RAMALLAH, Saturday, August 20, 2022 – President Mahmoud Abbas said today that Israel’s decision to shut down seven Palestinian non-governmental organizations is unacceptable and rejected, stressing that these institutions will continue their work in exposing the occupation and its crimes against the Palestinian people despite the closure orders.

His remarks came during a meeting in Ramallah with representatives of the seven targeted organizations: Al-Haq Foundation, Al-Dameer Foundation, Defense for Children International-Palestine, the Union of Agricultural Work Committees, the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees, the Bisan Center for Research and Development, and the Health Work Committees.

“We must all stand together and confront this Israeli policy that insists on continuing unilateral actions, disregarding all signed agreements and violating international law,” President Abbas said.

He added: “We will not accept the continuation of this Israeli policy. We will take a position that protects the rights of our people in light of the ongoing international silence toward Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people, their holy sites, and their land.”

The President noted that the Palestinian leadership is reaching out to relevant international parties “to stop these Israeli provocations against our institutions that operate in accordance with international law and human rights.”

“We appreciate the international consensus condemning these attacks, but practical international measures are needed to stop these aggressive Israeli actions,” he emphasized.

For their part, the representatives of the organizations thanked President Abbas for his support and affirmed that the Israeli decision would not deter them from continuing to document the crimes of the occupation against the Palestinian people.