Tel Aviv, Israel – The Israeli Supreme Court issued a ruling on Friday freezing the government ban on 37 foreign non-governmental organizations operating in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank, pending a final ruling in the case. The court emphasized that the temporary injunction was issued “without taking any position” on the merits of the petition.
Background of the government decision
Last December, Israel gave 37 international organizations, including Doctors Without Borders and the Norwegian Refugee Council, a 60-day deadline to cease their activities if they failed to comply with new registration rules imposed by the government.
A plea and a warning of dire consequences
Around 17 NGOs, along with the Association of International Development Agencies, filed an urgent appeal with the court to suspend the decision. The organizations warned of dire humanitarian consequences given the deteriorating situation in Gaza. Aid organizations pointed out that sharing their staff’s data could expose them to security risks, noting that hundreds of aid workers had been killed or injured during the war in the Gaza Strip.
Israel’s justifications and the organizations’ objections
For its part, Israel justified the new registration procedures as aimed at preventing aid from being diverted to Palestinian armed groups. However, aid agencies disputed these claims, asserting that there was no evidence of significant aid being diverted.
Awaiting an explanation of the decision
Athena Rayburn, executive director of the Association of International Development Agencies, said that organizations are still waiting to see how the state interprets the court order and whether it will allow them to expand their operations. She stressed that the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains “catastrophic.”
