Al-Haq: A Global History of the First Palestinian Human Rights Organization

Welchman, Lynn

Abstract

Established in Ramallah in 1979, al-Haq was the first Palestinian human rights organization and one of the first such organizations in the Arab world. This inside history explores how al-Haq initiated methodologies in law and practice that were ahead of its time and that proved foundational for many strands of today’s human rights work in Palestine and elsewhere. Lynn Welchman looks at both al-Haq’s history and legacy to explore such questions as: Why would one set up a human rights organization under military occupation? How would one go about promoting the rule of law in a Palestinian society deleteriously served by the law and with every reason to distrust those charged with implementing its protections? How would one work to educate overseas allies and activate international law in defense of Palestinian rights? This revelatory story speaks to the practice of local human rights organizations and their impact on international groups.

Citation

Welchman, L. (2021). Al-Haq: A Global History of the First Palestinian Human Rights Organization. University of California Press. https://doi.org/10.1525/luminos.102

• Book Type: Authored Book
• Publication Date: Jun 8, 2021
• Deposit Date: Jun 21, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 21, 2021
• Publisher: University of California Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Series Title: New Directions in Palestinian Studies
• ISBN: 9780520976900
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1525/luminos.102
• Publisher URL: https://luminosoa.org/site/books/m/10.1525/luminos.102/