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Human rights groups around the world have condemned Israel's decision to designate six civil society groups "terrorist organizations."

Israel will not end its occupation and apartheid regime of its own free will. We call on those appalled by Israel’s apartheid and by its attempt to crush human rights organizations, to join us in supporting the organizations under attack and to support Palestinian civil society’s call for BDS.

Israeli settlement near the Palestinian village of Al Maasarah, just south of the West Bank town of Bethlehem on February 19, 2011. (Photo: Najeh Hashlamoun/APA Images)

On Sunday Israel approved plans for 1,300 new settlement units in the occupied West Bank, in the first move of its kind since US President Joe Biden took office.  Later this week, the Israel Higher Planning Committee is expected to meet to push forward plans for an additional 2,862 units.

Israeli Minister of Defense Benny Gantz speaks to the press during a joint press conference with Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III at the Ministry of Defense in HaKirya, Israel, April 11, 2021. (DoD Photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jack Sanders).

Israel is facing widespread backlash for its dangerous decision to label six Palestinian human rights groups as terrorist organizations. “Supporters of Israel often say to critics, ‘Stop singling out Israel. Stop picking on Israel. Treat Israel like any other country,'” Mehdi Hasan said on his MSNBC news program. “Well, okay then. Let’s condemn them for doing this then because when our other allies, like Turkey or Saudi Arabia or Egypt, crack down on human rights groups, we condemn them for it. We criticize them. So why give Israel a pass?”

Protest in Lannemezan, France, outside the jail where Georges Abdallah is held. (Photo: Collectif Palestine Vaincr)

Angela Davis, Noam Chomsky, Mumia Abu-Jamal, Rabab Abdulhadi, and several Members of European Parliament join hundreds more in calling for the release of Georges Abdallah who has been imprisoned in France for almost 37 years.

Anti-Defamation League CEO and national director Jonathan Greenblatt. Credit: ADL.

Sunrise Movement DC’s decision to withdraw from a voting rights rally because of the participation of three Zionist groups reflects the view of many on the left that you can’t be progressive and be a Zionist. This political future is disturbing to the Jewish establishment and rightwing groups called the decision “antisemitic” while liberal Zionists condemned the decision on cancellation grounds (though they cancel anti-Zionists all the time).