Press Release

Six Palestinian organisations on the list of terrorist associations.
The Italian government intervenes

Rome, 27 October 2021 - Civil society organisations are extremely alarmed by the recent decision by the Israeli Ministry of Defence, Benny Gantz, to designate six Palestinian civil society organisations as 'terrorist'. This is the culmination of a long campaign of defamation, denigration, delegitimisation and intimidation that the Israeli government has been carrying out for years, also with the support of organisations such as NGO Monitor, against Palestinian civil society organisations engaged in the defence and promotion of human rights.

The measure is based on the Israeli counter-terrorism law adopted in 2016, in which broad powers are given to the Ministry of Defence to take administrative measures, with serious criminal repercussions. The looming threat to human rights defenders working for these organisations is that ofarrest, closure of offices and confiscation of property. If this were to happen, it would create significant and concrete harm to the civilian population, particularly women and children, who would be deprived of one of the few means of protection against violations committed by both Israeli and Palestinian entities.

The persecutory intent and the desire to stifle the crucial work carried out by these organisations are highlighted by the fact that the reasons given for the designation are vague or undefined. The aim of this measure is not only to discredit the designated organisations, but also to marginalise the importance of the principles and instruments of international law, first and foremost the right to self-determination, which these organisations promote and pursue.

Moreover, the decision to accuse of terrorism organisations that for decades have been engaged at the highest levels in the promotion of human rights and whose reputation and esteem is proven by numerous international recognitions, including the direct access that is granted to some of them to the organs of the United Nations by virtue of their special consultative status at ECOSOC, and by their direct cooperation also with international cooperation agencies, including the Italian one, is an intimidating political message that cannot be ignored.

The government of Israel is indirectly accusing states and intergovernmental organisations that have a history of cooperation with these organisations: the budgets of the programmes funded to the organisations are in fact controlled by the agencies of the donor countries, and their budgets are subject to annual audits by certified external auditors as required by Palestinian law. This decision also aims to end the international community's financial support for the various humanitarian, development, study and research interventions carried out by these organisations, whose contribution to the protection of human rights and the building of a just peace based on the norms of international law is essential.

Faced with the clear persecutory nature of the military order, which makes it of dubious legitimacy, Italian civil society organisations demand that the Italian government take steps to ensure that the decision is immediately revoked, unless the Government of Israel clearly and unequivocally demonstrates the merits of the defamatory accusations underlying the decision taken. By doing so, Italy would avoid the risk of recognising or supporting, even indirectly, persecutory and discriminatory conduct that impedes the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, as recognised by peremptory norms of international law.

Platform of Italian CSOs in the Middle East and Mediterranean
AOI - Italian NGO Association
CINI - Italian Coordination of International NGOs
Link 2007
Civil Society for Palestine
Peace and Disarmament Network