1. Addressing Critical Issues in Israeli Society

2. Israel’s Declaration of Independence
“The State of Israel…will be based on freedom, justice and peace…it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or gender…”
Israel’s Declaration of Independence
5 Iyyar 5708 / 14 May 1948

3. What is NIF?
Goals:
To protect the civil and human rights of all Israelis,
To close the social and economic gaps between Israel’s diverse communities, and
To promote religious pluralism and tolerance.
Issues include Jewish-Arab equality, women’s rights, advocating for migrant workers, LGBT rights and environmental justice.

4. Leadership Development
How does NIF work?
Grant-making
Capacity-building
Leadership Development
Public Advocacy
Through litigation, lobbying, and community empowerment, NIF grantees have emerged as the core of Israeli civil society.

5. Protecting Human Rights
Human Rights March led by flagship NIF grantee Association for Civil Rights in Israel in 2009

6. Background Difficulty accessing basic rights: Freedom of movement
Education
Health
Right to livelihood
One of Israel’s greatest challenges is upholding the human rights of Palestinians in the Occupied Territories while maintaining Israel’s security.  

7. Challenges Human rights abuses Unequal treatment
Water supply in the West Bank
“Administrative detention”
Against Israeli law
Unequal treatment
Lack of protection from settlers
In 2011, Israeli human rights organization Yesh Din released a report revealing that out of 642 investigations by Israeli police of offenses against Palestinians, only 9% have resulted in indictments filed against defendants.
Palestinians in East Jerusalem
Children in East Jerusalem at a protest for equal education
Photo courtesy of Association for Civil Rights in Israel

8. Challenges Freedom of movement and access to resources
Separation barrier
Difficulty reaching schools, workplaces, family or even accessing emergency healthcare
NIF has not taken a stance on the existence of the separation barrier, but is working to advance human rights in this difficult context.

9. Working to uphold human rights
Against All Odds
Machsom Watch
Working to uphold human rights

10. Responding to the Challenges
Jewish and Palestinian citizens of Israel working to protect the human rights of Palestinians in the Territories.
Monitor security checkpoints to prevent abuse and humiliation of Palestinian civilians
Petition the route of the barrier where it disproportionately affects lives
Protect the rights of prisoners and detainees, including monitoring, preventing and investigating abuse
Ensure that human rights standards are upheld during military operations, such as preventing the use of Palestinian civilians as “human shields”
Prevent the demolition of homes of Palestinians suspected of terrorism without judicial review, and ensure compensation for homes demolished for security operations
Protect Palestinians from attacks by settlers
Provide legal aid to workers in Israel and Israeli settlements who have suffered from withheld payment, underpayment, confinement and/or criminal abuse, and
Create public awareness amongst Israelis of human rights abuses in the Territories and of the impact of service on soldiers.
Israel’s first-ever human rights march was led by flagship NIF grantee Association for Civil Rights in Israel in 2009

11. Making a Difference on the Ground
Breaking the Silence
Raising public awareness about the moral dilemmas faced by soldiers serving in the Occupied Territories
B’Tselem: The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories
Documenting and educating the Israeli public and policymakers about human rights violations in the Territories and combating the phenomenon of denial prevalent among the Israeli public

12. How can you get involved?
Attend NIF events
Stay informed: sign up for NIF’s e-newsletter
Follow NIF on Facebook and Twitter
Join New Generations (20s and 30s)
See NIF on the ground: join an NIF trip to Israel
Apply for NIF fellowship programs (20s and 30s)