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“But why do they want to destroy the family’s house?” asked my 8-year-old daughter when I told her about my upcoming court case. “They should just put the men who did it in jail.” Sadly, last Thursday, the High Court justices did not share my daughter’s intuitive understanding that a person must not be punished for crimes committed by others. Yet again, the court approved the punitive demolition of two homes, harming the innocent relatives – two little girls, a wife, a sister, and the parents – of the men now on trial for committing a deadly attack. The public climate in Israel is just as disturbing as the judgement, with calls for vengeance against suspects’ families and hostility towards the basic principles of human rights. At the High Court that morning, our legal team was harassed by members of an ultra-nationalist group, who regularly stage provocations at our court hearings, shouting abuse and accusing us of “supporting terrorists” while they broadcast live to their Facebook page. When I chose to focus on human rights at law school and then joined HaMoked as a staff attorney, I didn’t think my decision was controversial. I am proud of my work fighting for residency rights in East Jerusalem and for the rights of detainees. For me, HaMoked gives ex Next week Israelis go to the polls. The human rights implications of Israel’s half-century of military rule over the Palestinians have been completely absent from these three successive election campaigns. In fact, the incendiary rhetoric of right-wing politicians in this campaign has only increased the public hostility to Palestinian rights and to the organizations that advocate on their behalf. But this climate will not deter me or my colleagues. Regardless of the election results, we will continue our work to alleviate the suffering caused by Israeli policies and to raise a principled voice on behalf of universal rights. This shouldn't be controversial. Best, Dani Shenhar, Head of HaMoked’s Legal Department |
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