Thousands of farmers, fishermen, youth, women, human rights activists, and Palestinian civil society representatives called on the United Nations to take immediate and serious action to deter the Israeli decision that classifies six Palestinian NGOs as terrorist organizations. They stressed the need to protect their right to assemble, their freedom to work independently, which puts Israel in a position to adhere to the international law.
They have also asserted the importance of stopping the targeted incitement campaigns that fabricate information and frames civil organizations through institutions directly linked with the Israeli occupation. In other words, the participants demanded that halt of these Israeli campaigns by putting pressure through international mechanisms.
This came during a massive demonstration organized by the Palestinian NGOs Network (PNGO) in front of the United Nations Headquarters (UNESCO) in Gaza and Ramallah. People were gathered to express their rejection of the Israeli decision that lists six Palestinian NGOs as terrorist organizations. They demanded the United Nations to take serious action to reverse the unjust Israeli decision and protect civil society organizations.
During the demonstration, people chanted slogans denouncing the Israeli decision. They called on the United Nations to provide international protection for Palestinians and its civil society organizations along with punishing the Israeli occupation for its crimes and continuous violations.
The participants raised banners as well that condemns the Israeli decision and considers it as a flagrant violation against all Palestinians.
“We demand the United Nations to intensify its efforts in defending civil society organizations in the face of Israeli violations and aggression," chanted the participants, “This decision will not break the will of civil society organizations and will not deter them from carrying out their work in serving Palestinians."
Adding to that, they call on the international community and its organizations to work to reverse this decision and stop the Israeli campaigns of incitement against civil society organizations.
Furthermore, they stressed the need to take serious steps to penalize and hold Israel accountable for its wrongdoings against the Palestinian people.
On the same note, they necessitated that criminals do not go unpunished to prove that no one is above the law. The unstrict position of the International Criminal Court against Israel has opened a door for more violations against Palestinians and their civil organizations.
Moreover, the participants called the UN to work according to the international agreements and the International Covenant for Civil and Political Rights and to pressure the Israeli occupation state to stop its decision that targets civil work. Everything resulting from the Israeli decision should be canceled as well since it shapes a stark violation of International Human Rights Law and the International Humanitarian Law.
During the demonstration, Mohsen Abu Ramadan, Haider Abdel Shafi Center for Culture and Development director, read out a letter from PNGO that emphasized that Israel is practicing systematic terrorism against Palestinians among other illegal practices. Israel, according to Abu Ramadan, is a position that does not allow it to speak of terrorism, especially after labeling legal organizations as terrorists.
Abu Ramadan stressed that NGOs will continue their work in rejecting this and other decisions, and the world must see the truth that Palestinian people are under occupation.
Also, he continued stressing Palestinians' adherence to international resolutions that guarantee the inalienable national rights of return, self-determination, and national independence in a fully sovereign state, with Jerusalem as its capital.
In the same sense, a delegation from PNGO Network handed the letter to Mr. Gernot Sauer the office director for the Special Coordinator for the Peace Process and to. Mr. Antonio Guterres the Secretary-General of the United Nations aiming to impose punitive decisions and holding the occupying power accountable for its crimes against Palestinians.