with Michael Sfard
Two weeks ago, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz announced the designation of 6 prominent Palestinian
West Bank NGO’s as “terrorist organizations”. Shortly thereafter the United States State Department asked for
clarification. Additionally, members of Congress have asked to be briefed on the evidence. Given that the
public has not seen that evidence, there has been widespread speculation on the contents of the allegations and
the dossier presented, the validity of the claims, and on the possible political motivations behind this
designation.
If true, why hasn’t Israel publicized its case against the six? Why has it opted to take administrative
rather than legal actions against them? What are the implications of this designation for these NGO and for the
rest of Palestinian civil society, and for their allies in Israel and in the international
community?
For answers to these and other questions regarding this affair, Michael Sfard, one of Israel’s preeminent
human rights lawyers, joined APN to discuss this situation.
Listen
HERE and read the transcript HERE.
SPEAKERS:
Michael Sfard is one of Israel’s leading human rights lawyers, representing – among
others – Israel’s Peace Now movement. He received the Emil Grunzweig Human Rights Award from the Association
for Civil Rights in Israel and an Open Society Fellowship. His writing on human rights has appeared in The New
York Times, Haaretz, The Independent, and Foreign Policy. In 2018, Sfard published his acclaimed book, The Wall
and the Gate: Israel, Palestine, and the Legal Battle for Human Rights. He lives in Tel Aviv.