UN Agencies and the Association International Development Agencies (AIDA) said on Tuesday they were standing firmly behind civil society organisations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, following an Israely military decision to de-authorize six NGOs.
In a statement released this Tuesday, the agencies said they regretted the decision, made on 7 November by the Military Commander in the West Bank, saying it represents “a further erosion of civic and humanitarian space”.
The move extends to the West Bank a decision by the Israeli Minister of Defence, made in October, to designate these Palestinian human rights and civil society groups as terrorist organisations.
The UN agencies believe the move “stands to significantly constrain the work” of these NGOs, which have worked with the international community, including the UN, for decades, providing essential services to countless Palestinians.
Allegations
According to news agencies, Israel has said the organizations are tied to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a political movement with an armed wing that has carried out deadly attacks against Israelis and is considered a terrorist organization by some Western nations.
In a statement, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for the OPT, Lynn Hastings, said “these allegations are taken very seriously.”
According to her, however, none of the UN agencies, nor AIDA, have received written documentation which could serve as a basis for the allegations.