Are Palestinian NGOs really ‘terrorists in suits’?
November 1, 2021, 9:24 am

Are Palestinian NGOs really ‘terrorists in suits’?

Ian Black

In the last week of October, Israel’s Defence Minister Benny Gantz declared six Palestinian human rights groups to be “terror organizations” - accusing them of operating as an arm for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). Representatives of both the targeted groups and international organizations angrily denied the charges and accused Gantz and his coalition government of trying to silence criticism of Israeli human rights abuses.

“Those organizations were active under the cover of civil society organizations, but in practice belong and constitute an arm of the leadership, the main activity of which is the liberation of Palestine and destruction of Israel,” Gantz’s office said. Like virtually everything else connected to this most intractable, divisive and toxic of conflicts this decision generated a good deal of furious controversy – and that is a very English understatement!

The Palestinian organizations included the award-winning Ramallah-based rights organization Al-Haq; Addameer, which represents security prisoners in Israeli military courts; and Defence for Children-International, a group that advocates for Palestinian minors. The Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees, the Bisan Research and Advocacy Centre and the Union of Agricultural Work Committees were also declared to be terrorist organizations.

Taken together, these groups – normally defined as non-governmental organizations (NGOs) - are some of the best-known in Palestinian civil society in the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. Many have received generous funding in grants from European Union member states and the United Nations.

“Those funds served the Popular Front for payments to security prisoners’ families and martyrs, wages for activists, enlistment of activists, promotion of terror activity and strengthening, promotion of the Popular Front activity in Jerusalem, and distribution of the organization’s messages and ideology,” said Israel’s Defence Ministry.

Shawan Jabarin, director of Al-Haq, riposted: “They may be able to close us down. They can seize our funding. They can arrest us. But they cannot stop our firm and unshakeable belief that this occupation must be held accountable for its crimes.”
Right-wing Israeli watchdogs have long accused these groups of having PFLP ties - “terrorists in suits.” After Jabarin was banned from travel by the Shin Bet security service in the 2000s, he appealed to Israel’s Supreme Court, which upheld the opinion of his PFLP membership. Once one of the most powerful Palestinian factions, the PFLP has receded in importance in recent decades. The left-wing movement has been eclipsed by increasingly authoritarian Fatah and Hamas, which rule the West Bank and Gaza respectively. But to all intents and purposes, it has ceased to be a serious political force since the 1993 Oslo Accords.

International human rights groups immediately slammed Gantz’s decision. In a joint statement, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International condemned the move as “appalling and unjust.” It was an “alarming escalation that threatens to shut down the work of Palestine’s most prominent civil society organizations.” The left-wing Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem also condemned the move.
All six of the NGOs are affiliated with the political left, and some have criticized the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the past. For example, last March, Al-Haq published a report on the state of freedom of expression under the PA. Al-Haq is also one of the organizations who are advancing proceedings in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague against Israel's settlement actions in the occupied territories.
Gantz's designation effectively outlaws the activities of the NGOs and authorises the Israeli authorities to close their offices, seize their assets, and arrest and jail their staff. It prohibits funding and expressing support for their activities.

Liberal Israelis and other Jews also condemned the move as “shocking”. Americans for Peace Now said: ”We also state unequivocally that Palestinians have a right to non-violently resist and oppose the occupation. The organizations targeted by the Defence Ministry are doing just that. While we may not agree with every single statement and objective of these groups, we cannot afford to be silent in light of this naked attempt at suppression.”

Democrats in the US House of Representatives condemned Israel’s actions and the Biden administration has publicly raised concerns about Gantz’s move, as well as the lack of transparency and communication prior to it. Israel has insisted that it did indeed provide its US counterparts with advance notice and evidence legitimizing its actions.

It was criticised in liberal Israeli media as an “ill-timed, badly planned, clumsily explained and poorly marketed decision” as well as drawing “more unwanted attention and criticism to Israel’s ‘occupation’” Alon Pinkas, a former senior diplomat elaborated in Haaretz. “Even if the legal justifications are solid and they are supported by incontrovertible intelligence, incriminating evidence and are irrefutably accurate, it does not absolve the decision-makers from the political imprudence of the act.”

Deemed by critics to be part of the short-term strategy of “shrinking the conflict” by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s coalition government, in which Gantz plays a key role, it should be clear to everyone who cares about the future of both Palestinians and Israelis that criminalizing human rights groups on the basis of classified information is completely unacceptable.

by: IAN BLACK

Levant newspaper, ISSUE 29 November 2021 COVID-19 records more than five million deaths worldwide

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.