The October 22nd decision by Israel’s Ministry of Defense to designate six prominent Palestinian human rights organizations as “terrorist organizations” has sent shockwaves across Palestinian civil society and raised alarm bells throughout the international donor community.

An Israeli delegation is scheduled to be in Washington on Thursday, October 28, 2021, to brief the Biden administration on the alleged secret evidence behind these designations. As of now, however, the administration has not indicated whether it also intends to hear directly from the six targeted groups, all of which are recipients of international donor funds.

Given the grave implications of this decision for the affected organizations as well as for Palestinian civil society more generally, including the possibility of increased repression at the hands of both Israel and the Palestinian Authority, it is critical that American decision-makers and the broader policy community in Washington have an opportunity to hear directly from the organizations themselves.

Speakers:

Ubai al-Aboudi 
Executive director, Bisan Center for Research and Development 

Fuad Abu Saif 
General director, Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC)

Sahar Francis
Director, Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association

Shawan Jabarin
General director, Al-Haq Law in the Service of Man

Tahreer Jaber 
Executive director, Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees (UPWC)

Khaled Quzmar
General director, Defense for Children-International

Khaled Elgindy, co-moderator
Senior fellow and director, Program on Palestine and Israeli-Palestinian Affairs,  Middle East Institute

Lara Friedman, co-moderator
President, Foundation for Middle East Peace