NGO reports.
2009 Badil Annual Report 25 BADIL legal advocacy has contributed to better understanding and more rights-based responses of duty bearers, in particular the international humanitarian community in the OPT and UN human rights mechanisms. Western governments and the diplomatic community, however, have largely failed to engage. On some occasions, even UN mechanisms and agencies directly bound by mandates under international humanitarian and human rights law have also failed to act upon their legal obligations.
Expected Results (Outputs) Actual Results and Progress in 2009 Duty bearers, in particular those 4At the end of 2009, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in the OPT involved in UN human rights approved a 2009-2010 protection strategy which includes forced mechanisms, humanitarian and displacement, freedom of movement and to choose residence, as development aid, respond with well as effective remedy and accountability among 10 protection rights-based statements and concerns. The UN-led Protection Cluster Working Group (PCWG) actions. has identified refugees and IDPs as particularly vulnerable groups to be given special attention. 4In December, an Accountability Task Force was established under the auspices of the PCWG to promote implementation of the Goldstone Report. 4At the end of the year, a new Advocacy Task Force was formed by the inter-agency Displacement Working Group with the aim to coordinate, strengthen and support inter-agency advocacy related to the forced displacement of Palestinians. 4BADIL, jointly with UNHCR, was able to intervene and assist Palestinian refugees, in particular those from Iraq who were detained on their flight across borders. 4The UN Human Rights Council established the Fact Findimg Mission on the Gaza Conflict, adopted its report (Goldstone Report) and referred it to the UN General Assembly. 4The UN High Commissioner on Human Rights confirmed that her office (OHCHR) has strengthened its presence in the OPT and expressed her willingness to visit the OPT. - In March the Human Rights Council adopted the report from the Universal Periodical Review of Israel (UPR) conducted by some 50 states in early December 2008. The report includes more than 50 recommendations, including calls upon Israel to respect the right of return of the Palestinian refugees and to cease actions that alter the demographic composition of the OPT, such as settlements, house demolitions and evictions. No mechanism, however, exists for follow up on these recommendations. - Durban Review Conference: the UN (OHCHR) contributed to the exclusion of the Palestinian people from the review and final outcome document, failed to provide a meaningful, independent civil society forum, and denied permission for NGO-side events about the situation of the Palestinian people while the oppressor was provided space and permitted to speak.
26 UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict
On 29 September 2009, the UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict submitted its report to the HRC (12th session). The report (“Goldstone Report”) noted that both Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups had committed grave violations of international law, including war crimes and possible crimes against humanity. The Mission called upon both parties to the conflict to investigate violations of international human rights and humanitarian law and to prosecute perpetrators where appropriate. On the same day, BADIL organized a side-event at the Palais des Nations together with other Palestinian, Israeli and international NGOs: “After the Report by the Fact Finding Mission on Gaza: What’s Next?.” Various views on follow-up and mechanisms for justice were presented at the event. In addition, BADIL together with Habitat International Coalition submitted a joint written statement encouraging the HRC to endorse the recommendations of the Fact Finding Mission.
In the above (12th) session the Human Rights Council decided to defer the vote on the Goldstone Report to its next session in the spring of 2010 based on the request of the PLO/PA. At this point, an ad hoc group of Palestinian, Israeli and international human rights group, including BADIL, launched a concerted campaign of publicity and lobbying under the slogan “Justice delayed is justice denied”. The campaign pushed the PLO/PA to reconsider its postion, and the HRC resumed debate of the Report in a special session and endorsed it on 16 October 2009.
As a result, the Goldstone Report was tabled for discussion at the UN General Assembly (GA) in November. BADIL, as part of the ad hoc coalition of human rights organizationssent and published a joint letter the Permanent Observer Mission of Palestine at the UN in New York. The letter expressed concern about missing elements in the draft resolution tabled for vote in the GA. It called upon the PLO to ensure a strong resolution that would fully endorse the Fact Finding Mission’s recommendations. BADIL sent similar letters, briefed and lobbied PA officials and members of the PLO Executive Committee. BADIL also co-signed an open letter to foreign governments encouraging them to vote in favour of a GA resolution that fully endorses the Report and its recommendations, and joint press releases were issued respectively.
Ultimately, the GA endorsed the Report.in a resolution (A/Res/64/10, 5 Nov. 2009) which failed to include operative measures for reparation of damages. 18 states, including many European governments, however, voted against holding Israel accountable to international law, and 44 states abstained. Subsequently, the NGO coalition sent joint letters to the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Sweden and the Netherlnads protesting the EU and Dutch positions. BADIL also co-signed a letter expressing gratitude to European states that voted in favour of the GA resolution.
Two days after the adoption of the GA resolution, BADIL initiated a meeting of the international humanitarian and human rights community in the OPT with relevant stakeholders, including diplomats, to discuss practical measures towards implementation of the Report’s recommendations. This meeting was held on 16 December in Jerusalem. BADIL co-organized and prepared a briefing-paper for this event on the systematic lack of accountability in Israel and the OPT as reflected in conclusion’s of UN human rights mechanisms. The meeting resulted in the establishment of an Accountability Task Force under the auspices of the Protection Cluster Working Group (PCWG).
Photo: Richard Goldstone head of the UN Fact Finding Mission surveying the damage in Gaza, June 2009. (© AFP/al-Ayyam)
2009 Badil Annual Report 27 3. Gaps yet to be bridged - obstacles and risks to be overcome towards the Strategic Objective n The Palestinian people remains fragmented international humanitarian community in and lacks an effective political mechanism the OPT to focus on protection and forced (PLO). Although public engagement in internal displacement, for example, have campaigns for accountability of Israel so far failed to prevent more forcible and other duty bearers to international displacement of Palestinians or to ensure law has increased substantially, organized durable solutions, including return, and Palestinian civil society still lacks clarity reparations. and consensus about analysis and political vision of the solution. Palestinian activists n Powerful states and their organizations also lack experience with new forms of continue to ignore the root causes of the action that could promote refugee and IDP conflict and to undermine the rights-based return in a more practical manner. message. The rejection of the Goldstone Report by the US, EU and European n Many potential allies in the West, including governments, Israel›s increasing EU and governments, diplomats and international OECD integration and ongoing military humanitarian and development NGOs, and intelligence cooperation with Israel are understand and often support the principled current examples. As these states protect Palestinian civil society campaigns but Israel from being held accountable to continue to issue «balanced statements» international law, they uphold its impunity, or remain silent, because of perceived facilitate discrimination, colonization and political and economic risks, including oppression of the Palestinian people and risks for personal careers. discredit the rule of law. n Although UN agencies and human rights n In the above context, the impact of civil mechanisms have responded with more society campaigns is often temporary and rights-based measures to principled civil achievements are difficult to sustain. society campaigns and legal advocacy, these measures have not yet had tangible n Increased dependency of BADIL on direct results for the rights of the Palestinian government funding constitutes a risk in people. Recent decisions by the the above political context.
28 Part III
Progress Report
Outputs from Projects and Activities Challenges, Problems and Solutions
Photo: Nakba 61 Commemoration, Nablus. 15 May 2009. (Source: al-Ayyam)
2009 Badil Annual Report 29 (1) Building Local Capacity to Participate and Engage
1. “Youth Education & Activation” CBO partners in 2009/10 368 refugee/IDP children and youth aged 14- Youth Education & Activation 17 participated in the 2008/9 course, and 290 of them (among them 129 girls) graduated from West Bank: Palestinian Children’s Cultural Center the course in April 2009. BADIL cooperated (Fawwar camp); Lajee Center (Aida camp); Doha Children’s Cultural Center (Doha, Bethlehem); with 13 CBOs in the 2008/9 course. In April Yaffa Cultural Center (Balata Camp); Youth Activity 2009, trainees and CBO partners participated Center (al Far’ah camp); Palestinian Children’s in a collective assessment that resulted in some Center (Shu’fat camp); Kay-La-Nansa Society (Jenin camp); Youth Activity Center (Aqbat Jabr project adaptation, including a revised course camp); schedule and new training tools and materials. In Gaza Strip: al-Karmel Society (Nusseirat camp); June, cooperation agreements were renewed with 1948 Pal/Israel: Jama’ah Association for Leadership Development and Community Empowerment (Kafr 11 CBOs for the course of 2009/10 which is being Qassem); implemented according to the revised project Syria: Aidoun-Syria Youth Group (Damascus). schedule with 285 youth, among them 128 girls.
1.1 Schedule of Activities Undertaken
Course of 2008/9 (1 May 08 – 15 May 09) February Exchange visits, mutual visits among West Bank partner CBOs and their youth. April Evaluation meeting with partner CBOs (10 April) and course assessment with the trainees,including suggestions for improvement; production of the Yearbook of the 2008/9 course, including children’s assessment and suggestions, as well as materials prepared during the 2008 summer camp. May 15 May Public graduation ceremony in the Aqbat Jaber Camp, Jericho. Graduates are issued a copy of the Yearbook. Participation in Nakba-61 commemorations are organized by each CBO in its locality. May – June 08/9 Project evaluation
Course of 2009/10 (1 July 2009 – end June 2010) July Start of first term: study of Palestine and displacement, historical background; an implementation plan was provided to the CBO facilitators and visits to all CBO partners in the West Bank were conducted by BADIL to support and monitor implementation of the first three months of the course. August Open day of sports and culture for all participants at al-Zaytouna Resort Village, Beit Jala, in Gaza and in Damascus. All children participated in the activity. October Start of second term: study of the current situation of Palestinian refugees and IDPs based on implementation plan provided by BADIL for the next three-month period.
30 1.2 Mid-2009 Project Evaluation & Adaptation (summary)
What youth want from BADIL 4 reach out to younger children and more participants (refugees and non- refugees); 4 more trips to the villages and towns of origin inside the green line and more contact with Palestinians there; 4 more exchange visits among the participating CBOs; Photo: Youth Training Program, al-Karmel Culture Association, 4 a longer summer camp or two summer Nuseirat Refugee Camp, Gaza. 24 July 2009. (©BADIL) camps, one at the beginning and one at the end of the course; 4 an annual summer camp in the exile for the most active participants (the best five from each CBO); 4 more financial support of partner CBOs to cover the cost of creative activities relevant to the program; 4 develop the project website www.badil.org/ ar/youth-education-a-activation-project in order to facilitate networking (something like facebook), an email address linked to the website for every participant to Photo: Youth Training Program, Lajee Center, Aida Refugee have more communication; Camp, West Bank. 19 February 2009. (©BADIL) 4 opportunities for creative competition among participants and their CBOs. unit/theme, including suggestions for BADILs’ response & Project adaptation activities and tools; 4change course schedule: start in the summer 4allocate more funds for creative activities to after the end of the school year, with the the extent possible; summer camp marking the end of each 4increase course monitoring and course one summer later; involvement of BADIL staff in the training; 4provide facilitators with new training tools 4undertake in-depth assessment of Project (power point presentations, films, fact results at the end of the 2009/10 course sheets, maps, etc.); and recommendations for the 2011 – 2013 4provide training guidelines for each course BADIL Action Plan.
2009 Badil Annual Report 31 1.3 Challenges, Problems, Solutions Engaging Students on Campus
Efforts to implement the 2009/10 course Two-day on-campus awareness-raising in Lebanon have so far failed because no “The Right of Return is Not for Sale” appropriate CBO partner has yet been found. (18 – 20 March) – BADIL in cooperation Aidoun-Lebanon has stated interest in with law students and al-Quds University participating in the future. Students Union; the event included an open-air photo exhibit, book table, and two Concerns have remained about the seminars, one on apartheid, the other on the effectiveness of the current project format, meaning of UN Resolution 194. It attracted including too much theoretical study and hundreds of students and faculty members. lack of training skills among facilitators. An in-depth assessment of this project will be Three BADIL lectures for al-Quds undertaken in the context of preparation of University students and staff, including the new 2011-13 action plan with the aim of two (refugee rights, meaning of a rights- improving its impact. based approach) organized by the Human Rights Clinic in October and November, and 2. Academic and Activist Training one presentation on universal jurisdiction organized by the Institute of International 2.1 Activities implemented Humanitarian Law in December.
BADIL Law Course at al-Quds University Palestinian Right to Education Law School (“Palestinian Refugees under Campaign – Four workshops were held for International Law”) - syllabus and reading over 30 students from Al-Najah University materials were initially developed in 2007/8 (Nablus) and Bethlehem University (in in cooperation with members of the BADIL cooperation with the Palestinian Center for Legal Support Network who teach similar Rapprochement between People) in the first courses at universities abroad. They were half of the year. BADIL provided day-long adapted to meet the needs of Palestinian law training on the history of the Palestinian students in the OPT. refugee case and relevant legal and political concepts, as well as in public speaking, Spring semester (February – June): preparation of advocacy materials and 47 students (among them 11 women), countering rhetoric that aims to suppress success rate 92%, average grade 75; the rights of the Palestinian people.
Fall semester (Sept 2009 - Jan 2010): 18 BADIL also provided conceptual tools for students (among them 7 women), success refugee youth centers and university students rate 100%, average grade 84.5%. who wished to participate in the 2009 global
32 «The Right of Return is Not for Sale» Exhibit, Al- Quds University. 22 March 2009. (© BADIL)
Israeli Apartheid Week, as well as lectures on the fourth course (fall semester 09/10) were Palestinian refugee rights to international therefore asked to write only one research and local activist audiences at the Alternative essays on one topic, but to produce three drafts Information Center (3 March and 12 May) and at for feedback from the lecturer. Only the third the Fourth Annual Bil’in Conference (23 April). and final version of the papers was graded. This measure resulted in improvements of 2.2 Challenges, Problems, Solutions students› research and writing skills and they obtained better grades. Law courses at al-Quds University - by the end of 2008 and after two courses, it had become Students involved in the course suggested clear that students had little knowledge of the many on-campus activities. However, only few ongoing forced displacement in Palestine on of those were implemented, because students both sides of the green line and the Israeli did not want to operate through the Students policies and practices causing it. Course Union whereas BADIL is not authorized to materials were adapted for a second time in provide financial support to individuals or order to address this issue. bodies not recognized by the University.
In the third course (spring semester 2009), the Solution: BADIL will increase cooperation success rate declined due to students’ poor with al-Quds Human Rights Clinic and/or research and writing skills (three research encourage students to obtain recognition as a essays are required in the course). Students in student body.
2009 Badil Annual Report 33 3. Al-Awda Award Competition 3.1 Activities Undertaken
BADIL received 392 submissions to the 16 March Closing date for submissions March - April Selection of winners by independent 2009 award competition from participants in juries Palestine and abroad: 152 posters, 19 research Adoption of award-winning papers, 99 children’s stories, 60 photographs of Nakba-61 poster by the National Committee for the Commemoration children and 62 pieces of written journalism. of the Nakba Independent juries of experts selected 12 2 May Parallel Al-Awda Award Festivals winners and dozens of honorable mentions in at the Cultural Palace, Ramallah, the five categories. The winners were honored and the Red Crescent Hall, Khan Younis, Gaza (with satellite link at two parallel public 2009 Awda Award and broadcast). The program festivals in Ramallah and Gaza. included: poster exhibition, dance performance of Lajee Center Popular Arts Troupe from the No winners were selected in the category Aida refugee camp, and award of “Children’s Story” due to the failure of entries prizes to the 12 winners (combined to meet the required professional standards. audience: 1,500) The jury rather made honorable mention of September Project evaluation & adaption for the 2010 Award six stories and recommended inviting the October Public launch and publicity campaign authors for a training workshop with the aim for the call for submissions to the of improving their stories and preparing them 2010 Awda Award (see (3).3 below). The 2010 call for entries will remain for publication. open until 15 March 2010.
The winners of the 2009 Al-Awda Award Children›s Story No first, second and third place was awarded due to the failure of stories to meet the required professional standards. The jury made honorable mention of six entries. Nakba-61 Poster 1st Rami Hazboun (32), advertising and marketing manager, Abu Dhabi 2nd Khuloud Khalil M. al-Ahmad (36), home-maker, Ya›bad, Jenin 3rd Muhammad Hassan Abdelhadi (27), university student, Jenin Photography (under 18) 1st Abdelfattah Yahia A. Da›ajneh (15), Aida refugee camp, Bethlehem 2nd Firas Akawi (15), Akka 3rd Sana› Ahmad A. al-Ayaseh (14), Beit Jala Written Journalism 1st Muntaser Suleiman Hamdan (38), journalist, Ramallah 2nd Hussam Mohammad E. Hamdan (42), journalist, Ramallah 3rd Maha Adel al-Tamimi (54), researcher, Ramallah Research Paper (topic: Palestinian refugee women in the struggle for return) 1st Wafa› Yousef I. Zabadi (36), supervisor, Ministry of Education, Tulkarem 2nd Mutasem Khader Al. Adelah (36), research director, al-Quds University, Jerusalem 3rd Jihad Suleiman S. Almasri (45), lecturer, al-Quds Open University, Khan Younis, Gaza Strip
34 2009 Awda Award with jury members and BADIL in September resulted in the decision to:
4Abandon the idea of conducting a training workshop with the authors of the 6 best stories, because three of them are from Syia and the Gaza Strip. The jury was rather asked to selected the best three stories and to work with the authors through email for improvement of their work. This process was successful, and BADIL will be able to publish these three stories in early 2010.
4Suspend the category “children’s story” until the 2009 winning stories are improved and published;
4Include the category “best caricature depicting the Ongoing Nakba” in the 2010 Awda Award instead of children’s stories;
«I am from There», by Rami Hazboun. Category of Best Nakba 4Provide more detail about the topic selected st Poster, 1 place winner, Al-Awda Award 2009, (©BADIL) for the category “research paper”, including issues to be addressed. Jury members are convinced that such direction will help 3.2 Challenges, Problems, Solutions authors to improve the quality of their papers. The failure of submissions to consecutive competitions to meet minimum quality BADIL has yet to find a suitable co-sponsor standards, in particular in the categories of of annual Awda Awards in order to ensure “research paper” and “children’s stories”, sustainability in the long term. An Arab triggered discussion among the jury members cartoonists website www.arabcartoon.net and the wider community of experts about and the NGO Development Center (NDC) ways for BADIL to obtain good quality have offered free advertising space for the submissions and/or to improve participant’s 2010 Award. Possible sponsorship discussed research and writing skills. previously with the PLO High Council for Education and Culture did not materialize due Solution: two evaluation meetings of the to personnel changes in the Council.
2009 Badil Annual Report 35 4. Strategy Forum
4.1 Activities Implemented On the margins of the Fatah Conference in July-August, BADIL prepared a BADIL promoted two strategic rights-based discussion paper and hosted and briefed documents which were adopted in 2007 delegates to the Conference and members and 2008 by the Boycott, Divestment and political organizations, the Palestinian Sanctions National Committee (BNC) and the National Council (PNC), the PLO Global Palestine Right of Return Coalition: Central Council and the PLO Executive Committee about the implications of a BADIL prepared print editions of the rights-based approach to the Palestinian BNC’s strategic position paper “United refugee issue and the BDS Campaign. against Apartheid, Colonialism and Follow-up meetings and briefings were Occupation – Dignity and Justice for the conducted in the fall to discuss effective Palestinian People” and led its promotion strategies for implementation of the at the BNC’s Israel Review Conference Goldstone Report. and the UN Durban Review Conference A new platform for debate about an in Geneva in April 2009 (see (3) below). effective Palestinian human rights strategy The Arabic print edition served as a tool emerged from the unprecedented level of for public awareness-raising in the second cooperation among local human rights half of the year. organization in efforts for implementation BADIL promoted the Right of Return of the UN Fact Finding Mission on the Coalition’s strategic position paper Gaza Conflict (Goldstone Report). “Palestinian Refugee Rights under a One- state and a Two-state Solution” among BADIL organized a three-day strategy like-minded groups and organizations, seminar for BADIL members, staff, invited and at the academic conference on “Israel/ guests and expert speakers on topics of Palestine; Mapping Models of Statehood strategic concern (Jericho, 16-18 December). and Paths to Peace” held at the University Participants reviewed legal analysis of Israel’s of York, Canada, June. regime (presented by BADIL staff) and discussed the BDS Campaign (presented by BADIL promoted discussion about right- Omar Barghouti, PACBI) and the history of based analysis and campaign strategies the PLO (presented by Abdelfattah al-Qalqili). in new platforms provided by the Fatah The seminar resulted in clarification of strategic Conference in Bethlehem and the report of the objectives for civil society organizations in UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict the medium term and identified priorities for (Goldstone Report): actions to be undertaken.
36 A Three-day Strategy Seminar organized by BADIL in the city of Jericho, 16-18 December 2009 (©BADIL)
BADIL contributed to the 9th Annual – in addition to lectures by the CFCCS Meeting of the Global Palestine Right of and a local scholar, most of this stage was Return Coalition (Paris, 19-23 November): dedicated to meeting with representatives assistance was provided with logistics and with of local activist organizations that work on drafting the final statement which emphasizes issues related to refugee return. The group the need to institutionalize the return met with two organizations in Belgrade and committees and organizations, members of two in Kosovo. It became apparent at this the Coalition, in order to ensure sustainability stage, that the situation in Kosovo is quite and impact of the Coalition as a network. different from that back home. Particularly striking was the fact that there is no debate BADL in cooperation with Zochrot over the “right” to return. Still, however, organized comparative study and return is not taking place for various reasons, strategizing for Palestinian refugee including fear felt by many of the refugees and return and drafted a strategic concept unresolved political issues between states. paper: between 15 – 22 October, BADIL The group, therefore learned mainly about and Zochrot organized a week-long study “no return” and from disappointments and and strategizing program for a group of 13 challenges as yet unresolved. 2) Intensive veteran Palestinian refugee rights activists workshops on Palestinian return – at the from Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and the CFCCS in Belgrade, the group discussed United States and Jewish Israelis active and developed a draft document tackling a) with Zochrot. The program was hosted practical questions related to mechanisms by the Institute for Comparative Conflict of return, b) property restitution, c) justice Studies (CFCCS) in Belgrade and sponsored and reconciliation, and d) rehabilitation by HEKS/EPER, Switzerland. It was and integration. The draft document will be implemented in two stages: 1) learning discussed and elaborated further in 2010 in about the conflict in the former Yugoslavia follow-up activities of BADIL and Zochrot.
2009 Badil Annual Report 37 4.2 Challenges, Problems, Solutions
Despite the unprecedented level of cooperation achieved in 2009, Palestinian human rights organizations still lack consensus about legal analysis, vision and effective human rights strategies. This situation prevents them from playing a stronger role in public awareness-raising and civil society campaigns.
The ongoing isolation and marginalization of Palestinian refugees in exile continues to obstruct effective collective strategy-building and campaigns. The problem was illustrated by the 9th annual meeting of the Right of Return Coalition, where right of return committees in Europe lacked the capacity for efficient and effective organization.
Solution: while BADIL cannot resolve these problems alone, we are confident that we will be able to contribute to the advancement of Palestinian strategic debate in a more systematic manner in 2010, in particular since more staff-time has become available for this task. In 2008, BADIL launched the Ongoing-Nakba Education Center in response to the growing demand
Photo: Joint project of BADIL and Zochrot, comparative study visit to Kosova. University of Pristina, October 2009. (©BADIL)
38 (2) Outreach, Support- and Alliance-building
1. The Ongoing Nakba Education Center for information tools and services in support In 2009 BADIL took advantage of opportunities of civil society campaigns. It includes: to improve and promote its research library:
4Public resource library and interactive 4the old computer-based library program exhibition and learning space (ISIS) was replaced by a new one 4Print, audiovisual and on-line information (Libsys) which meets international best tools (production and dissemination) standards for maintenance and use. 4Information and networking services Libsys is currently being tailored for 4Advertising and promotion use in Arabic, and the BADIL library is part of this pilot project; Following is an overview of activities 4participation in an Oxford University undertaken in 2009: workshop on Palestinian history curriculum development, where a) Development of Library and Interactive BADIL’s library on-line page was Exhibition and Learning Space presented and participants were shown how to use it. Public (on-line) resource library: BADIL’s library is open for the public and electronically Interactive Exhibition and Learning accessible for both internal and external use Space: a contract for interior architectural in Arabic and English. At least 68 visitors design was signed in December with the worked in the library and 9,668 users were Ramallah-based Collage for Interior Design. recorded on-line this year. Ideas and recommendations derived from two concept papers outlining the Ongoing Nakba The BADIL library and on-line catalog follows Education Center, including suggestions for the Library of Congress system. By the end of best use, design, furnishing and equipment the year, it contained 3,101 items, including of the new office space, had served as the books, journals and audiovisuals about past and basis for the tender which was announced in current forced displacement of Palestinians, November. related political and legal theory, and Palestinian memory. 52 new books were purchased in 2009. Collage is expected to complete interior More work is still required for inclusion of all design in the first half of 2010. BADIL audiovisuals and a large number of research also prepared several exhibits and ppt files and documents in the catalog. This process presentations which are available for is expected to be completed by 2011. download from the website.
2009 Badil Annual Report 39 b) Information and Advocacy Tools (production, dissemination)
BADIL produced 33 new tools and 63 press releases. They were sold or provided free of charge or against donations to visitors and based on orders received via the internet. They were distributed mainly via mailing lists to subscribers (al-majdal magazine), as newspaper supplement (Haq al- Awda), as bulk shipments to partners abroad, in handouts during events and meetings, and by partner NGOs and CBOs.
Magazines
Arabic language bi-monthly Haq al-Awda (ISSN 1814-9782) www.badil.org/Arabic-Web/haq-alawda/haq-alawda.htm Vol. VII, issues no. 31- 36 Focus themes: International Solidarity with Palestine: creative tools, expanding the scope (February 2009, 28 pages) Special issue Nakba 61: the ongoing Nakba (double issue/May 2009, 40 pages) The right of return – the key to a just political solution (July 2009, 24 pages) Racism, a necessity for colonization (October 2009, 28 pages) Israel›s racism and impossible democracy (December 2009, 24 pages) Number of copies: 48,000 per issue Distribution: as newspaper supplement (al-Ayyam, Ramallah; al-Fajr al-Jadeed and Kul-al Arab, Nazareth), bulk shipments abroad and local dissemination
English-language quarterly al-majdal (ISSN 1726-7277) www.badil.org/al-majdal/al-majdal.htm Vol. IX, issues no. 39-42 Focus themes: Palestine’s Ongoing Nakba: Jaffa 1948 – Gaza 2008 (Autumn 2008/Winter 2009, 100 pages) Litigating Palestine, holding Israel accountable in the courtroom (Spring/Summer 2009, 60 pages) Nakba Education on the Path of Return (Autumn 2009, 72 pages) Number of copies: 1,200 per issue Distribution: Mailings to subscribers (656); special mailings upon bulk orders and local distribution.
40 Other tools and literature for the broad (three winners and six honorable public mentions, 2008 award; Arabic, 65 pages, March 2009) Winning entries, 2008 and 2009 al-Awda ISBN: 978-9950-339-12-5 Awards Salam ala man madoui wa lelhelem baqieh (Peace be upon those who Oral History Testimonies – A Palestinian have passed, the dream lives on); (10 Reading of Displacement, including: journalistic stories, 2009 award, Arabic, Sabareen – by Rasha Abu Zaytoun 74 pages, December 2009) Hamama – by Abdulhamid al-Furani ISBN: 978-9950-339-19-4 Abu Kishk – by Anwar Mara’i (2008 award winners; Arabic, 120 Press releases: 63 (21/English, 42/Arabic; to pages, April 2009; 1,000 copies) 3,164 subscribers to E-mail lists) ISBN: 978-9950-339-16-3 BADIL website Six Children’s Stories (Arabic, 1000 copies each; spring and winter 2009) www.badil.org – BADIL has launched its Shubbak al-Zinko (the zinc window) by new website Ahlam Bisharat (2008) ISBN: 978-9950-339-14-9 The launch of the newly re-designed website is a milestone for BADIL information outreach. Bait Buyut (house of houses) by The new site was launched in early October Maysoun Assadi (2008) 2009. It is available in English, Arabic, Spanish, ISBN: 978-9950-339-15-6 Italian, and French, while work on a Hebrew language site is still ongoing. The new site uses Ulbet Alwan (box of colors) by Dima open source software (Joomla!), which allows Shahwil (2008) for rich document and photo archives, easier ISBN: 978-9950-339-16-3 user access and broader staff participation in updating the site. It also enables BADIL to Al Baheth Anel Qamar (looking for the receive detailed information about the use of moon) by Anas Aburahma (2009) the website. ISBN: 978-9950-339-20-0 Special web-pages were maintained for the Al- Awda Award, including winning submissions, Seirr al-Muftah (the secret of the key) photos and reports from the Award festivals, the by Ahmad Issa (2009) Youth Education & Activation Project and the ISBN: 978-9950-339-21-7 Ongoing Nakba Education Center, including a database on ongoing forced displacement to be launched in 2010. Two collections of written journalism In 2009, BADIL›s website was accessed Qrunful al-Zakira waTariq al-Awda 75,359 times by 61,995 unique visitors. Most users came from Palestine (Israel and OPT), (Carnations of Memory and the Road to United States, United Kingdom and other Arab Return) countries.
2009 Badil Annual Report 41 Advocacy and campaign tools BDS poster: reprint, dissemination (30,000 copies) Nakba-61 poster (Arabic and English): winner of the 2009 al-Awda Award; print Brochure for the 2009 global Israeli preparation by BADIL for the National Apartheid Week (Arabic, March, Committee/Nakba Commemoration 10,000 copies)
Ongoing Nakba Photo Exhibit: Training Tools available as photo display and as 18 slides in English and Arabic for download in Educational Map of Palestine for Youth high resolution pdf format for print and Education & Activation 2009/10 (15 display. copies)
Poster: Palestinian Refugees and IDPs Yearbook of BADIL Youth Education Worldwide (English and Arabic, 1500 & Activation 2008/9: “We are the copies each; December 2009) generation of return”, produced with the children and CBOs participants in the BNC Strategic Position Paper for the course (April 2009, Arabic, 107 pages, Durban Review Conference: “United 1000 copies) against Apartheid, Colonialism and Occupation – Dignity and Justice for the 4 CDs for 2009/10 Youth Education & Palestinian People”; design and print by Activation, including three video films BADIL for the BNC-Boycott, Divestment about the Nakba and ongoing forced and Sanctions National Committee (54 displacement and a slide show about pages, English (March) and Arabic Palestine before the Nakba (Arabic, 15 (October), 3,000 copies each). The English copies each). edition was reprinted in December (1,000 copies). Promotion and Documentation
http://israelreview.bdsmovement.net – a 2008 BADIL Annual Report (76 pages/ web-page designed and maintained by English, 74 pages/Arabic, 200 copies BADIL for the purpose of networking each) and coordination before, during and after the UN Durban Review Conference. 2010 BADIL desk calendar “Palestine’s Ongoing Nakba: Colonization, BDS sticker: design, print, dissemination Occupation and Apartheid” (English and (March and October, 400,000 copies) Arabic, 4,000 copies, November 2009)
42 c) Advertisement and Promotion Participation and display in book-fairs, including: BADIL promoted its information and program through: Cairo International Book-fair (February, in cooperation with Abu Ghosh Publishing a local media briefing on the occasion of and Distributing Company); World Refugee Day (20 June) presenting the main findings of the BADIL Survey of The Casablanca Book Exhibition, part of Palestinian Refugees and IDPs 2008 – 2009, Arab states’ 2009 Jerusalem Capital of including statistical data and legal concepts. Arab Culture program (December). The briefing was held at BADIL’s Ongoing Nakba Education Center; all major local press d) Briefings and Guidance for Visitors and TV attended and reported. In 2009, BADIL assisted, briefed and/or This Week in Palestine (TWP): BADIL organized field visits in Palestine for at least published six 2-page bi-monthly articles and 1,380 persons, including over 60 fact-finding advertisements based on a 2008 agreement. groups, most of whom are potential supporters and allies among civil society worldwide. Not Articles requested by external publishers, included in this count are advice and research including: assistance provided via email on a regular “Palestinian Refugee Rights: Time-out basis. for Politics – Time for Accountability and the Rule of Law”, for the Palestine-Israel Highlights of BADIL’s 2009 visitors Journal, vol. 15; program “Not an Analogy: Israel and the Crime of Apartheid” for CommonDreams.org; BADIL hosted and organized on behalf “Israel’s regime: apartheid, colonialism of the BNC an informative tour for South and occupation” for OHCHR newspaper African anti-Apartheid leader and union supplement (Arabic), October 2009. official Ziko Tamela of the South African Transport and Communications Workers Sale in bookstores: since 2008, BADIL’s al- Union, including an open discussion with Majdal magazine has been available at the representatives of the Palestinian General Ju’beh bookstore in Ramallah, the Educational Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU), the Bookshop in Jerusalem, the Toronto Women’s Palestinian Transport Union, the Palestinian Bookstore in Toronto, Canada, and the Xarra Prisoners Society, the Palestinian Legislative community Bookstore in Johannesburg, South Council and Palestinian journalists (April Africa. 2009).
2009 Badil Annual Report 43 BADIL Visitors 2009 (Summary)
Groups and individuals briefed include parliamentarians, unionists, students, lawyers, university teachers, journalists, representatives of the Council on Ethics for the Norwegian Government Pension Fund, and film makers, from Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Norway, the OPT, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, U.K and the United States.
Fact finding visits to BADIL were organized by: Belgian NGO platforms; Alternative Tourism Group; Association France-Palestine Solidarite; Birthright Unplugged; CNT-France; Council for Christian Colleges and Universities; Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT); Defense for Children International EAPPI; ICAHD-UK; Inter-Faith Peace Builders; Generation Palestine Guiding Star; Health and Human Rights Network; Ibda›a Center; New Anti-Capitalist Party-France; Oxfam; Oxford-Ramallah Friendship Society Palestine Solidarity Campaign (England, Scotland and Ireland); Palestinian Center for Peace and Democracy; al-Quds and Bethlehem Universities; US Campaign to End the Occupation; War on Want; YMCA International Youth Leaders; and various churches and academic institutions in Europe and North America.
BADIL participated in the Palestinian Literature Festival (23 to 28 May) and organized the participants› day in Bethlehem. This year was the second year of what is planned as a yearly festival bringing well known authors and literary figures from around the world to Palestine to discuss their work, lead workshops with aspiring Palestinian authors, and develop a deeper understanding of Israel›s regime over the Palestinians. This year›s festival participants included Michael Palin, Suad Amiry, Victoria Brittain, Carmen Callil, Jeremy Harding, Ahdaf Soueif and M G Vassanji.
In July-August, BADIL hosted and facilitated workshops for an Indigenous Youth Delegation to Palestine which brought youth leaders from indigenous communities in North American to Palestine to share experiences and tools of empowerment and education.
Delegation of International Writers during a tour organized by BADIL in Bethlehem, May 2009. (©BADIL)
44 2. International Networking, to Peace”, organized by Osgoode Law Meetings and Conferences School, York University; Toronto, 22-24 June 2009. BADIL participated in regular meetings of 4International seminar: “United in Struggle the European Coordinating Committee of against Israeli Colonialism, Occupation NGOs on Palestine (ECCP) in Brussels on and Racism; Economic Perspectives and behalf of the Global Palestine Right of Return Advocacy Strategies”, organized by OPGAI Coalition. In follow-up of last year’s Bilbao and AIC, Bethlehem, 24-25 October 2009. action plan, BADIL represented the BNC in 4International workshop: “Accountability for the international team set up to prepare a global Violations of International Law Committed awareness-raising campaign about the role of in the Context of Israel and Palestine”, the Jewish National Fund (JNF) in Palestinian organized by Diakonia, Advocates Sans dispossession and displacement. A highlight in Frontiers and al-Haq (Brussels, 17 2009 were the effective international alliances December 2009). formed for follow-up on the Goldstone Report. 3. Challenges, Problems, Solutions In Palestine, BADIL was invited to present its rights-based analysis and advocacy strategy No more staff vacancies exist in this program in workshops of Oxfam International, HEKS/ component. BADIL’s ability to develop the EPER and Danchurch Aid. In Geneva, BADIL Ongoing Nakba Education Center and provide participated in a series of networking meetings, quality information tools and services therefore including the General Assembly meeting of depends mainly upon proper priority-setting ICVA (2-4 February) and meetings at the UN, and adequate allocation of human resources to including an OHCHR consultation on business priority program targets. and human rights (12 February) where BADIL provided input on corporate responsibility and BADIL considers broad support and alliances the cases of Caterpillar and Veolia. among western civil society vital for affecting policy change. This, however, remains difficult Participation in four international conferences, because large international NGOs, many in particular helped build support for the of whom have programs in the OPT, often BADIL research and campaign strategy: understand and support principled Palestinian civil society campaigns for Nakba-awareness, 4International symposium: «Middle Eastern the right of return and BDS but continue to Politics: Myth & Reality», part of the Festival issue “balanced” statements or remain silent Interpueblos, jointly organized by Culture, due to perceived political and economic Peace, and Solidarity Haydee Santamaria risks for their organizations and/or risks for Association and the Aidoun Center for personal careers. Solution: collective efforts Refugee Rights, Lebanon, Madrid, 19-21 by Palestinian civil society to explain and May 2009. (BADIL presented a paper but convince; encourage collective statements and could not travel to Spain). action by western civil society organizations in 4Academic conference: “Israel/Palestine: order to reduce vulnerability through “risk and Mapping Models of Statehood and Paths burden sharing”.
2009 Badil Annual Report 45 (3) Research, Mobilization & Intervention with Duty Bearers
1. Research Cairo and Haifa (English, 250 pages (est); 1,000 copies, print manuscript sent for 1.1 Activities Undertaken design and print, December 2009). Arabic edition in production. International criminal law has been included in BADIL’s research agenda in line with the Working Paper 11: “Principles and recommendations from the 2007 BADIL- Mechanisms to Hold Business Accountable LSN annual meeting, and law/standards for Human Rights Abuses” by Atty relevant for business and human rights Yasmine Gado (English, 64 pages; 1,000 has been added in order to strengthen the copies, December 2009). Arabic edition in rights-based approach and campaigns for production. accountability. Five research publications, including 3 studies and 2 working papers “Palestinian Camp Refugee Identity: have been completed: a New Look at the ‘Local’ and the ‘National’” by Rosemary Sayigh; Arabic Survey of Palestinian Refugees and IDPs language monograph translated from 2008 – 2009 (Vol. V; English edition, 195 the author’s contribution to a research pages, 1,000 copies, December 2009). collection (English) forthcoming from the University of Bergen, Norway (Arabic, 32 The Arabic edition is in preparation. Main pages, 1,500 copies, autumn 2009). findings were presented to the press on 20 June, World Refugee Day. The following research projects are in progress: Arabic edition of the 2005 BADIL Handbook on Protection of Palestinian Working Paper: “The Applicability of the Refugees in States Signatories of the 1951 Crime of Apartheid to Israel’s Regime Refugee Convention (476 pages, 1,000 over the Palestinian People” by Karine copies, summer 2009). MacAllister (English): a first draft was presented to an expert panel at the BNC’s Rights in Principle, Rights in Practice - Israel Review Conference in Geneva in Revisiting the Role of International Law in April 2009. Crafting Durable Solutions for Palestinian Refugees: a collection of working papers Working Paper: “Universal Jurisdiction and debates from the 2003 – 2004 BADIL and the case of Palestinian refugees” by Expert Forum seminars in Ghent, Geneva, Elna Sondergaard (English)
46 Pilot Study: “Ending Forced Displacement and campaigns for respect of the rights of in the OPT - Response Assessment to Palestinian refugees not only through tools, Situations of Internal Displacement in the capacity building and networking support, but OPT (working title): a first manuscript also by providing operational support (mainly was completed in 2009 based on field communication) to CBOs (Yafa Cultural studies conducted in 2007/8. BADIL Center and the Union of Youth Activity plans to conduct follow-up field visits in Centers) for field coordination in the West Bank 2010 in order to assess development of the and Gaza Strip, as well as logistical assistance protection response over time, preferably to the National Committee with planning and in cooperation with another local or implementation of the commemoration of the international NGO, member in the inter- 61st anniversary of the Nakba in Palestine. agency Displacement Working Group. Special in-kind and modest financial support BADIL Handbook on Durable Solutions was provided to 16 community organizations for Palestinian Refugees and IDPs: for implementation of 17 initiatives, most of a research project complementary to which benefited refugee children and youth: BADIL’s Protection Handbook lead by Terry Rempel (consultant). Initiatives for Nakba-61 Commemoration and Return 1.2 Challenges, Problems, Solutions Women’s Program Center, Balata camp: BADIL’s current research projects are to be contribution to establishment of Awda completed by the end of 2010. BADIL plans dance troup (6 girls, 6 boys) to allocate sufficient staff time for research and coordination with external authors in 2010, in Youth Activity Center, Jenin Camp: order to meet this priority target. public commemoration of Israel›s 2002 military assault on Jenin camp, April (approximately 1,000 participants, at least 2. Facilitation of Community-based half of them female) Actions and Civil Society Campaigns Lajee Center, Aida camp (for the ad hoc 2.1 Activities Undertaken local committee): Nakba and right-of- return awareness-raising during the visit a) Facilitation of public Nakba of the Pope Commemoration and the Right-of- Return Campaign Shomo’a Cultural Society, al-Ma›sara, Bethlehem: protest activities against the BADIL facilitated community-based actions Wall and forced displacement
2009 Badil Annual Report 47 Youth Activity Center, al-Arroub camp: celebration of high school graduates camp: Nakba commemoration football (180 participants among them 80 girls) tournament among teams of refugee communities in the Southern West Bank. Emergency assistance to CBOs
Refugee Affairs Service Committee, al-Qadisiya Scouts Group, al-Far’ah camp: Nablus Old City: “Once Upon A Time”, contribution to construction of activity cultural event for children in the old city center (80 boys, 60 girls) (130 participants among them 70 girls) Aqbat Jaber Youth Activity Center: printer Al-Duwayma Charitable Society for for the UNRWA girls school Social Development, Jalazoun refugee camp: week of commemoration of the Al- Beit Jibreen Charitable Society, Idna Duwayma massacre (600 participants) village, Hebron: contribution to purchase of computer, printer and desk Refugee Afairs Service Committee, Nablus Old City: children›s art exhibition (50 Youth Activity Center, Aida camp: participants) contribution to handicraft training course in Dar Annadwa (14 participants among Lajee Center, Aida camp, international them 7 girls). photo exhibition.
CBO summer camps/events for children b) Facilitation of the Palestinian Civil and youth (July - August) Society BDS Campaign
Community Charitable Society, Al- BADIL represents the Global Palestine Khader, Bethlehem, (100 participants) Right of Return Coalition in the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee Refugee Affairs Service Committee – Salfit (BNC). BADIL contributed campaign tools (100 participants, approximately half of and supported the BNC website (www. them girls) bdsmovement.net) as part of the web-team. BADIL also contributed to fundraising, Shomo›a Cultural Society, al-Ma›sara, public statements and outreach of the BDS Bethlehem: “Children Resisting the Wall” Campaign. (300 participants, including 120 girls) BADIL also participated in numerous National Charitable Society – Deheishe meetings held this year with Palestinian
48 unions, grassroots organizations, community 4Community-based activities as part of the leaders and public officials and supported 2009 world-wide Israeli Apartheid Week implementation of the BNC-led global BDS (1-8 March; see: apartheidweek.org); Campaign action plan (Bilbao II Initiative) in 4Public presentation and book launch with Palestine and abroad. In this context, BADIL the Canadian author and journalist Naomi contributed to: Klein in Ramallah (27 June).
4Mobilization and intervention in the UN c) BADIL facilitated the Palestinian Durban Review Conference, including the campaign for implementation of the BNC-sponsored Israel Review Conference, Goldstone Report – mainly through Geneva, April 17 – 24 (see box below); briefings of community leaders, members 4the first global BDS Action Day to of the political groups and officials (PA, commemorate the Palestinian Land Day on PLO Executive Committee), and through 30 March; publicity in the media.
Photo: As part of the commemorating the 61st Anniversary of the Nakba, Students of Al-Ram elementary school in Jerusalem promote the BDS campaign, 17 May 2009 (©BADIL)
2009 Badil Annual Report 49 2.2 Challenges, Problems, Solutions to increase the scope of support, even if this will mean that a smaller number of BADIL had to reject numerous (over 40) community organizations and actions can requests for support of CBO initiatives in be supported; 2009, because they did not meet the required 4BADIL developed a policy which can standards. Grass-roots actions for the right of encourage CBOs for creative initiatives: return continue to lack creativity and impact. a public call for such initiatives which be issued twice annually and initiatives will be Solutions: selected for support according to criteria of 4BADIL concluded that the small amounts innovation and effectiveness; of financial support provided to CBOs 4more work is still required, in particular, were insufficient for significant actions capacity and strategy building (see (1) or initiatives. It was decided, therefore, above).
The Israel Review Conference, Geneva, 17 – 19 April 2009 Main results
The Israel Review Conference was convened in Geneva in advance of the UN Durban Review Conference. It brought together over three hundred people from five continents, including human rights activists and experts from South Africa, North America, Malaysia and several European and Middle Eastern countries.
The first day of the conference included two expert panels that explored and affirmed the applicability of the crime of apartheid to the state of Israel, and explained legal mechanisms and strategies for making Israel and other parties accountable to their obligations under international law to respect the rights of the Palestinian people.
Practical recommendations were developed on the second day in workshops about: the joint struggle of victims of racism for justice and equality; a global campaign against the Jewish National Fund (JNF) as a major agency of Israel’s racial discrimination and colonization; popular initiatives for promoting prosecution of war crimes and crimes against humanity; and the growing global movement for Boycotts, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel until it complies with international law.
The conference received added importance – and media attention – when the United Nations (OHCHR) banned NGOs from organizing events about Israel and the Palestinian people at the UN Durban Review Conference, irrespective of the fact that the Palestinian people is defined as a group of victims of racism and racial discrimination in the Durban Declaration and Program of Action. Numerous journalists responded with critical analysis and reflections, including in some mainstream western media outlets. The Israel Review Conference thus provided a platform from which Palestinian civil society, allies and independent experts were successfully able to raise their issues and prevent de-legitimization by Israel and Zionist organizations.
The conference was a tool for civil society advocacy and lobbying in the context of the UN Durban Review Conference. It was sponsored by the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee (BNC) in coordination the European Coordinating Committee on Palestine (ECCP), the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network (IJAN), and the International Coordinating Network on Palestine (ICNP). Implementation of the conference was led by BADIL.
50 3. Special Media & Public Outreach Kanaaneh, Prof. Sonia Nimer, Prof. Activities Saleh Abdeljawad, Prof. Mustafa Kabha; aired on 13 November 2009; Episode 2: The Right of Return 3.1 Activities Undertaken Movement, Past, Present and Future features interviews with Muhammad Awda Award publicity campaign, including Jaradat, Jamal al-Shati, Husam Khader, intensive media advertising and live satellite Omar Assaf, Prof. Mazin Qumsiyeh; aired broadcast from the 2009 Awda Award Festival on 20 November 2009; in Ramallah (BADIL, MA’AN News Network and Palestine TV, 2 May). Systematic Episode 3: The Campaign for Boycotts, assessment of this campaign after three Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against consecutive years was conducted in the second Israel including interviews with Iman half of the year, including analysis of the Hammouri, Jamal Juma, Nahed Freij, feedback forms submitted by participants. In Salah Hanieh, and Shawqi al-Ayassa; this way, BADIL was able to determine which aired on 27 November. newspapers and websites were most effective tools for advertising the public competition. The episodes were aired on the Ma›an News Two local papers (Alhayat and Alayam) and Network partner stations: Al-Amal TV two websites (maannews.net and Aljabha.org) (Khalil/Hebron), Bethlehem TV, al-Quds were selected on this basis for the publicity Educational Chanel (Ramallah), Amwaj campaign for the 2010 Award. TV (Ramallah), Wattan TV (Ramallah), Farah TV (Jenin), Nablus TV, al-Salam Public radio contest about 30 Palestinian TV (Tulkarem) and Qalqilya TV. villages depopulated and destroyed by Israel in 1948: a co-production of BADIL and Radio Isis, Bethlehem; the program was broadcast live for Media Interviews - BADIL gave at least 75 one hour daily throughout month of Ramadan. interviews. Approximately two-thirds of the A total of 30 winners received 150 NIS each. interviews were with the local Palestinian media, and one-third with Arab and international “The Path of Return” - a televised trilogy media. The main topics in these interviews were produced by BADIL in partnership with the BADIL Youth Education & Activation, the Ma’an News Network, featuring academics, Awda Award, BDS Campaign, the Nakba-61 experts and activists, including: Commemoration, main findings of the BADIL Survey of Palestinian Refugees and IDPs Episode 1: The Destruction of Palestine’s 2008-2009, the Israel Review and Durban Archives and the Role of Oral History Review conferences and Palestinian efforts for features interviews with Prof. Sharif implementation of the Goldstone Report.
2009 Badil Annual Report 51 3.2 Challenges, Problems, Solutions 4. Legal Advocacy
BADIL has yet to exploit the full potential of 4.1 Activities Undertaken media/public outreach opportunities. In some cases we have been unable to follow-up on a) UN agencies and international lessons learned and recommendations due to community in the OPT lack of time and shortage of human resources. BADIL has not yet addressed, for example, UN Protection Cluster Working Group many of the useful recommendations (PCWG) - as a member of this broad UN-led gathered during the 2008 speaking tours working group composed of UN agencies and abroad. international and local NGOs, BADIL lobbied for a rights-based protection strategy and the Solution: priorities must be identified from need to include reporting and advocacy against among a broad spectrum of opportunities for human rights violations in humanitarian the 2011 – 2013 plan of action and BADIL’s interventions coordinated by the Humanitarian limited resources must be allocated to these Coordinator Team (HCT) in the OPT. In priorities. December 2009, an Accountability Task Force was established under the auspices of the PCWG. BADIL is member of this task force.
The inter-agency Displacement Working Group (DWG) – the DWG is a sub-group of the PCWG chaired by OCHA. It was formed in March 2008 with the aim of developing an effective rights-based collaborative protection response to forced displacement in accordance with the UN Guiding Principles Internal Displacement. In the first months of 2009, DWG members were absorbed by the emergency response in Gaza and protection response plans were not prepared as planned. In June 2009, the DWG requested to cooperate with the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General on IDPs (SRSG) on a regular basis, but such cooperation has yet to materialize. As a member of the DWG, Local media interview participants of BADIL’s Youth Training BADIL: Program, Bethlehem 2009. (©BADIL)
52 4 contributed to a fact sheet on internal 4Urgent attention to new racist law bills tabled displacement in the OPT for the SRSG and in the Israeli parliament, including a bill participated in the DWG video conference prohibiting the commemoration of the Nakba, with the SRSG. and a bill that requires all citizens of Israel, including Palestinians, to sign an oath of 4 Towards the end of the year, BADIL joined loyalty to the “Jewish state” and its flag and a new Advocacy Task Force established anthem and to commit to military/civil service, by the DWG with the aim to coordinate, in order to be issued an identity card. strengthen and support inter-agency advocacy related to the forced displacement 4Urgent attention to the recurring of Palestinians. dispossession and displacement of Palestinian refugees in the OPT. b) Human Rights Council (HRC) & Office of the High Commissioner for Human BADIL also endorsed four written statements Rights (OHCHR) drafted by the International Society for Human Rights on “Indigenous peoples and BADIL oral and written statements to the the human right to peace” (9th session), “Peace Human Rights Council were presented to and Racism” (presented in the 10th session) all 2009 sessions (9th – 12th session). In these and “Peace and Immigration” (presented in statements, BADIL called for: the 11th session) and the “right to Peace and disarmament” (12th session). 4a high-level fact finding mission to Gaza to investigate Israel’s war crimes and gross BADIL joined in a letter to the High human rights violations and to ensure that Commissioner on Human Rights (HC) in those responsible are held accountable. The October inviting her to visit the OPT. In her mission headed by Judge Goldstone was reply, the HC confirmed that OHCHR has established in June. recently strengthened its presence in the OPT in order to better respond to the current human 4International protection of the rights of return, rights and humanitarian needs and expressed restitution and compensation of Palestinian her willingness to come. refugees and IDPs and for the UN to address the nature of Israel’s regime which combines Briefing UN Special Rapporteurs – Based apartheid, colonialism and occupation and on a request from OHCHR, BADIL briefed ten is a root cause of the forcible displacement UN Special Rapporteurs for their report about of Palestinians. BADIL also called for Israel’s military assault on the Gaza Strip. The measures, including sanctions, against Israel Combined Report of the Special Rapporteurs until it complies with its legal obligations. was submitted to the HRC in March; it
2009 Badil Annual Report 53 highlighted Palestinian forced displacement 4 presented an oral statement to the DRC not only in Gaza, but also in the West Bank, on 24 April affirming that the Palestinian including eastern Jerusalem. people are victims of Israel’s apartheid, colonialism and occupation, and protesting UN Special Committee to Investigate Israeli the exclusion of the Palestinian people Practices Affecting the Human Rights of from the review process and the outcome the Palestinian People and other Arabs in document. Occupied Territory – in August, BADIL submitted a report on the ongoing forcible c) UN Human Rights Committee displacement of Palestinians in/from the OPT. BADIL submitted a report on forced displacement in the OPT and Israel in response The UN Durban Review Conference to Israel’s third Periodic Report to the Human (Geneva, 21 – 24 April) - BADIL participated Rights Committee ( 97th session). BADIL’s report in consultations and meetings towards the UN included information regarding Israel’s failure Durban Review Conference and advocated to implement the International Covenant on – without much success – for rights-based Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). In October drafting language and inclusion of the 2009, the Committee adopted a list of issues Palestinian people in the final DRC outcome to be taken up in connection with the review document, based on the fact that Palestinians of Israel’s official report about its compliance are explicitly defined as a group of victims in with the ICCPR in July 2010. The Committee’s the 2001 Durban Declaration and Programme list includes issues raised by BADIL, such as of Action. No meaningful civil society forum the Palestinian right to self-determination and was available during the Durban Review ongoing displacement and dispossession. Conference, and permission for NGO-side events about the situation of the Palestinian d) UNHCR people was denied by the OHCHR. In response, BADIL: BADIL participated in the 2009 UNHCR NGO consultations (Geneva, 29 June – 1 4 sent two letters (with al-Haq and Adalah on July) and contributed to the joint thematic 9 April, and with Adalah on 27 May) to the NGO statements to the UNHCR Executive UN High Commissioner on Human Rights Committee affirming the rights of all refugees to protest the measures undertaken by the and stateless persons. BADIL also assisted OHCHR that resulted in the silencing of UNHCR with interventions on behalf of voices of the victims of racism and racial Palestinian refugees, in particular those from discrimination and gave a platform for the Iraq who were detained on their flight across oppressor on UN premises; borders.
54 e) Diplomatic community and policy to the right to return of the Palestinian makers refugees. 4 Between October and December, BADIL 4 BADIL participated in briefings and contributed to the preparation of joint public lobby meetings in the European Union letters and lobbying of Palestinian decision and the European Council organized by makers and foreign governments for support the European Coordinating Committee of of the Goldstone recommendations. NGOs on Palestine (ECCP) in Brussels, 8 – 10 January. 4 In December BADIL submitted a report to the EU in view of the Eurpean Neighborhood 4 In light of the Israeli military aggression and Program (ENP) Plan of Action and the continuing blockade of the Gaza Strip. urged the European Commission to take BADIL, together with other 15 human rights into consideration Israel’s human rights and humanitarian organizations, sent public violations in its forth progress report. letters to the EU and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development 4 Also in December, BADIL endorsed a joint (OECD) on 11 February 2009 calling for letter to the US State Department. The letter the annulment of the upgrade of EU-Israel prepared by the US National Lawyers Guild bilateral relations, suspension of the EU- urged the State Department to include in its Israel Association Agreement and a halt of 2009 annual report detailed information Israel’s accession to OECD. EU and OECD provided by Palestinian human rights member states were called upon to send a organizations and the Goldstone Report strong signal to Israel that those responsible about Israel’s violations of the human rights for serious violations of human rights and of Palestinian citizens of Israel, Palestinian humanitarian law will be held accountable. refugees and those in the OPT. The final vote on Israel’s membership in the OECD is expected in May 2010. 4.2 Challenges, Problems, Solutions
4 BADIL contributed to drafting, and endorsed Palestinian NGOs like BADIL that work/ a Fact Sheet initiated by the Palestinian intervene for effective and rights-based Center for Human Rights (PCHR) in responses with international humanitarian, Gaza, calling for an end to international human rights and development agencies and donor complicity in Israeli violations of organizations in the OPT, face numerous international law. challenges, including high staff-turnover in international organizations and agencies, lack of 4 In October, BADIL briefed the European institutional memory, narrow interpretation of Commission in Brussels on issues related organizational mandates, lack of understanding
2009 Badil Annual Report 55 and/or interest in the specific context of the it is often difficult to see how NGOs like conflict, prejudice against Arab and Islamic BADIL could intervene in a meaningful culture, expectations of “good faith” treatment manner. by Israeli authorities, lack of personal courage and fear for professional careers and/or “brand- Solution: BADIL’s experience in 2009 suggest risks” for organizations. that Palestinian NGOs should not withdraw from efforts to engage the diplomatic NGO work among human rights mechanisms community and the United Nations in a direct at UN headquarters abroad faces similar manner. In order to test the assumption that challenges. Additional obstacles are added in systematic collective work of human rights the form of direct political pressure to avoid organizations can make a difference, BADIL addressing root causes of the conflict between will provide office space in Geneva for its Israel and the Palestinian people and Israel’s UN consultant and partner NGOs in 2010. accountability for violations of international Based on the results in 2010, BADIL will be law. Such pressure is imposed mainly by the better able to determine what constitutes a United States and the EU/member states. feasible and effective balance between public In the current situation, where even the campaigning and lobby efforts among the UN Palestinian UN delegation and the OHCHR and diplomatic community for our next three- appear to have succumbed to such pressure, year action plan.
56 Part IV
External Audit Report
Auditor’s Report and Financial Statements
December 31, 2009
Table of Contents
Auditor’s Report 56-57 Statement of Financial Position 58 Statement of Activities 59 Statement of Changes in Net Assets 60 Statement of Cash Flows 61 Statement of functional expenses 62 Notes to Financial Statements 63-70
2009 Badil Annual Report 57 58 2009 Badil Annual Report 59 60 2009 Badil Annual Report 61 62 2009 Badil Annual Report 63 64 2009 Badil Annual Report 65 66 2009 Badil Annual Report 67 68 2009 Badil Annual Report 69 70 2009 Badil Annual Report 71 72 2009 Badil Annual Report 73 Annex 1 BADIL in Palestinian Civil Society Coalitions 2009
National Committee for the Commemoration of the Nakba National and Islamic Forces in Palestine, High National Committee for the Defense of the Right of Return, PLO Department of Refugee Affairs, Palestine Right-of-Return Coalition, Consortium of Residents of Displaced Palestinian Villages and Towns, Executive Bureau for Refugees, Union of Youth Activity Centers-Palestine Refugee Camps, Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign, Union of Women’s Activity Centers-West Bank Refugee Camps, Palestinian NGO Network (PNGO), National Committee for Political Awareness and Guidance, Right of Return Committees-West Bank, ITTIJAH-Association of Arab Community Organizations, Popular Coalition for the Defense of Jerusalem, Arab Human Rights Association, Palestinian Lawyers’ Union, Society for the Defense of the Internally Displaced (ADRID), Palestinian Vision-Jerusalem, BADIL.
BNC – The Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee is the coordinating body for the BDS campaign based on the Palestinian civil society BDS Call of 2005. Upholding civil and popular resistance to Israel’s occupation, colonization and apartheid, the BNC is a broad coalition of political parties, unions, coalitions and networks representing the three integral parts of the people of Palestine: Palestinian refugees; Palestinians in the occupied West Bank (including Jerusalem) and Gaza Strip; and Palestinian citizens of Israel. The BNC, which is the guiding reference for the global BDS movement, adopts a rights-based approach and calls for the international BDS campaign to be sustained until the entire Palestinian people can exercise its inalienable right to freedom and self determination and Israel fully complies with its obligations under international law to: - End its occupation and colonization of all Arab lands and dismantle the Wall; - End its legalized and institutionalized system of racial discrimination, or apartheid, against the Arab- Palestinian citizens of Israel; and - Respect, protect and promote the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes of origin and properties as stipulated in UN resolution 194. BNC member organizations are: National and Islamic Forces in Palestine, General Union of Palestinian Workers, Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions, Palestinian NGO Network (PNGO), Palestinian National Institute for NGO’s, Federation of Independent Trade Unions, Consortium of Professional Unions in Palestine, Global Palestine Right of Return Coalition, Occupied Palestine and Syrian Golan Heights Initiative, General Union of Palestinian Women, Union of Palestinian Farmers, Grassroots Palestinian Anti- Apartheid Wall Campaign (STW), National Committee for Popular Resistance, Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI), National Committee to Commemorate the Nakba, Civic Coalition for the Defense of Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem (CCDPRJ), Coalition for Jerusalem, Union of Palestinian Charitable Organizations, Palestinian Economic Monitor, Union of Youth Activity Centers-Palestine Refugee Camps.
The Global Palestine Right-of-Return Coalition Aidun Group-Lebanon; Aidun Group-Syria; ADRID; Al-Awda Committee-Chile; Al-Awda Palestine Right- to-Return Coalition/North America; BADIL; Committee for the Defense of Palestinian Refugee Rights and Yafa Cultural Center (Nablus); Consortium of Inhabitants of 1948 Occupied and Destroyed Villages and Towns-Ramallah; Coordination Forum of NGOs Working among the Palestinian Community in Lebanon; Palestine Right-of-Return Confederation-Europe; PLO Executive Refugee Office; Popular Committees- Gaza Strip; Union of Youth Activity Centers-Palestine Refugee Camps; and, Union of Women’s Activity Centers-West Bank Refugee Camps.
74 Annex 2 List of BADIL tools and publications 2008-2009 © B a d i l Magazines
Haq al-Awda Arabic language bi-monthly, ISSN 1814-9782 Vol. VI, issues no. 26, 27/28, 29/30 Vol. VII, issues no. 31, 32/33, 34, 35, 36 al-majdal English-language quarterly, ISSN 1726-7277 Vol. X, issue nos. 36/37 (Nakba-60 special), 38 (BDS-special), Vol. XI, issue nos. 39/40, 41, 42 Information and literature for the broad public
Nakba-60 Special of This Week in Palestine Co-produced by BADIL and TWP, incl. brochure announcing 80 events of Nakba-60 commemorations in Palestine and abroad (English, May 2008)
60 Terms on the Nakba A Palestinian reader and dictionary about the Nakba with entries produced by Palestinian refugee and IDP youth in Palestine and in exile with expert supervision. A co-production of BADIL, Ibn Khaldoun Center and the Aidoun Group - Lebanon (Arabic, May 2008, 84 pages)
Research Paper “haq al-awda fi karikateir Naji al-Ali“ by Maliha Maslamani (The Right of Return in the Caricatures of Naji al-Ali), winning entry, 2008 al-Awda Award ISSN 1-10-339-9950-978 (Arabic, November 2008, 40 pages)
Oral History Testimonies – A Palestinian Reading of Displacement (2007) Winning entries of the 2007 al-Awda Award: al-Haram – Sa’idna Ali - by Rasha Abu Zaytoun Asdoud - by Rashad al-Madani al-Kafrayin - by Maliha T’oama ISSN 8-11-339-9950-978 (Arabic, December 2008, 98 pages)
Oral History Testimonies – A Palestinian Reading of Displacement (2008) Winning entries of the 2008 Awda Award (2009, Arabic): Sabareen – by Rasha Abu Zaytoun Hamama – by Abdulhamid al-Furani Abu Kishk – by Anwar Mara’i ISBN 978-9950339-16-3 (Arabic, April 2009, 120 pages)
Children’s stories, winners of the 2008 and 2009 Awda Award (Arabic) Shubbak al-Zinko (the zinc window) - by Ahlam Bisharat; ISBN 978-9950-339-14-9 Bait Buyut (house of houses) - by Maysoun Assadi; ISBN 978-9950-339-15-6 Ulbet Alwan (box of colors) - by Dima Shahwil; ISBN 978-9950-339-16-3 Al Baheth Anel Qamar (looking for the moon) - by Anas Aburahma (2009); ISBN 978-9950-339-20-0
2009 Badil Annual Report 75 Seirr al-Muftah (the secret of the key) - by Ahmad Issa; ISBN 978-9950-339-21-7 Ghomedet Zainab (Zainab plays hide and seek) - by Shadia al-Zobi; ISBN 978-9950-339-22-4
Collections of written journalism, winners & honorable mentions, 2008 and 2009 Awda Award Qrunful al-Zakira waTariq al-Awda (Carnations of Memory and the Road to Return) ISBN 978-9950-339-12-5 (Arabic, March 2009) Salam ala man madoui wa lelhelem baqieh (Peace be upon those who have passed, the dream lives on) ISBN 978-9950-339-19-4 (Arabic, December 2009)
Press releases: 79 (44/English, 35/Arabic) in 2008; 63 (21/E, 42/A) in 2009
www.badil.org (English and Arabic; also Spanish, Italian and French) – with special webpages:
- Nakba-60 Campaign (2008) - Youth Education & Activation (Arabic only) - Al-Awda Award 2008-2010
Research Studies, Working Papers & Briefs
Survey of Palestinian Refugees and IDPs 2008 – 2009 ISSN 1728-1679 (Vol. V; English; 195 pages, December 2009)
Closing Protection Gaps - Handbook on Protection of Palestinian Refugees in States Signatories of the 1951 Refugee Convention ISBN 9678-9950-339-17-0 (Arabic edition of 2005 English edition, 476 pages, 2009)
Rights in Principle, Rights in Practice - Revisiting the Role of International Law in Crafting Durable Solutions for Palestinian Refugees Collection of working papers and debates from the 2003 – 2004 BADIL Expert Forum seminars in Ghent, Geneva, Cairo and Haifa ISBN 978-9950-339-23-1 (English, 250 pages (est), December 2009)
“Principles and Mechanisms to Hold Business Accountable for Human Rights Abuses” Working Paper 11 – by Atty Yasmine Gado (English, 64 pages, December 2009)
“Palestinian Camp Refugee Identity: a New Look at the ‘Local’ and the ‘National’ by Rosemary Sayigh Monograph translated from a lecture at the University of Bergen, Norway ISBN 978-995-339-18-7 (Arabic, 32 pages, 2009)
76 Training tools
2008/9 Yearbook of BADIL Youth Education & Activation (Arabic, 107 p.)
Map of Palestine/Youth Education & Activation (Arabic, 2009)
4 Educational CDs/Youth Education & Activation (Arabic, 2009)
Advocacy & Campaign Tools
Nakba-60 Info Packet (English, 2008)
T-Shirt Nakba-60 (Arabic and English)
Sticker, BDS Campaign (2009)
Ongoing Nakba Photo Exhibit available as photo display and as 18 slides in English and Arabic for download in high resolution pdf format for print and display
Posters Nakba-60 (2008), Nakba-61 (2009) BDS Campaign (2009) Palestinian Refugees and IDPs Worldwide (English and Arabic, 2009)
Brochures “60 Years of the Palestinian Nakba” (Arabic, 2008); BNC strategic position paper “United against Apartheid, Colonialism and Occupation – Dignity and Justice for the Palestinian People” (English and Arabic, 2009)
DVDs Highlights of the 2008 al-Awda Award (Arabic) Short films, winners of the 2008 Awda-Award (Arabic): Abna’ Eilaboun (“Sons of Eilaboun”) Lu’bat Yaffa (“The Yaffa Game”) Fi Tafasil Qussah (“Details of a Story”) Laji’ Ila Watani (“Refuge in my Homeland”) Youm Ilak Youm Aleik - Palestinian Refugees from Jerusalem 1948 (from video/BADIL 1998; English and Arabic) Experiencing Return – Palestinian Refugees Studying the Case of Bosnia (from video/BADIL 2002, Arabic)
2009 Badil Annual Report 77 Salt of the Earth (from video/BADIL 2007, Arabic) The Path of Return - trilogy of BADIL & MA’AN News Network (Arabic, 2009) Episode 1: The Destruction of Palestine’s Archives and the Role of Oral History Episode 2: The Right of Return Movement, Past, Present and Future features Episode 3: The Campaign for Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel
Documentation & Promotion 2009 al-Awda Award Call for Entries (Arabic, October 2008) 2010 al-Awda Award Call for Entries (Arabic, October 2009)
2009 BADIL desk-top calendar: The Ongoing Nakba (English and Arabic, 2008) 2010 BADIL desk-top calendar: Palestine’s Ongoing Nakba Colonization, Occupation and Apartheid (English and Arabic, 2009)
BADIL annual reports: 2007 (Arabic and English, 2008); 2008 (Arabic, English, 2009)
Summary of Proceedings from the 8th Annual Coordination Meeting of the Global Palestine Right of Return Coalition, Uppsala, Sweden, 1 – 4 November 2007 (Arabic and English, October 2008, 78 pages)
78 Annex 3 BADIL Participation in International Conferences 2008 - 2009
2008
Jerusalem, 22 – 23 March “The Palestinian Refugees in Iraq: Reality and Solutions”, an international conference organized by the al-Quds University and sponsored by IDRC, Canada
Ramallah, 31 March – 2 April Palestinian library conference organized by the Palestinian Librarian Association and the Ramallah Center for Human Rights
UNESCO HQ, Paris, 29 – 30 April UN International Conference on Palestine Refugees (under the auspices of the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People)
Haifa, 21 – 22 June Conference on the Right of Return and a Secular Democratic State in Palestine, organized by the One-State Group
Tel Aviv, 22 – 24 June “Return of the Refugees: Practices, Strategies and Visions”, conference organized by Zochrot
Oxford, 30 June – 1 July “Seminar on Critical Theory of Internal Displacement”, Oxford University, Center for Refugee Studies
UNHQ, New York, 20 June Conference on 60 years of Palestinian ‘refugeehood’ (under the auspices of the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People
UNESCO, Paris, 3 – 5 September UN Conference “60 Years of Universal Declaration of Human Rights”
Madrid, 11 -14 September Third World Social Forum on Forced Migration, with focus on Palestinian refugees
Maynooth, Ireland, 15 - 18 September Trocaire partner consultation on Palestine program
2009 Badil Annual Report 79 Brussels, 11 – 14 September Legal Seminar “Making Monitoring Work; Re-inforcing International Law in Europe” organized by Diakonia and al-Haq
Bilbao, 29 – 31 October Bilbao Civil Society Forum for Justice in Palestine and launching of the Bilbao Initiative, organized by Mewando, BNC/PNGO and Ittijah
Copenhagen, 1 November “Israel and Palestinian NGOs Contribution to Peace and Reconciliation”, a conference organized by the Mandela Center in cooperation with the newspaper Politiken.
Galilee and Bethlehem, 12 – 19 November Sabeel Conference “The Nakba: Memory, Reality and Beyond”
2009
Geneva, 17 – 19 April Israel Review Conference, sponsored by the BNC in cooperation with ECCP, ICN and IJAN
Geneva, 21 – 24 April UN Durban Review Conference
Madrid, 19 - 21 May «Middle Eastern Politics: Myth & Reality»: international symposium part of the Festival Interpueblos, jointly organized by Culture, Peace, and Solidarity Haydee Santamaria Association and the Aidoun Center for Refugee Rights, Lebanon (BADIL presented a paper but could not travel to Spain)
Toronto, 22 - 24 June “Israel/Palestine: Mapping Models of Statehood and Paths to Peace”: academic conference organized by Osgoode Law School, York University
Bethlehem, 24 - 25 October “United in Struggle against Israeli Colonialism, Occupation and Racism; Economic Perspectives and Advocacy Strategies”: international seminar organized by OPGAI and AIC
Brussels, 17 December “Accountability for Violations of International Law Committed in the Context of Israel and Palestine”: international workshop organized by Diakonia, Advocates Sans Frontiers and al-Haq.
80 2009 Badil Annual Report 81 82