Israel: Hollywood stars sign letters criticizing Palestinian charities as terrorist organizations | World News
More than 100 celebrities have signed an open letter criticizing Israel’s decision to designate six prominent Palestinian charities as terrorist organisations.
Signers include Hollywood stars Richard Gere, Claire Foy, Tilda Swinton and Susan Sarandon; director Ken Loach, musician Jarvis Cocker, band Massive Attack, and authors Philip Pullman, Colm Tobin, and Irvine Welsh.
The joint letter describes the recent move as “an unprecedented and comprehensive attack on Palestinian human rights defenders”.
It states that “the designations target six of the most prominent Palestinian human rights defenders engaged in significant human rights activities and cover all aspects of civil society in the Territory.” occupied Palestinian territories”.
Between them, six charities provide legal assistance to Palestinians and profile alleged human rights abuses by Israel, Hamas and the Palestinian Authority. They also promote the rights of women, farmers and children.
Israelidespite this, have accused it of using donor aid to the militants and of having links to a leftist organization with a history of planning and carrying out attacks in Israel.
When asked to comment on the letter, the Israeli government led Sky News to a statement by the Ministry of Defense at the time, which asserted the charities used “forgery and deception” to take money from European countries and multinational organizations.
The statement accused groups of hiding behind human rights activities “but in fact [they] belongs to and forms an arm “of the Popular Front,” whose main activity is the liberation of Palestine and the destruction of Israel”.
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The designations allow Israeli authorities to close the groups’ offices, seize their assets and arrest their employees in the West Bank, watchdogs Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International said. in a joint statement last month.
The United Nations has criticized the move as “the latest development in a long-standing smear campaign against these and other organisations, undermining their ability to get important work done”. .
