[News] The Palestinian Six Civil Society Organizations Welcome Steps Taken by Several States and Lawmakers Against Israel’s Arbitrary Criminalization of Their Critical Work

[Anti-Imperialist News]

palcivilsociety.com
<https://palcivilsociety.com/post/the-palestinian-six-civil-society-organizations-welcome-steps-taken-by-several-states-and-lawmakers-against-israel-s-arbitrary-criminalization-of-their-critical-work>
The Palestinian Six Civil Society Organizations Welcome Steps Taken by
Several States and Lawmakers Against Israel’s Arbitrary Criminalization of
Their Critical Work
July 20, 2022
------------------------------

The Palestinian Six Civil Society Organizations Welcome Steps Taken by
Several States and Lawmakers Against Israel’s Arbitrary Criminalization of
Their Critical Work

The six Palestinian civil society organizations welcome recent steps taken
by States and Lawmakers following Israel’s settler-colonial and apartheid
regime’s arbitrary and baseless designation of the six leading Palestinian
human rights and civil society organizations (CSOs), as “terror
organizations” under Israel’s vague 2016 Counter-Terrorism Law
<https://www.adalah.org/uploads/uploads/Adalah_Expert_Opinion_Palestinian6_Nov2021.pdf>,
which was later extended into the occupied Palestinian territory (OPT) by
declaring the organizations to be “unlawful associations” under
Israeli military
orders <https://www.alhaq.org/advocacy/19179.html>. We emphasize that such
steps are in the right direction and essential for the protection of civil
society and human rights defenders in Palestine.

On July 18th, U.S Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley led a letter to U.S State
Department
<https://pressley.house.gov/media/press-releases/pressley-leads-letter-state-dept-regarding-israeli-government-s-criminalization>,
along with 21 of her Congress colleagues, urging Secretary of State Antony
Blinken and Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines to publicly
reject Israel’s decision against the six Palestinian CSOs, and further call
on Israel to reverse its course. The letter emphasizes that “*counter-terrorism
legislation must not be applied to legitimate human rights and humanitarian
activities*”, further describing the criminalization of organization
as a “*repressive
tactic*” aimed to deny the fundamental right to freedom of association.

The U.S lawmakers acknowledged in their letter that such actions are part
of Israel’s wider silencing and shrinking civic space campaign targeting
Israeli, Palestinian, and international human rights and humanitarian
organizations, resulting in a negative impact on their “*ability to deliver
assistance and advocate for human rights.*” This is especially apparent
following Israel’s Defense Ministry’s letters to three of the six
organizations’ legal representatives
<https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2022-07-18/ty-article/.premium/israel-demands-lawyers-of-outlawed-palestinian-ngos-be-approved-for-employment/00000182-1039-dee2-a786-b97bdcff0000>
demanding to obtain approval from the Israeli Finance and Defense Ministers
for legally representing the designated organizations, or expect to face
criminal liability under Israel’s Counter-Terrorism laws. Notably, U.S
Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley’s letter is supported by more than 130 local,
national, and international groups and organizations.

Previously, on July 12th, the *spokespersons of the Foreign Ministries of *
Belgium
<https://diplomatie.belgium.be/en/joint-statement-spokespersons-foreign-ministries-belgium-denmark-france-germany-ireland-italy>*,
*Denmark <https://twitter.com/DanishMFA/status/1546901313417617408>*, *
France
<https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/dossiers-pays/israel-territoires-palestiniens/actualites-et-evenements/2022/article/israel-territoires-palestiniens-declaration-des-porte-parole-des-ministeres-des-267694>*,
*Germany <https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/newsroom/news/-/2542052>*, *
Ireland
<https://www.dfa.ie/news-and-media/press-releases/press-release-archive/2022/july/joint-statement-on-six-palestinian-civil-society-organisations.php>*,
*Italy
<https://www.esteri.it/en/sala_stampa/archivionotizie/comunicati/2022/06/join-statement-of-france-germany-italy-the-united-kingdom-and-the-united-states-of-america-on-libya/>*,
*Spain <https://t.co/5SQsFV6vsy>*, *Sweden
<https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1546872062622449666>,* and *The
Netherlands
<https://www.government.nl/documents/diplomatic-statements/2022/07/12/joint-statement-on-the-israeli-designation-of-palestinian-civil-society-organisations-as-terrorist-organisations>
issued a joint statement
<https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/europeans-reject-israeli-charges-palestinian-ngos-86686207>
*in
support of the six prominent civil society and human rights organizations.
The statement rejects Israel’s designation of the six organizations as
“terrorist organizations” and states that “No substantial information was
received from Israel that would justify reviewing our policy towards the
six Palestinian NGOs on the basis of the Israeli decision to designate
these NGOs as 'terrorist organizations.” **The statement further reinstates
that the nine EU member states will continue to cooperate and support
Palestinian civil society, especially for their indispensable rule in
promoting democratic values**. *

We consider such steps, although late, to be an important step towards the
actualization of rescinding and revoking Israel’s settler-colonial and
apartheid regime designation of our organizations. We further call on
states to pressure Israel to dissolve its decision against the
organizations including the military order issued to outlaw our work in the
occupied Palestinian territory (OPT).

*It is time, that all states with no exception move in this similar
direction and further demand in strong terms that Israel lifts this
unlawful and arbitrary designation against our organizations.* The current
response of the international community will prove to be the most imminent
test of its resolve to protect Palestinian human rights, and those
advocating for them. We affirm our commitment to advocating and protecting
the actualization of the dignity and rights of the Palestinian people in
their struggle for freedom, justice, and the right to self-determination.
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