Israel's declaration of 6 Palestinian human rights groups as ‘terrorist organizations’

30/12/2021

Adalah: An unprecedented and baseless attack on human rights defenders who are exposing and resisting the Israeli occupation and its apartheid policies; Israel must reveal all the evidential materials it claims to hold.

On 19 October 2021, Israel's Defense Minister Benny Gantz designated six leading Palestinian human rights and civil society groups as "terrorist organizations" under Israel's domestic Counter-Terrorism (Anti-Terror) Law (2016). The six groups are: Addameer, Al-Haq, Bisan Center for Research and Development, Defense for Children International – Palestine (DCI-P), the Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC), and the Union of Palestinian Women's Committees (UPWC). The Israeli military commander also outlawed all six groups under the 1945 Emergency (Defense) Regulations, declaring them "unlawful associations".

The six organizations are currently represented by Adalah – The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, Attorney Michael Sfard, and Attorney Avigdor Feldman.

CLICK HERE to read Adalah’s initial response to the decision

CLICK HERE for more details on Adalah’s legal action in the case

Related documents:

Introduction of the objection [English]

English translation of the announcement issued by the defense minister concerning the rejection of the organizations’ objection [English]

English translation of the Israeli military closure order against Addameer [English]

English translation of the Introduction to the Objection submitted by Palestinian organizations against the Israeli Military Commander's decision to declare them as “unlawful associations” 3 February 2022

Adalah’s Expert Opinion:

Israel’s 2016 Counter-Terrorism Law and 1945 Emergency Regulations Regarding the Outlawing of Six Palestinian Human Rights and Civil Society Groups 23 November 2021

Adalah’s Position Paper:

Israel’s Counter-Terrorism Law 31 October 2016 / UPDATED 29 November 2021

Related press releases