Palestinian Foreign Ministry Condemns Israel's Cancellation of Work for 37 International NGOs

SadaNews - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned the arbitrary action represented by the Israeli occupation authorities' decision to revoke the work permits of 37 international and humanitarian relief organizations operating in the occupied Palestinian territory, particularly in the Gaza Strip.

The ministry stressed in a statement issued today, Wednesday, its rejection of the justifications provided by Israel for the ban, pointing out that these institutions provide humanitarian, health, and environmental support to our people, especially in the Gaza Strip at a time when our people are being subjected to extermination and starvation, which Israel has used as weapons of war. This is in addition to the aggression against refugee camps in the West Bank.

It affirmed that Israel holds no sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and that the State of Palestine welcomes the work of these nationally and internationally recognized institutions, especially as they operate within established humanitarian standards. It indicated that what Israel, the illegal occupying authority, is doing in halting the work of these institutions is considered piracy and bullying and an action that contradicts international laws and norms, including the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice regarding Israel's obligations towards the work of humanitarian organizations, and no party has the right to halt their services or obstruct their work.

The foreign ministry noted that Israel does not want any witnesses to its crimes nor does it want institutions that support the Palestinian people and prevent Israel from carrying out its colonial project of destroying the lives of the Palestinian people, especially in the fields of these organizations' work in supporting childhood, health, education, water, refugees, and other humanitarian issues that are at the core of the Palestinian cause.

It urged the international community and the United Nations to reject these Israeli measures and take punitive steps to confront these practices, especially in narrowing the operations of humanitarian institutions, the space for freedoms in Palestine, and undermining the work of civil society and its national and international institutions. It also called on countries that are considered hosts for these organizations to take deterrent actions against Israel for its crimes and serious violations of international law and human rights.