US Criticizes Israel Over Terror Designation for 6 Palestinian NGOs
The US State Department has criticized Israel for designating six Palestinian humanitarian organizations as terrorist organizations for providing donor money to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PLFP), a terrorist organization that has sponsored attacks that killed Israelis. The United Nations and human rights watchdog groups also criticized the designation.
The designated organizations are: Addameer, Al-Haq, Defense for Children International-Palestine, the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees, and the Union of Agricultural Work Committees.
With the imposition of the designation, Israeli authorities could close the groups’ offices, seize their assets and arrest their staff in the West Bank.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a news briefing with reporters on Friday that the US was not giving any warning about the announcement of the designations, nor was it provided with any information with proof of the accusations.
“We believe respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and a strong civil society are critically important to responsible and responsive governance,” Price said.
A senior Israeli defense ministry official pushed back in interviews with Israeli reporters, saying that US officials were given prior warning of the announcement and that Israel had provided Washington with intelligence to support the decision.
