Dear Friends,
The end of the year is always a good opportunity to reflect. Did we do what we planned? What did we have to give up on? Where did we succeed and where did we go wrong? What could we have done differently and how can we improve?
The past year was difficult and troubling from a human rights perspective, and the end of the year was clouded by recent attacks on activists and organizations. However, I want to wrap up the year on a positive note. In this final newsletter of 2015 I want to put aside the challenges and focus on what we have managed to achieve:
1. Thanks to ACRI’s legal and publicity campaigns, and the work of our colleagues, the Knesset prohibited people living in poverty from being disconnected from the water supply.
2. Following ACRI’s petition regarding adequate representation on the Israel Land Authority Council, two women were appointed as members of the Council and appointment procedures continue with respect to Arab members.
3. We published a book in Hebrew and Arabic, which provides educators with innovative tools to incorporate anti-racism education in all subjects taught from kindergarten to high school.
4. The National Labor Court accepted our position and ruled that people should not be denied income support payments because they receive assistance from their families with paying rent.
5. We have helped to protect artistic freedom and the freedom of expression and prevented government censorship of cultural programs.
6. Following our demands the Israel Electric Corporation started devising rules to prevent power disconnections for people living in poverty.
7. We helped the Arab residents of Nazareth obtain Arabic books in the public library.
8. Following a petition to the Supreme Court, the gaps in postal services were narrowed in East Jerusalem and streets were labelled with names for the first time.
9. We managed to obtain a budget for day care centers for the children of migrant workers and asylum seekers.
10. Following a petition by ACRI and our colleagues, the High Court ordered that periods of detention at Holot be shortened, and approximately 1,200 long-term detainees were released.
11. We convinced the members of Knesset not to grant police excessive search powers.
12. We fought for the freedom of demonstration, and the police announced that they would stop imposing criminal responsibility on the organizers of demonstrations for offenses committed by protesters.
With the start of a new year, we take a deep breath and prepare to face the old and new challenges to come. We will continue the struggle to promote democracy, human rights and equality. Hopefully 2016 will be one of peace and respect for human rights!
Yours,
Sharon
Sharon Abraham-Weiss
Executive Director
Association for Civil Rights in Israel
