The Palestinian NGOs Network (PNGO) expresses grave concern over the increasing restrictions imposed on civil society and international organizations. On December 9, the Israeli occupation government announced a new arbitrary decision restricting the registration and operations of international non-governmental organizations (INGOs). This decision risks obstructing their work in Palestine, controlling aid distribution, and silencing voices that document and highlight the crimes of the Israeli occupation.
This announcement coincides with a marked escalation in violence and crimes of genocide in the Gaza Strip. It follows the release of several international reports, including those by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, which have accused the Israeli occupation of committing crimes against humanity and called for accountability.
PNGO urges international organizations to resist these restrictive measures and refrain from altering their rhetoric or avoiding discussions of human rights violations. Instead, they must amplify their voices and intensify efforts to halt the genocide, safeguard all rights guaranteed under international law, and uphold the principles of justice and accountability for victims.
PNGO also calls on the international community, including parliaments and human rights bodies, to protect the right to form associations and ensure their freedom to operate without interference. This includes resisting attempts to suppress their voices and ensuring their ability to express positions independently and without fear.
Moreover, PNGO warns that international organizations that capitulate to the pressures of the occupation risk violating fundamental humanitarian principles. Such compromises undermine the rights and suffering of victims, which all organizations are duty-bound to defend and protect.
PNGO reaffirms its commitment to advocating for justice and urges all stakeholders to take immediate action to uphold the rights and freedoms of civil society organizations, ensuring their ability to operate freely and effectively in fulfillment of their humanitarian mission.
