UN experts: Israeli assault on Palestinian rights organizations ‘illegal and unacceptable’

Two dozen United Nations-appointed independent human rights experts have denounced as “illegal and unacceptable” the latest Israeli attack against a number of Palestinian civil society and rights organizations in the occupied West Bank.

The experts condemned the attack in a joint statement on Wednesday after the Israeli occupation forces broke into the offices of seven Palestinian NGOs operating in the West Bank and shut them down last week.

“These actions amount to severe suppression of human rights defenders and are illegal and unacceptable,” the experts said, calling on UN member states to take effective measures based on the international law to end the abuses.

In a major escalation against the advocacy groups, the Israeli regime’s forces stormed, searched, and sealed the headquarters of the human rights organizations in Ramallah and the outskirt town of al-Bireh in the early hours of last Thursday.

The organizations raided by the occupation forces include Al-Haq, Addameer, the Bisan Center for Research & Development, Defense for Children International Palestine, the Union of Agricultural Work Committees, the Union of Health Work Committees, and the Union of Palestinian Women.

Israeli forces raid offices of several Palestinian rights groups, civil society organizations in West Bank

The Israeli regime’s forces have stormed the headquarters of several Palestinian human rights and civil society organizations in the occupied West Bank.

In October last year, the Israeli regime issued a military order declaring six of the Palestinian human rights groups as “terrorist organizations,” accusing them of links to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and funneling donor aid to Palestinian resistance fighters. The groups have strongly denied the claims.

“These designations and declarations are illegitimate and unjustifiable and no concrete and credible evidence substantiating Israel’s allegations has ever been provided,” the UN-appointed independent human rights experts said, echoing observations that they had made in April. 

Underlining that the Israeli regime has taken “multiple measures” to undermine civil society organizations, and to restrict and repress the legitimate activities of human rights defenders, the experts said, “The result is serious infringements of the rights to freedom of association, opinion and expression and the right to participate in public and cultural affairs, which Israel is fully obliged to fulfill, respect and protect.”

The UN experts said information presented by Israel to justify its decision to blacklist human rights groups as terror organizations had failed to convince donor governments and international organizations, calling on the EU, all five permanent members of the Security Council, and all member states to take concrete measures to protect the Palestinian organizations and staff whose offices had been raided and closed.

“Such protection depends on Israel revoking once and for all its designations and declarations of these organizations as 'terrorist' and 'unlawful,'" the experts said. “The EU and its member states in particular must urgently use their leverage to stop these aggressive attacks on civil society, in line with their commitments and obligations to protect human rights defenders and civic space.”

“Once again, it is clear that statements condemning and regretting Israel’s unlawful measures are not sufficient – it is time that words are followed by swift and determined action by the international community to put diplomatic pressure on Israel to restore the rule of law, justice and human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory," the experts added.

EU 'concerned' by Israeli raids on Palestinian NGOs, CIA can't back regime's claim

The European Union’s top diplomat Josep Borrell says the bloc is “deeply concerned” by Israeli raids on the Palestinian NGOs, while the top American spy agency has been reportedly unable to find proof to label the NGOs as “terrorist organizations”.

Josep Borrell, the European Union’s top diplomat, said on Tuesday that the bloc is “deeply concerned” by Israeli raids on the Palestinian NGOs, while the top American spy agency has been reportedly unable to find proof to label the NGOs as “terrorist organizations."

Borrell called the attack “part of a worrying reduction of space for civil society” in the occupied Palestinian territories, terming the actions "unacceptable."

The top EU diplomat said the bloc “stands firm with non-governmental organizations to uphold the right to freedom of expression and association” in Palestinian lands.

Borrell further said that “no substantial information” has been provided by Israel to back up its allegations that the Palestinian civil society organizations serve as a front for terrorist activity.

Last month, nine European Union states rejected the Israeli regime’s terrorist designation of the Palestinian civil society groups, citing a lack of evidence, and saying they would continue their cooperation and strong support for the organizations.

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