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http://www.btselem.org/English/

B'TSELEM - The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the
Occupied Territories was established in 1989 by a group of prominent
academics, attorneys, journalists, and Knesset members. It endeavors
to document and educate the Israeli public and policymakers about
human rights violations in the Occupied Territories, combat the
phenomenon of denial prevalent among the Israeli public, and help
create a human rights culture in Israel.

B'Tselem in Hebrew literally means "in the image of," and is also used
as a synonym for human dignity. The word is taken from Genesis 1:27
"And God created humans in his image. In the image of God did He
create him." It is in this spirit that the first article of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that "All human beings
are born equal in dignity and rights."

As an Israeli human rights organization, B'Tselem acts primarily to
change Israeli policy in the Occupied Territories and ensure that its
government, which rules the Occupied Territories, protects the human
rights of residents there and complies with its obligations under
international law.

B'Tselem is independent and is funded by contributions from
foundations in Europe and North America that support human rights
activity worldwide, and by private individuals in Israel and abroad.

B'Tselem has attained a prominent place among human rights
organizations. In December, 1989 it received the Carter-Menil Award
for Human Rights. Its reports have gained B'Tselem a reputation for
accuracy, and the Israeli authorities relate to them seriously.
B'Tselem ensures the reliability of information it publishes by
conducting its own fieldwork and research, the results of which are
thoroughly cross-checked with relevant documents, official government
sources, and information from other sources, among them Israeli,
Palestinian, and other human rights organizations.


The focus on documentation reflects B'Tselem's objective of providing
as much information as possible to the Israeli public, since
information is indispensable to taking action and making choices.
Readers of B'Tselem publications may decide to do nothing, but they
cannot say, "We didn't know."

Reports

B'Tselem has published scores of reports, some comprehensive in scope,
covering most kinds of human rights violations that have occurred in
the Occupied Territories. The reports have dealt, for example, with
torture, fatal shootings by security forces, restriction on movement,
expropriation of land and discrimination in planning and building in
East Jerusalem, administrative detention, and settler violence.

Press conferences are often held when a new report is published. In
addition, reports often lead to B'Tselem accompanying and assisting
journalists reporting on human rights violations, and to other
activities intended to affect public opinion in Israel.

Activity in the Knesset

B'Tselem regularly provides Knesset members with information on human
rights violations in the Occupied Territories, and injustices caused
by Israeli authorities. Several Knesset members, from various
factions, assist B'Tselem in placing human rights matters on the
public agenda and in safeguarding human rights.

Public action

B'Tselem has hundreds of supporters and volunteers who work to improve
the human rights situation in the Occupied Territories. These
activities include, in part, setting up information stands,
distributing printed material, addressing problems and requests to
decision-makers, and participating in protests in the Occupied
Territories.

B'Tselem's contact information

8 HaTa'asiya St. (4th Floor), Jerusalem Israel.
Mailing address: P.O. Box 53132, Jerusalem 91531, Israel
Tel: 972-2-6735599, Fax: 972-2-6749111
E-Mail mail@btselem.org