Israel threatens top human rights lawyer over working with Palestinian NGO

A top Israeli human rights lawyer has revealed details about a letter he has received from the ministry of military affairs, saying he has been threatened over his work for a Palestinian NGO, designated as "a terrorist group" by the Tel Aviv regime.

Attorney Michael Sfard, who represents al-Haq, an independent Palestinian human rights organization based in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah, published the letter on Monday, which said he may be in violation of Israel’s so-called terror laws for collecting fees from the group. 

"We hereby draw your attention to the provisions of Section 32(d)(1) of the Law concerning the legal avenues for transactions in terrorist property," said the letter, dated July 14.

In a written response, Sfard said the letter suggested he could face seven years in prison for representing al-Haq.

 It is very difficult not to interpret it as a "threat" by the regime against a lawyer "engaging in entirely legal work," he wrote.

The letter was sent in the run-up to the July 20 hearing, during which appeals by al-Haq and the non-governmental organization Defense For Children International-Palestine (DCI-Palestine), will be heard -- two of the six organizations that are trying to overturn their designation after being labeled a "terrorist" group by Israel in October last year.

Sfard further warned he would consider requesting a postponement to the July 20 appeal hearing if the ministry does not retract it.

"My representation is compromised if it is done under circumstances in which there is a threat hanging over me," he told AFP.

Sfard also said this is the first time he has received such a letter, in more than a decade representing such organizations.

Meanwhile, the ministry said in a statement to AFP that the note was sent as "routine procedure."

"This letter does not constitute any type of threat, it simply references the instructions that apply to the lawyers in order to receive their fees," it said.

Such notes have been sent to "all the lawyers representing designated terrorist organizations," the statement added.

The latest development comes as nine European Union states rejected the Israeli regime’s terrorist designation of six Palestinian civil society groups last week, saying they will continue their cooperation and strong support for the organizations.

On October 25, the Israeli regime issued a military order declaring the six Palestinian groups as “terrorist organizations.”

The groups include Addameer, al-Haq, the Bisan Center for Research and Development, Defense for Children International in Palestine, Union of Agricultural Work Committees, and the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees.

The occupying regime accuses the Palestinian groups of funneling donor aid to Palestinian resistance fighters.

Among the targeted groups, Addameer and al-Haq’s work focuses on documenting the Israeli regime's human rights violations in the occupied territories.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk