Dear friends,

Saving one life is like saving an entire world — this is a fundamental precept in the Jewish tradition, and in Islam as well. And it is the heart of the human rights movement. So amidst the mass killing, destruction, and displacement in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, I am writing now to share two seemingly minor stories from HaMoked’s work. But of course, for the people involved, there is nothing minor about receiving urgent medical care or living safely with one’s children.

Mahmoud’s Story: Cancer patient stuck at the checkpoint

Mahmoud, 16 years old, is suffering from bone cancer that has metastasized to his lungs. He receives chemotherapy every week in West Jerusalem and requires frequent check-ups and monitoring. According to his doctors, in the event of any deterioration in his condition, he must go to the hospital immediately. Due to the immunosuppressant medications he is receiving, any fever could be life-threatening.

But Mahmoud lives in Kafr Aqab, one of the neighborhoods of Jerusalem that are cut off from the rest of the city by the Separation Barrier. Crossing the Qalandia checkpoint to get to the hospital can take hours, and the checkpoint is sometimes closed without warning. Earlier this summer, Mahmoud was experiencing side effects from chemotherapy. His doctors decided to hospitalize him solely due to concerns about the long, arduous journey he is forced to take from his home to the hospital.

In fact, there is a checkpoint that would allow Mahmoud to reach the hospital quickly, but the military forbids him and other patients from using it. This week, HaMoked and ACRI filed an urgent petition demanding that Mahmoud and other seriously ill Kafr Aqab residents be allowed to use this easier passage through the Separation Barrier to access urgent and life-saving treatment at hospitals in Jerusalem.

Read more about this case on our website.
 

Mrs. A’s Story: A six-year battle to stay with her children

Mrs. A is a Palestinian from the West Bank who married a Jerusalemite in 2001. She has lived in the city ever since and raises her two children there. But for over two decades she has been considered an illegal alien in her own home. Her abusive husband never arranged her legal status in the city. He passed away in 2019, and since then, the family has lived in poverty and constant fear that Mrs. A would be deported.

HaMoked waged a six-year legal battle to have the Ministry of Interior grant Mrs. A. a permit to live in her home with her children. After four separate petitions and appeals to establish her status in Israel under humanitarian grounds, finally in April, Israel’s Supreme Court accepted HaMoked’s appeal, unanimously ruling that as a victim of domestic violence and the mother of children who are permanent residents of Israel, Mrs. A must be granted a military stay permit to live in Jerusalem.

Mrs. A is now living with her children in Jerusalem, without the looming fear that she will be separated from her home and family.

Read more about this success story.
 

Especially in these very difficult times, we are grateful for the small victories.

Of course we cannot neglect the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in the Gaza Strip. Our joint petition demanding extensive and consistent humanitarian aid remains pending. Last week, together with partner organizations, we wrote to demand that the military allow tents into northern Gaza, and issued an urgent statement on the Israeli government’s obstruction of humanitarian organizations working in Gaza. We are calling for Israel’s allies to exert meaningful and sustained pressure on the government to comply with its international legal obligations.

Sincerely,

Jessica Montell
Executive Director of HaMoked