Israeli-Palestinian Humanitarian, Social Action and Relief Organizations

The Palestine Children's Relief Fund
PO Box 1926
Kent, OH 44240
330-678-2645
web: http://www.pcrf.net

Provides free medical care abroad for sick and injured youths in the West Bank and Gaza, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria. Also sends volunteer medical teams to the Middle East to treat patients and train local medical personnel. The PCRF also runs a sponsorship program for handicapped children whose families are too poor to provide them their monthly medicine. The PCRF is strictly a nonprofit humanitarian relief organization.

Physicians for Human Rights - Israel (PHR-Israel)
30 Levanda St. Tel-Aviv 66020
Tel:office 972 3 6873718
Clinic 972 3 6873027
web: http://www.phr.org.il

Nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and protecting the medical human rights of all residents of Israel and the Occupied Territories. PHR-Israel's operating premise is that the maintenance of medical human rights is a necessary condition for social justice, as well as a legal obligation in accordance with international humanitarian law. PHR-Israel categorically opposes the subjugation of medical care to political considerations of any kind. PHR-Israel works to rectify and prevent breaches of medical human rights by the Israeli authorities as well as breakdowns in health care delivery in the West Bank and Gaza strip. PHR-Israel is a member of the International Federation of Health and Human Rights Organizations (IFHHRO).

Visions of Peace with Justice in Israel/Palestine
P.O. Box 400479
Cambridge, MA 02140
617.984.0532
web: http://www.vopj.org/

VOPJ is an alternative voice within the Jewish community and to the non-Jewish community, on issues of peace and justice in Israel and Palestine. In order to advance our objectives and principles, we offer a variety of educational programs, public actions, and resources. We support the thousands of Israelis, Palestinians, and others working for a just solution of the conflict, and for recognition of the aspirations of both the Jewish and Palestinian peoples.  VOPJ does not endorse any specific political solution. We believe, however, that any solution must be reached through the full participation of all parties, and that: any resolution based on a "Two State" model must include the creation of a viable, independent, and defendable Palestinian state, governed by the democratic will of the Palestinian people, alongside the State of Israel. We believe that an end to the occupation will lead to the growth and empowerment of the peace-seeking factions within the Israeli and Palestinian communities, the end of the current cycle of violence, fear, and despair, and the beginnings of a new momentum towards peace.

Brit Tzedek v'Shalom - The Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace
P.O. Box 180175
Chicago, IL 60618-0175
web: http://www.btvshalom.org/

A national organization of American Jews deeply committed to Israel's well-being through the achievement of a negotiated settlement to the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict guided by the mitzvah/obligation to pursue peace and justice that is rooted in both secular and religious Jewish traditions. Believes peace for Israel can only be achieved through the establishment of an economically and politically viable Palestinian state, necessitating an end to Israel's occupation of land acquired during the 1967 war. Provides a platform for American Jews to articulate their belief that the on-going conflict threatens Israel's security, severely damages its economy, and erodes the values that underlie a democratic society. Through education, advocacy, local chapter activities, and work with the media, we seek to generate greater dialogue within the American Jewish community in order to direct U.S. foreign policy toward the realization of a just peace.

Fighting anti-Semitism and bigotry here and abroad, the Anti-Defamation League probes the roots of hatred against Jews and serves as a public resource for government, media, law enforcement agencies and the public at large.  The ADL has taken a strong stance in favor of Israel in the current Mideast conflict.

In response to requests from health authorities in the Palestinian territories who are working to meet medical needs amid the current violence, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières  (MSF) has bolstered its medical teams and has sent a charter of medical supplies to the region.  Last week, the MSF team already present in the region provided support to medical centers in Jerusalem, Nablus, Hebron, and Ramallah.

Medical supplies, primarily surgical, are en route to Nablus and Hebron.  An anesthesiologist began work yesterday in Al Makasset Hospital in East Jerusalem together with Palestinian staff.  An MSF doctor and logistician are visiting hospitals in and organizing the distribution of medical material and drugs as needed in the Palestinian territories.

Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)  operates several ongoing projects that serve people in the conflict-affected areas.  Note that the Hebron projects are temporarily suspended.

Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam is a village in Israel established jointly by Jews and Palestinian Arabs of Israeli citizenship and engaged in educational work for peace, equality and understanding between the two peoples.  A bilingual, bi-cultural school educates children from the area, and works to establish this form of education as a viable model.  The School for Peace  conducts courses and seminars for Arab and Jewish youth and adults in Israel and the Palestinian Autonomy.  A Guest Center, with hotel, dining facilities and conference halls, offers comfortable accommodation for travelers, and a variety of educational and cultural programs for visiting groups.  "The House of Silence" provides a place for spiritual reflection.  A new Arts and Culture Center is being established.  They make no political stands; they live quietly but have consistently, over the years, created a model of these two Israeli groups living together in peace.

Seeds of Peace is a non-profit, non-political organization that helps teenagers from regions of conflict learn the skills of making peace. Set at our own camp in the woods of Maine, a safe and supportive environment is created where the youngsters can air their views and learn listening, communication and other conflict resolution techniques that allow them to develop empathy for one another. Seeds of Peace equips the next generation with the leadership capabilities required to end the cycles of violence.

The New Israel Fund works to strengthen Israeli democracy and promote social justice. Established in 1979, the Fund is a non-partisan philanthropic partnership of North Americans, Israelis, and Europeans. It supports a network of non-government organizations in Israel that safeguard civil and human rights, promote Jewish-Arab equality and coexistence, advance the status of women, foster tolerance and pluralism, bridge social and economic gaps, pursue environmental justice, and encourage government accountability. The Fund provides grants and technical assistance to Israeli public-interest groups, and also conducts public education in North America, Israel, and Great Britain about the challenges to Israeli democracy.

Bat Shalom is a feminist peace organization of Israeli women. We work toward a just peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors that includes recognition of a Palestinian state side-by-side with Israel and Jerusalem as the capital of both. Within Israel, Bat Shalom works toward a more just and democratic society shaped equally by men and women.

Bat Shalom, together with The Jerusalem Center for Women, a Palestinian women's peace organization, comprise The Jerusalem Link. As Israeli and Palestinian women of The Jerusalem Link, we work together toward a real peace ? not merely a treaty of mutual deterrence, but a culture of peace and cooperation between our peoples. 

The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom was founded in 1915 during World War I, with Jane Addams as its first president. WILPF works to achieve through peaceful means world disarmament, full rights for women, racial and economic justice, an end to all forms of violence, and to establish those political, social, and psychological conditions which can assure peace, freedom, and justice for all. WILPF works to create an environment of political, economic, social and psychological freedom for all members of the human community, so that true peace can be enjoyed by all.

The Palestinian Center for Peace and Democracy (PCPD) is a non-profit Palestinian NGO dedicate to promoting concepts of democracy, peace, social justice, human rights and civic education in the Palestinian areas. It was founded in August 1992 by a group of Palestinian intellectuals and professionals to create a forum for free and uncensored dialogue. The PCPD mobilizes support for a comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East.  PCPD works in three major tracks, PEACE, DEMOCRACY and HUMAN RIGHTS to contribute and to participate with the other Palestinian institutions in establishing, reinforcing and building a Palestinian Civil Democratic Society. 

The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in The Occupied Territories provides a large number of downloadable reports pertaining to human rights abuses in the Occupied Territories. Also offers a series of statistics which relate to Palestinians and Israelis killed in conflict-related violence, prisoners and detainees, and the demolition of houses in the West Bank since 1987.

Since 1991, in periods of both hope and of despair, we have worked to foster non-violent cooperative solutions to long standing conflicts in the Middle East.  The destruction, death and injury that the region has witnessed since September have made our work all the more necessary and important.  We believe that the peace building relationships and cooperative activities that have emerged from our past work will endure through the difficult period and will serve as a foundation for renewed dialog.  This dialog can, in turn, help open the way to a more peaceful, prosperous, and stable future for all the peoples of the Middle East.

Amnesty International Israel Section is one of the leading human rights organizations in Israel. Its apolitical status and non-affiliation to any official or government body, confers the section’s independence as well as certain privileges. AI Israel is not biased towards the left or the right, towards Jews or Arabs, nor towards Judaism, Islam or Christianity. Its staff, board and members are people who represent all sectors of the population, all political affiliations and all walks of life.  It is important to note that following Amnesty International's guidelines, the Israel Section does not act on cases of human rights violations within Israel, the Palestinian Authority or other neighboring countries in the Middle East. The section actively campaigns on countries such as China, Myanmar, Turkey, the United States, Central Africa and South America with the aim to create a public awareness towards Human Rights violations.

Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) mobilizes the health professions and enlists support from the general public to protect and promote the human rights of all people.  They believe that human rights are essential for the health and well-being of all members of the human family.  Using medical and scientific methods, they investigate and expose violations of human rights worldwide and work to stop them.  They support institutions to hold perpetrators of human rights abuses, including health professionals, accountable for their actions.  They educate health professionals and medical, public health, and nursing students and organize them to become active in supporting a movement for human rights and creating a culture of human rights in the medical and scientific professions. 

The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) was established in 1972 to bolster Israel's commitment to civil liberties and human rights through legal action, education and public outreach. ACRI is a strictly nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that protects the rights of all individuals in Israel and in the occupied territories, regardless of religion, nationality or political beliefs.  ACRI pursues its goals through action in several areas: litigation, education, public outreach, intervention, counseling and legislative consultation.

The HRA was founded in 1988 to promote and protect the  political, civil, economic, and cultural rights of the  Palestinian Arab minority in Israel and to further the domestic  implementation of international human rights principles. It is  an independent non-governmental organization registered in  Israel.  HRA holds a unique position locally and worldwide as  an indigenous organization that works on the community,  national and international levels for equality and  non-discrimination, and for the domestic implementation of  international minority rights protections.

The Middle East Children's Alliance is a non-governmental organization, working for peace and justice in the Middle East; focusing on Palestine, Israel, Lebanon and Iraq. Our programs emphasize the need to educate North Americans about the Middle East and U.S. foreign policy, and to support projects that aid and empower communities. We believe in insuring the human rights of all people in the region, especially focusing on the rights of children.

Since 1988, the Middle East Children's Alliance has been working for peace and trying to stop the suffering of children. We have delivered more than $5 million worth of food, medicine, toys and books to the children in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, in Lebanon, and in Iraq (in the aftermath of the Gulf War). We are working with groups and individuals in Israel and Palestine who are attempting to fight efforts to block the peace. Our staff and board have made sure that almost 90 percent of all donations go directly towards our aid and education programs.

Through our Playgrounds for Peace project we hope to give the children a place -- and a chance -- to play, where they can be children, and know something besides anger and fear. Only children who are happy and feel safe can grow into adults who can reach for and sustain peace. 

Jewish Peace Fellowship is a Jewish voice in the peace community and a peace voice in the Jewish community. We are a nondenominational Jewish organization committed to active nonviolence as a means of resolving conflict, drawing on Jewish traditional sources within the Torah, the Talmud and contemporary peacemaking sages like Martin Buber, Judah Magnes and Abraham Joshua Heschel.

Not sure of their level of activity at the moment, but have been very important in recent years.  Unable to find anything else on this organization.