US ‘concerned’ by Israel’s closure of Palestinian NGOs
WASHINGTON (AA) – The US has voiced concern about Israel’s closure of several Palestinian non-governmental organizations in the occupied West Bank.
“We are concerned about the Israeli security forces’ closure of the six offices of the Palestinian NGOs in and around Ramallah today,” State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters.
The US will continue to seek additional information from Israel and officials there “have assured us that more information will be forthcoming regarding the basis for their actions,” added Price.
Israeli last year designated six of the raided civil society groups — Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association, al-Haq, the Union of Palestinian Women Committees, the Union of Agricultural Work Committees, the Bisan Center for Research and Development and the Palestine chapter of the Geneva-based Defence for Children International — as terrorist organizations.
Tel Aviv alleges that the groups have links to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. A seventh group, the Union of Health Work Committees, was also raided and shuttered, according to Al Jazeera.
In the nearly one year since Israel designated the NGOs as terrorist groups, the US has not been provided with any information “that has caused our approach to, or position on these organizations” to change, said Price.
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