Rights defenders have described Israel’s moves against the groups as part of a decades-long crackdown on political activists in the occupied territories.
Israel raided the offices of several Palestinian advocacy groups it had previously designated as terrorist organizations, sealing entrance doors and leaving notices declaring them closed, the groups said Thursday.
Israel has claimed some of these groups had ties to the militant Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a secular, left-wing movement with a political party as well as an armed wing that has carried out deadly attacks against Israelis. The groups deny Israel’s claim.
Shawan Jabarin, director of al-Haq, one of the targeted groups, confirmed that forces raided the office. He said his staffers are still examining whether any document had been confiscated.
Israeli troops “came, blew up the door, got inside, and messed with the files,” he told The Associated Press.
Rights defenders have described Israel’s moves against the groups as part of a decades-long crackdown on political activists in the occupied territories. In July, nine EU member states said Israel hasn’t backed up it’s allegations and that they will continue working with the targeted groups.
“These accusations are not new and Israel failed to convince even its friends,” Jabarin said.
On Wednesday, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz’s office reiterated its claim that the groups “operate under the guise of performing humanitarian activities to further the goals of the PFLP terrorist organization, to strengthen the organization and to recruit operatives.”
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.
The groups reportedly raided include al-Haq, a veteran, internationally respected Palestinian rights group; Addameer, which advocates for Palestinian prisoners; the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees; the Union of Agricultural Work Committees, and the Bisan Center for Research and Development.
Jabarin said “neighbors and strangers” who were nearby during Thursday’s raid had opened the office in Ramallah as soon as the Israeli forces left, and that al-Haq’s staff were inside and resuming their work.