FOSNA Statement on Israel’s Labeling of Top Palestinian
Human Rights Agencies as “Terrorist Organizations”
By Jonathan Kuttab
FOSNA Executive Director and Al-Haq
Cofounder
About 40
years ago, Raja Shehadeh, Charles Shammas, and I created Al-Haq, the
first Palestinian human rights organization. After our first
publication, "The West Bank and the Rule of Law," an Israeli
ambassador contemptuously dismissed us as “a mouthpiece for the PLO''
and for “making a mountain out of a molehill.” We argued back through
the International Commission of Jurists, which was our sponsor, that
we are totally independent and meticulous about our facts and
documentation. We challenged him to prove his claims or to show that
ANY of our publications contained any materially incorrect facts. He
never replied.
In fact,
we were viewed with some suspicion within the Palestinian community
because we were strictly independent and spoke the language of human
rights and international law, rather than political polemics. This was
new for most Palestinians. We persisted, however, and other
organizations followed in our footsteps. We managed to have a positive
impact on Palestinian society as a serious human rights organization.
Al-Haq is now one of several world-renowned and respected human rights
organizations. I am proud to say that over the years Al-Haq has
meticulously maintained its high standards and, after the Oslo
process, was courageous enough to apply the same standards of
objectivity, independence, and defense of human rights not just to the
Israeli occupation, but also to the behaviour of the Palestinian
Authority, and also of Hamas.
I was
therefore shocked, though not surprised, when Israel today declared
Al-Haq, together with Addamir, Defence of Children
International-Palestine, and three other human rights organizations to
be “terrorist organizations.” This is a far cry from the polemical,
false accusations thrown at us occasionally by Israeli propagandists
like the NGO Monitor. It carries practical consequences, such as the
seizure of assets, arrest of personnel, and the criminalization of
anyone who donates to or cooperates with us in any way.
The fact
that Israel is choosing now to attack all six human rights
organizations is deeply troubling. It may mean that we are finally
becoming effective and successful, that Israel realizes it has lost
the public-relations war, and that the world now knows and
acknowledges the reality that it is an apartheid state and a
systematic violator of human rights and international law. The Defense
minister may be afraid that the day is approaching when he and other
politicians and army generals may face prosecution before the
International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against
humanity, and he decided to silence these organizations and cripple
their activities.
Another
explanation, I am afraid, is that Israel no longer cares about its
reputation and no longer fears international public opinion, or any
sanctions by the international community. The fact that it has been
successful so far in avoiding accountability, and that just a few
months ago it ransacked the offices of Defense for Children
International in Ramallah with little or no push back emboldened it to
do whatever it wants without fear of repercussions. Its assault on
civil society can go on unchallenged!!
For this
reason alone, it is imperative that we must act now. Our churches,
first and foremost, but also our elected representatives must hear
from us immediately. Israel must know that its actions are monitored,
noted, and will lead to consequences. At the very least, it can no
longer claim to be a democracy and be part of the Western world. It
can join the likes of Saudi Arabia and North Korea if it chooses, but
as long as it pretends to be a democracy and lays claim to billions in
economic and military aid from the United States and preferred trade
treatment from the US and Europe, it must be made to abide by
international standards, and at the very least, stop its attacks on
human rights organizations.
So please
join with FOSNA and others in this action.
Learn
More. Take Action:
Call now
and urge your church, as well as your representatives in Washington,
to take action and stop this assault on human rights activists and
organizations.
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