B'Tselem's 2002 activities: Summary and highlights

In 2002, B'Tselem released thirteen new publications, addressing the use of lethal force; house demolitions and destruction of agricultural land; access to medical treatment; Israel's settlement policy; lack of law enforcement on violent settlers; Operation Defensive Shield; the separation barrier being constructed by Israel; violence by security forces; and the use of human shields. All publications were produced in both Hebrew and English and distributed to more than 8,000 individuals and organizations.

B'Tselem also produced a unique map detailing the land controlled by Israeli settlements that received extensive attention and was in high demand, particularly as it provides information not available elsewhere. The map and accompanying report were also the focus of an extensive advocacy campaign including press work, briefings for the diplomatic community as well as foreign policymakers, think-tanks, NGOs, and speaking engagements for the public.

B'Tselem has given additional emphasis to advocacy at both the local and international level over the past year. Advocacy has addressed the issues mentioned above, as well as protection for civilians, detentions, freedom of movement, collaborators and proposed legislation to deny compensation for Palestinian victims of wrongful or negligent acts committed by Israeli security forces. Advocacy has included organizing public events, meetings with military and government officials, lobbying Members of Knesset, and the submission of petitions to the High Court of Justice. B'Tselem also initiated fax briefings that are sent to hundreds of foreign policymakers, and increased outreach efforts to the Diaspora Jewish community.

B'Tselem's role as the leading source of information about human rights in the Occupied Territories has increased in importance in recent months, as a result of limits on access for journalists and the manipulation of information by Israeli and Palestinian sources. B'Tselem's extensive work with the media, which included issuing press releases, accompanying journalists, giving interviews, and a press tour on the separation barrier, resulted in hundreds of appearances in the local and foreign press.

B'Tselem's trilingual website continues to receive thousands of visitors per month, and information and updates are sent by email to over 4,000 subscribers. B'Tselem has responded to dozens of information requests each month and provided briefings for diplomats, visiting foreign policymakers, and delegations from around the world.

B'Tselem responded to dozens of requests for assistance from Palestinian victims of human rights violations, particularly in cases of urgent need during Operation Defensive Shield, and participated in efforts to provide humanitarian relief to Palestinians in need of basic food supplies.

B'Tselem was especially active in the sphere of public education in 2002, and initiated a number of innovative strategies in response to the challenges of the current situation. These strategies included the publication of a weekly advertisements in the Ha'aretz newspaper, and production of daily briefings during Operation Defensive Shield. The briefings were widely praised as a rare source of accurate information and were extensively circulated by e-mail and in some cases reproduced in full by the foreign press. Following Defensive Shield, B'Tselem produced a newspaper insert drawing attention to the range of human rights violations committed within the context of the operation. The newspaper, which includes testimonies from Israeli soldiers and Palestinian civilians, was distributed to over 120,000 households as an insert to the Ha'aretz daily newspaper and local weeklies. In addition, 12,000 copies of an English version of the publication were distributed to visiting groups and through international organizations. In response to these strategies, B'Tselem has received hundreds of responses from Israelis from across the spectrum.