Canadian Law Professors Are Speaking Out in Support of Palestinian Human Rights Defenders
Last year, Israel designated several Palestinian humanitarian organizations as terrorist groups. In an open letter, 60 Canadian law professors urged Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to make good on his professed commitment to human rights. He has yet to respond.
Palestinian prime minister Mohammad Shtayyeh holds a press conference after Israeli forces raided and shut down seven Palestinian NGOs in Ramallah, West Bank, August 18, 2022. (Issam Rimawi / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
On August 18, 2022, the Israeli military raided the offices of seven Palestinian human rights and humanitarian organizations in Ramallah. The groups reported that troops busted down doors without warning and seized property.
This latest move follows Israel’s decision, in October 2021, to designate six of the seven groups as fronts for terrorism. No credible evidence for the charge has ever been produced. An independent investigation found no basis for concern. European donors have continued to fund the organizations’ important work.
Yet remarkably, Israel has suffered no diplomatic, legal, or other consequences for its brazen lie. The failure of allies to call out the Israeli government and press for a reversal gave it a green light to take its repression to the next level.
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