Ref:
73/2003

In a statement published in
an Israeli newspaper, the Israeli Minister for Foreign Affairs, Silvan Shalom,
alleged that Palestinian NGOs in the West Bank and Gaza Strip harbor
terrorists, stating that “Palestinians who have carried out attacks hide in
human rights offices” and that “most human rights offices in the West Bank and
Gaza Strip provide shelter for Palestinian terrorists” (Yediot Ahronot’s
Arabic website, www.arabynet.com, 21 May
2003).

PCHR believes that these
comments represent a threat to the work of Palestinian human rights NGOs and
contends that the comments are particularly disturbing coming from a senior
politician, indicating that they may reflect the official government position.

PCHR contends that Foreign
Minister Shalom’s comments pose a threat to Palestinian NGOs, as it is common
practice for Israeli authorities to brand a group as illegal and supporters of
terrorism before launching an attack against them. This declaration puts human
rights activists in the category of combatants, therefore raising the
possibility that individuals, offices and institutions may become targets of
military action.

These comments can be
interpreted as a threat aimed at intimidating, frightening and deterring
Palestinian human rights NGOs from carrying out their work as human rights
monitors in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. However, Palestinian human
rights NGOs continue their efforts to monitor, document, publish and
disseminate the crimes that are perpetrated by Israeli occupying forces.
Palestinian human rights NGOs are also involved in worldwide campaigns to raise
awareness of the Palestinian cause and to pursue war criminals under the laws
of universal jurisdiction.

It is also important to
consider that Palestinian human rights NGOs are the products of Palestinian
suffering and many human rights activists are veterans of Israeli aggression,
having been pursued and imprisoned in the past. Despite this, Palestinian human
rights organizations have remained resilient and continue to tackle human
rights violations and strive to uphold international law.

These baseless and
defamatory comments coincide with an increase in Israeli actions against
internationals and come in the context of an escalation in attacks on human
rights monitors in the region. Since February of this year, several members of
the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) have been detained, deported,
harassed, injured and even killed while working as human rights monitors in the
Occupied Palestinian Territories: American citizen Rachel Corrie was killed
when an Israeli bulldozer ran her over; Brian Avery, also an American, was
severely wounded when he was shot in the face; and British citizen Thomas
Hurndall is listed as clinically dead, after being shot by Israeli forces,
while attempting to evacuate a group of children from the scene of Israeli
military activity.

Israeli authorities have
also continued to deprive members of the international media freedom of
movement within the OPT and several journalists reporting on the situation in
the Occupied Palestinian Territories have been attacked, including British
cameraman James Miller who was killed while filming a documentary about the
plight of Palestinian children.

PCHR is concerned that the
increase in restrictions on the Gaza Strip as well as Shalom’s comments could
be an indication of plans for an even greater escalation of military activity
in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and in particular in the Gaza Strip.
PCHR calls upon the international community to address these issues and to
intervene to protect Palestinian human rights NGOs from any action that may stem
from Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom’s statement.