NEW ISRAEL FUND

SEIZING THE MOMENT: A VISION OF PEACE AND SECURITY NIF'S SEIZING THE MOMENT PROGRAM COMBINES TWO STRATEGIES: 1) BUILDING SUPPORT FOR A DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION TO THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT AND ADVANCING A VISION FOR ISRAEL'S FUTURE THAT IS BASED ON EQUALITY, DEMOCRACY, AND JUSTICE, AND 2) BLOCKING ACTIONS THAT FURTHER ENTRENCH THE OCCUPATION AND THE SETTLEMENT ENTERPRISE AND CREATE CONDITIONS THAT MAKE PEACE UNACHIEVABLE. THE FIRST (BUILDING) STRATEGY CONSISTS OF SUPPORT FOR THINK TANKS THAT ARE DEVELOPING CONCRETE PLANS AND POLICY PROPOSALS TO BRING ABOUT A NEGOTIATED RESOLUTION TO THE CONFLICT AND CONDUCTING ADVOCACY WORK. THE SECOND (BLOCKING OR ANTI-OCCUPATION) STRATEGY INVOLVES THWARTING NEGATIVE DEVELOPMENTS IN THE OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES (OPT), SUCH AS DE FACTO ANNEXATION OF PARTS OF THE WEST BANK, THE EXPULSION OF PALESTINIANS FROM WEST BANK VILLAGES, AND SOARING SETTLER VIOLENCE. SELECTED IMPACTS INCLUDE: REVIVING THE PEACE MOVEMENT: NIF HAS PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN REVIVING THE PEACE MOVEMENT THROUGH THE IT'S TIME PEACE COALITION. COMPRISED OF OVER 60 CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS, IT'S TIME EMERGED AS A FORMAL COALITION FOLLOWING THE SUCCESS OF ITS INAUGURAL PRO-PEACE RALLY ON JULY 1, 2024. THE COALITION'S GOALS INCLUDE CREATING BROAD PUBLIC SUPPORT BASE FOR AN ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN AGREEMENT, STRENGTHENING LEADERS WHO ARE TALKING ABOUT PEACE, AND PUTTING A NEGOTIATED RESOLUTION ON THE PUBLIC AGENDA. DEVISING A PEACE PLAN: GRANTEES THE BERL KATZNELSON FOUNDATION AND MITVIM INSTITUTE: THE ISRAELI INSTITUTE FOR REGIONAL FOREIGN POLICIES CONTINUED DEVELOPING THE "THE ISRAELI INITIATIVE"-A POLICY PROPOSAL CHARTING A PATH TO END THE WAR AND LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR A NEGOTIATED PEACE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIANS.

SAFEGUARDING CIVIL RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY THE CIVIL RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY SPHERE REMAINS A CORE FOCUS OF NIF'S WORK AND IS LED BY THE EFFORTS NIF'S FLAGSHIP GRANTEE, THE ASSOCIATION FOR CIVIL RIGHTS IN ISRAEL (ACRI), AND ADALAH: THE LEGAL CENTER FOR ARAB MINORITY RIGHTS IN ISRAEL, AS WELL AS NEW INITIATIVES THAT NIF ESTABLISHED TO RESPOND TO THE MYRIAD THREATS TO FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND FREEDOM OF PROTEST. NIF LAUNCHED THE CIVIL SOCIETY PROTECTION HUB IN 2023 TO COMBAT GOVERNMENT THREATS AGAINST NGOS AND ACTIVISTS. THE HUB CONTINUES TO SERVE AS A CLEARINGHOUSE FOR ATTACKS AGAINST INDIVIDUALS OR NGOS AND CONNECTS THEM TO AN ARRAY OF NIF-FUNDED SERVICES (INCLUDING LEGAL AID, RESILIENCE TRAINING, ENHANCED CYBERSECURITY, MENTAL HEALTH AND SECURITY SUPPORT, AND CUSTOMIZED SUPPORT FOR ACTIVISTS IN THE WEST BANK). IT HAS HELPED MORE THAN 160 INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS, PROVIDING LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO PROTESTERS WHO WERE ARRESTED, THWARTING ATTACKS AGAINST ACTIVISTS ON DIGITAL FORUMS, AND SUPPORTING ACTIVISTS IN THE WEST BANK WORKING TO SAFEGUARD PALESTINIAN HUMAN RIGHTS. THE HUB ALSO ENGAGES IN PROACTIVE LITIGATION AND OTHER ACTIONS AGAINST EXTREMISTS THREATENING ACTIVISTS. SELECTED IMPACTS INCLUDE: ENSURING EQUAL PARTICIPATION IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT ON CAMPUS: IN DECEMBER 2024, THE HUB'S LEGAL TEAM PROVIDED COUNSEL TO THE CHAPTER OF OMDIM BEYACHAD-NAQIF MA'AM (STANDING TOGETHER) AT THE TECHNION-ISRAEL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AFTER ITS MEMBERS WERE DISQUALIFIED FROM RUNNING FOR STUDENT GOVERNMENT, PURPORTEDLY AMID A BROADER CAMPAIGN ON CAMPUS TO SILENCE ARAB VOICES. BASED ON THE HUB'S ADVICE, THE STUDENTS PETITIONED THE NORTHERN DISTRICT COURT, PROMPTING A RULING ENABLING THE STANDING TOGETHER CANDIDATES TO RUN AND ULTIMATELY WIN A QUARTER OF THE SEATS. DEFENDING FILMMAKERS' FREEDOM OF SPEECH: IN NOVEMBER 2024, THE HUB HELPED ENSURE THE SCREENING OF THE DOCUMENTARY FILM 1948 - REMEMBER, REMEMBER NOT, DESPITE GOVERNMENT EFFORTS TO CENSOR THE FILM FOR ALLEGEDLY "SLANDERING THE STATE OF ISRAEL AND ITS SOLDIERS." THE HUB LED A PUBLIC RELATIONS CAMPAIGN WHICH DEMONSTRATED THAT THE EFFORTS TO CENSOR THE FILM WERE ANTI-DEMOCRATIC, LEADING TO A SYMPATHETIC PIECE ON THE PRINCIPAL NEWSCAST OF THE MAINSTREAM CHANNEL 12. ADDITIONALLY, FOLLOWING THE HUB'S LEGAL WORK, THE CULTURE MINISTRY'S FILM COUNCIL ACKNOWLEDGED THAT IT WAS NOT AUTHORIZED TO CENSOR PRIVATE SCREENINGS, SETTING A POSITIVE PRECEDENT.