Ramallah - "Jerusalem" dot com - The official spokeswoman for the European Union's External Relations and Security Affairs Officer, Nabila Masrali, said that the Union will continue to support Palestinian civil society organizations that seek to promote respect for international law, human rights and democratic values.

In a statement issued today, Saturday, on the Israeli measures against a number of civil society organizations in Ramallah, she added, "The European Union shares international concerns about the raids and measures taken by the Israeli forces on August 18 against a number of Palestinian civil society organizations in Ramallah." in Area A of the occupied West Bank.

And the statement continued: Some of the affected organizations were listed as “terrorist organizations” by the Israeli Ministry of Defense in 2021, explaining that the European Union has always dealt with accusations of terrorism or links to terrorist groups very seriously, and has been in contact with the Israeli authorities seeking to achieve the essence of the information. Regarding the appointments, on the basis of the information provided so far, the allegations of misuse of EU funds by these organizations have not been substantiated.

The statement stressed that a free and strong civil society is indispensable for the promotion of democratic values and progress towards a two-state solution, noting that the European Union is committed to continuing its support for civil society that contributes to achieving this purpose and building trust between Israelis and Palestinians.

"It is imperative that such organizations be allowed to pursue their legitimate and peaceful activities. As mentioned before, it is critical to ensure that counter-terrorism legislation does not undermine civil society and its valuable work and contributions to building more just and peaceful societies," the statement stressed.

It is noteworthy that, two days ago, the occupation forces closed the headquarters of 7 Palestinian NGOs, in the cities of Ramallah and Al-Bireh, and confiscated their properties, namely: Al-Dameer for Prisoner Care and Human Rights, Al-Qanun for Human Rights “Al-Haq”, Bisan Center for Research and Development, and the Union of Women’s Committees. And the Health Work Committees Foundation, the Union of Agricultural Work Committees, and Defense for Children International / Palestine Branch, which was met with widespread local, Arab and international condemnation.

On October 19, 2021, the Israeli occupation authorities decided to close down 6 of these institutions (except for the Health Work Committees), claiming that they are "terrorist organizations."