July 2011

www.badil.org
Nakba 63 Commemoration

Badil has extensively contributed to collective and rights-based mechanisms, visions and strategy-building, through advocacy and campaign tools during the commemoration of the Nakba 63, which this year saw an unprecedented amount of activity locally, regionally and internationally by Palestinians and solidarity activists.
 

Badil contributions were as follows:

Nakba-63 poster: (Arabic and English): winner of the 2011 Awda Award; print preparation by BADIL for the National Committee/Nakba Commemoration, and 45,000 copies printed by BADIL for use in the OPT, Israel and exile

Nakba- 63 caricature: winner of the 2011 Awda Award; 5,000 copies printed and disseminated  in the OPT

Haq Al-Awda Newspaper: a special issue of Haq Al-Awda on the Nakba 63 was printed on 15th May, 60,000 copies were distributed in the OPT, Israel and abroad.

Nakba T-Shirt: 2000 T-Shirts distributed to 22 Community-Based Organizations and local committees during the 2011 Nakba Commemoration.

BADIL participated in meetings of the National Committee for Nakba Commemoration and the Right of Return and assisted with activity planning and implementation. Public commemoration of  Nakba 63 marked the highlight of this campaign in 2011 and included:

 

  • three public rallies for the right of return held on consecutive days (12-17 May) in three Palestinian towns in the OPT, i.e. in Bethlehem, Ramallah, Salfit, (150,000 participants);

  • the March of Return from Nazareth to the 1948 depopulated Palestinian village of Miska organized on Israel’s independence day in April by the Association for the Defense of the Rights of the Internally Displaced (25,000 participants);

  • countless events of Nakba commemoration and right of return awareness-raising in almost every public and private institution – not only in and around refugee camps but also in towns and villages throughout the West Bank, Gaza Strip and in areas of Palestinian exiled communities.

  • 4 hours live TV program, in coordination with Mann News Agency and MIX TV. 20 political and religious figures and grass-roots leaders from the OPT and Israel were guests in the program.

  • The movable Nakba exhibition, 60 displays (best 20 posters, best 20 caricatures and best 20 photography of the Awda Award). The exhibition has been displayed in 5 main cities in the West Bank, Hebron, Ramallah, Bethlehem, Nablus, and Jerusalem.

Badil facilitated numerous community-based initiatives in the OPT by providing them with financial and logistical support. Many activities were organized by such initiatives to raise awareness about the basic rights of Palestinian refugees during the Nakba commemoration and included rallies, exhibits, lectures, and sports activities. 1900 women, children and youth refugees participated in those activities. The initiatives were organized in coordination with CBOs and popular committees in Dheisha camp, Bethlehem governorate, youth center in Beit Sahour, Jenin camp, Jenin governorate, Al-Aroub camp, Al-Fawar camp, Hebron governorate, Balata camp, Salfit governorate, Dair Al-Balah in the Gaza Strip. 
 

Awda Award Competition 2011

Badil received 604 entries to the 2011 Award Competition (almost double the entries of  2010). On May 6th, Badil honored 17 winners in parallel Awda Award Festivals at the Cultural Palace, Ramallah, and the Hall of the Red Crescent - in Khan Younis, Gaza, attended by an audience of over 1,000. The program included: an exhibition showcasing the best works in the categories “caricature”, “poster” and “photography”; performances by the singer Reem Bana ; award ceremony of the 17 winners and dozens of honorable mentions; and, a dance performance of the Al-Funoun Troupe for Popular Dance. The festival was broadcast live via Palestine, MIX and Watan Satellite TVs. more >
 
Youth Education & Activation Program

15 CBOs completed the first activity of the YEAP program with over 300 refugee/IDP youth participating in the first action. Throughout the implementation of the first activity, children learned about their original villages, the Nakba and how they have become refugees through recording oral history from the older generation. Children also learned how to interview, document and record important information. After collecting the information, they presented the outcome of their work in the class before the groups. Each CBO will publish the outcome of the first activity, and Badil will publish the children's productions in its publications.

The second activity/action of the program –“why and how has the Nakba continued?” is under implementation by the 15 CBOs. Children have been asked to answer the question by drawing and collecting 63 photos that reflect the ongoing Palestinian Nakba. Children are preparing for the final process of the activity which will be an exhibition of the 63 photos collected during the implementation of the activity.

 

Stop the Jewish National Fund (JNF-KKL)

Since its launch in March 2011, the stop the JNF campaign has achieved a number of unprecedented successes and received over 100 endorsements, including by Friends of the Earth Scotland. The British Prime Minister, David Cameron, has withdrawn as the organization's honorary patron, ending a 110 year tradition of support for the JNF from the highest level of government.

The campaign has also launched an environment e-book which looks at the JNF's impact on the Palestinian environment and shows that, despite their best attempts to disguise it, the JNF has contributed to damaging the Palestinian environment on its way to achieving its overall objective of facilitating colonization of Palestinian land. BADIL is working to build support within Palestinian civil society and is coordinating its efforts against the JNF with a number of organizations in Palestine.


About this Newsletter

Badil’s Newsletter is published every three months. It aims to keep you informed and up- to-date with our projects and legal advocacy action points.

 

UN-Based Legal Advocacy

UN

BADIL participated in the 17th Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva. BADIL presented two oral statements on Item 9 on racial discrimination (Read More>>>) and Item 7, describing mounting settler violence and violence against non-violent protestors (Read More>>>). BADIL also submitted a written statement on Item 9 describing Israel’s institutionalized racism amounting to Apartheid (Read More>>>)

BADIL organized two side events and joined another one during the 17th Sessionof the UN Human Rights Council

  • Responsibility to Protect: Origins and Implementation, in cooperation with the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty (ICISS), the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) and Mouvement contre le racisme et pour l’amitié entre. (Read More>>>)  
  • The Principle of the Right to Self-Determination, in cooperation with the Association for the Families of Saharawi Prisoners and the Disappeared (AFAPREDESA), the France Libertés – Fondation Danielle Mitterrand and the Mouvement contre le racisme et pour l’amitié entre les peuples (MRAP). (Read More>>>)
  • Palestinian People's Right to Self-Determination: joint side event organized with other Palestinian NGOs.


(for more information on all of BADIL’s work at the 16th HRC session visit the BADIL website>>> )

Tenth Session on the Permanent Indigenous Forum :

BADIL participated in the Tenth Session on the Permanent Indigenous Forum that took place at the UN Headquarters in NY in mid-May. BADIL submitted an oral statement on Palestinians as an indigenous people and connected with other global indigenous groups. (More>>>)

Research, Mobilization and Intervention with Duty Bearers

  • 3 Memorandums were addressed to President Mahmoud Abbas on Palestinian refugees’ lack of protection in Libya, Egypt, Cyprus, and Sweden.

  • A series of meetings were conducted with representatives from Congressional offices which discussed the growing Palestinian non-violent movement that aims to resist the ongoing forced displacement and dispossession. BADIL requested the possibility of the Congressional offices entering relevant magazine articles into the Congressional record. BADIL also organized a series of meetings with the U.S. Department of State’s Annual Human Rights Report to discuss its findings on Israel and Palestine.

  • BADIL carried out a series of meetings with representatives of Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen, Libya and Switzerland in the Human Rights Council, Geneva. Badil raised several issues, among them the effective implementation of the fact finding mission (Goldstone report) and the obligations of Switzerland as a depository and contracting party of the Geneva conventions.

  • Significant consultative, assessment and advice-giving meetings were conducted in Palestine and abroad with UNRWA, UNHCR and OHCHR.

Badil’s Summer School

Badil has completed the preparation for the Youth Summer School. 75 refugee and IDP youth, half of them females, between the ages of 18-23 years, and who are nominated by CBOs, cultural centers, and popular committees in the West Bank refugee camps will gather in Al-Feneeq Center in Al-Dheisheh Refugee Camp, Bethlehem from 18th to 28th July 2011. During the ten days, various activities will be conducted under the supervision of qualified trainers. The objective of the Summer School is to enhance the knowledge, communication, leadership, writing and computer skills of youth active in CBOs. (for more details on Badil’s Summer School, see Badil’s annual report 2011

Badil Law Course at Al-Quds University

In the spring semester 2011, 33 students (14 females, 19 males) have enrolled in Badil’s course on “International Refugee Law: Palestinian Refugee Rights” at Al-Quds University. All students have passed the course successfully. Under the supervision of Badil’s lecturer, a student who undertook the refugee course last year, submitted his final dissertation on the “Palestinian Refugee Question within 20 Years of Negotiations”. Badil presented two lectures in cooperation with Human Rights Clinic, Al-Quds University on:

  • Palestinians’ Right to Self-Determination and Refugees Rights, which was presented to the Clinic’s students.

  • Cooperate Accountability for Human Rights Violations in the OPT, which was presented to the Law School students.

Badil’s periodicals and latest publications were distributed in campus. Approximately, 100 students participated in other activities organized by Badil, particularly Al-Awda Award Festival and the Nakba 63 Commemorations

Writing & Publications

BADIL has released the Q & A on Palestinian Refugee Rights. This publication addresses frequently asked questions on Palestinian refugees and IDPs.



To download this publication in pdf format, click here>>

BADIL’s periodicals, the two magazines, Haq-Alawda issue 43 and Al-Majdal issue 46 were published in Mid May and early July respectively.

Articles by Badil's staff have also been included in the Sedek magazine, the JNF e-book #4, Al Akhbar newspaper and elsewhere.

Press Releases: From the beginning of April until the end of June, Badil published 15 press releases in both Arabic and English, in which it covered its activities and/or emphasized refugees’ rights, or highlighted specific events or human rights violations.

International and Local Networking, Meetings and Conferences

BADIL has participated in regular international conferences and speaking events. Numerous networking and organizing meetings were conducted in Geneva (UN), with human rights organizations in Brussels (EU), and throughout the U.S., including:

  • The Rachel Corrie Foundation Conference, to discuss BDS on a panel and run two workshops (more>>>),

  • The Goldstone Talk in New York  (More>>>),

  • The annual Sjovik seminar in Sweden.

Badil has also participated in the Churches for Middle East Peace Conference and gave two lectures on BDS and Palestine resistance and human rights in Israel.

BADIL has participated in several national conferences and speaking events, such as the 1st Palestinian Trade Union Conference for Boycotts, Divestment, and Sanction against Israel, the Kairos Palestine Second Youth conference at Dar Annadwa in Bethlehem, and the Occupied Palestine and Syrian Golan Heights Advocacy Initiative (OPGAI) conference on the current political developments in Palestine at Bethlehem University. BADIL has also participated in the campaign for direct elections to the Palestinian National Council (PNC).

Furthermore, BADIL was interviewed by numerous local and international radio and TV stations, such as Russia TV on the Goldstone Report, Democracy Now Radio/TV on Obama’s Speech, Radio Germany on Obama’s Speech, Radio Campus/Lille and BBC World Service on  Palestinian unity, and many other local radio and TV stations on BADIL’s program and participation on the 63 Nakba commemorations

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