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Are Palestinian NGOs really ‘terrorists in suits’?

“Those organizations were active under the cover of civil society organizations, but in practice belong and constitute an arm of the
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

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- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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