Join legal and policy experts to hear how Israel’s measures to terminate the work of six prominent civil society organizations engaged in documenting violations of international law and supporting the International Criminal Court investigation of Israeli officials is harming defense of Palestinian rights, and what international inaction will mean for both Palestinians and Israelis, and international human rights advocacy efforts more broadly.
In the early morning hours of August 18th, the Israeli military raided the offices of six prominent Palestinian civil society organizations, destroying property, seizing files and office equipment, and welding the entrances to the offices shut. Since then, the Israeli Security Agency, the Shin Bet, has interrogated or called in for questioning representatives of the organizations who have refused to abide the closure of their offices. Almost one year ago, the Israeli Knesset passed legislation designating the West Bank-based organizations as “terrorist organizations” and the Israeli military issued regulations determining them to be “unlawful associations.” European donor countries have stated that Israel has failed to substantiate the terrorism charges.
The CIA, after reviewing evidence provided by Israel, reportedly came to the same conclusion. Yet the U.S. administration has neither rejected nor challenged Israel’s actions, and worse still, has taken some actions that appear to acquiesce to them.
Co-convened by the Middle East Institute, the Foundation for Middle East Peace, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, DAWN, the International Crisis Group, Century International and USMEP.
Speakers
Moayyad Bsharat
Project Coordinator, Union of Agricultural Work Committees
Shawan Jabarin
General Director, Al-Haq Law in the Service of Man
Sahar Francis
Director, Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights
Khaled Quzmar
General Director, Defense for Children International
Ubai al-Aboudi
Executive Director, Bisan Center for Research and Development
Tahreer Jaber
Executive Director, Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees (UPWC)
Lara Friedman, moderator
President of the Foundation for Middle East Peace
Khaled Elgindy, moderator
Senior Fellow, Director of Palestinian and Palestinian- Israeli Affairs, Middle East Institute
Zaha Hassan, moderator
Fellow, Middle East Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
