Committee to Stop FBI Repression opposes Israeli moves to criminalize six Palestinian groups

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Committee to Stop FBI Repression.

The Committee to Stop FBI Repression denounces the State of Israel criminalizing six Palestinian human rights and mass organizations, falsely labeling them terrorist. This desperate move by Israeli officials is provocative and dangerous. It criminalizes political speech and the right to organize people who already live under occupation. An occupation funded by the U.S. government, and backed politically by the Biden administration. President Biden should speak out against mislabeling and criminalizing Palestinian people. Biden should curb Antony Blinken.

U.S. government repression is the reason why the CSFR. The Antiwar 23 were raided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and subpoenaed to a grand jury in 2010, when Joe Biden was Vice-President. The Antiwar 23 resisted the attack and continue in solidarity with Palestine.

The CSFR next campaigned to defend Chicano leader Carlos Montes in Los Angeles, and then Palestinian women’s icon Rasmea Odeh in Chicago and Detroit, as they faced political repression. Whether the attacks are launched by the FBI, Joint Terrorism Task Force, or Homeland Security, we are there to stand against racist and political repression.

The U.S. often imports the repressive measures Israel uses to violate rights here in the U.S. With this latest round of political repression by Israel, we see a truly international solidarity that can push them back and create more support for the Palestinian people in their struggle.

Adding to the huge number of important organizations around the world, the CSFR stands with the six targeted organizations: Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Group, Association Al-Haq, Defense for Children International Palestine, Bisan Center for Research and Development, the Union of Agriculture Work Committees, and the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees.

The six groups offer vital services to Palestinians as well as exposing Israel’s human rights violations. Several are providing evidence to the International Criminal Court (ICC) of Israel’s war crimes and human rights abuses, certainly one of the reasons for this latest Israeli crackdown.

Israel’s mislabeling tactics are a part of its ongoing attempts to silence and destroy Palestinian organizations and voices so important in the struggle for Palestinian liberation. CSFR calls upon the Biden administration to condemn this repressive measure and to end U.S. aid to Israel.

The six prominent Palestinian human rights and civil society groups subject to the decree are as follows:

Defense for Children International – Palestine

– Investigates, documents, and exposes human rights violations against Palestinian children in Israeli military detention, who routinely undergo physical abuse and are frequently denied adequate access to a lawyer or their family.

– DCIP is the only Palestinian human rights organization specifically focused on children’s rights.

– Provides legal services to children targeted by the Israeli occupation and its military court system.

– Holds both Israeli and Palestinian authorities accountable to universal human rights principles.

Al-Haq

– Al-Haq is the leading Palestinian human rights organization pushing for accountability for Israeli crimes in the International Criminal Court (ICC).

– Documents human rights violations in Palestine irrespective of the identity of the perpetrator.

– Prepares reports, studies, and papers to share with the international community.

– Works with Palestinian organizations and the government to ensure that Palestinian law and policies abide by international human rights standards.

Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Organization

– Tracks detailed data on Israel’s mass incarceration of Palestinian children, political prisoners and those imprisoned without charge or trial.

– Tracks and raises awareness on conditions inside Israeli prisons that violate human rights.

– Works to end torture of Palestinian prisoners; offers free legal aid to political prisoners, and educations the public on prisoners’ rights.

Bisan Center for Research and Development

– Serves as a community resource for research and development models for a besieged Palestinian society under Israel’s illegal military occupation.

– Works with low-income Palestinians to push for their socioeconomic rights.

– Develops community youth programs.

– Works to end violence against women through social campaigns, empowering grassroots groups, research, and media.

The Union of Agricultural Work Committees

– Promotes the rights of Palestinian farmers facing threats of land theft and violence under Israeli occupation.

– Promotes sustainable farming practices and works to achieve food security in Palestine.

– Pushes for sovereignty over natural resources as the threat of climate change increases.

The Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees

— Works to empower Palestinian women through promoting participation and representation in civil society institutions.

– Pushes against gender discrimination and encourages women to achieve economic independence.

– Educates young women about their rights.

– Provides psychological and legal support to women in need.