Through this initiative, The Carter Center aims to support human rights defenders and organizations in the region.
Carter Center staff conduct a field visit with an Israeli human rights group, Breaking the Silence, in Hebron, West Bank, to learn about human rights issues associated with the occupation. (Photo: The Carter Center)
The Carter Center has been engaged in efforts to promote comprehensive peace in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory for decades. Since the establishment of the Palestinian Authority in the early 1990s, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and The Carter Center have supported the Palestinians’ aspirations for self-determination and human rights while affirming Israel’s right to exist and protecting its security.
The Carter Center established an office in the West Bank in 2005 and thus understands the critical need to support regional human rights groups facing escalating funding challenges and operational constraints. Human rights organizations in the region are experiencing heightened pressure from the Israeli government, exemplified by the 2021 ban on six human rights organizations. This has left these vital entities in urgent need of financial assistance.
The Carter Center works with high-level decision-makers and grassroots activists in its efforts to further conflict resolution, human rights, and democratic practice in the occupied Palestinian territory and for all Palestinians and Israelis. As a neutral, unbiased actor, The Carter Center brings together a diverse spectrum of political actors to debate current and potential reforms and encourage consensus-building efforts for peace and human rights.
The Carter Center seeks goal is to counter prevailing narratives and provide essential assistance during these challenging times by supporting grassroots organizations engaged in human rights and advocacy work. The Carter Center's strategic approach reflects a commitment to constructive engagement and addressing critical issues in Israel and Palestine.
The Carter Center's Human Rights Program employs a dynamic two-pronged strategy to foster meaningful U.S. involvement in Israel and Palestine. Initially, it empowers Israeli and Palestinian human rights defenders to directly inform senior policymakers with credible information on ongoing human rights violations, thereby addressing threats to peace and justice for all residents in the region.
Complementing this effort, the Center has recently introduced a robust grantmaking program dedicated to supporting Palestinian and Israeli human rights organizations. This initiative aims to counter the diminishing space for civil society in the region, particularly amid a worsening financial crisis. Our grantmaking program has clear objectives: to swiftly mobilize resources and offer immediate financial aid to address pressing needs.
Recipient organizations are meticulously selected based on stringent criteria, ensuring alignment with The Carter Center's values, non-duplication with other supporters, support for both Israeli and Palestinian groups, and prioritization according to political and financial pressures. Additionally, emphasis is placed on evaluating administrative capacity and legal status.
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