Defence for Children International

Defence for Children International – Palestine

Defence for Children International – Palestine (DCIP) is an independent, local Palestinian child rights organization established in 1991 to promote the rights of children living in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. It also investigates and documents human rights violations against children, provides legal services to children in urgent need.

In October 2021, DCIP was designated a terrorist organization by Israel, together with five other Palestinian NGOs: Addameer, Al-Haq, Bisan Center for Research and Development, the Union of Palestinian Women's Committees and the Union of Agricultural Work Committees. This accusation was supported by the pro-Israeli NGO Monitor, who issued a report claiming DCI-P's ties with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), designated a terrorist organisation by the United States, European Union, Canada, and Israel. NGO Monitor alleges that PFLP members have been employed and appointed as board members at DCI-P.

The designation of Defence for Children International – Palestine as a terrorist organisation was condemned by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights who called it a “frontal attack on the Palestinian human rights movement and on human rights everywhere.” In July 2022, nine EU countries (Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Republic of Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden) issued a joint statement saying they will continue working with the six Palestinian organisations that Israel had banned because Israel had failed to prove that they should be considered terrorist groups.

On 18 August 2022, Israeli forces raided the headquarters of the six organisations along with the Union of Health Work Committees (outlawed in 2020) in Ramallah and al-Bireh, removed computers and equipment and ordered their closure.

References

References

1. (2022-11-17). "Defence for Children International elects Khaled Quzmar as new President and adopts new Strategic Framework for 2022-2026".
2. "Khaled Quzmar new General Director of Defense for Children International - Palestine".
3. "Defence for Children Palestine: Who we are".
4. https://nbctf.mod.gov.il/en/Pages/211021EN.aspx
5. "Defense for Children International – Palestine's Ties to the PFLP Terrorist Organization » ngomonitor".
6. Human Rights Watch [https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/10/22/israel/palestine-designation-palestinian-rights-groups-terrorists 'Israel/Palestine: Designation of Palestinian Rights Groups as Terrorists'] 22 October 2021
7. UN Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights [https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=27702&LangID=E 'UN experts condemn Israel's designation of Palestinian human rights defenders as terrorist organisations'] 25 October 2021
8. "Joint statement on the Israeli designation of six Palestinian civil society organisations as terrorist organisations".
9. (18 Jul 2022). "US lawmakers denounce blacklisting of Palestinian NGOs by Israel".
10. Hagar Shezaf: תשע מדינות באירופה: בהיעדר ראיות מישראל, נמשיך לסייע לארגונים האזרחיים בגדה / ‘Insufficient Evidence’: Nine EU Nations to Keep Ties With Palestinian NGOs Israel Blacklisted as Terrorist Groups. ''Haaretz'', 12 July 2022.
11. (18 August 2022). "Israeli forces raid offices of several Palestinian CSOs in Ramallah". Palestinian News & Information Agency (WAFA).
12. "Israel Raids Outlawed Palestinian Rights Groups' Offices in West Bank". Haaretz.