Dear Friends,

This will be the last newsletter I send you. Next month, Hagai El-Ad will take over as Executive Director of B’Tselem. I am glad to be leaving B’Tselem in such good hands: Hagai comes to B’Tselem with a wealth of experience in Israeli civil society and has been a close friend and partner of B’Tselem for years. And Hagai will inherit an extremely talented and dedicated staff with whom it has been my privilege to work. 

Our current politicaldiplomatic situation is confusing and complicated. By contrast, the human rights picture is crystal clear: Israel is obligated to respect and ensure the rights of all people under its control, and this includes the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Regardless of the process of the peace talks, or lack thereof, B’Tselem will be here on the ground, documenting the facts and advocating for better protection of human rights. This work is needed now more than ever. 

I want to thank all of you for your support over the years, both to B’Tselem and to me personally. I have had the honor to work with so many of you in Israel, in the West Bank and Gaza and around the world who share our vision of a future where Israelis and Palestinians alike fully enjoy their rights. I leave the staff of B’Tselem to join the ranks of B’Tselem supporters, without whom our work would not be possible. 

Very best regards,

Jessica Montell

Click here to read the full April newsletter from B’Tselem.