U.S. Lawmakers Denounce Blacklisting of Palestinian NGOs

Date: 19 July 2022 - 22:11

News ID: ۱۰۴۸۸۹

WASHINGTON (Al Jazeera) – A group of United States legislators has urged the Biden administration to publicly reject the Zionist regime’s labeling of six Palestinian human rights organizations as “terrorist” groups, in the latest international push against the occupying regime’s decision.
In a letter addressed to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines on Monday, 21 members of Congress – all Democrats – decried the absence of available evidence backing the regime’s allegations against the Palestinian organizations.
“The U.S. must always and consistently speak out against efforts by all countries attempting to undermine civil society and the necessary work of humanitarian organizations. Legislation must not be applied to legitimate human rights and humanitarian activities,” the letter, piloted by progressive Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, reads.
“Furthermore, repressive tactics such as criminalizing organizations must not be used to suppress or deny the right to freedom of association, or to quash political dissent, or limit the peaceful activities of civil society.”
The Zionist regime blacklisted the six leading Palestinian human rights and civil society organizations in October 2021 over alleged links to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) political faction.
The order by the Zionist war ministry practically outlawed Al-Haq, Defence for Children International-Palestine, the Bisan Center for Research and Development, the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees, the Union of Agricultural Work Committees and Addameer.
The spokesperson added that the U.S. made clear to the Zionist regime and the Palestinian Authority that “independent civil society organizations in the West Bank and in Israel must be able to continue their important work”.