Over 200 Organizations Demand International Community Stand Against Raids and Closures of 7 Palestinian Organizations

Amid Israel’s escalating attacks targeting their work, a group of more than 200 Palestinian, regional, and international organizations express our full solidarity with the designated seven leading Palestinian civil society organizations, Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association, Al-Haq Law in the Service of Man (Al-Haq), Bisan Center for Research and Development, Defense for Children International-Palestine (DCI-P), Health Work Committees (HWC), the Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC), and the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees (UPWC).

On the morning of 18 August 2022, the Israeli occupying forces (IOF) raided and sealed the doorways into the offices of the seven Palestinian organizations. The IOF also confiscated documents and equipment and destroyed items in the offices. On the doors of the organizations, military orders were left behind ordering the closure of the offices under Article 319 of the Emergency Regulations of 1945. This development follows the 19 October 2021, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz designation of six leading Palestinian civil society organizations as terrorist organizations under Israel’s Anti-Terrorism Law (2016), which was then extended to the West Bank on 3 November 2021 by a military order that outlawed the same organizations.

We urge the international community to unequivocally condemn Israel’s targeting of Palestinian civil society and tactics to further repress of freedom of expression. States must take all necessary action to support and protect Palestinian human rights defenders and ensure the continuation of their invaluable work.

These raids and closures represent the latest escalation in Israel’s widespread campaign aiming to silence and discredit any Palestinian individual or organization that dares to seek accountability for Israel’s grave human rights violations, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. The “persecution of organizations and persons, by depriving them of fundamental rights and freedoms, because they oppose apartheid” is a method used by Israel, amounting to acts of apartheid prosecutable under the Rome Statute, to maintain its domination and oppression over the Palestinian people.

The organizations remain at an additional risk of closure of bank accounts, travel bans and movement restrictions, and the arrest and detention of staff members for their work. Israel’s attacks against these organizations pose an existential threat to independent Palestinian human rights organizations and civil society who work to monitor and document violations of human rights and provide basic services to the Palestinian people.

We call upon the international community to demand that Israel immediately revoke its designations of Palestinian human rights and civil society organizations as “terrorist organizations,” reverse the military orders designating the organizations and closing their offices and repeal its Anti-Terrorism Law (2016) as it does not meet basic human rights standards.

Moreover, we call on the international community to take effective measures to end all other actions that deny Palestinians their inalienable human rights.

Lastly, we call on the members of the international community to continue their support and increase funding to the organizations and engage with financial institutions to ensure the transfer of funds to the organizations.

Signatories:

1. 1. 1. Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
      2. 11.11
      3. Abductees’ Mothers Association
      4. Abs Development Organization for Woman& Child
      5. Academic Program for Studies of Arab and Muslim Communities in Diaspora
      6. ACAT-France
      7. Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association
      8. Advokatfirmaet Roli
      9. Africa4Palestine
      10. Ahel Organization
      11. Ahel Organization
      12. Al Mezan Center for Human Rights
      13. Al Tawasol Forum Society (TFS)
      14. Al-ataa Benevolent Association
      15. Albanian Human Rights Group
      16. Aldameer association for human rights
      17. Al-Haq
      18. Alrowwad Cultural and Arts Society
      19. Andalus Institute for Tolerance and anti-Violence Studies
      20. Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem (ARIJ)
      21. Arab Institute for Human Rights
      22. Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development
      23. Arab Resource & Organizing Center (AROC)
      24. ARTICLE 19
      25. Artists for Palestine UK
      26. Asha Parivar
      27. Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)
      28. Asociacion Palestina Biladi
      29. Association Belgo-Palestinienne
      30. Association des Universitaires pour le Respect du Droit International en Palestine (AURDIP)
      31. Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression
      32. Association France Palestine Solidarité (AFPS)
      33. Aswat Nissa
      34. Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children’
      35. Australian Centre for International Justice
      36. Basmeh & Zeitooneh for Relief and Development
      37. Baytna
      38. Bds Maroc
      39. BDS Netherlands
      40. BDS Vancouver Coast Salish Territories
      41. Belgian Campaign for Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (BACBI)
      42. Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
      43. Bytes For All, Pakistan
      44. Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME)
      45. Center for Constitutional Rights
      46. Center for Economic and Social Rights (CESR)
      47. Center for Strategic Studies to Support Women and Children
      48. Centre for Global Education
      49. Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales
      50. Charity & Security Network
      51. Chicago Faith Coalition on Middle East Policy
      52. Citizen News Service (CNS)
      53. CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation
      54. CNCD-11.11.11
      55. Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid
      56. Comhlamh Justice for Palestine
      57. Committee for a Just Peace in the Middle East, Luxembourg
      58. Committee for Justice
      59. Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice (CURYJ)
      60. Community Empowerment and Social Justice Network (CEMSOJ)
      61. Conectas Human Rights
      62. Cultura è Libertà, una campagna per la Palestina
      63. Defence For Children International
      64. DefendDefenders (East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project)
      65. Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN)
      66. Dibeen for Environmental Development
      67. Een Andere Joodse Stem / Another Jewish Voice (Belgium)
      68. Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms
      69. Egyptian Front for Human Rights (EFHR)
      70. Egyptian Human Rights Forum
      71. Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights
      72. El Nadim Center For Management & Rehabilitation of victims of violence
      73. Endorois Indigenous Women Empowerment Network (EIWEN)
      74. Episcopal Peace Fellowship Palestine Israel Network
      75. ESCR-Net, International Network for Economic, Social & Cultural Rights
      76. EuroMed Rights
      77. European Coordination of Committees and Associations for Palestine – ECCP
      78. European Legal Support Center (ELSC)
      79. European Trade Union Network for Justice in Palestine
      80. FIDH (International Federation for Human Rights), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders
      81. Financial Justice Ireland
      82. Foundation for Middle East Peace (Washington, DC)
      83. Foundation for the Conservation of the Earth, FOCONE
      84. France Palestine Mental Health Network
      85. Front Line Defenders
      86. Fundación Mundubat
      87. Fundacion Promocion Humana
      88. Gaza Action Ireland
      89. Global Focus
      90. Global NPO Coalition on FATF
      91. Grassroots Global Justice Alliance
      92. Grassroots International
      93. Herbst Law PLLC
      94. Het Actiefonds
      95. Housing and Land Rights Network; Habibat International Coalition
      96. Human Rights & Democracy Media Center “SHAMS”
      97. Human Rights for All (HR4A) Saskatchewan
      98. Human Rights in China
      99. Human Rights Watch
      100. Human Security Collective
      101. ICAHD-USA
      102. International Accountability Project
      103. International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group
      104. International Commission to support Palestinian People’s Rights
      105. International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT)
      106. International Service for Human Rights
      107. International Women’s Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific
      108. Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign
      109. Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions
      110. Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions – UK
      111. JAHALIN SOLIDARITY
      112. Just Peace Advocates/Mouvement Pour Une Paix Juste
      113. Just Words Limited
      114. Justice for Palestinians Calgary
      115. Justitia Center for legal protection of human rights in Algeria
      116. Kairos Ireland
      117. Kenya Human Rights Commission
      118. L’aasociation ACDA (Agir pour le changement et la démocratie en Algérie)
      119. l’association joussour de citoyenneté
      120. Law for Palestine Organisation
      121. League for the Defence of Human Rights in Iran (LDDHI)
      122. Libyan Organization for Legal Aid
      123. Local Development and Small Projects Support (LDSPS)
      124. Lok Shakti Abhiyan
      125. Makan
      126. MakeShiftPublishing
      127. Manushya Foundation
      128. MENA Rights Group
      129. Muslim Peace Fellowship
      130. Mwatana for human rights
      131. National Lawyers Guild
      132. Natural Resource Women Platform
      133. Nederlands Palestina Komitee
      134. New Weapons Research Groups
      135. Niagara Movement for Justice in Palestine Israel
      136. North Bronx Racial Justice
      137. Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO-Norway)
      138. Norwegian Union of Municipal and General Employees
      139. NOVACT Institute for Nonviolent Action
      140. Oakville Palestinian Rights Association
      141. Palestina Solidariteit vzw Belgium
      142. Palestine House
      143. Palestine Solidarity Alliance
      144. Palestine Solidarity Campaign Cape Town
      145. Palestine Solidarity Campaign Gauteng
      146. Palestine Solidarity Campaign UK
      147. Palestine Solidarity Network – Edmonton
      148. Palestine Solidarity, St. John’s, NL
      149. Palestine Solidary Organisation at Nelson Mandela University
      150. Palestinian and Jewish Unity (PAJU)
      151. Palestinian Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign (Stop the Wall)
      152. Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
      153. Pan African Palestine Solidarity Network
      154. Paz con Dignidad
      155. Peace and Building Foundation
      156. PeaceWomen Across the Globe
      157. PEN International
      158. Physicians for Human Rights Israel
      159. Platform of French NGOs for Palestine
      160. Poetic Justice Foundation
      161. Potchefstroom Free Palestine Committee
      162. Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED)
      163. Project South
      164. Refugee Welfare Association Cameroon (REWAC)
      165. Riposte Internationale
      166. Sadaka-the Ireland Palestine Alliance
      167. Sadaqa
      168. Sagner Family Foundation
      169. Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network
      170. Santa Feans for Justice in Palestine
      171. Scottish Friends of Palestine
      172. Sexual Rights Initiative
      173. Socialist Party (India)
      174. SOLIDAR
      175. Solsoc
      176. South African BDS Coalition
      177. South African Jews For a Free Palestine
      178. STEILAS
      179. Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM)
      180. Tamkeen for Legal Aid and Human Rights
      181. Tamkeen for Legal Aid and Human Rights
      182. Teaching Palestine: Pedagogical Praxis and the Indivisibility of Justice
      183. The African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies
      184. The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem (ARIJ)
      185. The Association of Norwegian NGOs for Palestine
      186. The Canadian BDS Coalition
      187. The civic coalition for Palestinian rights in jerusalem
      188. The Community Action Center / Al-Quds university
      189. The Danish House in Palestine
      190. The International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT)
      191. The Israel/Palestine Mission Network of the Presbyterian Church USA
      192. The Norwegian Initiative DEFEND INTERNATIONAL LAW
      193. The Palestine Committee of Norway
      194. The Palestine Institute for Public Diplomacy
      195. The Palestinian Human Rights Organization “PHRO”
      196. The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy – MIFTAH
      197. The Rights Forum
      198. The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP)
      199. Union Aid Abroad – APHEDA (Australia)
      200. United Methodists for Kairos Response
      201. United Methodists for Kairos Response (UMKR)
      202. United Network for Justice and Peace in Palestine and Israel (UNJPPI)
      203. Unites States Food Sovereignty Alliance
      204. University Network for Human Rights
      205. University of KwaZulu-Natal Decoloniality Action Group
      206. US Campaign for Palestinian Rights
      207. USA Palestine Mental Health Network
      208. Visualizing Palestine
      209. Viva Salud
      210. Vrede vzw
      211. West African Human Rights Defenders Network
      212. Women in Black Vienna
      213. Women Now for Development
      214. Women’s Centre for Legal Aid and Counseling (WCLAC)
      215. Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom
      216. World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders