The opening ceremony for a new citizen’s rights center by the Bar Association in Samaria-Judea took place on Monday November 24. The new center is opened in conjunction with the Department of Social Services, and will serve residents of the greater Gush Etzion region, including Efrat and Beitar Illit.

The “Schar Mitzva” program was established in 2002 by the Israel Bar Association. The Program’s mission is to substantially expand accessibility to the justice system and provide legal aid to those who cannot afford to pay for legal services. The Program covers a wide-range of non-criminal legal issues, such as: Family law, bankruptcy, employment law, housing, civil disputes, banking, social security, etc. It should be noted that this is the first time that the Israel Bar Association has opened a center in Judea and Samaria, and this signifies the Bar Association’s commitment to serve the residents of Judea and Samaria equally and regard them as first class citizens.

Attorney Yossi Fuchs, Chairman of the Legal Forum for Israel and resident of Gush Etzion hosted the ceremony and stated that “at a time when the reality for the residents of Judea and Samaria is complex, and where Israeli law and military rule are entwined, they are in particular need of the assistance of volunteer attorneys to protect their rights”.

Supreme Court Judge Noam Solberg, also a resident of Gush Etzion addressed the participants and discussed the Jewish State Law: “In the public, parliamentary and media discourse, disputes are painted in bright colors, and with good reason. Politicians must differentiate themselves from their peers,” said Solberg, adding, “If we put the Jewish State Law and the State of Israel Law into a computer and add a touch of artificial intelligence and a bit of ambiguity, the computer would succeed in finding a reasonable outline, which the vast majority of the country’s citizens can identify with.”