Rabbis for Human Rights

Rabbis for Human Rights describes itself as "the rabbinic voice of conscience in Israel, giving voice to the Jewish tradition of human rights". [ [http://www.rhr.israel.net/ Rabbis for Human Rights home page] , accessed 18 August 2006.] Their membership includes Reform, Orthodox, Conservative and Reconstructionist rabbis and students. According to their web site, the organization includes "some ninety ordained rabbis".

The organization received the Niwano Peace Prize in 2006. [ [http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=170568 'Rabbis For Human Rights' Gets Niwano Peace Prize] accessed 30 March 2007]

Organization

The organization was founded in 1988. In December 2004, their executive director, Rabbi Arik Ascherman was among three defendants on trial in Jerusalem for standing in front of bulldozers in an effort to block the demolition of Palestinian homes, which were being used as terrorist attack points. RFHR opposes the construction of the Israeli West Bank barrier in any place where it entails the expropriation of Arab-owned land, the division of villages, or cutting farmers off from their fields. RFHR achieved a major victory in 2006 when it won a lawsuit to prevent the division by the fence of the village of Sheikh Sa'ad. ("Israel Today", May 2006).

Rabbi Ascherman served as co-director of Rabbis For Human Rights, becoming executive director in 1998. [ [http://www.rhr.israel.net/profile/arikascherman.shtml Arik W. Ascherman] ] After stopping Israeli bulldozers from demolishing the homes of Palestinian families, who's family members participated in terrorist activities in Jerusalem, Ascherman was charged with "interfering with police performance of duties on two different occasions in 2003, and the intention to commit acts to prevent police from performing their duties." In March 2005, a magistrate court ruled Ascherman guilty, but said that he wouldn't have a criminal record. [ [http://english.aljazeera.net/English/archive/archive?ArchiveId=10579 Rabbi convicted for blocking demolition] . AlJazeera.]

In March 2008, Arik Ascherman was arrested for "inciting Palestinians to oppose the police" near the ongoing archaeological dig in the City of David. [ [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/964131.html Police arrest rabbi for 'inciting Palestinians' in East Jerusalem - Haaretz - Israel News ] ]

Durban UN Anti-Racism conferences

David Bedein from IMRA has criticized RHR, accusing it of joining "forces with the PLO to support the idea that Israel, was indeed, an apartheid, racist regime" at the UN Anti-Racism conference that convened in Durban, South Africa. [ [http://www.imra.org.il/story.php3?id=8001 Rabbis for Human Rights Slam Israel in Durban and Raise Funds for the PLO] IMRA - September 2, 2001]

Rabbi Ascherman and RHR expressed concern about the second Durban conference, saying "that Israel has committed human rights violations [is an issue that] can appropriately be discussed at a conference like this. But if you allow the conference to be hijacked as if Israel is the only place in the world where there are issues of racism and human rights, then it makes a farce of the whole thing. We're not trying to protect Israel from being criticized, but as people who are really concerned with human rights and racism, and think it is important that there be a body among the community of nations dealing with these things, we don't want to see another hijacking." [ [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1199964893665&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull RHR joins petition against Durban II] ]

Notes

External links

* [http://www.rhr.israel.net/ Official RHR Site]
* [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6604775898578139565 Peace, Propaganda and the Promised Land: Media & the Israel-Palestine Conflict] , documentary directed by Sut Jhally and Bathsheba Ratzkoff (2003) quotes Rabbi Arik Ascherman