The Israeli Authority escalate its closure campaign against the Palestinian local NGOs in Jerusalem

The EAPPI Jerusalem office posted this article to 'Dorothy's' News Group;  another sad commentary about how peace-oriented Israeli and Palestinian groups are getting the ax of closure by the Israeli non-democratic government:

Please see below a press release from the Civic Coalition.

The Israeli Authority escalate its closure campaign against the Palestinian local NGOs in Jerusalem

The Palestinian Institutions in Jerusalem strongly condemn the closure of four Palestinian NGOs in Jerusalem. Part of the Israeli policy to control and undermined the role of Palestinian civil society presence and effort Jerusalem. On the 25^th of October, the Israeli Police handed a closing order to four registered Palestinian Jerusalemite NGOs for one month. The four NGOs provide services for Palestinian community in Jerusalem. The four NGOs include: 

· Shua’a Women Association: is a community based organization working in Jerusalem. Shua’a is, well known, and well respected Palestinian NGO dedicated to the empowering of women in Jerusalem to achieve their social, economic and political rights.; it provides educational opportunities and capacity building for Palestinian women in Jerusalem, strengthening their abilities and presence in their communities through education, enhancing leadership, capacity building workshops and training activities.

· Al Quads development foundation: Al Quads foundation is a well-known repected developmental and charitable institutions located in Dahiat Al bareed junction. It provides legal intervention for targeted areas in Jerusalem such as AL bustan/Silwan. It provides material and financial support for poor and marginalized families in East Jerusalem. It organizes alternative tours of Jerusalem mainly the old city. It provides support to schools and students, such as computer centers and recreation projects.

· Work without border: It is professional Center which provides employment opportunity for youth on line.

· Saeed educational Center: It is an educational institution located in Kufour Aqab. It provides educational support to schools and students. It provides creative educational programs for students. It provides educational training on creative education style for east Jerusalem schools. It provides academic counseling and consultation for academic institutions.

The closure of the four NGOs is not an isolated incident of socio-cultural repression in East Jerusalem. Since August 2001, the Israeli authorities closed approximately 28 organizations serving the Palestinian community, including the reputable Orient House, the Jerusalem Chamber of Commerce and the Arab Studies Society. Since the beginning of 2009, Israeli authorities have banned, and physically prevented, numerous peaceful, cultural, and educational activities marking the declaration of Jerusalem as the "Capital of Arab Culture 2009." In addition, the Palestinian National Theater, which hosts folkloric dancing festivals, art exhibitions for Palestinian artists, and a Palestinian festival for literature, was subjected to several closures during 2009. Other institutions subjected to closures include the Cultural Forum Society, the Agricultural and Industrial Chamber of Commerce, the Higher Tourist Culture Center, and the Small Project Center, established by the European Union. The activities carried out by these institutions were publicized in the media, and all relate to the social, cultural, and economic development of the Palestinian community.

The closure of these and other Palestinian institutions are part of a broader policy through which the Israeli authorities seek to stifle Palestinian development in Jerusalem and increase the strength of Israel’s occupation over East Jerusalem. These closures relate to the overarching policy that includes violations of housing rights, revocation of residency, and ultimately results in the forced displacement of Palestinians from Jerusalem.

East Jerusalem is incontrovertibly recognized under international law as an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territory over which the Palestinian people are entitled to exercise their right to self-determination. As a fundamental principle of international human rights law, the right to self-determination includes the right of peoples to freely pursue their social, cultural, and economic development. Furthermore, freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly are also fundamental guarantees enshrined under international human rights law that are systematically denied to the Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem.

The Palestinian Institutions in Jerusalem call upon the international Community, the United Nations, and the EU, to take responsibility to uphold their obligations towards the protected persons under occupation in Jerusalem. We demand the International community to oblige the Israeli government to refrain from closing the Palestinian institutions in East Jerusalem.

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Dima Bazbaz
Administrative Assistant
Civic Coalition- Jerusalem
Tel: 6287677, 2343929
Fax: 2343936
email: civiccoalition@gmail.com
www.civiccoalition-jerusalem.org