Islam Times - US Envoy to UN Expresses Backing for Palestinian Rights Groups despite Israeli Ban

US Envoy to UN Expresses Backing for Palestinian Rights Groups despite Israeli Ban

Islam Times - US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield rejected on Saturday Israeli regime's provocative decision to blacklist as terrorist six Palestinian rights groups, saying Washington “support[s] Palestinian NGOs’ role monitoring human rights abuses wherever they occur.”

Tel Aviv in late October outlawed six Palestinian civil groups over alleged links to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). The announcement sparked a firestorm of condemnations, as most of them received European and international funding.

On Saturday, Thomas-Greenfield, who recently completed a visit to the occupied Palestinian territories, tweeted: “This week, I had the chance to meet with civil society leaders in Ramallah. I was inspired by their work to advance democracy, human rights, and economic opportunity for the Palestinian people.

“We support Palestinian NGOs’ role monitoring human rights abuses wherever they occur.”

Thursday saw European Union High Representative Josep Borrell declare that Israeli regime had yet to send definitive proof that the six banned Palestinian organizations were linked to the PFLP.

“We are asking for answers from the Israeli government, and we have not yet received convincing answers,” Borrell said in a closed-door meeting of international donors to the Palestinians in Oslo.

Borrell’s speech, like others given at the conference, was not public. The Times of Israel received a transcript of the address from another official.

Israeli officials have doubled down on the designation despite international criticism, repeating that there is “ironclad” classified evidence that proves the organizations’ terror links.