Israel S Closure Of Palestinian Organizations For Alleged Terrorist Links Prompts Diplomatic Backlash

Comment TEL AVIV — Israel closed the offices of five leading Palestinian rights groups in an early morning raid in Ramallah on Thursday, tightening its restrictions on civil society nearly a year after it designated the organizations terrorist groups in a move that drew international criticism. Israel says the groups have ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, an armed group that has carried out deadly attacks against Israel. Rights groups deny the claim and the United Nations has criticized the move. The groups accuse Israel of targeting them because of their political activism against Israeli sovereignty and their work documenting alleged abuses in the occupied territories. Israel is moving to ban six Palestinian rights groups it accuses of terrorism, sparking international outrage State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters Thursday that the United States was “concerned” about the shutdown and “sent the message that there needs to be a very high bar to take action against civil society organizations.” Israel, he said, had “communicated to us that it met that high bar,” but had yet to provide requested information on its actions. The information provided by Israel last October when it designated the organizations as linked to terrorism did not lead to similar designations by the United States, Price said, adding that “we have not seen anything in the last few months that would cause us to change the approach and our position. in these particular organizations’. The US Office of Palestinian Affairs in Jerusalem declined to comment. The escalation is the latest blow to Palestinians who say the space for political expression and dissent has shrunk at a time when there is little international effort to end the conflict and Israeli occupation of Palestinian land. The designation last year led many European supporters to suspend funding for teams. However, the European Union said Israel has not provided sufficient evidence to prove PFLP ties. In July, nine EU countries said they would continue to cooperate with the agencies. In a rebuttal to the Israeli shutdown order, diplomatic missions from 17 countries, including Britain and France, met with representatives of al-Haq at its office on Thursday night. “These accusations are not new, and Israel has failed to convince even its friends,” Shawan Jabarin, director of al-Haq, an internationally respected human rights group that was among those targeted, told The Associated Press on Thursday. Other organizations attacked were Defense for Children International-Palestine, the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees, the Bisan Research and Development Center and Addameer, which advocates for Palestinian prisoners, according to a statement from the Israeli Defense Ministry. In April, the United Nations called on the international community to support the six organizations. “Israel’s alarming designation of these organizations as ‘terrorist organizations’ has not been accompanied by any public concrete and credible evidence,” said the statement attributed to human rights experts under the auspices of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Israel last year labeled the Union of Agricultural Labor Committees as having terrorist links. Al-Haq said Israeli forces kicked his locked door off its hinges and raised the alarm. He said the soldiers searched every room, rummaging through files and scattering them around the office. The group added that the property around the church below the office was littered with broken glass and other signs of the raid. The soldiers then “blocked the main entrance with an iron plate leaving behind a military order declaring the organization illegal,” the group said. The Israel Defense Forces said they had “confiscated property” during the raids. Defense for Children International-Palestine said security camera footage showed soldiers taking items such as computers and client files. Addameer said his office door was broken and materials were taken. Israel announced the groups’ alleged terrorist ties in October. On Wednesday, Defense Minister Benny Ganj endorsed the statement. “All the organizations in question operate covertly and as PFLP agents in Judea and Samaria, as well as abroad,” the defense ministry said in a statement, using Israel’s names for the West Bank. Adalah, a Palestinian-run legal center based in Haifa, said the raids came shortly after objections sent by the Israeli military on behalf of the six organizations were rejected. “These organizations have been and have been given no opportunity to defend themselves against secret evidence that the Israeli security forces allegedly have against them,” the organization said in a statement. “This attack on Palestinian civil society is an attack on the entire Palestinian people and their right to self-determination.” As Biden visits, Palestinians recall descent into autocracy Some of these organizations also focus on human rights abuses by the Palestinian Authority, which rules parts of the West Bank and frequently arrests activists and critics. The Palestinian leadership, which last faced elections more than 15 years ago, is widely unpopular in the West Bank – in part because of its security coordination with Israel, which includes operations such as Thursday’s raids. Israel is at the same time carrying out a military crackdown on the occupied West Bank targeting armed groups. This in part led to a brief air battle between Israel and a militant group in the Gaza Strip this month. The wave of raids in the West Bank began this spring amid Palestinian attacks that killed 19 people in Israel. But human rights groups – among those targeted on Thursday – accused Israel of acting too aggressively and with impunity against Palestinians in the West Bank. Israeli forces have killed dozens since the spring. most recently, on Thursday, they killed a Palestinian in the West Bank city of Nablus. Israel said it was firing on soldiers during the clashes. The Palestinians denied this claim. Karen DeYoung in Washington contributed to this report.

title: “Israel S Closure Of Palestinian Organizations For Alleged Terrorist Links Prompts Diplomatic Backlash Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-20” author: “Sandra Brown”

Comment TEL AVIV — Israel closed the offices of five leading Palestinian rights groups in an early morning raid in Ramallah on Thursday, tightening its restrictions on civil society nearly a year after it designated the organizations terrorist groups in a move that drew international criticism. Israel says the groups have ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, an armed group that has carried out deadly attacks against Israel. Rights groups deny the claim and the United Nations has criticized the move. The groups accuse Israel of targeting them because of their political activism against Israeli sovereignty and their work documenting alleged abuses in the occupied territories. Israel is moving to ban six Palestinian rights groups it accuses of terrorism, sparking international outrage State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters Thursday that the United States was “concerned” about the shutdown and “sent the message that there needs to be a very high bar to take action against civil society organizations.” Israel, he said, had “communicated to us that it met that high bar,” but had yet to provide requested information on its actions. The information provided by Israel last October when it designated the organizations as linked to terrorism did not lead to similar designations by the United States, Price said, adding that “we have not seen anything in the last few months that would cause us to change the approach and our position. in these particular organizations’. The US Office of Palestinian Affairs in Jerusalem declined to comment. The escalation is the latest blow to Palestinians who say the space for political expression and dissent has shrunk at a time when there is little international effort to end the conflict and Israeli occupation of Palestinian land. The designation last year led many European supporters to suspend funding for teams. However, the European Union said Israel has not provided sufficient evidence to prove PFLP ties. In July, nine EU countries said they would continue to cooperate with the agencies. In a rebuttal to the Israeli shutdown order, diplomatic missions from 17 countries, including Britain and France, met with representatives of al-Haq at its office on Thursday night. “These accusations are not new, and Israel has failed to convince even its friends,” Shawan Jabarin, director of al-Haq, an internationally respected human rights group that was among those targeted, told The Associated Press on Thursday. Other organizations attacked were Defense for Children International-Palestine, the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees, the Bisan Research and Development Center and Addameer, which advocates for Palestinian prisoners, according to a statement from the Israeli Defense Ministry. In April, the United Nations called on the international community to support the six organizations. “Israel’s alarming designation of these organizations as ‘terrorist organizations’ has not been accompanied by any public concrete and credible evidence,” said the statement attributed to human rights experts under the auspices of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Israel last year labeled the Union of Agricultural Labor Committees as having terrorist links. Al-Haq said Israeli forces kicked his locked door off its hinges and raised the alarm. He said the soldiers searched every room, rummaging through files and scattering them around the office. The group added that the property around the church below the office was littered with broken glass and other signs of the raid. The soldiers then “blocked the main entrance with an iron plate leaving behind a military order declaring the organization illegal,” the group said. The Israel Defense Forces said they had “confiscated property” during the raids. Defense for Children International-Palestine said security camera footage showed soldiers taking items such as computers and client files. Addameer said his office door was broken and materials were taken. Israel announced the groups’ alleged terrorist ties in October. On Wednesday, Defense Minister Benny Ganj endorsed the statement. “All the organizations in question operate covertly and as PFLP agents in Judea and Samaria, as well as abroad,” the defense ministry said in a statement, using Israel’s names for the West Bank. Adalah, a Palestinian-run legal center based in Haifa, said the raids came shortly after objections sent by the Israeli military on behalf of the six organizations were rejected. “These organizations have been and have been given no opportunity to defend themselves against secret evidence that the Israeli security forces allegedly have against them,” the organization said in a statement. “This attack on Palestinian civil society is an attack on the entire Palestinian people and their right to self-determination.” As Biden visits, Palestinians recall descent into autocracy Some of these organizations also focus on human rights abuses by the Palestinian Authority, which rules parts of the West Bank and frequently arrests activists and critics. The Palestinian leadership, which last faced elections more than 15 years ago, is widely unpopular in the West Bank – in part because of its security coordination with Israel, which includes operations such as Thursday’s raids. Israel is at the same time carrying out a military crackdown on the occupied West Bank targeting armed groups. This in part led to a brief air battle between Israel and a militant group in the Gaza Strip this month. The wave of raids in the West Bank began this spring amid Palestinian attacks that killed 19 people in Israel. But human rights groups – among those targeted on Thursday – accused Israel of acting too aggressively and with impunity against Palestinians in the West Bank. Israeli forces have killed dozens since the spring. most recently, on Thursday, they killed a Palestinian in the West Bank city of Nablus. Israel said it was firing on soldiers during the clashes. The Palestinians denied this claim. Karen DeYoung in Washington contributed to this report.

title: “Israel S Closure Of Palestinian Organizations For Alleged Terrorist Links Prompts Diplomatic Backlash Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-06” author: “Cynthia Sawyers”

Comment TEL AVIV — Israel closed the offices of five leading Palestinian rights groups in an early morning raid in Ramallah on Thursday, tightening its restrictions on civil society nearly a year after it designated the organizations terrorist groups in a move that drew international criticism. Israel says the groups have ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, an armed group that has carried out deadly attacks against Israel. Rights groups deny the claim and the United Nations has criticized the move. The groups accuse Israel of targeting them because of their political activism against Israeli sovereignty and their work documenting alleged abuses in the occupied territories. Israel is moving to ban six Palestinian rights groups it accuses of terrorism, sparking international outrage State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters Thursday that the United States was “concerned” about the shutdown and “sent the message that there needs to be a very high bar to take action against civil society organizations.” Israel, he said, had “communicated to us that it met that high bar,” but had yet to provide requested information on its actions. The information provided by Israel last October when it designated the organizations as linked to terrorism did not lead to similar designations by the United States, Price said, adding that “we have not seen anything in the last few months that would cause us to change the approach and our position. in these particular organizations’. The US Office of Palestinian Affairs in Jerusalem declined to comment. The escalation is the latest blow to Palestinians who say the space for political expression and dissent has shrunk at a time when there is little international effort to end the conflict and Israeli occupation of Palestinian land. The designation last year led many European supporters to suspend funding for teams. However, the European Union said Israel has not provided sufficient evidence to prove PFLP ties. In July, nine EU countries said they would continue to cooperate with the agencies. In a rebuttal to the Israeli shutdown order, diplomatic missions from 17 countries, including Britain and France, met with representatives of al-Haq at its office on Thursday night. “These accusations are not new, and Israel has failed to convince even its friends,” Shawan Jabarin, director of al-Haq, an internationally respected human rights group that was among those targeted, told The Associated Press on Thursday. Other organizations attacked were Defense for Children International-Palestine, the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees, the Bisan Research and Development Center and Addameer, which advocates for Palestinian prisoners, according to a statement from the Israeli Defense Ministry. In April, the United Nations called on the international community to support the six organizations. “Israel’s alarming designation of these organizations as ‘terrorist organizations’ has not been accompanied by any public concrete and credible evidence,” said the statement attributed to human rights experts under the auspices of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Israel last year labeled the Union of Agricultural Labor Committees as having terrorist links. Al-Haq said Israeli forces kicked his locked door off its hinges and raised the alarm. He said the soldiers searched every room, rummaging through files and scattering them around the office. The group added that the property around the church below the office was littered with broken glass and other signs of the raid. The soldiers then “blocked the main entrance with an iron plate leaving behind a military order declaring the organization illegal,” the group said. The Israel Defense Forces said they had “confiscated property” during the raids. Defense for Children International-Palestine said security camera footage showed soldiers taking items such as computers and client files. Addameer said his office door was broken and materials were taken. Israel announced the groups’ alleged terrorist ties in October. On Wednesday, Defense Minister Benny Ganj endorsed the statement. “All the organizations in question operate covertly and as PFLP agents in Judea and Samaria, as well as abroad,” the defense ministry said in a statement, using Israel’s names for the West Bank. Adalah, a Palestinian-run legal center based in Haifa, said the raids came shortly after objections sent by the Israeli military on behalf of the six organizations were rejected. “These organizations have been and have been given no opportunity to defend themselves against secret evidence that the Israeli security forces allegedly have against them,” the organization said in a statement. “This attack on Palestinian civil society is an attack on the entire Palestinian people and their right to self-determination.” As Biden visits, Palestinians recall descent into autocracy Some of these organizations also focus on human rights abuses by the Palestinian Authority, which rules parts of the West Bank and frequently arrests activists and critics. The Palestinian leadership, which last faced elections more than 15 years ago, is widely unpopular in the West Bank – in part because of its security coordination with Israel, which includes operations such as Thursday’s raids. Israel is at the same time carrying out a military crackdown on the occupied West Bank targeting armed groups. This in part led to a brief air battle between Israel and a militant group in the Gaza Strip this month. The wave of raids in the West Bank began this spring amid Palestinian attacks that killed 19 people in Israel. But human rights groups – among those targeted on Thursday – accused Israel of acting too aggressively and with impunity against Palestinians in the West Bank. Israeli forces have killed dozens since the spring. most recently, on Thursday, they killed a Palestinian in the West Bank city of Nablus. Israel said it was firing on soldiers during the clashes. The Palestinians denied this claim. Karen DeYoung in Washington contributed to this report.

title: “Israel S Closure Of Palestinian Organizations For Alleged Terrorist Links Prompts Diplomatic Backlash Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-10-27” author: “Edward Robinson”

Comment TEL AVIV — Israel closed the offices of five leading Palestinian rights groups in an early morning raid in Ramallah on Thursday, tightening its restrictions on civil society nearly a year after it designated the organizations terrorist groups in a move that drew international criticism. Israel says the groups have ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, an armed group that has carried out deadly attacks against Israel. Rights groups deny the claim and the United Nations has criticized the move. The groups accuse Israel of targeting them because of their political activism against Israeli sovereignty and their work documenting alleged abuses in the occupied territories. Israel is moving to ban six Palestinian rights groups it accuses of terrorism, sparking international outrage State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters Thursday that the United States was “concerned” about the shutdown and “sent the message that there needs to be a very high bar to take action against civil society organizations.” Israel, he said, had “communicated to us that it met that high bar,” but had yet to provide requested information on its actions. The information provided by Israel last October when it designated the organizations as linked to terrorism did not lead to similar designations by the United States, Price said, adding that “we have not seen anything in the last few months that would cause us to change the approach and our position. in these particular organizations’. The US Office of Palestinian Affairs in Jerusalem declined to comment. The escalation is the latest blow to Palestinians who say the space for political expression and dissent has shrunk at a time when there is little international effort to end the conflict and Israeli occupation of Palestinian land. The designation last year led many European supporters to suspend funding for teams. However, the European Union said Israel has not provided sufficient evidence to prove PFLP ties. In July, nine EU countries said they would continue to cooperate with the agencies. In a rebuttal to the Israeli shutdown order, diplomatic missions from 17 countries, including Britain and France, met with representatives of al-Haq at its office on Thursday night. “These accusations are not new, and Israel has failed to convince even its friends,” Shawan Jabarin, director of al-Haq, an internationally respected human rights group that was among those targeted, told The Associated Press on Thursday. Other organizations attacked were Defense for Children International-Palestine, the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees, the Bisan Research and Development Center and Addameer, which advocates for Palestinian prisoners, according to a statement from the Israeli Defense Ministry. In April, the United Nations called on the international community to support the six organizations. “Israel’s alarming designation of these organizations as ‘terrorist organizations’ has not been accompanied by any public concrete and credible evidence,” said the statement attributed to human rights experts under the auspices of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Israel last year labeled the Union of Agricultural Labor Committees as having terrorist links. Al-Haq said Israeli forces kicked his locked door off its hinges and raised the alarm. He said the soldiers searched every room, rummaging through files and scattering them around the office. The group added that the property around the church below the office was littered with broken glass and other signs of the raid. The soldiers then “blocked the main entrance with an iron plate leaving behind a military order declaring the organization illegal,” the group said. The Israel Defense Forces said they had “confiscated property” during the raids. Defense for Children International-Palestine said security camera footage showed soldiers taking items such as computers and client files. Addameer said his office door was broken and materials were taken. Israel announced the groups’ alleged terrorist ties in October. On Wednesday, Defense Minister Benny Ganj endorsed the statement. “All the organizations in question operate covertly and as PFLP agents in Judea and Samaria, as well as abroad,” the defense ministry said in a statement, using Israel’s names for the West Bank. Adalah, a Palestinian-run legal center based in Haifa, said the raids came shortly after objections sent by the Israeli military on behalf of the six organizations were rejected. “These organizations have been and have been given no opportunity to defend themselves against secret evidence that the Israeli security forces allegedly have against them,” the organization said in a statement. “This attack on Palestinian civil society is an attack on the entire Palestinian people and their right to self-determination.” As Biden visits, Palestinians recall descent into autocracy Some of these organizations also focus on human rights abuses by the Palestinian Authority, which rules parts of the West Bank and frequently arrests activists and critics. The Palestinian leadership, which last faced elections more than 15 years ago, is widely unpopular in the West Bank – in part because of its security coordination with Israel, which includes operations such as Thursday’s raids. Israel is at the same time carrying out a military crackdown on the occupied West Bank targeting armed groups. This in part led to a brief air battle between Israel and a militant group in the Gaza Strip this month. The wave of raids in the West Bank began this spring amid Palestinian attacks that killed 19 people in Israel. But human rights groups – among those targeted on Thursday – accused Israel of acting too aggressively and with impunity against Palestinians in the West Bank. Israeli forces have killed dozens since the spring. most recently, on Thursday, they killed a Palestinian in the West Bank city of Nablus. Israel said it was firing on soldiers during the clashes. The Palestinians denied this claim. Karen DeYoung in Washington contributed to this report.

title: “Israel S Closure Of Palestinian Organizations For Alleged Terrorist Links Prompts Diplomatic Backlash Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-06” author: “Carole Sullivan”

Comment TEL AVIV — Israel closed the offices of five leading Palestinian rights groups in an early morning raid in Ramallah on Thursday, tightening its restrictions on civil society nearly a year after it designated the organizations terrorist groups in a move that drew international criticism. Israel says the groups have ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, an armed group that has carried out deadly attacks against Israel. Rights groups deny the claim and the United Nations has criticized the move. The groups accuse Israel of targeting them because of their political activism against Israeli sovereignty and their work documenting alleged abuses in the occupied territories. Israel is moving to ban six Palestinian rights groups it accuses of terrorism, sparking international outrage State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters Thursday that the United States was “concerned” about the shutdown and “sent the message that there needs to be a very high bar to take action against civil society organizations.” Israel, he said, had “communicated to us that it met that high bar,” but had yet to provide requested information on its actions. The information provided by Israel last October when it designated the organizations as linked to terrorism did not lead to similar designations by the United States, Price said, adding that “we have not seen anything in the last few months that would cause us to change the approach and our position. in these particular organizations’. The US Office of Palestinian Affairs in Jerusalem declined to comment. The escalation is the latest blow to Palestinians who say the space for political expression and dissent has shrunk at a time when there is little international effort to end the conflict and Israeli occupation of Palestinian land. The designation last year led many European supporters to suspend funding for teams. However, the European Union said Israel has not provided sufficient evidence to prove PFLP ties. In July, nine EU countries said they would continue to cooperate with the agencies. In a rebuttal to the Israeli shutdown order, diplomatic missions from 17 countries, including Britain and France, met with representatives of al-Haq at its office on Thursday night. “These accusations are not new, and Israel has failed to convince even its friends,” Shawan Jabarin, director of al-Haq, an internationally respected human rights group that was among those targeted, told The Associated Press on Thursday. Other organizations attacked were Defense for Children International-Palestine, the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees, the Bisan Research and Development Center and Addameer, which advocates for Palestinian prisoners, according to a statement from the Israeli Defense Ministry. In April, the United Nations called on the international community to support the six organizations. “Israel’s alarming designation of these organizations as ‘terrorist organizations’ has not been accompanied by any public concrete and credible evidence,” said the statement attributed to human rights experts under the auspices of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Israel last year labeled the Union of Agricultural Labor Committees as having terrorist links. Al-Haq said Israeli forces kicked his locked door off its hinges and raised the alarm. He said the soldiers searched every room, rummaging through files and scattering them around the office. The group added that the property around the church below the office was littered with broken glass and other signs of the raid. The soldiers then “blocked the main entrance with an iron plate leaving behind a military order declaring the organization illegal,” the group said. The Israel Defense Forces said they had “confiscated property” during the raids. Defense for Children International-Palestine said security camera footage showed soldiers taking items such as computers and client files. Addameer said his office door was broken and materials were taken. Israel announced the groups’ alleged terrorist ties in October. On Wednesday, Defense Minister Benny Ganj endorsed the statement. “All the organizations in question operate covertly and as PFLP agents in Judea and Samaria, as well as abroad,” the defense ministry said in a statement, using Israel’s names for the West Bank. Adalah, a Palestinian-run legal center based in Haifa, said the raids came shortly after objections sent by the Israeli military on behalf of the six organizations were rejected. “These organizations have been and have been given no opportunity to defend themselves against secret evidence that the Israeli security forces allegedly have against them,” the organization said in a statement. “This attack on Palestinian civil society is an attack on the entire Palestinian people and their right to self-determination.” As Biden visits, Palestinians recall descent into autocracy Some of these organizations also focus on human rights abuses by the Palestinian Authority, which rules parts of the West Bank and frequently arrests activists and critics. The Palestinian leadership, which last faced elections more than 15 years ago, is widely unpopular in the West Bank – in part because of its security coordination with Israel, which includes operations such as Thursday’s raids. Israel is at the same time carrying out a military crackdown on the occupied West Bank targeting armed groups. This in part led to a brief air battle between Israel and a militant group in the Gaza Strip this month. The wave of raids in the West Bank began this spring amid Palestinian attacks that killed 19 people in Israel. But human rights groups – among those targeted on Thursday – accused Israel of acting too aggressively and with impunity against Palestinians in the West Bank. Israeli forces have killed dozens since the spring. most recently, on Thursday, they killed a Palestinian in the West Bank city of Nablus. Israel said it was firing on soldiers during the clashes. The Palestinians denied this claim. Karen DeYoung in Washington contributed to this report.