Adalah - The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel

HAMERKAZ HAMISHPATI L'ZKHUYOT HAMI-UT HA’ARAVI BEYISRAEL

GOALS
To achieve equal rights for the Arab citizens in Israel, and to protect their minority rights with regard to land, housing, education, employment, language, political participation, women's rights, prisoner rights and cultural and religious rights.

BACKGROUND
Adalah ("justice" in Arabic) is the first nonprofit and nonsectarian Arab-run legal center in Israel . Established in November 1996, Adalah serves the Arab community – almost 20% of the population – throughout Israel . Adalah's legal work draws on Israeli law, comparative constitutional law, and international human rights conventions.

STRATEGIES
Legal action; international advocacy; educational activities; and training of human rights lawyers.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Continued representation of the families of 13 Palestinian-Israeli citizens killed by the police in Oct. 2000.
• Petitioning the courts on issues such as land and planning rights, education rights, economic and social rights, civil and political rights and criminal justice. In 2005, Adalah submitted 20 new petitions, over 20 legal interventions and more than 35 follow-up cases.
• Drafting and proposing a Charter of Human Rights as an alternative document to the various proposals for constitution in Israel .
• International legal advocacy, including reports to UN/EU, and participation in various international forums.
• Seminars, conferences, publications, and media work.