<div dir="ltr">
<div class="gmail-top-anchor"></div>
<div id="gmail-toolbar" class="gmail-toolbar-container">
</div><div class="gmail-container" dir="ltr" lang="en">
<div class="gmail-header gmail-reader-header gmail-reader-show-element">
<a class="gmail-domain gmail-reader-domain" href="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">palcivilsociety.com</a>
<div class="gmail-domain-border"></div>
<h4 class="gmail-news-title"><font size="4">The Palestinian Six Civil Society Organizations
Welcome Steps Taken by Several States and Lawmakers Against Israel’s
Arbitrary Criminalization of Their Critical Work</font>
</h4>
<div class="gmail-credits gmail-reader-credits"></div>
<div class="gmail-meta-data">
<div class="gmail-reader-estimated-time">July 20, 2022<br></div></div></div><hr><div class="gmail-content">
<div class="gmail-moz-reader-content gmail-reader-show-element"><div id="gmail-readability-page-1" class="gmail-page"><p>
</p><h4>
The Palestinian Six Civil Society
Organizations Welcome Steps Taken by Several States and Lawmakers
Against Israel’s Arbitrary Criminalization of Their Critical Work
</h4>
<p></p><div>
<p dir="ltr">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 <a href="https://www.adalah.org/uploads/uploads/Adalah_Expert_Opinion_Palestinian6_Nov2021.pdf">2016 Counter-Terrorism Law</a>,
which was later extended into the occupied Palestinian territory (OPT)
by declaring the organizations to be “unlawful associations” under
Israeli <a href="https://www.alhaq.org/advocacy/19179.html">military orders</a>.
We emphasize that such steps are in the right direction and essential
for the protection of civil society and human rights defenders in
Palestine.</p>
<p dir="ltr">On July 18<sup>th</sup>, U.S Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley led <a href="https://pressley.house.gov/media/press-releases/pressley-leads-letter-state-dept-regarding-israeli-government-s-criminalization">a letter to U.S State Department</a>,
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
“<em>counter-terrorism legislation must not be applied to legitimate human rights and humanitarian activities</em>”, further describing the criminalization of organization as a “<em>repressive tactic</em>” aimed to deny the fundamental right to freedom of association.</p>
<p dir="ltr">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 “<em>ability to deliver assistance and advocate for human rights.</em>” This is especially apparent following Israel’s Defense Ministry’s <a href="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">letters to three of the six organizations’ legal representatives</a>
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.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Previously, on July 12<sup>th</sup>, the <em>spokespersons of the Foreign Ministries of </em><a href="https://diplomatie.belgium.be/en/joint-statement-spokespersons-foreign-ministries-belgium-denmark-france-germany-ireland-italy">Belgium</a><em>, </em><a href="https://twitter.com/DanishMFA/status/1546901313417617408">Denmark</a><em>, </em><a href="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">France</a><em>, </em><a href="https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/newsroom/news/-/2542052">Germany</a><em>, </em><a href="https://www.dfa.ie/news-and-media/press-releases/press-release-archive/2022/july/joint-statement-on-six-palestinian-civil-society-organisations.php">Ireland</a><em>, </em><a href="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/">Italy</a><em>, </em><a href="https://t.co/5SQsFV6vsy">Spain</a><em>, </em><a href="https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1546872062622449666">Sweden</a>,<em> and </em><a href="https://www.government.nl/documents/diplomatic-statements/2022/07/12/joint-statement-on-the-israeli-designation-of-palestinian-civil-society-organisations-as-terrorist-organisations">The Netherlands</a> issued a joint <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/europeans-reject-israeli-charges-palestinian-ngos-86686207">statement</a> <em>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.” </em><em>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</em><em>. </em></p>
<p dir="ltr">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).</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>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.</strong> 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.</p>
</div></div></div>
</div>
<div>
</div>
<div></div>
</div>
</div>