Human Rights
Ibtisam Mahameed
Interfaith Encounter Association, Middleway
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Interview Highlights »
“ We should understand that rights are obtained not given, and understand that life is bigger than throwing stones and shooting. The essence of life that was given to us by God is to live in peace. What does peace mean for the Arabs, Jews, Christians, Druze, Buddhists or any person in the world? Every person has his own peace and global concepts of peace.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Yafit Gamila Biso
The Olive Tree
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Interview Highlights »
“ In order to build peace you need to take the steps - human rights is one step for instance. Over the past few years, peace movements would come to a village for demonstrations. Very few keep in touch, and that's usually the organizers or people who have close relations with the village, but the 300-400 participants who come to the demonstration don't. […] Keeping in touch means slowly building a relationship with our neighbors; it's not just coming when we are needed and playing the role of the stronger older brother. I want us to be in touch regardless of whether I'm strong and you're weak, or the opposite. […] Palestinian people appreciate that-not people coming, demonstrating and running away.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Shlomo Zagman
Realistic Religious Zionism, Mosaica
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Interview Highlights »
“ Take the period prior to the disengagement from Gaza and the Right's struggle against it. They [the Israeli Right] said, 'What about human rights? Expelling people and demolishing their homes is a human rights violation.' In other words, "consider" the residents of Gush Katif's human rights; all of a sudden they were talking about democracy, about human rights, civil rights, equality and such terms, but only when it applied to them. When Arab-Israeli citizens are treated like second class citizens and lack equal civil rights, they [the Right] don't listen to these terms; they aren't interested. But they do acknowledge these terms when they need to, then they know all about the Basic Laws [filling the function of a constitution] in a democratic state.” [Source in Complete Interview]
George Sa'adeh
Bereaved Families Forum
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Interview Highlights »
“ They [Israelis] view the conflict from the point of view of land while neglecting the human issue. They act in a materialistic fashion and don't act correctly in regard to human issues. Their priority is strategically materialistic and concerns security and such issues, but they neglect the human aspect. I think the human aspect is the most important because when a human agrees to treat his fellow human with justice and conscience, then all the problems on the ground will be solved.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Ofer Shinar
Independent advisor and researcher in Transitional Justice, former consultant to the Bereaved Families' Forum
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Interview Highlights »
“ There are other kinds of human rights/peace NGOs who are working to document the atrocities and the violations and whatever, and it's very important, but they stick to the present, and in a way, it's like, you can chase the wind, but you have to do something else, you can only go so far by documenting - documenting will not prove effective in changing the feelings and perceptions that underlie our more rational conceptions of the opposed side to the conflict as well as the reasons for the conflict itself.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Gidon Bromberg
EcoPeace/Friends of the Earth Middle East
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Interview Highlights »
“ Environmental justice includes issues of human rights, and fairness, and some sort of just notion of the division of natural resources. If one side grabs all the natural resources then the other side is going to lose out, not only on the natural resources themselves, but also on their economic potential. So there's a realization that we're not only dealing with the environment here, we're also dealing with political issues too.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Dr. Khuloud Dajani
People's Campaign for Peace and Democracy
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ The main misconception is that Israelis think this is their promised land, given to them by God, and that they should have this land without a people. Even educated professors and doctors still believe that it is their promised land.[…] I met with Israeli scholars and very high ranking individuals in higher education etc. Some of them come with an illogical argument of the land promised to them by God and ignore the issue of the people who are living in the land with all the historical, social, cultural dimensions of life and mainly their basic human right of existing and living in their own homes and lands, as well as having the right to justice and equality!” [Source in Complete Interview]
Sarah Karajeh
Bereaved Families Forum
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Interview Highlights »
“ There are Jews that believe that the occupation of this land is wrong and that the Palestinians should retain their rights. Religion isn't the main factor. During the confiscation of land in the north of Palestine in order to build the racist wall, I was surprised to see an NGO made up of Jewish rabbis who defended human rights. This is an indication that it isn't an issue of religion. The Jewish rabbis tied themselves with chains, not in order to defend Islam or Judaism, but in order to defend human rights in this land.” [Source in Complete Interview]
George Sa'adeh
Bereaved Families Forum
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Interview Highlights »
“ We do our best to make the Israelis understand that they are dealing with a people made up of humans. The Israeli attitude toward the Palestinians should be free of all claims over the land. They should let the Palestinians live their lives in order to achieve equality between the two sides. Thus the Israelis will enjoy security. There shouldn't be a selfish people that feels that its interests are more important than those of the other side. This is what causes the problem. There should be equality in abilities and life. There should be human equality rather than a single side's attempt to control the situation.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Yafit Gamila Biso
The Olive Tree
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ In order to establish a just peace we must ensure the other side's human rights as well as ours. You can't differentiate human rights work from peace work, it's ultimately connected. In order to build peace, or what is termed "trust," with the other side we must ensure their rights. We can't just impose our will. Full rights must be ensured, whether it is for children, women or men. It's all linked; you can't separate human rights from peace work. This is what I am doing when I work to promote children's rights to receive medical attention or get an education. It is a brick in the wall of the peace we aspire to construct.” [Source in Complete Interview]
