B'Tselem - History

History

B'Tselem was founded on February 3, 1989 by a group of prominent Israeli public figures, including lawyers, academics, journalists, and members of the Knesset. B'Tselem's stated goals are "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" with the primary objective being "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."

The NGO's key founders were:

  • Dr Daphna Golan-Agnon (academic and founding director of feminist peace group Bat Shalom)
  • David Zucker (Knesset member for the Ratz party, one of the founders of the Peace Now movement)
  • Haim Oron (Knesset member for the Mapam party, one of the founders of the Peace Now movement)
  • Zehava Gal-On (Ratz party activist and future Knesset member for the Meretz party formed through the merger of Ratz and Mapam)
  • Avigdor Feldman (civil liberties lawyer)
  • Dr Edy Kaufman (academic and civil liberties activist)

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