Join legal and policy experts to hear how Israel’s measures to terminate the work of six prominent civil society organizations engaged in documenting violations of international law and supporting the International Criminal Court investigation of Israeli officials is harming defense of Palestinian rights, and what international inaction will mean for both Palestinians and Israelis, and international human rights advocacy efforts more broadly.

Thursday, August 25, 2022

1pm Eastern Time

Featured speakers
Ubai al-Aboudi (Bisan Center for Research and Development)
Moayyad Bsharat (Union of Agricultural Work Committees)
Sahar Francis (Addameer)
Shawan Jabarin (Al Haq – Law in the Service of Man)
Tahreer Jaber (Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees)
Khaled Quzmar (Defense for Children International)

Expert moderators
Lara Friedman (Foundation for Middle East Peace)
Khaled Elgindy (Middle East Institute)
Zaha Hassan (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace)

In the early morning hours of August 18th , the Israeli military raided the offices of six prominent Palestinian civil society organizations, destroying property, seizing files and office equipment, and welding the entrances to the offices shut. Since then, the Israeli Security Agency, the Shin Bet, has interrogated or called in for questioning representatives of the organizations who have refused to abide the closure of their offices. Almost one year ago, the Israeli Knesset passed legislation designating the West Bank-based organizations as “terrorist organizations” and the Israeli military issued regulations determining them to be “unlawful associations.” European donor countries have stated that Israel has failed to substantiate the terrorism charges.

The CIA, after reviewing evidence provided by Israel, reportedly came to the same conclusion. Yet the U.S. administration has neither rejected or challenged Israel’s actions, and worse still, has taken some actions that appear to acquiesce to them.

This event is co-convened by the Middle East Institute, the Foundation for Middle East Peace, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, DAWN, the International Crisis Group, Century International and USMEP.