Civil Organizations: The American Decision Regarding the Al-Dameer Foundation Aligns with the Occupation Narrative and Attempts to Harm Palestinian Civil Work

SadaNews - The Network of Palestinian Civil Organizations renews its strong condemnation of the U.S. Treasury Department's decision under Executive Order 13224 issued early last month, classifying the Al-Dameer Foundation for Prisoners' Care and Human Rights as part of the so-called "terrorism" list. This represents an alignment with the agendas of certain circles close to the occupation narrative, attempting to label Palestinian civil work as terrorism, consistent with the full partnership relationship that connects the U.S. administration with the occupation government.

The Network of Palestinian Civil Organizations considers the timing of the U.S. decision against a Palestinian institution that has been operating since 1991 under Palestinian law and has the necessary licenses as an extension of the occupation's decision to classify six institutions on the terrorism list, including the Al-Dameer Foundation that is concerned with human rights and defends prisoners who are subjected to blatant violations by the state of occupation. Instead of working to punish Al-Dameer, the U.S. should have sought to alleviate the injustice faced by prisoners and put a stop to the daily transgressions committed against them by the occupation state, as it chooses to adopt the positions and policies of the occupation. The network sees this decision not only as covering up the ongoing crimes of the occupation, including acts of genocide and ethnic cleansing in the occupied Palestinian territories, but also as a new green light encouraging further harm to the Palestinian people.

The network confirms that attempts to dry up the resources of civil institutions, amidst the continued pressures being exerted by occupation-supporting institutions, including what is known as (the NGO Monitor) and others, are not new. The U.S. decision will add more complications to the work of the Al-Dameer Foundation and aligns with attempts to shut down effective civil institutions serving the Palestinian public. Moreover, the decision imposes further restrictions on activities and funding, halting banking transactions and monitoring them. This necessitates conducting wide campaigns to explain the implications of the decision and pressing the United States to reverse it immediately for violating the most basic values and international covenants that respect the right to establish institutions and the freedoms of opinion, expression, and civil rights.

The network also demands that the Palestinian Authority and relevant institutions intervene to annul the unjust decision that represents an infringement even on the U.S. Constitution itself, and to undertake serious actions within the United States through legal means, engaging with members of Congress and at the public level to explain the implications of the U.S. decision regarding a Palestinian institution working in the field of human rights. The network renews its rejection of the decision and its commitment to doing everything possible at the local, public, and media levels to thwart this dangerous American approach against Palestinian civil work institutions.