ISRAELI forces were condemned today after they shut down the offices of six Palestinian civil society organisations in the West Bank.

Amnesty International has called on Israeli authorities to stop harassing such organisations.
 
Israeli armed forces conducted dawn raids on the Ramallah offices of Addameer, Defence for Children International — Palestine (DCIP), al-Haq, the Union of Palestinian Women Committees, the Bisan Centre for Research and Development and the Union of Agricultural Work Committees, Amnesty said.

Soldiers confiscated files and equipment, issued military orders to close down and welded office doors shut. 

Amnesty International called on Israeli authorities to “end their campaign of repression against Palestinian civil society.” 

The Israeli Defence Ministry issued a military order on October 19 last year which declared all six Palestinian civil society organisations “terrorist” entities, Amnesty said.

This effectively outlawed them and allowed Israel to close their offices, seize their assets and arrest or jail their staff. 

The designation, which has been condemned internationally, also bans public support or funding for them.

Amnesty International deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa Amna Guellali said: “These organisations have contributed enormously to human rights in the OPT [Occupied Palestinian Territories] and across the globe.

“Amnesty stands proudly in solidarity with our Palestinian partners and calls on all governments to condemn the Israeli army’s attack on Palestinian civil society.

“The international community needs to work together not only to reopen the offices of these six organisations, but also to honour their calls to support the International Criminal Court’s investigation into the Palestine situation and for international condemnation of Israel’s apartheid against Palestinians.”

Khaled Quzmar, a director of Defence for Children International — Palestine (DCIP), which was raided by Israeli forces, told Amnesty: “The occupying army has failed to silence our voice in defence of human rights. The army uses military law against human rights law.”

Amnesty International said its researchers examined the military orders posted on the doors of three of the civil society groups raided today. 

In all cases the orders amounted to “grave” breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention and violated articles of human rights conventions to which Israel is a party, it said.

Ms Guellali said: “Amnesty International calls on all states to recognise that Israel is committing internationally recognised crimes — including the crime of apartheid — against Palestinians in Israel and the OPT.”