Christian Zionism In The News
Friends Tell the Truth, Even When It Hurts
September 10, 2022
On August 18, 2022, the State of Israel labeled seven leading Palestinian humanitarian organizations as “terrorist” organizations and banned their activities. The seven organizations are (annotated list courtesy of Jewish Voice for Peace):
Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association advocates for Palestinian prisoners who are being held in Israeli prisons, many of whom are political prisoners being detained without charges or trial.
Al-Haq documents violations of Palestinians' human rights across the occupied West Bank and pushes for accountability for Israeli crimes in the International Criminal Court.
The Bisan Center for Research and Development works towards building a democratic Palestinian civil society through research and development models. Additionally, Bisan works with low-income Palestinians to push for their economic rights, and develops community youth programs.
Defense for Children International Palestine defends Palestinian children in Israeli military courts and documents abuses and killings of children by Israeli forces.
Health Work Committees is one of the largest health providers in the occupied West Bank, with dozens of mobile clinics and health centers that offer maternity and pediatric care.
Union of Agricultural Works Committees defends the rights of farmers facing threats of land theft and violence from the Israeli military and settlers. They promote food security and sustainable farming practices.
Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees is a feminist organization that advocates for the rights of Palestinian women living under Israeli military occupation, and provides psychological and legal support to women in need.
In an opinion piece in the Forward, Daniel Sokatch writes that labeling such organizations “terrorist” and shutting down their operations, “…is, simply put, not what democracies do.” Israel’s evidence for labeling these seven as “terror organizations” has convinced neither Israel’s European allies nor the United States. “It is time,” asserts Sokatch, “for the vast majority of American Jews . . . to send a clear message to our own U.S. government: Israel is our beloved friend, but friends tell the truth, even when the truth is hard to hear.”
Daniel Sokatch was previously the executive director of the Progressive Jewish Alliance and is now the CEO of the New Israel Fund, an NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) whose objective is to defend justice, democracy, and equality in Israel. His book, Can We Talk About Israel: A Guide for the Curious, Confused, and Conflicted (Bloomsbury Publishing, London) was published in 2021. His opinion piece regarding the seven banned organizations was posted in the Forward on August 25, 2022.
To view Sokatch’s article (click here): Daniel Sokatch article in the Forward.