Open Letter: Stop the Israeli Government's Systematic Assault on Civil Society

3 April 2025 - We, the undersigned Palestinian civil society organizations in Israel, write with grave concern and urgent alarm over the Israeli government's intensified efforts to dismantle civil society, suppress human rights organizations, and eliminate independent advocacy for justice and accountability. These attacks, which would further harm Palestinians, are continuing against the backdrop of Israel’s renewed and devastating bombing and blockade of Gaza as part of its ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, as well as proposals for the forcible expulsion of the Palestinian people from their homeland, which the undersigned organizations unequivocally condemn.

Through legislative and policy measures, Israel is weaponizing financial, legal, and administrative tools to silence organizations documenting and litigating human rights violations, to obstruct justice, and to stifle dissent. These measures are part of a broader strategy to entrench impunity and shield Israel from scrutiny as it continues its assault on the Palestinian people, amidst what many reputable international organizations have described as a genocide.

Crippling Civil Society Through Punitive Taxation

The NGO taxation bill, currently advancing in the Knesset, seeks to impose an 80% tax on foreign government funding for civil society organizations registered as NGOs in Israel. The bill further seeks to prohibit organisations primarily funded by so-called "foreign state entities" from petitioning Israeli courts. This proposed legislation is a direct attack on the financial sustainability of organizations that monitor and report human rights violations, particularly those that document Israeli war crimes and state repression.

Criminalizing Justice: The ICC Law

Another legislative bill threatens to criminalize any cooperation with the International Criminal Court (ICC), imposing up to five years prison sentences on those individuals who provide documentation or testimony of Israeli war crimes. This proposed law is a blatant attempt to obstruct international legal proceedings, intimidate human rights defenders, and ensure impunity for Israeli officials and military personnel involved in grave violations of international humanitarian law.

INGO Registration Crackdown

A new government directive grants Israeli authorities sweeping powers to deny or revoke the registration of international NGOs operating in the occupied Palestinian territory, including those providing essential humanitarian aid and documenting human rights violations. This crackdown seeks to eliminate independent oversight and humanitarian aid.

Denial of Entry for Support of International Accountability 

​On 19 February 2025, the Israeli Knesset enacted legislation expanding entry restrictions, barring non-citizens from entering or residing in Israel based on broadly defined political positions. Under this law, individuals or organizations that have, according to Israeli authorities, denied the events of October 7 or the holocaust, or have expressed support for legal accountability efforts against members of Israel’s armed forces in international courts, can be denied entry.  This legislation builds upon a 2017 amendment that barred entry to individuals or organizations advocating for boycotts against Israel.​ In practice, Israel has long used such restrictions to prevent the entry of human rights defenders, legal professionals, and civil society actors critical of its policies. These vaguely worded provisions are exploited by Israel to block international oversight and accountability efforts, further isolating our human rights advocacy from global mechanisms of justice.

We urge governments, international institutions, and civil society to act now. Governments must condition bilateral relations on the protection of human rights organizations. International legal bodies must challenge the legality of these measures and ensure accountability. INGOs and donors must sustain and expand support for Palestinian organizations under threat, ensuring they have the resources to continue their vital work. The public must pressure their governments to oppose Israel’s criminalization of human rights advocacy and support independent justice mechanisms like the ICC.

At this critical moment, silence is complicity. The international community must act to protect civil society and uphold fundamental rights.

Signatories : 

• 7amleh – Arab Center for Social Media Advancement

• Adalah – The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel 

•  Tishreen Association

•  SDC, Social Development Committee-Haifa

• Altufula center - Nazareth (NNI)

•  The Arab Culture Association- ACA

• I'lam - Arab Center for Media Freedom Development and Research 

•  Baladna Arab Youth Association 

•  Kayan Feminist Organization

• Mada al-Carmel: Arab Center for Applied Social Research