Jerusalem: Israel said the United States Saturday had been told earlier about his decision to appoint six Palestinian civil society groups as “terrorist organizations”, after criticism from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Israeli Defense Ministry on Friday moved to the public to ban six leading Palestinian civil society groups for alleged ties with the popular front for Palestinian Liberation (PFLP), a group recorded by several governments registered by several governments.
The decision was quickly condemned by the Palestinian Authority and international human rights groups, with the US to “involve our Israeli partners for more information” regarding the basis for this appointment.
“The Israeli government does not give us a continuation of warning” that the groups will be appointed, Ned Price’s Department of Foreign Ministry spokesman said Friday.
But an official at the Israeli defense ministry said on Saturday that “officials in US government have been renewed earlier,” and “some intelligence shared on the subject.” The official, spoke with the terms of anonymity, reaffirming the relationship between six groups and PFLP, including “forging documents for the purpose of raising donations” for the left militant group, which pioneered field piracy in the 1970s.
The six groups also “facilitated the recruitment of activists to the PFLP military arm,” the official said, basically the “lifeline for PFLP in the form of fundraising, money laundering, and activist recruitment.” The ministry named the groups as a Palestinian Women’s Committee Association (UPWC), Addameer, Beran Center for Research and Development, Al-Haq, Defense for International Children – Palestine (DCI-P) and Association of Agricultural Work Committee (UAWC).
In May, Israeli officials had told European donors from alleged financial violations of their finances, which took place parallel to their legitimate work, and allegedly seeing millions of euros channeled to PFLP militant activities.
Shawan Jabarin, Al-Haq’s head, said Israel’s move was part of a long-term campaign “targeting Palestinian institutions to silence and scare them.” “We are a professional organization, human rights organization, with 42 years of field work,” he told AFP on Saturday.
Jabarin claims Israel cannot handle Al-Haq’s legal challenges submitted, and therefore “challenging us in the field by killing, bombing, locking, and destruction”.
“We hope that countries that officially support us to take a clear position,” he said.
“It’s time to stand serious and strong against (Israel), who does not recognize international law and does not comply with humanitarian rules.” Israel’s move was also condemned on Saturday by dozens of Israeli-based rights groups that advocate for Palestinian rights.
The “Palestinian civil society organization in Israel” said this step was intended to “intimidate” donors, claiming “misleading information” behind the decision.
Meanwhile, in a separate development, around 30 international NGO employees, including eight new group heads, trapped abroad awaits permission to enter Israel, AFP has learned.