Tactics story
Witnesses at military checkpoints, Israel

Tactic: Prevent

In 2001, three Israeli women decided to monitor the behaviour of soldiers at an Israeli military checkpoint, in the hope that this would help prevent violations of the rights of Palestinians crossing between the occupied West Bank and Israel. Their initiative grew into the organisation Machsom Watch which now has 300 women volunteers monitoring several checkpoints every day.

When soldiers try to stop people crossing or to confiscate ID cards, monitors quietly but assertively intervene, if they think it could make a difference. They complain to higher-ranking army officials when they witness serious violations and encourage Palestinians to do the same. They publish detailed reports of abuses witnessed.

Sources: New Tactics in Human Rights, www.newtactics.org; Machsom Watch, machsomwatch.org