Lea Tsemel

Overview

Lea Tsemel born Haifa, Israel June 19, 1945. Israeli human rights lawyer; defender of Palestinian rights. Won case against torture, 1999.

Quotations

“We, the students, the people, were misled before the war to believe that this is a war for peace. Israel didn’t think of creating peace. And I found myself having to decide whether my humanity prevails, when I saw what happened to the Palestinians in the Occupied Territories, or my Israeli loyalty would prevail. . . And I chose my humanity. Therefore, when I became a lawyer, it was only natural that I will try to defend the underdogs, the Palestinians, while thinking all the time of a possible—the only possible solution to the conflict there: one, equality; two or one state—it doesn’t make a difference, really—but freedom for the Palestinians; a recognition of what we have caused to them; and ability to continue together with equality, which is the most important, equality, and freedom, of course, for both people.” (Democracy Now, Jun. 14, 2019; photo jvpnyc.org)