Sari Bashi
Gisha – The Legal Center for Freedom of Movement
The Emil Grunzweig Award Ceremony was postponed because of Operation Protective Edge and will be held instead on December 14, 2014.
The Emil Grunzweig Human Rights Award is given annually by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) to an individual or organization that has made a unique and outstanding contribution to the advancement of human rights in Israel. The award was established in 1981, but was renamed in 1983 after the murder of peace activist Emil Grunzweig by a grenade thrown during a demonstration against the First Lebanon War.
Click here to read about past winners of the Emil Grunzweig Human Rights Award.
Gisha – Legal Center for Freedom of Movement, was founded in 2005 by Sari Bashi together with Attorney Prof. Kenneth Mann in order to promote freedom of movement for the people of Gaza. The decision to grant this award to Gisha was made prior to the difficult events of the summer, and so the announcement of the award was postponed until this time. During Operation Protective Edge, Gisha proved once again to be indispensable in relaying reliable information on the human rights situation in Gaza, in dealing with pressing humanitarian issues directly with Israeli authorities, and in handling the unique hardships that emerged from the devastated territory.
On November 6, 2014, Israeli allowed a truck carrying farm produce to travel from the Gaza Strip to the West Bank through the Kerem Shalom crossing, the first time such a trip has taken place since a blockade was imposed on Gaza in 2007. Ending the sweeping ban on the transferal of goods from Gaza to the West Bank is one of the central issues that Gisha deals with. Gisha has opposed the intentions behind the prohibition, questioned its effectiveness, warned of the heavy toll borne by the civilian population and cast doubt on its legality. The organization is now operating to enable other goods to move between the West Bank and Israel.
Excerpts from the Selection Committee:
“Gisha is the sole human rights organization focusing directly on the Gaza Strip, which during times of quiet, receives very little public attention. Freedom of movement is a prerequisite for the realization of other basic rights such as the right to education, the right to earn a livelihood, the right to health and to family unifications. Consequently, Gisha’s activities have a direct influence on a broad array of areas that touch upon the lives of Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. This organization has helped thousands of people contend with Israel’s separation policies and enabled many of them to overcome travel restrictions in order to be reunited with their families, travel to schools and workplaces and attain professional and educational opportunities.
Gisha’s activities have stimulated much public debate on Israel’s policies towards the Gaza Strip and has caused profound change in the conduct of the authorities and in the public perception […]. In the public sphere, the organization has operated on the local and international level to raise awareness of the situation in Gaza Strip, its connection to the West Bank, Israeli policy towards its residents and the inherent potential of this province. Gisha has established itself over many years as a source of reliable information and professional authority regarding the legal status of the Gaza Strip.
Over the past decade, Sari Bashi has lead the organization in a time when it has achieved many significant achievements. As her time as Executive Director draws to an end, the committee has seen fit to bestow this award upon Sari Bashi and Gisha in honor of their unique and essential work. The committee elected to award this prize to Sari Bashi for her ability to predict the need for an organization dedicated to special situation in the Gaza Strip, for the establishment of such an organization, for its management and expansion of its activities.”
The Award Committee for the Emil Grunzweig Human Rights Award 2013 comprised of: Professor Ruth Halperin-Kaddari, Professor Michael Karayanni and Professor Yitzhak Benbaji.
Click here to read about past winners of the Emil Grunzweig Human Rights Award.
