Resolution calls Israeli ban on six NGOs “repressive.”
By David Hellerman, World Israel News
Progressive Democrats introduced a House resolution condemning Israel for banning six Palestinian non-governmental organizations.
The resolution sponsored by Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn) describes the Israeli blacklist as “a repressive act designed to criminalize and persecute important Palestinian human rights organizations.”
Last week, Defense Minister Benny Gantz designated six Palestinian NGOs as terror groups linked to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The designation paves the way for Israel to seize their assets and criminalize their funding.
The most prominent of the six NGOs are Al-Haq, which spearheads legal campaigns and Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions activities against Israel, and Addameer, which advocates for Palestinian prisoners. Both are based in Ramallah.
The other four designated NGOs are Defense for Children-International, the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees, the Union of Agricultural Work Committees and the Bisan Research and Advocacy Center.
The PFLP is designated as a “terror organization” by Israel, the U.S., the European Union and Canada. The terror organization’s most notable attacks include the 1976 Entebbe hijacking, the 2001 assassination of tourism minister Rehavam Zeevi and the 2014 Har Nof synagogue massacre.
A number of officials in the six blacklisted NGOs were found to be members of the PFLP, and in some cases, helped carry out terror attacks.
“The United States provides $3.8 billion in military funding to the Israeli Government each fiscal year and therefore holds a unique obligation to speak out against and condemn actions by the Israeli government that intentionally undermine democratic values and internationally recognized human rights,” the resolution stated.
The resolution also called on President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken to “publicly condemn this authoritarian and antidemocratic act of repression.”
According to the Times of Israel, the resolution not expected to pass, “given the unwillingness of the vast majority of lawmakers from either party to criticize the Israeli government so harshly.”
The resolution’s co-sponsors included Representatives Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) among others.