Not Winning Any Popularity Contests

September 17, 2025

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Dear friend,

I would not recommend human rights work to anyone seeking popularity. A voice raised in defense of human rights is often a lonely one that flies in the face of conventional wisdom, especially in times of war and national emergencies.  Since the beginning of the war, our work has encountered increasing—and increasingly intense—opposition, but with you and your encouragement we have never given up and our work has affected change. These are some of our successes: 

• The Supreme Court ruled against extremist National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's policy of starving security prisoners;

• Arabic, Russian and English translations were added to the automatic alerts sent to phones from the Home Front Command in advance of attacks from Iran;

• Police procedures were changed such that the use of stun grenades during protests is now effectively prohibited;

• A government procedure that made it difficult for people in debt to obtain checkbooks to pay for essential needs was changed;

• The police clarified its guidelines, that law enforcement is prohibited from destroying or confiscating signs due to their content, an issue we have continued to fight against;

• The police allowed anti-war protests to take place in Haifa and Sakhnin;

• The Supreme Court set limits on the government's ability to authorize the Shin Bet to become involved in civilian criminal investigations;

• The Supreme Court revoked a criterion of "matriculation in Jewish subjects" as a condition for receiving a scholarship at the University of Haifa, ruling that this is a discriminatory and invalid condition. 

Thanks to you and our partnership, we will continue to defend human rights, freedom of expression and protest (for everyone!), and human dignity. In spite of the abuse and harassment from right-wing activists, and the incitement against us by government officials, we will persist. We will submit Supreme Court petitions, attend court hearings, attend Knesset committee meetings, and meet with Knesset Members and policymakers even if it seems as if no one is listening, and we will continue to remind them what a proper state should act like. We will continue to provide educators with tools so that they can provide the next generation with an education that emphasizes human rights, democracy, and anti-racism. We will continue to be interviewed in the media and spread our message in-person and online.  

Your partnership is vital. Join like-minded Israelis who are fighting with ACRI for a better Israel. Until tomorrow, every donation you make to ACRI will be doubled. 

Already donated? Share this newsletter and our posts on social media, with family, friends, casual acquaintances, and strangers. Tell them there is work to be done, and invite them to join us. 

We have not forgotten: 🛑 Stop the killing and starvation in Gaza 🛑 Stop the abandonment of the hostages 🛑 End the war. Now.