Society of St. Yves
| Society of St. Yves
Catholic Center for Human Rights |
|
|---|---|
| purpose | Human rights organization |
| Chair: | Fuad Twal , Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem |
| Establishment date: | 1991 |
| Seat : |
Jerusalem Israel
|
| Website: | www.saintyves.org |
The Society of St. Yves is a church - based non-governmental organization based in Jerusalem . Founded under canon law and as a registered Catholic lay organization, it is the Catholic human rights organization in the Holy Land. The association was founded in 1991 by the then Patriarch Michel Sabbah .
goals and tasks
The organization provides legal assistance to people who cannot afford a lawyer on their income. Director Raffoul Rofa comments on the goals of the organization as follows:
“I am my brother's keeper - that is our motto. We stand up for the protection of the weak and help them to get their rights. When people live for a long time without rights and freedom, it only creates bitterness and extremism. "
At the same time, the organization informs the international public about the latest developments and events in the Holy Land.
In addition to legal support in litigation, St. Yves also offers legal services such as the creation of certifications or affidavits. The organization looks after around 700 cases a year and helps around 2,000 people.
Focus of work
The thematic priorities of the organization include:
- Family reunion
- Child registration
- Permits to leave the West Bank for Israel
- House demolitions
- Land confiscation
- Removal of the Jerusalem status of Palestinians
- Problems related to social security benefits (pensions, health insurance, ...)
Structure and financing
The organization is financed exclusively from donations and currently employs 16 people, including six lawyers. The respective Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem is qua office chairman of the board of directors of St. Yves.
In addition to an office in Jerusalem, there is also an office in Bethlehem. The organization operates primarily in Jerusalem and the southern West Bank.
The main donors are:
- missio Germany
- Working Group for Development Aid (AGEH)
- Misereor Germany
- Cordaid Netherlands
- Norwegian Refugee Council
External perception
One of the internationally known cases that the organization has dealt with in court is the ruling that obliged the Israeli government to issue gas masks to the Palestinian population as an occupying power during the second Gulf War in 1991. This case was part of the founding of St. Yves.
Representing the interests of the Jahalin Bedouins, who had to give way to the construction of the Maale Adumim settlement, was also recognized. St. Yves lost the fall in 1996 and the Bedouins had to leave their land in favor of the emerging settlement.
The 2003 ruling by St. Yves against the National Insurance Institute, which is responsible for health insurance benefits, pensions and other social insurance and which was ordered by a court to improve the conditions for those waiting in East Jerusalem and to increase processing times, caused a sensation in Israel shorten. In addition, the institute was asked to translate the main forms into the second national language, Arabic.
A similar judgment was also obtained in 2003 against the Israeli Ministry of the Interior, which was obliged by a ruling by the Supreme Court to construct a new building in East Jerusalem because the existing conditions in the old premises were no longer sustainable.
Although St. Yves represents people of all religions, the organization is known in the Holy Land and also in Europe mainly in Christian structures.
literature
- Wiltrud Rösch-Metzler: Without water, without land, without rights. Schwabenverlag, Ostfildern 1997, ISBN 3-7966-0902-3 .
- EED / Misereor: The occupation knows the rules of humanity. (PDF; 1.88 MB)
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ https://www.ngo-monitor.org/ngos/society_of_st_yves/
- ↑ Website of the organization
- ↑ EED / Misereor: https://www.misereor.de/fileadmin/publikationen/empfoice-ektiven-voelkerrecht-besatzung-nahost-2009.pdf The crew knows the rules of humanity. ] P. 6. (PDF; 1.88 MB)
- ↑ Wiltrud Rösch-Metzler: Without water, without land, without law. Schwabenverlag, Ostfildern 1997, ISBN 3-7966-0902-3 , pages 74-76.
- ↑ Ludwig Watzal: Peace without Justice? Israel and the human rights of the Palestinians. Böhlau, Cologne / Weimar / Vienna 1994, ISBN 3-412-02694-8 , p. 306.
- ^ Danny Rubinstein: Jerusalem's Arabs are herded 'like cattle' at Interior Ministry. Thursday 4th December 2003 (Ha'aretz P 3); Yoaz, Yuval: Court tells Ministry: Move to new offices. Thursday 4th December 2003 (Ha'aretz P 3).