Udenrigsudvalget 2009-10
URU Alm.del Bilag 179
Offentligt
JOINT PUBLIC STATEMENTISRAEL : Proposed bill seeks to outlaw human rights NGOs based in Israel workingon accountability issues in the Occupied Palestinian TerritoryThe undersigned organisations express their serious concern at the new threats faced by humanrights organisations in Israel involved in the struggle to uphold international law and the rule of law.On April 28, 2010, a group of 19 members of Parliament, introduced a bill entitled “Associations(Amutot) Law (Amendment – Exceptions to the Registration and Activity of an Association),2010”. This bill aims to prohibit the registration of, or to close down any existing non-governmentalorganisation (NGO), if "there are reasonable grounds to conclude that the association is providinginformation to foreign entities or is involved in legal proceedings abroad against senior Israeligovernment officials or IDF officers, for war crimes." If adopted, the bill will legitimise thesuppression of information regarding the commission of war cimes. As such, this bill has seriousimplications with respect to international law and the rule of law, and accountability forinternational crimes. As proposed, the bill also conflicts with numerous principles of treaty andcustomary international law, as codified in, inter alia, the Fourth Geneva Convention, internationalhuman rights treaties and the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. The bill places arbitrary andunnecessary restrictions on the rights to freedom of association, information and expression andinfringes upon victims' fundamental right to an effective remedy.On April 16, 2010, the nationalist, right-wing Israeli movement of “Im Tirtzu-The Second ZionistRevolution” released a report accusing at least twelve Israeli human rights organisations of supportfor or involvement in the indictment of Israeli officials for serious violations of international law incourts overseas, acting in accordance with the principle of universal jurisdiction. After releasing thereport, Im Tirzu launched a billboard campaign, timed to coincide with Memorial Day on April 19(Yom Hazikaron, ‘Israeli Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism Day’), and Israeli IndependenceDay, on April 20. This campaign, which involved defamatory slogans, aimed at de-legitimising theactivities of human rights organisations supported by the New Israel Fund, including Adalah,PCATI, HaMoked, B'Tselem, ACRI, Bimkom, Gisha, Physicians for Human Rights-Israel, YeshDin, and Rabbis for Human Rights. Im Tirtzu previously launched a campaign against human rightsorganisations in February 2010, which focused on their provision of information to the UnitedNations (UN) Independent Fact-Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict led by former JusticeRichard Goldstone.Our organisations strongly denounce this new move which further undermines the safety of humanrights defenders working to uphold the rule of law and combat impunity. Our organisations recall:that the fight against impunity constitutes an integral part of legitimate human rights activity, asrecognised by international human rights instruments; that the activities conducted by the above-mentioned Israeli organisations are transparent; that they operate within the framework of the ruleof law; that their mission is to represent victims of human rights violations; that their action is
apolitical and that the only reason for which some of them resort to extra-national jurisdictions isthat the Israeli jurisdictions has proven unwilling to pursue justice on these cases. Universaljurisdiction is a natural extension of the Nuremberg principles and Israel, of all countries, shouldnot take actions which go against the spirit of Nuremberg.We urge the Israeli authorities to take measures to ensure the protection of human rights defendersand organisations as provided in the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UNGeneral Assembly on December 9, 1998, which provides that “theState shall take all necessarymeasures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually or inassociation with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adversediscrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimateexercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration”and the International Covenant onCivil and Political Rights, ratified by the State of Israel.We further urge the Members of the Knesset to refrain passing a new law that would hamper theactivities of civil society organisations in contradiction with democratic values and violateinternational human rights standards binding upon the State of Israel, in particular the rights tofreedom of association, information and expression and victims' legitimate rights to an effectiveremedy.Nathalie STANUSProject Coordinator, Palestine/Israel and PalestiniansEuro-Mediterranean Human Rights NetworkTel : +32(0)2/540.86.46E-mail:[email protected]Visit the EMHRN New Websitewww.euromedrights.orgVisitez le nouveau site du REMDHwww.fr.euromedrights.org