US 'concerned' by Israel's closure of Palestinian NGOs

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US voiced concern Thursday 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. "We have reached out to the Israeli government, including at senior levels, including here from Washington as well as our embassy in Jerusalem, for more information regarding the basis for these closures."

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.

Al-Haq, a Palestinian human rights group, said on Twitter that Israeli forces "confiscated items and shut down the main entrance with an iron plate leaving behind a military order declaring the organization unlawful" early Thursday.

Addameer, Bisan, the Union of Palestinian Women's Committees and Defense for Children International also confirmed on Twitter that their offices were raided and closed.

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.

Israel handed information to the US on Oct. 26 with which it sought to justify its actions.

"We have conveyed the message that there must be a very high bar to take action against civil society organizations," he said. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​