Democratic congressional members are calling on the Biden administration to take action over Israel’s recent attacks on human rights groups.
On August 18 Israeli forces raided the offices of seven Palestinian civil society organizations in the West Bank. Soldiers confiscated items, damaged property, and welded the doors shut. Six of the seven groups targeted (Al-Haq, prisoners rights group Addameer, Defense for Children International – Palestine, the Union of Agricultural Work Committees, The Bisan Center for Research and Development, and the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees) have previously been accused of terrorism by the Israeli government, but no public evidence has been provided to back up these allegations and investigations have proved the suggestion dubious.
Last week State Department spokesman Ned Price expressed concern about the raids, but refused to condemn them. Price also acknowledged that the administration wasn’t persuaded by Israel’s alleged terrorism evidence, but Biden hasn’t publicly challenged Israel’s assertions on the matter.
A number of Democratic House members condemned the raids on social and called on Biden to act. “Once again the IDF has launched a chilling attack on Defense for Children International-Palestine, a human rights organization supporting Palestinian children,” wrote Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN). “The Biden administration must condemn these efforts to silence groups advocating for Palestinian human rights and civil society.”
“Weeks ago, I led a letter to the State Department on Israel’s criminalization of 6 Palestinian human rights orgs,” tweeted Ayanna Pressley (D-MA). “Today they were senselessly raided & shuttered. Baseless accusations have serious consequences, and the U.S. must urge Israel to reverse course.” Pressley’s sentiments were retweeted by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Corez (D-NY) and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN).
“I condemn the Israeli military’s most recent attacks on Palestinian human rights and civil society orgs,” wrote Rep. Chuy Garcia (D-IL). “Silencing human rights defenders is an attempt to avoid accountability, and the U.S. should immediately condemn these violent efforts to undermine their work. #StandWithThe6”
“I’m deeply disturbed by Israeli authorities’ pre-dawn raid & shut down of 7 Palestinian NGOs, including Defense of Children-Palestine,” wrote Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA). “The State Department must unambiguously condemn this latest persecution of human rights & humanitarian groups in the West Bank.”
Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) shared a joint statement from nine countries condemning the raids. “I’m with the nine countries in the EU on this,” wrote Pocan. “The US should condemn this action as well. They have not proven anything but the fact they can stifle free speech. And that can have risky side effects making conditions less safe for everyone in Israel and Palestine.”
“Exactly 100 days since American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was assassinated by an Israeli sniper, the apartheid government moved to shut down seven human rights organizations at the core in fighting for the lives, liberties, and freedoms of millions of Palestinians,” said Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), the only Palestinian-American member of congress, in a statement.
“These acts are a direct result of the Biden administration’s complete failure to defend Palestinian human rights against racism and ethnic cleansing,” she continued. “The silence by our country is enabling more death and violence. We must hold Israel accountable.”
The U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights (USCPR) is now circulating a petition that calls on House members to endorse H.Res. 751, a bill introduced by Rep. Betty McCollum last October. The legislation condemns Israel decision to designate the groups as terrorists and calls on on Israeli authorities “to immediately end efforts aimed at persecuting, delegitimizing, and criminalizing Palestinian human rights defenders and civil society organizations.” The bill has just eleven cosponsors and hasn’t gained a new one since December.
“Decades of Israeli impunity has led to this moment,” reads the USCPR petition. “The U.S. sends $3.8 billion in military funding to Israel every year, yet Congress has failed to call out Israel’s rights violations.”
“The Bisan Center for Research and Development, and the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees) have previously been accused of terrorism by the Israeli government, but no public evidence has been provided to back up these allegations and investigations have proved the suggestion dubious.”
https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-715275
…He spoke after the British newspaper The Guardian said it had obtained a classified report from
the United States Central Intelligence Agency which said that no evidence had been found to back up Israel’s claim that the NGO’s are terror affiliates.
Anyone who helps the Palestinian cause is on the Israeli radar. The thieves and thugs that are the IDF know nothing but wanton destruction and killing. That goes for the settlers as well. What is the reason for totally trashing the offices and stealing equipment.
These groups do no harm to Israel except that they support Palestinian human rights and Palestinian “little snakes” children. The actions of the government of Israel are disgusting. They are on the road to total pariah status in the world. If not for the wealth and backing of the US they would be there already. As long as Joe Biden, who calls himself a Zionist, and the rest of the government bow down to pressure from the Israeli’s and AIPAC there is no hope for a just solution to the conflict.
Israel may have a right to defend itself, but it does not have the right to deny human rights to others and to aggressively practice apartheid. They are not defending themselves anyway because they are the aggressors and the colonizers. Without their oppression, brutality and colonization, there would be no need to defend themselves.
And since WHEN??? do either the US or israel give a fig about this?