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<h1 class="gmail-reader-title">Palestinian Civil Society Organizations
Collectively Call for Cancellation of Normalization Meetings with Ms.
Linda Thomas-Greenfield, in Solidarity with the Six Designated
Organizations</h1>
<div class="gmail-meta-data">
<div class="gmail-reader-estimated-time" dir="ltr">November 17, 2021<br></div>
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<p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>In light of the
United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Ms. Linda
Thomas-Greenfield, (“U.S. Ambassador”), current visit to Israel,
Palestine and Jordan, and following statements reporting that the
Ambassador will not meet with representatives of the six targeted
Palestinian Civil Society organizations (“CSOs”), and the pledged
normalization by the U.S. Ambassador, the undersigned organizations
issue the following statement.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>London-based “Alquds
Alarabi” newspaper, reported a State Department official, whose name
and title were kept anonymous, stated that: “Ms. Thomas-Greenfield will
not meet any of the representatives of the Palestinian civil society and
human rights organizations which Israel had recently designated as
‘terrorist’ organizations.” The official resumed "we will announce the
other civil society organizations that the Ambassador will meet with
during her visit, but meeting civil society organizations in general is
important for us."</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>On 15 November 2021, the U.S. Ambassador provided her</span></span></span><a href="https://usun.usmission.gov/remarks-by-ambassador-linda-thomas-greenfield-and-israeli-prime-minister-naftali-bennett-before-their-meeting-in-jerusalem/"> </a><a href="https://usun.usmission.gov/remarks-by-ambassador-linda-thomas-greenfield-and-israeli-prime-minister-naftali-bennett-before-their-meeting-in-jerusalem/"><span><span><span><span><span><span>remarks</span></span></span></span></span></span></a> <span lang="EN-US"><span><span>to
the Israeli Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett, before their meeting in
Jerusalem, confirming US support for the “Abraham Accords” and for
Israel’s normalization agreements with countries in the region. In the
light of the abovementioned, and the stated purpose of Ms. Greenfield’s
visit, we, the undersigned Palestinian civil society organizations,
declare the following:</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>1-</span></span></span> <span lang="EN-US"><span><span>We
highly value the position of all States, as well as international,
regional, national and multilateral organizations, who have condemned
the Israeli designation of the six Palestinian CSOs as “terrorist
organizations”. We refer in particular to the positions of Ireland in
rejecting these designations, and Norway in calling for a reversal of
these unlawful actions. The designations disregard the basic human
rights to freedom of expression, and are tantamount to inhumane acts of
apartheid intended to erase and silence Palestinian civil society.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>2-</span></span></span> <span lang="EN-US"><span><span>In
addition, our organizations stress and share the position declared by
the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms. Michelle Bachelet:
"Claiming rights before a UN or other international body is not an act
of terrorism, advocating for the rights of women in the occupied
Palestinian territory is not terrorism, and providing legal aid to
detained Palestinians is not terrorism." </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>3-</span></span></span> <span lang="EN-US"><span><span>Further, we recall the joint position of the</span></span></span><a href="https://www.un.org/unispal/document/un-special-rapporteurs-condemn-israels-designation-of-palestinian-human-rights-defenders-as-terrorist-organisations-press-release/"> </a><a href="https://www.un.org/unispal/document/un-special-rapporteurs-condemn-israels-designation-of-palestinian-human-rights-defenders-as-terrorist-organisations-press-release/"><span><span><span><span>UN Special Rapporteurs</span></span></span></span></a><u> </u><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>who
condemned the designations stating: “This designation is a frontal
attack on the Palestinian human rights movement, and on human rights
everywhere… Silencing their voices is not what a democracy adhering to
well-accepted human rights and humanitarian standards would do. We call
upon the international community to defend the defenders.” Further the
UN special rapporteurs explained that “anti-terrorism legislation is
designed for a specific and restricted purpose, and must not be used to
unjustifiably undermine civil liberties or to curtail the legitimate
work of human rights organizations”.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>4-</span></span></span> <span lang="EN-US"><span><span>Israel’s
defamation of Palestinian CSOs is not new. Attacks against Palestinians
CSOs have been on the rise for more than 15 years, since the Durban
Conference against Racism, and intensified following increasing demands
to sanction Israel. Israeli attacks against Palestinian civil society
especially heightened following the accession of the State of Palestine
to the Rome statute of the International Criminal Court. They further
escalated with the Office of the Prosecutor's subsequent decision to
open an investigation into the Situation in Palestine, into war crimes
and crimes against humanity, committed by the Israeli authorities and
Israeli Occupying Forces in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>5-</span></span></span> <span lang="EN-US"><span><span>Critically,
Israel’s settler colonial policies and practices alongside it’s
institutionalized and discriminatory apartheid regime continue to
threaten the Palestinian people’s enjoyment of their basic human rights,
including their inalienable right to self-determination, permanent
sovereignty over natural and national resources, and collective right of
return to their homes, which together form the primary obstacle to a
viable contiguous independent Palestinian State. Further, the prolonged
nature of the military occupation, now in its 54th year, has been
maintained through the orchestration of grave violations of
international law including war crimes and crimes against humanity,
committed by Israeli individuals with impunity.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>6-</span></span></span> <span lang="EN-US"><span><span>The
main task of our institutions and of Palestinian human rights defenders
is to work towards an end to the occupation, the dismantling of the
apartheid regime and towards the realization of our collective human
rights to self-determination and the right of return.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>7-</span></span></span> <span lang="EN-US"><span><span>The
purpose of the visit, has been to reportedly, "explore ways of
strengthening normalization agreements such as the “Abraham Accords. Our
organizations stress that</span></span></span><a href="https://www.alhaq.org/advocacy/17294.html"><span><span><span><span> economic benefit</span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>
and “peace in the region” are merely a fig leaf. “Peace” which does not
include the realization of the rights of all Palestinians will be one
without justice, and so will be no peace at all. Our organizations
restate the words of Al-Haq General Director</span></span></span><a href="https://www.alhaq.org/advocacy/18108.html"> </a><a href="https://www.alhaq.org/advocacy/18108.html"><span><span><span><span>Shawan Jabarin</span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>
that, “It is now time, for the international community and the
Palestinian people to collectively rise up and resist this egregious
regional normalization, to ensure the realization of our people to
self-determination and permanent sovereignty, and to prevent Israeli and
regional measures towards the erasure of our people, culture, lands and
home.”</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>8-</span></span></span> <span lang="EN-US"><span><span>The
undersigned organizations therefore declare that they will not meet
with the U.S. Ambassador. We further call upon all other Palestinian
organizations to adopt a similar position and demonstrate their clear
and principled refusal to refuse the normalization of the ethnic
cleansing of the Palestinian people.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>9-</span></span></span> <span lang="EN-US"><span><span>Let
this be a clear- the Israeli attack on the six Palestinian civil
society organizations is an attack on Palestinian civil society as a
whole. The U.S. Ambassador’s unwillingness to meet with the
representatives of the six CSOs on her visit only reinforces Israel’s
attack which aims to undermine and delegitimize the human rights work of
Palestinian civil society. We further call on diplomatic missions,
parliamentary representatives, and international organizations to reject
and condemn the unlawful designation of the six Palestinian CSOs, to
pressure the United States to condemn Israel’s designation and call for
its rescission.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><a name="_heading=h.egly1ob4up2f" id="gmail-_heading=h.egly1ob4up2f"></a><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>END</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><b><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>The undersigned:</span></span></span></b></span></span></span></p>
<ol><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>Al Haq Organization - Law in the Service of Mankind</span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>ADDAMEER Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association</span></span></span> </span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>DCI - Defense for Children International - Palestine</span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>Jerusalem Legal Aid and Human Rights Center </span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>Aldameer Association for Human Rights</span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>Hurryyat - Center for Defense of Liberties and Civil Rights</span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>Treatment</span></span></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA"><span><span> & </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture (TRC)</span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>The Civil Institute for Judicial Independence and the Rule of Law – ISTIQLAL</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>Women's Studies Centre</span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>Alrowwad Cultural and Arts Society</span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>MA'AN Development Center</span></span></span> </span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>The Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development (PWWSD)</span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>Palestinian Family Planning and Protection Association</span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>Rural Women's Development Society</span></span></span> </span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>Y.W.C.A</span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>Arab Agronomists Association</span></span></span> </span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>Afkar for Educational and Cultural Development</span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>Land Research Center</span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>Palestinian Counseling Center</span></span></span> </span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>Arab Center for Agricultural Development</span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>Marsad Arabi for Democracy and Elections (Al Marsad)</span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>Sharek Youth Forum</span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>Filastiniyat </span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>Miftah - The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy</span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>Teacher Creativity Center</span></span></span> </span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>The Palestinian Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession</span></span></span> </span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>Aman-Transparency Palestine</span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>The Palestinian Association for Empowerment and local Development - REFORM</span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>Burj Al-Luqluq Social Center</span></span></span> </span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>Palestinian Medical Relief Society</span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>The Community Action Center-Al Quds University</span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>Mothers School Society</span></span></span> </span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>Union of Agriculture Work Committees</span></span></span> </span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>Al-Awda Childhood and Youth Rehabilitation Center</span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span>Sareyyet Ramallah</span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>GENERAL UNION OF CULTURAL CENTERS</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>Abdel </span></span></span></span></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA"><span><span><span><span>ـ</span></span></span></span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span> Shafi Community Health Association ( ACHA)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>Al Najda Social Association</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>Al Sattar Garbee Association for Developing Countryside and Farmer</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>Al Tawasol Forum Society (TFS)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>Al-Dar Rural Association</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>ALFoukhary Association For Development and Culture</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>AL-Karmel Cultural and Social Development Association</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>Almanal Society for Developing the Rural Women</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>Basma Society for Culture and Arts</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>Deir El Balah Social & Cultural Center</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>Deir El-Balah Rehabilitation Society</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>El Wafaa Charitable Society</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>Gaza Culture & Development Group</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>Gaza Urban Agriculture Platform</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>General Union of Workers of Agriculture and Food Processing</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>Ghassan Kanafani Development</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>Jabalia Rehabilitation Society</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>Labor Resources Center</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>National Society for Rehabilitation</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>Palestinian Center of Organic Agriculture</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>Palestinian Farmers Union</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>Palestinian Woman’s Union</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>Rural Women’s Development Society</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>The Assembly Benevolent of Operation</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>The Eastern Association for Agriculture</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>The National Society for Democracy and Law</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>The Palestinian Hydrology Group /Gaza</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>The Palestinian Institute for Communication and Development</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>Union of Health Care Committees</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>Union of Health Work Committees</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>Union of Palestinians Women's Committees</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>Wefaq Society for Woman & Child Care</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>Women's Affairs Center /Gaza</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US"><span><span><span><span>Youth Development Foundation</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li></ol>
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