International Advocacy 1997-2000

Reports to UNCESCR, UNHCHR, UN Human Rights Commission Emergency Session on Israel/Palestine, and UNCERD.

UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights - November 2000

Adalah prepared and submitted a follow-up report on economic, social and cultural rights violations by the Israeli government concerning the unrecognized Arab villages; the status of land law and settlement policy as implemented by the Jewish Agency, the Jewish National Fund, and the Israeli Lands Administration with a focus on the March 2000 Supreme Court judgment in Qa'dan; and the excessive use of force by police and the denial of due process rights of Palestinian citizen detainees by the courts during the Al-Aqsa Intifada. Adalah did not attend the session.

 Adalah's Interim Report on Israel Submitted to the UN CESCR - 29 November 2000

 The UN CESCR Letter to Israel - 1 December 2000

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms. Mary Robinson - November 2000

Adalah Staff Attorney Gadeer Nicola and Development Director Rina Rosenberg assisted in organizing and attended a meeting of Palestinian and Israeli NGOs based in Israel with the UN HCHR, Ms. Mary Robinson, to discuss the UN investigation into human rights abuses by the Israeli government during the Al-Aqsa Intifada. Adalah also prepared and sent a letter of critique to the High Commissioner's trip report.

Press Release: Adalah Participates in Meeting with Ms. Mary Robinson, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights - 9 November 2000

Adalah's Statements to Ms. Mary Robinson - 9 November 2000

 Adalah's Letter to Ms. Mary Robinson: Remarks to the UN HCHR Visit Report - 18 December 2000

UN Human Rights Commission Emergency Session on Israel/Palestine - October 2000

Adalah researched and wrote a 30-page report on Israeli rights violations against Palestinian citizens during the Al-Aqsa Intifada including the excessive use of force and the denial of due process rights of Palestinian detainees by the courts. Adalah Board Member Muhammad Dahleh presented an oral statement before the UN HRC, and presented Adalah's written submission. The UN HRC established the UN HIC to investigate, but refused to include Palestinian citizens in its mandate.

Press Release: Adalah Presents Report on Human Rights Violations to UN Human Rights Commission, Special Session on Israel/Palestine- 17-18 October 2000

Adalah's Summary Report to the UN HRC - 17 October 2000

Adalah's Oral Statement to the UN HRC - 18 October 2000

UN Resolution S-5/1

UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights - November 1998

Adalah Staff Attorney Jamil Dakwar presented written and oral statements to the CESCR Committee in Geneva. Adalah's statement emphasized Israel's violations of ESCR rights of Palestinian citizens in the fields of education, culture, language and women's rights, and responded to Israel's submittal of answers to questions on its first periodic report posed by the CESCR. Many of the points raised by Adalah were reflected in the Concluding Comments of the CESCR.

Adalah's Statement to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) - November 1998

Concluding Comments of the CESCR Committee - November 1998

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UN Human Rights Committee - July 1998

The UN HRC monitors State Parties implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. In July 1998, the UN HRC reviewed Israel's first report (CCPR/C/81/Add. 13) and issued Concluding Comments, which raised concerns about the government's protection of the civil and political rights of Palestinian citizens of Israel.

Concluding Comments of the Human Rights Committee - July 1998

UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination - March 1998

Adalah Board Chairperson Muhammad Dahleh presented Adalah's report in Geneva to the UN CERD Committee on Israel's implementation of the Convention entitled "Legal Violations of Arab Minority Rights in Israel." This 128-page report identifies and discusses 20 laws that discriminate against Palestinian citizens of Israel, and critiques Israel's report to the CERD. The Committee incorporated many of Adalah's concerns into its Concluding Observations.

Major Findings of Adalah's Report to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) - March 1998

Concluding Comments of the CERD Committee - March 1998

UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women - July 1997 

The Working Group on the Status of Palestinian Women of Israel, comprised of seven Palestinian women's and human rights NGOs and individual activists, submitted an NGO Report entitled "The Status of Palestinian Women Citizens of Israel" to the CEDAW Committee. The 131-page report, the first ever by Palestinian women in Israel, discusses issues of Palestinian women's political participation, education, employment, health, personal status and family laws and violence against women, as well as critique Israel's report and response to questions posed by the Committee. CEDAW adopted many of the Working Group's concerns about violations of Palestinian women's rights by the Israeli government in its Concluding Comments and Recommendations.

NGO Report: The Status of Palestinian Women Citizens of Israel (Part 1) (Part 2) - July 1997

Concluding Comments of the CEDAW - July 1997

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