Middle East

• In the period since 28 October, many CSOs published statements to criticise and protest the decision by the Israeli Minister of Defense to designate prominent Palestinian CSOs as terrorist organizations. Among them, the six Palestinian civil society organizations targeted by this decision released the position paper “Dangerous Designations, Israel’s Authoritarian Dismantling of Palestinian Civil Society, an Attack on Human Rights and the Rule of Law”. Al-Haq also published the report “Designated Shrinking Space: Israel’s Systematic Harassment Campaigns Against Al-Haq, are the Acts of an Illegal Apartheid Regime”. The Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies published a statement from a group of 235 regional and international organizations calling for the international community to take action to protect Palestinians human rights organizations. Human Rights Watch published a letter sent by 288 US-based organizations demanding that the US government condemn Israel’s crackdown on human rights groups. In addition, Addameer issued a statement reiterating its commitment to continue defending Palestinian prisoners.

• On 28 October, Peace Now published an article analyzing the policy of the new Israeli government in the settlements since its establishment. The CSO argues that the new administration did not respect the “status quo” in the settlements policy it had initially proclaimed, adding that the government has actively worked to promote settlements and deepen the Israeli occupation of the occupied Palestinian territory.

• On 27 October, Al Mezan issued a press release calling for an international intervention to end Israel’s restrictions on the entry of medical equipment and supplies into Gaza. According to the organization, the Israeli authorities have imposed a ban on diagnostic medical devices commonly used for patients testing positive for COVID-19 and on medical imaging devices, among other essential medical equipment. In addition, 38% of essential drugs and 22% of medical disposables had been at “zero stock” in Gaza in August 2021.

North America

• On 1 November, Americans for Peace Now published the article “Hard Questions, Tough Answers: Israeli settlements, Palestinian NGOs, and US-Israel relations”. In this article, Yossi Alpher, an independent security analyst, discussed the recent announcement by Israeli authorities of new West Bank settlement construction, and the declaration of six Palestinian NGOs as “terrorist organizations”.

• On 29 October, the Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP) published the podcast “Spotlight on Al-Haq with Shawan Jabarin” in which FMEP discussed with the General Director of Al-Haq the recent Israeli decision to designate this organization and five others as a “terrorist organizations”.

• On 26 October, J Street published a press release welcoming the US State Department’s statement condemning the ongoing Israeli settlement expansion and opposing plans to advance thousands of new settlement units throughout the West Bank. The CSO further encouraged the US government to take additional steps to support a two-State solution. Churches for Middle East Peace also published a statement welcoming the Biden Administration’s opposition to recent actions of the Israeli Government, including its opposition to settlement expansion.

United Nations

• On 29 November, the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People will hold the annual commemoration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People at UN Headquarters in New York with a special session of the Committee, including high-level Member States representatives. Concurring events are also planned at the UN Offices at Geneva (UNOG), Nairobi (UNON) and Vienna (UNOV).

This newsletter informs about recent and upcoming activities of Civil Society Organizations affiliated with the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People. The Committee and the Division for Palestinian Rights of the UN Secretariat provide the information “as is” without warranty of any kind, and do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, or reliability of the information contained in the websites linked in the newsletter.