US Reps criticize Israel’s designation of 6 Palestinian rights NGOs as terrorist groups
Occupied Palestine (QNN)- The Israeli decision to designate six Palestinian human rights NGOs as terrorist groups has been met by strong criticism by US congress representatives.
Congresswoman Ilhan Omar said the Israeli decision came only to evade accountability for human rights violations.
Omar called for steps by her country as well as the international community against the occupation state.
Labelling effective NGOs “terrorists” is a textbook way to evade accountability for human rights violations—and an affront to everyone who cares about peace.
There must be immediate consequences from the US and the international community for this brazen act. https://t.co/VyjU4W3yrs
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) October 22, 2021
Representative Mark Pocan also criticized the Israeli decision.
Israel should rescind their blanket decision to label Palestinian civil rights organizations as terrorist groups. Many of these organizations are working to bring peace in the region and are vocal critics Hamas & the PA.https://t.co/TTYHQ94n6O
— Rep. Mark Pocan (@repmarkpocan) October 22, 2021
Representative Betty McCollum, who has been known for her solidarity and support of Palestinian rights and worked herself with two of the targeted organizations, also condemned the decision, noting that it “is nothing more than an attempt to silence critics of Palestinian rights.”
She added that the decision goes against her country’s values. She also urged the Biden administration to pressure the occupation state to reverse the decision.
I stand with @amnesty in condemning the decision to designate Palestinian civil society organizations as “terrorist groups.”
My full statement: https://t.co/ueLZKp6fRX pic.twitter.com/NpaYCaQpZf
— Rep. Betty McCollum (@BettyMcCollum04) October 22, 2021
The occupation state on Friday has designated six human rights organizations operating in Palestine as terrorist groups.
Under Israeli law, membership in terror organizations is punishable by five to seven years in jail, while aiding them is punishable by five years, and praising or promoting them can result in a three-year-long jail sentence.
The Israeli law also permits authorities to confiscate any “terror organization’s” assets and limit its use of space.
The occupation state has targeted civil society dissenters for decades. In the early 2000s however, a series of right-wing organizations, funders and politicians sought to support the Israeli government’s brutal repression of Palestinians by accelerating the attack on civil society dissenters as Israel’s abuses mounted.
In the mid to late aughts, several Israeli human rights organizations came under organized attack, including groups like Btselem, Yesh Din.
in 2019, Israeli authorities expelled Human Rights Watch’s director in Palestine, Omar Shakir, who is an American citizen after revoking his work visa, accusing him of supporting the BDS movement.
