LOBBYING THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT FOR MAJOR POLICY CHANGE

1. International actors must lobby the Israeli government to radically alter its residency, zoning, and citizenship laws, to end the discriminatory “centre of life” policy, and to provide Palestinians with the same rights as Israeli residents of Jerusalem. Advocacy groups must continue to document human rights violations against Palestinian residents, including arbitrary arrests, administrative detention, forced evictions, forced demolitions, as well as those institutionalised into Israeli law. Documented violations can be utilised to lobby both the Israeli government and the international community to place pressure on Israel to be held accountable to its obligations under international law.
2. International actors must lobby the Jerusalem Ministry to provide Palestinian residents with equitable access to social services, approve permit requests for the building of health and educational establishments, and remind the Government of Israel of its obligations to provide for the citizens of an occupied state by the occupier under International Humanitarian Law (IHL). Lobbying for increased access to cultural and religious sites is an important part of building national and cultural identity, which will help lead to greater community cohesion. Interventions that help support cultural programmes are essential. Not only do cultural programmes foster national spirit, but they also act as a form of resilience building against the trials of the occupation.
3. In the medium-term, international actors must lobby the Israeli authority to provide equitable funds and resources to Palestinian school, and to approve permits for the establishment of new educational institutions and rehabilitative construction to improve facilities. In the long term, lobbying must also focus on allowing EJ schools to be under the remit of the Palestinian Government as a means of increasing links between Palestinian children and youth.
4. International actors once again must advocate for the Palestinian right to fair tourism and trade and equitable access to the tourism market, which is currently limited by the permit system.
5. It is extremely important to lobby the Israeli authorities, to allow for greater equitable development. This includes approving construction and zoning permits for new economic structures, increasing the overall budget to EJ residents in order to improve services and facilities, and reducing import-export taxes.
6. International actors can lobby the Israeli authorities to approve the permits necessary for the construction of integrated health services that are easily accessible to, and affordable for, the general population.

A clear comprehensive advocacy strategy must be formulated, ascribing responsibility to major international actors that can advocate and lobby the government of Israel for major policy change. These strategies must focus on the legal and permit system, which institutionalises discriminatory measures. Most critically however is to ensure that the Palestinian population is consulted at every step, in order to safeguard local ownership of all required steps, prioritising those areas that are prioritised by EJ residents themselves. Finally, protection measures must be incorporated into every strategic step, to ensure that measures taken to build the resiliency of Palestinians in Jerusalem are not immediately undone by the Israeli occupation.