Women Against Military Madness: Stand with the Six

Fight News Service is circulating the following statement from Women Against Military Madness (WAMM).

Women Against Military Madness (WAMM) denounces Israel’s harassment and criminalization of six Palestinian human rights and grassroots organizations, labeling them “terrorist” organizations. The designation is provocative and dangerous and could result in devastating cuts in funding from international sources as well as grave legal issues for their workers.

Along with a growing number of important international organizations, WAMM 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.

U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum from Minnesota’s 4th Congressional District has sponsored a strong resolution introduced in the U.S. House that condemns Israel’s action, stating, “It is a sign of incredible weakness more aligned with an authoritarian regime than a healthy democracy. . . Israel’s decision to brand these prominent Palestinian civil society groups as terrorist organizations exposes the truth that Israel’s occupation is violent, immoral, and unjust. . .”

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 labeling tactics are a part of its ongoing attempts to silence and destroy Palestinian organizations and voices so important in the struggle for Palestinian liberation. WAMM calls upon the U.S. government and the Biden administration to condemn this move and to withhold U.S. aid to Israel until it complies with international law.