Human Rights Defenders

This evening, a group of ISMers went out to meet with Badee, Imad and Sara. They are some of the members, and leaders, of Human Rights Defenders, a group of Palestinian activists who started an organization to counter the daily human rights abuses that are perpetrated against the Palestinian people by the Israeli Army and settlers.
Started and based in Hebron, their group does most of its work in H2 and Tel Rumeida in particular; however they also operate in other parts of the West Bank.
HRD is involved in a variety of activities, all peaceful.
They help organize demonstrations and rallies against the closure of Shuhada Street. They raise awareness about the situation of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, many held without charge for months and sometimes even years, under what is called "administrative detention". They have sent activists to Susya to protest the planned demolition of the village (for more info please feel free to refer to http://hungryandthirstyforjustice.blogspot.com/2015/07/susya-village-life-in-shadow-of.html ).
They started an initiative called "Capturing the Occupation", which involves handing cameras to Palestinians who live in parts of Hebron that are worst affected by army and settler violence. Training is provided to the participants. Human Rights Defenders respects and works with support groups- both international and Israeli- but their goal is not that the Palestinian people perpetually rely for help from others. In Badee's words, "We try to get the Palestinians to depend on themselves".
Cameras, and the training necessary, are provided not only to Palestinian adults but also children and youth. The violence targets them also, so it makes sense that they also get to document it.
HRD organize English classes for Palestinian activists which are held at the Ibrahim Khalil Society.

Sara, their deputy, not only does work with Human Rights Defenders but also works to address some problems that Palestinian society faces that are not covered in the reports of most anti-occupation groups: domestic violence and sexual abuse. Of course, this is not only a Palestinian problem, it happens everywhere.
In Badee's words, "teaching and empowerment is also resistance".

The activism that Human Rights Defenders do has not come without a cost. Earlier this year, Imad filmed Israeli soldiers shooting dead a Palestinian young man who allegedly tried stabbing them, but was already wounded on the ground when he was shot in the head... by an army medic.
The video caused an uproar all over Palestine and even Israel and over the world. Imad was threatened with death by furious Israeli settlers who threatened to burn him and his entire family alive in their home.
Badee has also faced some serious repression. He had been in jail over thirteen times, including one time in 2010 when I saw him get arrested at a peaceful protest. After coming out of the army bases, his lower back was covered with bruises.
Imad's and Badee's children have also been targeted, and have been arrested.
One of Imad's teenage sons, was shot with a live round after he broke a military imposed curfew to try to sneak home. His two friends who were with him also were shot and wounded... before being taken to jail where he was kept for several days.

In spite of the heavy costs, Human Rights Defenders continue their work.
 





Badee (in white shirt), Sara (in hijab) and Imad (blue shirt) along with myself and some friends.