A national meeting via video-conference was held between the Gaza Strip and West bank on 14 September 2009 to launch the national Campaign to Defend Public Freedoms and Human Rights and to Promote the Restoration of National Unity in Palestine. Over 150 r more
On October 2nd, 2009, the Palestinian Authority withdrew of its draft resolution supporting the recommendations contained in the Goldstone Report, resulting in a deferral of a vote to endorse the report in the Human Rights Council to March 2010. The repor more
The university of Trondheim in Norway may become the first university in the West to adopt an academic boycott of Israel, if a majority of its board votes in favor of the move at a meeting on the subject next month. more
In November 2009, the jury of the French National Consultant Committee for Human Rights in France selected the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network (PNGO) as one of the five winners more
( statement by the Palestinian NGO'S Network - PNGO ) Yesterday morning, May 6, 2010 at 6 am the Israeli General Security Service and Israeli police raided Ameer Makhoul's home in Haifa and arrested him. Makhoul, serves as General Director of Ittijah more
On Tuesday May 11, the Consul General of France in Jerusalem, Frédéric esagneaux, handed over a more
The Free Gaza flotilla, carrying around 700 pro-Palestinian activists from various countries, as well as approximately 10,000 tones of humanitarian aid, was headed for Gaza on Monday May 31st, 2010. While still travelling on international waters, 65 km of more
On June 20, 2007 President Abbas issued a new Decree on freedom of association which critically increased the powers of the Ministry of Interior regarding the terms of closure of NGOs, and which stipulates that all NGOs must re-apply for registration. The decree contradicts the right to establish organisations as guaranteed by the amended Fundamental Law of 2003 as well as international standards of human rights (see the section about the NGO Law on this website).
On the basis of this Decree, the Palestinian Authority decided on August 28 to dissolve 103 NGOs that had submitted their applications for re-registration, claiming that they had committed "legal, administrative and financial violations of Law No. 1 of 2000 on the solidarity of associations and non-governmental institutions".
PNGO, among many other Civil society bodies, took position against this decision, issued a statement, and took measures to counter it. Indeed PNGO feared that this step was taken within the context of several restrictions placed on civil society to undermine its role and restrict its work under the "State of Emergency" declared on 14 June 2007 in the OPT. Its fears are accentuated by the fact that most of the associations to be dissolved were registered in Gaza during the tenure of ex-Minister of Interior, Sa''''''''''''''''id Seyam, during the Hamas government, and therefore that these measures were taken based on political motivations.
In light of these facts, PNGO reaffirmed the right to form associations as a basic human right protected by the Palestinian Basic Law. It also stressed the importance of the role of civil society in Palestine for the last decades, whether in providing humanitarian support or development structures, and therefore reaffirmed the importance of protecting the civil society''''''''''''''''s work and independance.
Of the 103 organisations, 56 had been closed in late 2007.
Read PNGO statement about the closure of NGOs
Read Al Haq position about the closure of NGOs
Read about the PNGO NGO Law campaign