Staff Writer

Israeli Defence Minister, Benny Gants, on Friday endorsed a military order declaring six Palestinian Human Rights organisations terrorist organisations, which it alleges are a front for the largely waning Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The move, which effectively bans the work of the Palestinian prisoner rights organisation Addameer, Al Haq (a human rights organisation, which works with the UN), the Unions of Agricultural Workers and Women’s Committees, the Bisan Centre for Research and Development, and Defence for Children International- Palestine.

The move was largely condemned by fellow human rights organisations, including Israel’s B’tselem, which stated that, “it is a move that characterizes totalitarian regimes… But war is not peace, ignorance is not power – and the current government is not a government of change but a continuation government of the violent apartheid regime that has been in place for many years between the sea and Jordan river.” Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch also released a joint statement opposing the move, which was also criticised by the US, which stated that it was not provided prior warning and that a strong civil society is required for a responsive and responsible state.

These moves come in a context wherein Israel has intensified its crackdown in the occupied Westbank and among Palestinian Israelis, announced the construction of over 1300 new settlements in occupied territories, and worked to isolate the Palestinian Authority, its erstwhile ally.

Many, however, view the move as an attempt to silence crisis from reputable human rights organisations, especially as Palestine puts forward its case at the International Criminal Court. Al Haq argued,” “It is no coincidence that Israel’s recent escalation of punitive measures against Al-Haq and fellow civil society organisations has come in the immediate aftermath of the opening of an International Criminal Court investigation into Israel’s crimes in the Situation in Palestine.”

Speaking to Radio Islam International, Omar Shakir, Israel and Palestine director at Human Rights Watch, argued that this represented an attack on the global human rights movement.  “We should be 100% clear. This is an attack on the global human rights movement. This is part of a year’s long assault on human rights monitoring that has included attacks on Israeli international and Palestinian organizations.”

Reiterating Human Rights Watch’s proudness and delight to work with these institutions, some of whom have been in partnership with HRW for over 30 years, Shakir argued that the move effectively ended their civil society work, especially as their employees can now be arrested, their offices raided, finances confiscated, and, more worryingly, supporting these institutions could possibly lead to arrests. Shakir further noted that at times Israel does consider the views of other, especially powerful global actors, hence its dispatch of officials to the US in an attempt to explain this blatantly racist and dictatorial move. “Too often, the international community fails to send a strong enough message, and the Israeli government takes that as a license to take a further step.” Shakir noted that the international response needed to account for two broader factors, that of a continued suppression of human rights organisations in Palestine in recent years, and more importantly the fact that Israel is intensifying its occupationist project. He said, “The international community needs to link these developments to the reality on the ground where the Israeli government is committing crimes against humanity [and] apartheid and persecution against millions of Palestinians. He lastly noted that the international community’s response will likely dictate the next moves.