An Israeli Foreign Ministry official says the country is sending an envoy to Washington amid deep differences with the Biden administration over six banned Palestinian rights groups.
Tel Aviv, Israel – Israel is sending an envoy to Washington amid deep differences with the Biden administration over six illegal Palestinian rights groups, a State Department official said Tuesday.
Israel last week designated leading Palestinian human rights groups as terrorist organizations, leading to international criticism and repeated claims by Israel’s top strategic partner, the United States, that there was no advance warning of the move. Was not given
Israel’s decision indicates that critics say it was a major step in its decades-long crackdown on political activity in the occupied territories. The State Department said it would seek further information on the decision.
Joshua Zarka, a senior Israeli Foreign Ministry official, told Israeli Army Radio that the envoy would “provide them with all the details and all intelligence” during his visit in the coming days.
Zarqa said he personally informed US officials last week of his intention to outlaw Israeli groups, and said he believed Washington wanted a more detailed explanation of the decision.
The rights group’s decision comes as a test of relations between the Biden administration and Israel’s new government, formed in June by eight political parties. The coalition ended the 12-year rule of former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu’s hardline government had widespread support from the Trump administration, which moved the US embassy to Jerusalem, allowing large-scale settlement construction to continue unabated, and cut funding for the Palestinians. And a vision for the Middle East that supports Israel’s position.
The Biden administration has revived traditional foreign policy for most Israelis and Palestinians. But with the United States focusing on other important domestic and foreign issues, the conflict was expected to recede.
The dissident coalition government has also sought to minimize the Palestinian problem, and has agreed not to make major moves that threaten its stability. But in recent weeks, it has focused on the conflict, offered a number of goodwill gestures to the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and called for the construction of thousands of new homes for Jewish settlers.
The most dramatic decision was made by civil society groups, which shook the coalition and focused on the conflict and Israel’s decades-long occupation of the territories that the Palestinians want for a future state.
Israel has for years accused the groups of having links to the Palestinian militant group, but has refrained from labeling them terrorist organizations even under Netanyahu’s hardline government.
The announcement has angered the activist community in Israel, which has been pushed by hardline Israeli governments in recent years. In a joint statement Monday, more than 20 Israeli human rights groups, including some of the country’s leading, most established organizations, condemned the move, calling it “a harsh humanitarian measure.” Convicts the important work of rights. ”
On Tuesday, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet also criticized the post, calling it “an attack on human rights defenders” and calling for its repeal.
The declaration against Palestinian rights groups appeared to pave the way for Israel to raid its offices, seize assets, arrest staff and condemn any public expression of support for the groups. Most of the targeted organizations document alleged human rights violations by Israel as well as the Palestinian Authority, both of which routinely detain Palestinian activists.
Among the nominated groups are Al-Haq, a human rights group founded in 1979, as well as the Adamir Rights Group, the Defense for Children International-Palestine, the Besan Center for Research and Development, the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees and the Agricultural Union. Work Committees.
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