Amnesty International is launching a campaign to raise awareness of human rights violations. This campaign also focuses on the case of a well-known girl from the West Bank. Is the choice of this case problematic?
The president of the German-Israeli Society, Uwe Becker, has sharply criticized a current campaign by Amnesty International (AI). Between November 26 and December 22, the human rights organization is holding its 20th annual "Write for Rights" campaign. During this campaign, it calls on people to send petitions to various organizations to advocate for human rights.
The campaign focuses on nine individuals and a non-governmental organization (NGO) who, according to Amnesty International, are victims of human rights violations. They come from countries such as Egypt, China, and Belarus. Ukraine and Mexico are also represented. And Janna Jihad, a 15-year-old girl from Nabi Saleh in the West Bank, is among them.
Jihad has been attracting attention for some time now and has been extensively profiled on the German public broadcaster ARD. She describes herself as a journalist and, among other things, shares videos of confrontations with Israeli soldiers online. The girl belongs to the notorious Tamimi clan, from which the well-known activist Ahed Tamimi also originates and from which terrorists have previously emerged.
Becker: Israel placed on the same level as Belarus
Amnesty International claims that Jihad is being harassed and even receiving death threats because of her work. She shows the world what life is like in the occupied territories. Many children are being traumatized and even killed. A pre-written appeal to the Knesset, urging parliamentarians to end the discrimination against Jannah, can be sent via Amnesty International's website.
DIG President Becker believes that Amnesty International is once again engaging in "blatant incitement against Israel" and siding "with Hamas and similar groups." He considers it propaganda, not balanced information. Israel is being equated with Belarus. "I expressly condemn this form of institutional hatred of Israel," Becker stated in a press release.
The president of the German-Israeli Society (DIG) also issued a cautionary appeal to schools, urging them to "be careful in their handling of this campaign." He stated that it "only fuels the hatred of young people against Israel." Indeed, the letter-writing marathon explicitly targets students. Amnesty International provides extensive accompanying materials and resources for teachers on its website, enabling them to integrate the campaign into their lessons. Amnesty International also suggests several concrete activities designed to help young people empathize with the situation of the selected individuals.
Concern about antisemitism in schools
The organization has also published a specific guide for teachers and youth leaders on the case of Janna Jihad. In it, Jihad is praised as an "important role model for young activists worldwide." The selection of her case is intended to help "draw international attention to the Israeli occupation since 1967 and the associated human rights violations."
Amnesty International itself points out that three members of Jihad's family have been convicted "for organizing or carrying out terrorist attacks in Israel," but emphasizes that Jihad cannot be held responsible for this. The organization views her call for a "one-state solution" with "a Jewish minority" as an expression of Jihad's freedom of expression.
Nevertheless, Amnesty International itself seems aware that using this case in the classroom could be problematic. A separate section of the guidelines addresses dealing with antisemitism. "Studies show that Jewish people in Germany are often blamed for Israeli policies," it states. "If antisemitic remarks are made in connection with the letter-writing campaign, it is essential to ensure that a clear stance is taken against them," AI warns teachers.
