Bassem Tamimi


Bassem Tamimi is an internationally recognized Palestinian human rights activist from the West Bankfarming village of Nabi Selah, where weekly nonviolent demonstrations are heldin opposition to illegal Israeli settlement construction and militaryoccupation. 

Bassem has been detained by the Israeli authorities over a dozen times, at one point spending three years in administrative detention withouttrial. In 1993, as a result of interrogation by the Israeli Shin Bet, Bassem was left unconscious for eight days and partially paralyzed for months tofollow. 

Bassem has been described by the European Union as a “human rights defender” and Amnesty International has demanded his release as a “prisoner ofconscience.” At his talk Woodstock, Bassem spoke about his village’s work for freedom and justice and the struggles endured by his family and others who have been injured and/or imprisoned.

About 18 people attended the event that was organized by Tarak and Ellen.