Palestinian human rights activist Issa Amro, co-founder and former coordinator of the grassroots organization Youth Against Settlements (YAS), received the Right Livelihood Award – often referred to as the Alternative Nobel Prize – for his commitment to nonviolent resistance against Israel’s illegal occupation in the West Bank, the jury announced on Thursday, October 3.
In a statement from the jury, he was chosen for the award in recognition of his nonviolent resistance to Israel’s illegal occupation and his efforts to promote Palestinian civic action through peaceful methods.
Who is Issa Amro
Issa Amro is a Palestinian human rights activist and the founder of Youth Against Settlements, a grassroots organization dedicated to nonviolent resistance against Israeli occupation in the West Bank.
He was born in Hebron, a city where around 800 Israeli settlers reside under heavy military protection, surrounded by more than 200,000 Palestinian residents. The Israeli military and settlers control 20 percent of the city, known as Area H2, creating a climate of ongoing tension and confrontation between the Palestinian population and the settlers and soldiers.
Palestinians in Hebron endure numerous challenges and restrictions, including having to navigate checkpoints, adhere to curfews, cope with limited movement, and experience frequent violence, all of which contribute to a pervasive climate of fear and uncertainty.
In 2007, Amro founded Youth Against Settlements (YAS) with the goal of amplifying the Palestinian voice in the fight against occupation. The organization primarily seeks to mobilize Palestinians of all ages, particularly the youth, to engage in peaceful resistance and reject violence.
YAS’s activities include documenting injustices, providing legal support to Palestinians, organizing protests, and raising global awareness through advocacy tours for international delegations. They also assist local families in Hebron with home repairs and community-building initiatives.
One of YAS’s innovative programs is the Camera Distribution Project, which Amro initiated in 2006 while working with B’Tselem. This initiative aimed to distribute 20,000 cameras to Palestinian families in Hebron, encouraging them to document the violence they experienced from Israeli settlers and soldiers. Initially, many families were hesitant, concerned that using cameras would make them targets.
However, as the project gained momentum and more incidents of violence were recorded, it became a powerful means of exposing the occupation to the world. Today, a culture of documentation is widespread in Hebron, with residents using smartphones to capture abuses and seek accountability from Israeli forces.
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