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During a\u00a0raid last week, the Israeli army broke into and shut down the offices of seven Palestinian human rights and humanitarian groups operating in Ramallah, located in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThese actions amount to severe suppression of human rights defenders<\/strong> and are illegal and unacceptable,\u201d the experts said, encouraging UN Member States to use international law to end the abuses.\u00a0<\/p>\n Last Thursday at dawn, Israeli forces\u00a0raided the offices of seven Palestinian human rights groups causing extensive property damage and issuing military orders to shut them down.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n This followed Israel\u2019s earlier characterization of those organizations as \u201cterrorist\u201d and \u201cunlawful\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThese designations and declarations are illegitimate and unjustifiable and no concrete and credible evidence substantiating Israel\u2019s allegations has ever been provided,\u201d said the experts, echoing observations that they had made in April.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n On 18 and 21 August, Israeli security service Shin Bet interrogated the directors of the Union of Palestinian Women\u2019s Committees, Al-Haq and Defence for Children-Palestine \u2013 three of the seven shuttered organizations.\u00a0<\/p>\n The experts were particularly concerned over alleged threats made by Shin Bet against the organizations, including a public statement regarding Al-Haq\u2019s director, Shawan Jabarin.\u00a0<\/p>\n\u2018Unlawful\u2019 designations<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n
Hurling accusations<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n