Dear friends,

This past year, over 5,000 Palestinians turned to HaMoked for help. Many were people seeking to know where their loved ones were being held following their arrest. Others were  victims of police brutality seeking redress, or were struggling to obtain the military permit necessary to reach their farmlands, to visit their family in Gaza, or simply to live in their own home in Jerusalem with their spouse and children.

Almost 80% of these cases were resolved successfully, indicating both the arbitrariness of Israel’s restrictions and the fact that HaMoked is an effective address for people who have nowhere else to turn.

Alongside the individual assistance, we continue to fight for broader change, filing principled litigation to challenge large scale Israeli human rights violations. While it is more difficult to change policy, some of this litigation also bore fruit. Thus for example, from June 2021, Palestinians over age 50 no longer require a military permit to access their lands behind the Separation Barrier.

Below, you can see a brief overview of all of our work this past year, or view it online here.

Despite our achievements, we are not naïve about the challenges that lie ahead. We witness the occupation becoming ever-more entrenched and violent. It is easy to feel discouraged, but we are determined to do whatever we can to defend Palestinians’ basic rights. HaMoked is not alone in these efforts. We are proud to be part of a broader community advancing Palestinian human rights, and are grateful for our partnership with local and international organizations, activists and supporters.

Sincerely,

Jessica Montell
Executive Director of HaMoked