About

OUR MANDATE

The European Legal Support Center (ELSC) is the first and only independent organisation defending and empowering the Palestine solidarity movement in Europe through legal means. We provide free legal advice and assistance to associations, human rights NGOs, groups and individuals advocating for Palestinian rights in mainland Europe and Britain.

The ELSC intervenes to end arbitrary restrictions and criminalisation of advocacy. It also develops legal tools and engages in strategic litigation to support civil society advocacy and campaigns.

The ELSC was established in January 2019 as a joint initiative of European jurists, the Palestinian civil society network PNGO and the Dutch NGO The Rights Forum. In 2024, the ELSC became a registered charity (stichting) in the Netherlands, licensed to operate for the public benefit, including through litigation in Dutch courts. In 2024, we also opened new offices in Berlin and London.

OUR WORK

In order to provide effective legal support, the ELSC combines monitoring, defensive strategies, impact litigation, training and advocacy. The fact that we are “movement lawyers” means that our work extends beyond individual casework. In every case we take on, we are accountable not only to the individual client but also to the movement.

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OUR GOVERNANCE & BOARD

The European Legal Support Center (ELSC) is a registered charity (stichting) in the Netherlands, our head-office is in Amsterdam and also have offices in Berlin and London. The ELSC is the first and only independent organisation of movement lawyers defending and empowering the Palestine Solidarity Movement in Europe through legal means. Established in 2019 by the Palestinian civil society network PNGO, the ELSC has provided legal assistance in over 600 cases in seven different jurisdictions.  

The ELSC Board

In 2024 the ELSC elected a new board of experienced Palestinians lawyers who oversee our strategic direction and management.

Mary Nazzal-Batayneh (Treasurer) is a Barrister, social entrepreneur, and impact investor whose career has focused on achieving political and social justice. Named as one of Forbes magazine’s “Most Powerful Arab Women”, she has been recognised for her legal activism, business success, and community impact. Mary founded the Palestine Legal Aid Fund in 2009 and is currently an advisor to the Britain Palestine Media Centre and the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund.

Jawad I. Ali (Chairperson) is a New York qualified lawyer and spent 28 years in private practice between New York, London & Dubai. He was the managing partner of King & Spalding’s Middle East offices, and head of its corporate finance and investment practice in Europe, Middle East, and Asia until he retired from the practice of law in 2022. Jawad is a Palestinian-American, born and raised in Ramallah. He has a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from Liverpool University School of Law, and a Master of Laws (LLM) in International Banking & Finance from Boston University School of Law. Jawad is a passionate supporter of Palestinian humanitarian and advocacy work.  He also currently serves on the board of United Palestinian Appeal.

Dr Mazen Masri (Secretary) is a Senior Lecturer at the City Law School and teaches and publishes in the areas of constitutional law and public international law.  He has worked as a lawyer and consultant, and has served as legal advisor to the Negotiations Affairs Department of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO).

ANBI

Standaardformulier ANBI 2023

Activity Report 2023

HOW DO WE WORK?  

MONITOR AND RESEARCH:

Our Monitor and Research Department document and analyse incidents of repression against advocates for Palestinian rights across Europe to produce an index of Anti-Palestinian Racism and provide Know Your Rights training to groups and individuals targeted by repression.  

LEGAL DEPARTMENT:

We have five work teams across Europe who provide legal support and advice to those falsely accused of antisemitism or terrorism because they speak out for Palestine. We go on the offensive engaging in impact litigation against entities responsible for the repression in Europe and those complicit in colonialism, apartheid and genocide in Palestine.

ADVOCACY AND COMMUNICATIONS:

Our Advocacy and Communication Department ensures that the movement knows that resisting repression and fighting impunity is possible. We run public campaigns and amplify our victories on social media, in the mainstream media and at in-person events.

OPERATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT:

Our Operations and Development Department ensures that the ELSC meets our strategic goals. Our Development Team works to ensure that we have financial sustainability and can continue to scale to meet the needs of the movement. Our Operations Team is focused on organisational structures and processes from financial management, cyber security and human resources.

OUR TEAM

LEGAL DEPARTMENT

Agnese is a Senior Legal Officer at ELSC since 2022, leading the defunding and de-risking team to support individuals and organizations facing financial access challenges with donors and banks. She holds a Law degree from the University of Milan and became a qualified lawyer in 2020. Prior to ELSC, Agnese worked as a trainee lawyer at an international law firm in Italy and as legal counsel for the digital services company Reply, specializing in civil and corporate law. She has also interned at the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR). In Italy, she was active in movements and organizations supporting marginalized communities and homeless individuals through mutual aid initiatives and participated in projects in the Gaza Strip.

Andrea joined ELSC in 2023 as a Junior Legal Officer, initially part of the Defunding-Derisking team, and has now transitioned to the EU Legal team. She graduated in Law and Sustainable Development with a focus on migration law at the University of Milan. Prior to joining ELSC, she was active in grassroots movements and volunteered at a legal desk for migrants in Milan. She is Italian but based in Amsterdam.

Daan is a Senior Legal Officer managing impact litigation work at ELSC, focusing on strategic litigation and advocacy projects on corporate accountability. He has experience investigating corporate involvement in war crimes and has worked in Palestine with various local NGOs to document and report human rights violations. Daan holds a Bachelor’s degree in International & European Law from the University of Groningen and a Master’s degree in Public International Law from the University of Amsterdam.

Danah is a Legal Officer working on strategic litigation cases for ELSC across different jurisdictions. She joined the team in 2022, focusing on Germany. Her education from Maastricht University included Dutch, German, French, UK, and International law within a comparative degree, focused on European law. Previously, she worked with the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) on the ICC files investigating the occupation’s crimes in Gaza. She also studied Neurosciences and specialized in Neuro-Law, researching the nexus between criminality and justice practices. She has organized in various political movements and local grassroots collectives. Danah draws inspiration from the Zapatistas’ abolitionist community, Rojava’s struggle against fascism, Kashmir’s resistance against occupation, and the resilience of her people in Gaza.

Gabriel joined ELSC in 2023 as a Legal Officer in Britain, specializing in employment law, discrimination, and data rights. He holds a Graduate Diploma in Law from City, University of London, and a B.A. in History from Wesleyan University in Connecticut. He moved to London in 2020 from Chicago, where he ran electoral political campaigns and organized with Jewish Voice for Peace.

Giovanni is the co-founder and Executive Director of ELSC, overseeing the legal department with a special focus on strategic litigation cases. Previously, he worked as a trainee lawyer at a Human Rights law firm in Venice, specializing in mass torts litigation, Business & Human Rights, and civil liability before domestic and European courts. Giovanni graduated in International Law from the University of Trento and has been active in the Palestine solidarity movement for the last 15 years.

Kiran is a Senior Legal Officer who joined ELSC in 2023, leading the EU legal team. She graduated in Law from the University of Trento in 2016 and qualified as a lawyer in 2020, focusing on criminal and migration law. Before joining ELSC, she worked for private law firms, the Italian Red Cross during the Mediterranean migration crisis, and at the International Criminal Court (ICC). Kiran is Italian-Indian and has lived in both countries. She is active in the prisoners’ rights movement and has been part of organizations exposing the exploitation of migrant farm workers in the agropontino region.

Nadija is a Senior Legal Officer trained as a criminal defense lawyer, focusing on political criminal proceedings and international criminal law. She studied at the Humboldt University in Berlin and the Irish Center for Human Rights in Galway. She lectured on criminal law at the Humboldt University and published academic pieces on the German judiciary’s handling of BDS-related cases, Apartheid in Israel, and the Nakba demonstration bans in Berlin. Nadija co-initiated the ad hoc lawyers’ group in Berlin, following the massive repression of pro-Palestine protests in October 2023. She has been involved in the Palestinian community in Berlin and Germany for over 15 years. Her political practice centers on anti-racism, anti-colonialism, criticism of the police and prisons, and the cross-community struggle for liberation.

Sophie joined ELSC in 2023 as a Junior Legal Officer in the Britain team. She coordinates casework in Britain and provides advice to the British Palestine solidarity movement, with a focus on the student movement.

Yasmin is a Legal Officer who studied law, political science, and economics in Egypt, where she qualified as a lawyer. She pursued her masters in Information Law, International Global Governance, and International Financial Law at the University of Cambridge. She has experience working in financial institutions and human rights organizations with specific expertise in protecting human rights defenders. Key cases include the Dr. Al-Singace case in Bahrain and accountability reporting in the Derna Storm Daniel Flood in Libya. She worked in financial compliance at a London-based startup and is currently qualifying in England and Wales.

Jasmin joined ELSC in 2023 and is a qualified lawyer in Germany. She is dedicated to defending the rights of vulnerable groups and amplifying the voices of those who are often not heard. She completed her first law degree at the Freie Universität Berlin, focusing on European and international law, and her second law degree in Berlin.

ADVOCACY & COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT

Alice is the Chief of Advocacy & Communications at ELSC since 2021, overseeing communications and advocacy strategies and campaigns. She holds a Bachelor in Law and a Master’s in International Relations from the universities of Paris Assas and Paris Sorbonne (2014). Previously, she coordinated campaigns and advocacy work at the French Platform of NGOs for Palestine, which gathers around 40 NGOs, grassroots activist groups, and human rights organisations.

Bashar is a Digital Communications Officer at ELSC since 2024. He is a Palestinian Art Director and Graphic Designer based in Stockholm, Sweden, dedicated to working at the intersection between visual communication and social and political justice. He holds both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Design + Change from Linnaeus University in Sweden. Bashar also engages with various political movements and grassroots collectives, aiming to create progressive and sustainable designs that challenge societal norms.

Juul is the Advocacy & Communications Officer for the Netherlands since 2024. He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht in the Netherlands and a master’s degree in Public Advocacy and Activism from the University of Galway in Ireland. Immersing himself in the Palestine solidarity movement in the Netherlands, Juul co-founded Trade Union Members in Solidarity with Palestine when the Nakba intensified in 2023. In his role in this union members’ collective, he guides working people to organise themselves in the union against their complicit employers. Furthermore, Juul has co-created campaigns for civil society organisations, worked as a freelance journalist, and made short advocacy films.

Karim is an Advocacy & Communications Officer who studied communication sciences, focusing on the German public discourse regarding Palestine. He has been actively involved in the Palestine solidarity movement in Germany for years, participating in several groups and initiatives. Karim has studied and worked in Palestine, Lebanon, Tunisia, and Germany in the fields of political communication, media, and history.

Laila is an Advocacy & Communications Officer who studied International Sciences and European Institutions at the University of Milan and continued her studies in Near and Middle Eastern Studies at Soas University of London. Since 2022, she has worked as an Advocacy & Communication Officer at ELSC. Previously, she was a social and participatory researcher for Codici Research and Intervention.

Sama is a Senior Communications Officer who coordinates the dissemination of ELSC content across relevant platforms and ensures that the ELSC’s digital communications and messaging about legal cases and campaigns are visible and aligned with its mission. She has worked with Palestinian civil society organizations in advocacy and political communication and in collaborative translation projects in film and theatre. Sama has a background in Social Sciences and International Relations and is currently pursuing a PhD exploring spatial and temporal dimensions of mapping Palestine and Palestinian cartographies of struggle and refusal.

Tasnima joined ELSC in 2024 as Britain’s Advocacy & Communications Officer. She holds an undergraduate degree in International Politics, a Master’s in Law, and recently completed the Barristers Training Course. Before joining ELSC, she worked as an international labor organizer and campaign lead for grassroots driver unions, including the New York Taxi Workers Alliance and App Drivers Couriers Union. She has been active in the Palestinian liberation struggle since University. Previously, she has campaigned to aid and publicize the plight of the Rohingya community and worked with stateless communities in Assam, India. She is currently involved in organizing working-class communities towards a socialist internationalist future.

MONITOR & RESEARCH DEPARTMENT

Carina is a Data Researcher who is an Egyptian undergraduate with a Bachelor of Law LLB from the University of Warwick. She has recently submitted a first-class dissertation foregrounding strategic litigation and anti-Palestinian Racism primarily within a UK context. Through this research and her first-hand experience from working in the student front of the Palestinian movement, Carina is dedicated to a movement lawyering approach in the legal realm.

Evalien is a Data Researcher who joined ELSC in 2023, monitoring repression of Palestine solidarity in The Netherlands. She is an MA International Relations student with a focus on the MENA region.

Hisham is a Data Researcher who is currently a Palestinian law student studying in Berlin and works on the ELSC Monitor Database Project, documenting the major incidents of repression against Palestinians in Germany. The ELSC Database will provide a socio-political analysis of the mechanism of anti-Palestinian repression.

Layla Monitor Project Manager at ELSC. She joined the team in 2022 and has led the research department across different countries ever since. With her educational background in a multidisciplinary degree at Leiden University, she utilizes her knowledge of the politics of law and disinformation to study contemporary mechanisms of repression. For years, Layla has also been an organizer in the Palestinian solidarity movement.

Medb is a Senior Researcher Officer who is an activist, academic, and trade unionist with a background in social-action research and training across the European labor movement. She holds an ESRC-funded PhD from the University of Sheffield. Her areas of research interest include state repression, authoritarianism, reproductive justice, and decolonization. As an organizer, she helps run an annual anti-imperialist festival in Ireland, organizes Palestine solidarity campaigns in sports, and hosts regular events on decolonizing Ireland with the May Day Rooms Archive in London. Medb leads on qualitative research at ELSC and is developing publications and training for trade unionists, activists, academics, and lawyers.

Tara is the Monitor Project Officer who joined ELSC in March 2024, monitoring repression of Palestine solidarity and the shrinking space for defending Palestinian rights in Britain. After graduating in Politics at Goldsmiths, University of London, she went on to receive her Graduate Diploma in Law from the University of Law. Previously, she worked with Law Centres across Britain on projects focused on migrant rights and access to justice for people with English as an additional language. She has been active in the Palestine solidarity movement for over 10 years, working predominantly on BDS campaigns in the student movement. Tara also co-founded Collective Action for Iraq (CAFI) in solidarity with grassroots activists of the 2019 popular uprising, and to organize in support of an egalitarian Iraq.

Tobias is a Monitor Project Officer who is an MA student of history from the Netherlands residing and working in Berlin. He works for ELSC on its Monitor Project, documenting the repression, erasure, and silencing of Palestine solidarity as Germany’s Monitor Officer. As a history student, Tobias is particularly interested in colonial history, environmental history, and decolonial political theory.

OPERATIONS & DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

Amr is the Finance Manager at ELSC, a certified CMA financial specialist with extensive experience in Finance, Strategic Decision making, and supply chain management.

Camille is the Chief of Operations & Development at ELSC since 2023, leading the Operations and Development Department. She holds a PhD from the University of East London (2012) and a Master’s in Postcolonial Theory from Goldsmiths University (2007). Before joining ELSC, she worked as a trade union organizer, researcher, and feminist organizer. She has been active in the Palestine Solidarity movement for the last twenty years. Before migrating to Britain in 2005, she lived and worked in Australia and was active in labor struggles, the national student movements, and radical social movements that focused on ending the mandatory detention of asylum seekers and campaigns to close refugee camps.

Dina is a Development Officer with a wealth of experience in Program Management, Marketing, Communications, and Crowdfunding. During her 9 years at Google, she led diversity programs for Women and Black Content Creators across EMEA. She was also a Google.org Ambassador for 3 years, leading multiple employee fundraiser campaigns, AI-powered initiatives, and volunteer programs to support nonprofits such as MSF. Dina also sat on the fundraising committee board of UK/Lebanon-based nonprofit Codebrave and co-led their annual Christmas fundraising event. She holds a BA and MBA in Business Administration.

Elisa is a Development Officer who facilitates ELSC’s development and fundraising efforts to ensure the organization receives the necessary resources to sustain its mission. Elisa has previous experience working in corporate accountability, with a particular focus on Israel’s occupation industry. She organizes locally, particularly with youth groups, for the ceasing of Western support to the Israeli occupation and for collective liberation globally. Elisa holds a Bachelor’s degree in Multilingual Communication from the University of Geneva and a Master’s degree in International Relations from Leiden University.

Mahmoud joined ELSC in 2024 as an Administration Officer, providing administrative, operational, and technical support. He has extensive cross-border experience in human rights work with different organizations and advanced skills in research, project management, coordination, and facilitation. Mahmoud has interests in writing, politics, human rights, people on the move, borders, and cooking. He speaks Arabic and English.

Nathalie joined ELSC in 2024 as a Development Officer. She is a French and Lebanese activist and young professional with a background in resource mobilization and project management within non-profit organizations and the academic sector. Over the past 8 years, she has worked across Canada, France, the MENA region, and West Africa, honing her skills in grants management and partnership development, focusing on major institutions, foundations, corporations, and individual donors. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political and Administrative Science from Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth and a Master’s degree in International Studies from Université de Montréal.

Noelia joined ELSC in 2024 as HR Manager. Her experience spans several HR functions. Her approach to human resources is informed by her studies in social anthropology and humanities, bringing intersectionality, empathy, and solidarity into HR practices. She has extensive experience in full-cycle recruitment, onboarding, employee relations, assessment centers, and KPI implementation. She enjoys developing comprehensive policies, DEI strategies, and driving employee engagement.

 

Current Vacancies

Legal Researcher – Digital Rights – deadline 27 November 2024

Chief of Advocacy & Communications – deadline 22 November 2024

Volunteering for the movement!

ELSC is seeking volunteers to support with language provision. We are looking for interpreters, translators or multilingual people looking to broaden their experience and support the movement! There is no previous experience required. Please fill in this form.

ELSC is also welcoming volunteers to help with data research or legal research. ELSC has recently received a large influx of requests for legal advice and support. We are currently devoting significant efforts to monitor all forms of repression against the Palestine solidarity movement in Europe, including the UK. The information we collect and process in this context is strictly confidential personal information. Therefore, as a first step, we need to undertake detailed reference checks with all new volunteers to ensure confidentiality and personal data are protected. We thank you for your assistance with this process. If you are interested to volunteer with us, please fill this form.

ELSC Movement Lawyering Traineeship

The ELSC offers a Movement Lawyering Traineeship that aims to educate the next generation of human rights lawyers and advocates by rooting their legal training, experience and practice in the Palestine solidarity movement. As part of the traineeship you will learn how to use legal mechanisms, advocacy, media and other tools to support grass-roots movements and advance social justice causes. The programme will allow participants to build foundational knowledge and experience for working as a legal practitioner in the human rights law firms and in NGOs.