The Bedouin were from the Jahalin tribe. They originally made their home in the Negev, where they lived their nomadic life in tents, raising their goats and occasionally occupying themselves with seasonal agriculture. In 1950 the Israeli army pushed them out and they re-established themselves at the edge of the wilderness, just by Jerusalem, on land belonging to the Arab tribe of Abu Dees. They continued living in their tents, moving eastward in Winter to a warmer region, where they stayed until early spring, leaving only after their goats had given birth and the young had grown big enough to move on. But when in 1976 a handful of Israeli settlers founded the new settlement of Maaleh Adumin, the Jahalin had to be evicted again. They put up a protracted struggle to hold on to the land where they had been living for over two decades. The case went to the Israeli High Court, which, as usual, after taking its time, produced a long carefully drafted impressive decision that favoured the state.

The Dead Sea area is the lowest point on Earth and the world’s saltiest body of water. It is renowned for its distinctive geographical, mineral and climatic features and is rich in natural resources. The wide variety of minerals present in the area permits the development of profitable cosmetic industries and raw materials, such as silt, sand, gravel and mud, are regularly extracted for these purposes.

This report addresses Israel's systematic violation of international law pertaining to the protection of cultural property during armed conflict. It attempts to provide a comprehensive legal analysis of Israel's policies concerning cultural property in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT). Consideration is given to the relevant provisions of international law on the protection of cultural property; how these standards have been applied in the OPT; Israeli law regarding the protection of cultural property; patterns that have been seen in the OPT; and the obligations of Israel and third-party states regarding these ongoing violations.

The growing disparities in the living standards between Israeli settlers and Palestinians in the West Bank reflect official Israeli efforts to better the situation of the settlers and to marginalize the Palestinians. This report shows how such divisions are created through the expansion of settlements and by amending the pre-existing Jordanian law via a land planning structure of bureacratic nature. With a case study in land use planning, this Al-Haq occasional paper assesses the legal overtones of such policies on the citizens of the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

This case study examines the events of 24 April 2003, as well as preceding incidents during which the Israeli military utilized lethal force against Palestinian stone-throwers in the village of Qarawa. With several affidavidts given by eye-witnesses, the report provides detailed accounts of the shootings and killings of the Palestinian villagers by the occupying army. The report also includes legal analysis based on international law applicable to a belligerent occupying force, and calls for both Israel and the international community to fulfill their legal obligations.

This report addresses the use of torture in Israeli prisons. It addresses the methods of torture utilised by Israeli officials, Israeli policies and relevant provisions of international law. In this case study, 13 Palestinians describe the torture they endured as detainees.

This report updates the status of Palestinian human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories in the context of Israeli policies. It covers such issues as use of force, settler violence, restrictions on economic development, land use and planning, taxation, movement restrictions, labour rights, women's rights, family reunification, medical care, education, and religion. The document considers both Israeli obligations as well as those of third-party states. As long as Israel is permitted to persist in its disregard of international law, Palestinians will be denied the protection to which they are entitled by law. 

This paper examines Israel's use of the Defence (Emergency) Regulations in the Occupied Territories in the context of their status under international law. These regulations, first introduced to Palestine by the British Mandatory Government in 1945, grant the authorities almost unrestricted powers of administrative punishment and have been the subject of much legal controversy since 1967. The arguments for and against their validity, as well as the legality of various practices they sanction, are considered, and relevant appendices included.

Al-Haq's first annual report details the range of violations of international law faced by Palestinians throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Issues addressed include the use of force against Palestinians, obstruction of medical treatment, settlements and settler violence, and the administration of justice.