Russell Tribunal - Subsequent Tribunals - Russell Tribunal On Palestine

Russell Tribunal On Palestine

The Russell Tribunal on Palestine (RToP) was created in March 2009.

In April 2011, the association converted to a non-profit organisation, with legal status in Brussels, by Pierre Galand, Jacques Michiels, Jacques Debatty, Nadia Farkh, Henri Eisendrath and Roseline Sonet. The former non-elected PS senator, Pierre Galand, was appointed president of the association.

The first session of the Tribunal took place in Barcelona in March 2010 This session’s objective was to consider the complicities and omissions of the European Union and its member states in the Palestinian-Israel crisis.

The second international session of the RToP took place in London in November 2010. It examined international corporate issues in Israel and human rights law.

The third international session of the RToP took place in Cape Town in November 2011. It asked the question: “Are Israeli practices against the Palestinian people in breach of the prohibition on apartheid under international law?”

Pierre Galand pointed out that the Cape Town session of the tribunal had a budget of €190,000; €100,000 was donated by Editions Indigene, the publisher of the book “Time for an outrage.” In addition, more than €15,000 was raised at a September 24, 2011 fundraising event by the Belgian support committee of the Russell Tribunal. The Caipirinha Foundation lists the RToP as a grant receiver, but does not disclose the amount or the year of its grant.

After the Cape Town session, Israeli MK Otniel Schneller filed a complaint with the Knesset's Ethics Committee against MK Hanin Zoabi, who testified at the Tribunal that "Israel is an apartheid state".

A group of Jewish South Africans protested against the court, and the organizer of the protest called it a "Kangaroo Court."

A fourth international session of the RToP took place in New York in October 2012.