UN experts call on governments to resume funding for six Palestinian organizations designated by Israel as “terrorists”
UN website/ 25 April 2022
United Nations human rights experts* today called on the international community to take immediate and effective steps to protect and perpetuate the six Palestinian civil society groups designated by the Israeli government as “terrorist organizations” in October 2021.
In a statement issued on Monday, human rights experts said: “Israel’s worrying designation of these organizations as ‘terrorist organizations’ has not been accompanied by any concrete and reliable public evidence.”
“We note that the information provided by Israel has also failed to convince a number of governments and international organizations that have traditionally provided funding for the indispensable work of these six organizations.”
In October 2021, experts had denounced Israel’s designation of six Palestinian civil society organizations – Addameer Foundation for Prisoner Support and Human Rights, Al-Haq Foundation, Bisan Center for Research and Development, Defense for Children International – Palestine, Union of Agricultural Work Committees and Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees As terrorist organizations.
Despite the failure to substantiate the Israeli allegations, the funding of Palestinian organizations has been delayed
They said that Israel’s designation enables it to close down organizations, confiscate their assets, terminate their work, and indict their leadership and employees of terrorist crimes.
“Israel had six months to prove its accusations, and it failed to present them,” the experts said.
In this context, they called on “funding governments and international organizations to quickly conclude that Israel has not substantiated its allegations and to announce that it will continue to provide financial and political support to these organizations, the communities and groups they serve.”
Although Israel has not publicly substantiated its claims or to the funding government and international organizations, several funders have delayed their contributions to Palestinian organizations while the allegations are being investigated, including the European Union.
The European Union had officially suspended its funding to two of these organizations. This has undermined the work of these Palestinian organizations and has had an immeasurable impact on the communities that support them.
Experts said there is a lack of clarity about the duration of these steps.
Israel wants to silence its critics
The experts said that “the application of counter-terrorism laws to respected human rights defenders and civil society organizations – without convincing evidence to substantiate these allegations – appears to indicate a politically motivated attempt by Israel to silence some of its most effective critics by violating their rights to freedom of association and expression.” “.
They stressed that “if the international community is serious about its support for Palestinian self-determination and an end to the 55-year-old Israeli occupation, it must become more vocal and resolute in defending the work of these organizations, and reminding Israel of its international human rights obligations.”
A call to reject the misuse of anti-terror legislation
The experts expressed deep concern over “Israel’s apparent misuse of anti-terror legislation in order to attack some of Palestine’s leading civil society organizations. This misuse must be rejected and addressed.”
In their statement issued today, they stressed that “the United Nations has been very clear that the formulation and application of counter-terrorism laws must be strictly consistent with international law and human rights protections, including the principles of legal certainty, necessity, proportionality, rule of law and non-discrimination.”
What is required?
Accordingly, human rights experts called on the international community to:
• Concluding publicly that Israel has not substantiated its allegations against the six organizations.
• Resume, continue and even increase its financial and political support for the work of these six organizations.
• Demanding that Israel retract the designations and stop its harassment of all Palestinian, Israeli and international civil society organizations that work to promote human rights and accountability in Israel and Palestine.
Belgium was not affected by the Israeli allegations
It is noteworthy that Belgium did not listen to Israel’s allegations regarding the six organizations, as it conducted an independent investigation, on the basis of which it concluded that there is no evidence to substantiate what Israel claims.
Against this background, the experts welcomed the statement issued on March 23, 2022 by the Belgian Minister for Development Cooperation, Miriam Ketter, who stated that:
“My administration conducted an internal investigation into the allegations. This did not reveal any evidence to corroborate the allegations. Therefore, I decided not to take any action against the Palestinian organizations concerned. The evidence presented by the Israeli authorities (does not call me) to reconsider my decision.”
The human rights experts affirmed that they acknowledge and commend the indispensable work of Palestinian civil society in holding Israel responsible for its occupation and violations of human rights and in promoting democratic principles and human rights within Palestinian society.
The experts are:
Michael Lynk, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967; Marie Lawlor, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; Fionwala Ni Ulin, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights while countering terrorism; Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; Melissa Upreti (Chair), Dorothy Estrada Tank (Vice-Chair), Elisabeth Broderick, Ivana Radacic and Meskerem Jeset Chany, Working Group on Discrimination against Women and Girls; Reem Al-Salem, Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences. Clement N. Faul, Special Rapporteur on the rights to peaceful assembly and association; and Siobhan Mulally, Special Rapporteur on trafficking in human beings, especially women and children.
It is noteworthy that the special rapporteurs and independent experts are appointed by the Human Rights Council in Geneva, which is an intergovernmental body responsible for the promotion and protection of human rights around the world.
Rapporteurs and experts are charged with studying the human rights situation and submitting reports thereon to the Human Rights Council. It should be noted that this position is ceremonial, as these experts are not considered employees of the United Nations and do not receive remuneration for their work.
