--- title: "Over 200 Organizations Demand International Community Stand Against Raids and Closures of 7 Palestinian Organizations" slug: "over-150-organizations-demand-international-community-stand-against-raids-and-closures-of-7-palestinian-organizations" post_type: "post" published_at: "2022-08-22T18:59:58+01:00" modified_at: "2022-10-04T16:29:14+01:00" author: "CIHRS" url: "https://cihrs.org/over-150-organizations-demand-international-community-stand-against-raids-and-closures-of-7-palestinian-organizations/?lang=en" category: - "Arab Countries" - "International Advocacy Program" causes_and_rights: - "Freedom of Association" - "Segregation and racial discrimination" country: - "Palestine" interest: - "Statements and Positions" --- # Over 200 Organizations Demand International Community Stand Against Raids and Closures of 7 Palestinian Organizations Amid Israel’s escalating attacks targeting their work, a group of more than 200 Palestinian, regional, and international organizations express our full solidarity with the designated seven leading Palestinian civil society organizations, [Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association](https://www.addameer.org/), [Al-Haq Law in the Service of Man (Al-Haq)](https://www.alhaq.org/advocacy/19050.html), [Bisan Center for Research and Development](https://www.bisan.org/), [Defense for Children International-Palestine (DCI-P)](https://www.dci-palestine.org/), [Health Work Committees (HWC),](http://www.hwc-pal.org/) [the Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC)](https://www.uawc-pal.org/index.php?&lang=en), and [the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees (UPWC)](http://upwc.org.ps/?page_id=4150). On the morning of 18 August 2022, the Israeli occupying forces (IOF) raided and sealed the doorways into the offices of the seven Palestinian organizations. The IOF also confiscated documents and equipment and destroyed items in the offices. On the doors of the organizations, military orders were left behind ordering the closure of the offices under Article 319 of the Emergency Regulations of 1945. This development follows the [19 October 2021](https://cihrs.org/the-international-community-must-support-and-protect-palestinian-civil-society/?lang=en), Israeli Defense Minister [Benny Gantz](https://www.npr.org/2021/10/23/1048690050/israel-palestinian-human-right-groups) designation of six leading Palestinian civil society organizations as terrorist organizations under Israel’s Anti-Terrorism Law (2016), which was then extended to the West Bank on 3 November 2021 by a [military order](https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2021-11-07/ty-article/.premium/two-weeks-on-israeli-army-extends-palestinian-ngo-terror-designation-to-west-bank/0000017f-f8e0-d460-afff-fbe6a14f0000) that outlawed the same organizations. We urge the international community to unequivocally condemn Israel’s targeting of Palestinian civil society and tactics to further repress of freedom of expression. States must take all necessary action to support and protect Palestinian human rights defenders and ensure the continuation of their invaluable work. These raids and closures represent the latest escalation in Israel’s widespread campaign aiming to silence and discredit any Palestinian individual or organization that dares to seek accountability for Israel’s grave human rights violations, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. The “persecution of organizations and persons, by depriving them of fundamental rights and freedoms, because they [oppose apartheid](https://www.un.org/en/genocideprevention/documents/atrocity-crimes/Doc.10_International%20Convention%20on%20the%20Suppression%20and%20Punishment%20of%20the%20Crime%20of%20Apartheid.pdf)” is a method used by Israel, amounting to acts of apartheid prosecutable under the Rome Statute, to maintain its domination and oppression over the Palestinian people. The organizations remain at an additional risk of closure of bank accounts, travel bans and movement restrictions, and the arrest and detention of staff members for their work. Israel’s attacks against these organizations pose an existential threat to independent Palestinian human rights organizations and civil society who work to monitor and document violations of human rights and provide basic services to the Palestinian people. We call upon the international community to demand that Israel immediately revoke its designations of Palestinian human rights and civil society organizations as “terrorist organizations,” reverse the military orders designating the organizations and closing their offices and repeal its Anti-Terrorism Law (2016) as it does not meet basic human rights standards. Moreover, we call on the international community to take effective measures to end all other actions that deny Palestinians their inalienable human rights. Lastly, we call on the members of the international community to continue their support and increase funding to the organizations and engage with financial institutions to ensure the transfer of funds to the organizations. **Signatories:** 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies 2. 11.11 3. Abductees' Mothers Association 4. Abs Development Organization for Woman& Child 5. Academic Program for Studies of Arab and Muslim Communities in Diaspora 6. ACAT-France 7. Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association 8. Advokatfirmaet Roli 9. Africa4Palestine 10. Ahel Organization 11. Ahel Organization 12. Al Mezan Center for Human Rights 13. Al Tawasol Forum Society (TFS) 14. Al-ataa Benevolent Association 15. Albanian Human Rights Group 16. Aldameer association for human rights 17. Al-Haq 18. Alrowwad Cultural and Arts Society 19. Amnesty International 20. Andalus Institute for Tolerance and anti-Violence Studies 21. Applied Research Institute - Jerusalem (ARIJ) 22. Arab Institute for Human Rights 23. Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development 24. Arab Resource & Organizing Center (AROC) 25. ARTICLE 19 26. Artists for Palestine UK 27. Asha Parivar 28. Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) 29. Asociacion Palestina Biladi 30. Association Belgo-Palestinienne 31. Association des Universitaires pour le Respect du Droit International en Palestine (AURDIP) 32. Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression 33. Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE) 34. Association France Palestine Solidarité (AFPS) 35. Association Tunisienne des Femmes Democrates 36. Aswat Nissa 37. Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children' 38. Australian Centre for International Justice 39. Basmeh & Zeitooneh for Relief and Development 40. Baytna 41. Bds Maroc 42. Bds México 43. BDS Netherlands 44. BDS Vancouver Coast Salish Territories 45. Belgian Campaign for Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (BACBI) 46. Business & Human Rights Resource Centre 47. Bytes For All, Pakistan 48. Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) 49. Center for Constitutional Rights 50. Center for Economic and Social Rights (CESR) 51. Center for Strategic Studies to Support Women and Children 52. Centre for Global Education 53. Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales 54. Charity & Security Network 55. Chicago Faith Coalition on Middle East Policy 56. Child Rights Connect 57. Child Rights International Network (CRIN) 58. Citizen News Service (CNS) 59. CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation 60. CNCD-11.11.11 61. Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid 62. Comhlamh Justice for Palestine 63. Committee for a Just Peace in the Middle East, Luxembourg 64. Committee for Justice 65. Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice 66. Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice (CURYJ) 67. Community Empowerment and Social Justice Network (CEMSOJ) 68. Conectas Human Rights 69. Cooperation Jackson 70. Cultura è Libertà, una campagna per la Palestina 71. Defence For Children International 72. DefendDefenders (East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project) 73. Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN) 74. Dibeen for Environmental Development 75. Direct Action for Rights & Equality (DARE) 76. Een Andere Joodse Stem / Another Jewish Voice (Belgium) 77. Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms 78. Egyptian Front for Human Rights (EFHR) 79. Egyptian Human Rights Forum 80. Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights 81. El Nadim Center For Management & Rehabilitation of victims of violence 82. Elseidi law firm 83. Endorois Indigenous Women Empowerment Network (EIWEN) 84. Endorois Welfare Council 85. Episcopal Peace Fellowship Palestine Israel Network 86. Equality Labs 87. ESCR-Net, International Network for Economic, Social & Cultural Rights 88. EuroMed Rights 89. European Coordination of Committees and Associations for Palestine - ECCP 90. European Legal Support Center (ELSC) 91. European Trade Union Network for Justice in Palestine 92. FIDH (International Federation for Human Rights), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders 93. Financial Justice Ireland 94. Foundation for Middle East Peace (Washington, DC) 95. Foundation for the Conservation of the Earth, FOCONE 96. France Palestine Mental Health Network 97. Front Line Defenders 98. Fundación Mundubat 99. Fundacion Promocion Humana 100. Gaza Action Ireland 101. Geneva International Centre for Justice (GICJ) 102. Global Focus 103. Global NPO Coalition on FATF 104. Grassroots Global Justice Alliance 105. Grassroots International 106. Guardians of the right to life 107. Herbst Law PLLC 108. Het Actiefonds 109. Housing and Land Rights Network; Habibat International Coalition 110. Human Rights & Democracy Media Center “SHAMS” 111. Human Rights for All (HR4A) Saskatchewan 112. Human Rights Funders Network 113. Human Rights in China 114. Human Rights Watch 115. Human Security Collective 116. ICAHD-USA 117. Indiana Center for Middle East Peace 118. International Accountability Project 119. International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group 120. International Commission to support Palestinian People’s Rights 121. International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT) 122. International Service for Human Rights 123. International Women's Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific 124. Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign 125. Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions 126. Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions - UK 127. JAHALIN SOLIDARITY 128. Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) 129. Just Peace Advocates/Mouvement Pour Une Paix Juste 130. Just Words Limited 131. Justice for Palestinians Calgary 132. Justitia Center for legal protection of human rights in Algeria 133. Kairos Ireland 134. Kenya Human Rights Commission 135. La araña Feminista/MarchaMundial de las Mujeres Venezuela 136. L'aasociation ACDA (Agir pour le changement et la démocratie en Algérie) 137. l'association joussour de citoyenneté 138. Law for Palestine Organisation 139. League for the Defence of Human Rights in Iran (LDDHI) 140. Libyan Organization for Legal Aid 141. Local Development and Small Projects Support (LDSPS) 142. Lok Shakti Abhiyan 143. MADRE 144. Makan 145. MakeShiftPublishing 146. Manushya Foundation 147. MENA Rights Group 148. Muslim Peace Fellowship 149. Mwatana for human rights 150. National Lawyers Guild 151. Natural Resource Women Platform 152. Nederlands Palestina Komitee 153. New Weapons Research Groups 154. Niagara Movement for Justice in Palestine Israel 155. North Bronx Racial Justice 156. Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO-Norway) 157. Norwegian Union of Municipal and General Employees 158. NOVACT Institute for Nonviolent Action 159. Oakville Palestinian Rights Association 160. Palestina Solidariteit vzw Belgium 161. Palestine House 162. Palestine Solidarity Alliance 163. Palestine Solidarity Campaign Cape Town 164. Palestine Solidarity Campaign Gauteng 165. Palestine Solidarity Campaign UK 166. Palestine Solidarity Network - Edmonton 167. Palestine Solidarity, St. John's, NL 168. Palestine Solidary Organisation at Nelson Mandela University 169. Palestinian and Jewish Unity (PAJU) 170. Palestinian Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign (Stop the Wall) 171. Palestinian Centre for Human Rights 172. Palestinian People's Support Commission – URUGUAY 173. Pan African Palestine Solidarity Network 174. Paz con Dignidad 175. Peace and Building Foundation 176. Peace Development Fund 177. PeaceWomen Across the Globe 178. PEN International 179. People's Budget Orange County 180. Physicians for Human Rights Israel 181. Platform of French NGOs for Palestine 182. Poetic Justice Foundation 183. Potchefstroom Free Palestine Committee 184. Progressive Technology Project 185. Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED) 186. Project South 187. Refugee Welfare Association Cameroon (REWAC) 188. Riposte Internationale 189. Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center 190. Sadaka-the Ireland Palestine Alliance 191. Sadaqa 192. Sagner Family Foundation 193. Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network 194. Santa Feans for Justice in Palestine 195. Scottish Friends of Palestine 196. Sexual Rights Initiative 197. Socialist Party (India) 198. SOLIDAR 199. Solsoc 200. South African BDS Coalition 201. South African Jews For a Free Palestine 202. Southern Maine Workers' Center 203. STEILAS 204. Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM) 205. Tamkeen for Legal Aid and Human Rights 206. Tamkeen for Legal Aid and Human Rights 207. Teaching Palestine: Pedagogical Praxis and the Indivisibility of Justice 208. The African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies 209. The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem (ARIJ) 210. The Association of Norwegian NGOs for Palestine 211. The Canadian BDS Coalition 212. The Carmack Collective 213. The civic coalition for Palestinian rights in jerusalem 214. The Community Action Center / Al-Quds university 215. The Danish House in Palestine 216. The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians 217. The International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT) 218. The Israel/Palestine Mission Network of the Presbyterian Church USA 219. The Norwegian Initiative DEFEND INTERNATIONAL LAW 220. The Palestine Committee of Norway 221. The Palestine Institute for Public Diplomacy 222. The Palestinian Human Rights Organization "PHRO" 223. The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy - MIFTAH 224. The Rights Forum 225. The Southwest Coalition for Palestine 226. The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP) 227. Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA (Australia) 228. United Methodists for Kairos Response 229. United Methodists for Kairos Response (UMKR) 230. United Network for Justice and Peace in Palestine and Israel (UNJPPI) 231. Unites States Food Sovereignty Alliance 232. University Network for Human Rights 233. University of KwaZulu-Natal Decoloniality Action Group 234. US Campaign for Palestinian Rights 235. USA Palestine Mental Health Network 236. Visualizing Palestine 237. Viva Salud 238. Vrede vzw 239. West African Human Rights Defenders Network 240. Women in Black Vienna 241. Women Now for Development 242. Women’s Centre for Legal Aid and Counseling (WCLAC) 243. Women's International League for Peace and Freedom 244. World March of Women – Philippines 245. World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders