Israel's High Court has temporarily suspended a ban on international aid organizations operating in the occupied Palestinian territories unless they comply with strict new regulations. The injunction came ahead of an Israeli deadline for 37 prominent organizations to cease operations, which the groups warn would cut a lifeline for vulnerable populations and cause "irreparable harm".
Four months into a fragile ceasefire in war-torn Gaza, most of the over two million residents rely on aid for food, medical care, and water. In the West Bank, humanitarian organizations have been assisting Palestinians displaced by rapid Israeli settlement expansion and settler violence.
In December, Israel notified organizations including Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Oxfam, Save the Children, ActionAid, and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) that their registrations had expired. They were given 60 days to renew by complying with new rules or halt operations by March 1.
This week, 17 NGOs jointly petitioned the High Court to suspend the new measures, arguing that Israel has obligations as an occupying power under international humanitarian law.
Responding on Friday, Judge Dafna Barak-Erez stated there was "a real legal dispute" requiring more time to resolve.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing government has taken a hardline stance against international and Palestinian NGOs as well as UN agencies, some operational in the region for decades, citing security concerns. It has also passed legislation banning the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, from operating in Israel, affecting its work in the West Bank and Gaza.
Israel has claimed that UNRWA and other organizations, including MSF, have been infiltrated by members of Palestinian armed groups or have ties to them. Humanitarian groups strongly deny these allegations.
Israel's Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism says its "clear transparency requirements" mandate that all NGOs and humanitarian organizations now provide full details of staff, funding sources, and operational structures. Its stated aim is to prevent links to Palestinian armed groups following the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, which triggered the Gaza war.
Aid groups have refused to share personnel details, noting that hundreds of humanitarian workers have been killed during the Gaza war. Europe-based organizations argue the demands violate EU data protection and privacy laws.
The NGOs contend the changes undermine long-established practices to ensure humanitarian relief remains "principled, independent, and unhindered." Many argue the new Israeli licensing system is politically motivated.
NRC Secretary General Jan Egeland, who joined the petition, stated, "This has nothing to do with countering terrorism. It's a political matter."
With foreign journalists barred from entering Gaza during the war except on limited IDF-embedded tours, visiting medics and aid workers have been crucial international voices describing ground conditions. Many have criticized Israel's conduct of the war and restrictions on aid entry, which at one point led the UN to declare a famine.
Source: www.bbc.com