A group of 17 human rights and advocacy organizations in Israel on Thursday criticized the prohibition, saying it “undermines principled humanitarian action, endangers staff and communities, and compromises effective aid delivery.”
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As the occupying power, Israel is required to provide Palestinian civilians with adequate supplies. The groups claimed that it prevents others from filling the gap by failing to do so in addition to failing to do so.
For breaking new government rules, Israel has suspended the operating licenses of 37 aid organizations, including Doctors Without Borders, which is known by its French names as MSF and the Norwegian Refugee Council.
International NGOs operating in Gaza and the occupied West Bank are required to provide detailed information about their funding and operations in accordance with the new regulations.
Israel has defended the action by denying any evidence that Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad are related to international organizations that operate in Gaza.
However, experts claim that the requirements violate humanitarian guidelines and are in violation of a long-standing Israeli government campaign to demonize and ultimately thwart the efforts of Palestinian aid organizations.
In a statement released on Thursday, Israel-based rights organizations including B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel said that “the new registration framework violates fundamental humanitarian principles of independence and neutrality.”
“Actions that favor political alignment, penalize support for legal accountability, and require the disclosure of sensitive personal information about Palestinian staff and their families all constitute a breach of duty of care,” warns the organization.
Pattern of unlawful restrictions
Israel has placed restrictions on food, medicine, and other humanitarian aid deliveries to the coastal territory as a result of its ongoing genocidal war against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
In what Human Rights Watch has called “war crimes” and “crimes against humanity,” Israeli violence has increased in the occupied West Bank as well. The military has forced tens of thousands of Palestinians from their homes.
In light of this, Volker Turk, the UN’s human rights representative, claimed earlier this week that Israel’s NGO’s ban was “the most recent in a pattern of unlawful restraints on humanitarian access” in the occupied Palestinian territory.
In a social media post, Doctors Without Borders claimed that it was still waiting for the renewal of its registration to operate in Gaza and the West Bank in accordance with the new Israeli regulations as of Wednesday.
People struggle to meet basic needs in Palestine because the health system has been destroyed, and essential infrastructure has been destroyed. More services are needed, not less, according to MSF.
“Sortens of thousands of Palestinians would be denied access to essential care if MSF and other INGOs lose access.”
Martin Griffiths, a former UN humanitarian chief and member of the Norwegian Refugee Council, stated to Al Jazeera that he had no faith in what would happen next.
Source: Aljazeera
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