Regavim ’s Role in Serving Israel’s Settler Colonial Regime

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Table of Content

3 Abstract

4 Regavim: Practicing and Enforcing Israel’s Settler Colonial Policy

9 Regavim’s institutional and staff connections to Israeli state institutions and authorities

9 Regavim and state funding

10 Regavim links to Israeli executive, judiciary and legislative authorities

15 Regavim’s violations of International Law

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Abstract

This report explores how Regavim, a government sponsored non-governmental organization, aids and abets in the commission of international crimes against Palestinian and Syrian communities in the occupied Palestinian land and occupied Golan Heights, and assists in human rights violations within the 1948 borders. The first section of the report examines Regavim’s incitement, surveillance, harassment, and smear campaigns against Palestinians with the aim of forcibly displacing them from their land. The second section of the report exposes the link between Regavim and Israeli government bodies, including settlement councils that are the main funders for Regavim, and Members of Knesset (MKs). The final section analyze Regavim’s activities through the lens of International Law, highlighting the legal framework it operates in.

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Section One: Regavim: Practicing and Enforcing Israel’s Settler Colonial Policy

Regavim is an Israeli colonial organization that was established in 2006 to combat the existence of non-Jewish communities mainly living in Area C in the , Naqab,Galilee and Golan Heights. As mentioned in an introductory video of the organization, Regavim claims to be a “non-profit organization” that focuses on “protecting Israel’s national lands using cutting edge surveillance and track technology along with a nation-wide network of local informants that able to monitor and document the building of illegal structures intended of grabbing undisputed Israeli land” 1

Regavim’s work concentrates on detecting and collecting data on Palestinian constructions which is carried out by their field coordinators on the ground. The organization uses the results of their collected data, under the pretense that these constructions are built with no permits, to pressures the Israeli occupying authorities to take action by enforcing sanctions on Palestinian owners and demolishing the targeted constructions. 2 According to Regavim, as a result of their work, demolitions targeting Palestinian Bedouin structures in the Naqab have risen from 300 to 700 structures per year. 3

In the Galilee, Regavim is gearing up their smear campaign against non-Jewish villages. The organization has submitted petitions and tens of messages to Israeli occupying authorities in the area requesting to carry out house demolitions belonging to residents of Palestinian Arab villages in the Gallilee. 4 For example, it was noted that Regavim has filled many legal petitions against structures belonging to Druze families in the Galilee. The Othman family from Rama village was one of those families who received a demolition order for their structure after Regavim submitted a lawsuit in the courts. 5 In the Golan Heights, Regavim has also been targeting residential structures belongs to the Druze community of Syria. In 2009, Regavim filed a legal petition to the Israeli High Court demanding the authorities to stop the

1 See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=217&v=nPZlASGmZBk 2 See: https://972mag.com/rightist-groups-creeping-state-influence-on-both-sides-of-green-line/55149/ 3 See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=217&v=nPZlASGmZBk 4 https://www.regavim.org/shana-tova-from-the-flowering-north/ 5 https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/cdb1a7_a8795a3be9b84f078c4c9e78aef00a09.pdf

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ongoing construction of residential buildings carried on by the Druze Waqf in Majdal Shams town. In response, the construction was halted. 6

While in the West Bank, mainly in Area C and/or areas adjacent to Israeli settlements and the apartheid wall, demolitions of Palestinian houses are accelerating at a rapid pace. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs ( OCHA), since the year 2009, Israeli occupying authorities have demolished at least 6204 Palestinian structure in the area of West Bank -including East Jerusalem- affecting the lives of 101,438 residents and causing the forcible transfer of at least 9571 Palestinian from their lands. 7

Recently, on July 22, 2019 Israeli occupying forces destroyed 10 residential buildings in Wadi Alhummus neighbourhood in Sur Baher village (South-East Jerusalem), as part of a massive demolition plan. Most of the structures were located in Area A and B to. 8 For example, one month before Wadi Al-Hummus demolition, In June 2019, Regavim launched an incitement campaign under the name “A Terrorist State-Right around the corner” encouraging the Israeli government to carry on with demolitions of Palestinian structures in the West Bank. 9 The current general director of Regavim, Meir Deutsch, said in a public statement: “If the Israeli government doesn’t wake up, the citizens of Israel will wake up to a very harsh reality – a terrorist state right around the corner.” 10

As mentioned earlier, Regavim is playing major role to ensure that the Israeli occupying authorities are well enforcing their settler-colonial regime in all Historic Palestine by cleansing targeted areas where non-Jewish and Palestinian populations live. For instance, in the case of Susiya, a village in the south Hebron Hills, Regavim filed a petition with the Israeli “High Court of Justice” requesting the mass demolition of structures in the village. 11 In response, the Israeli Civil Administration (ICA) distributed demolition orders threatening

6 https://www.jpost.com/Israel/Group-charges-massive-illegal-building-by-Druse-in-Golan 7 https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiMmJkZGRhYWQtODk0MS00MWJkLWI2NTktMDg1NGJlMGNiY2Y3Iiwi dCI6IjBmOWUzNWRiLTU0NGYtNGY2MC1iZGNjLTVlYTQxNmU2ZGM3MCIsImMiOjh9

8 https://www.nrc.no/news/demolitions-in-sur-baher-set-dangerous-precedent-for-palestinian- communities2/ . 9 https://www.regavim.org/a-terrorist-state-right-around-the-corner/ 10 http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/265242 11 https://www.btselem.org/planning_and_building/20120614_susiya

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to carry out a mass demolition of hundreds of inhabited housing structures to the village residents. Since then, a legal battle has taken place in the courts and with the committee for planning and licensing. However, in February 2018 the Israeli Supreme Court approved the demolition of seven structures in the village as a preface to an impending mass demolition for the village. 12

In 2009, Regavim filed its first petition in the Israeli High Court requesting that the Israeli occupying forces act as a sovereign power in the West Bank and dismantle Khan Al Ahmar, a Bedouin Palestinian village located East of Jerusalem. 13 Despite the fact that the court rejected the petition, the Israeli occupying authorities issued demolition orders for the entire community including a school that was built by the Italian INGO Vento di Terra .14 A report issued by the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied territories (B’tselem) on the Khan Al Ahmar case asserts that “From 2006 through May 2018, the authorities demolished 26 homes in the community, making 132 people homeless, 77 of them children and teenagers. Seven non-residential structures were also demolished. 15

In May 2018, the Israeli High Court ruled to demolish the entire village and transfer the residents to another location, however, the Israeli occupying authorities failed to carry out the demolition due to strong local resistance accompanied with accumulated international pressure. On this matter, the International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor warned the Israeli government that if they carry on by demolishing the village that she will not hesitate to take legal actions against Israel for commiting a war crime. 16 This led the Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to freeze the execution and postpone the demolition to an indefinite date. 17 In response, Regavim launched a campaign with the help of “influential members of the Likud party” to pressure Netanyahu and other Knesset members to carry out the demolition. On this matter, the organization’s 2018 annual report included the following

12 https://www.ochaopt.org/sites/default/files/ocha_opt_the_humanitarian_monitor_2012_03_21_english.pd f 13 https://peacenow.org.il/en/impending-destruction-khan-al-ahmar-village 14 https://972mag.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-khan-al-ahmar/138224/ 15 https://www.btselem.org/communities_facing_expulsion/khan_al_ahmar 16 https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/icc-prosecutor-warns-israeli-demolition-of-bedouin-village-could- be-war-crime-1.6570051 17 https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/10/israel-freezes-palestinian-village-khan-al-ahmar-demolition- order-181021062237612.html

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statement:

“For a decade, Regavim has led the legal battle for Khan al Ahmar in Israel's High Court of Justice, leading to the Supreme Court's recent precedent-setting decision allowing the State to enforce the law at this crucial site.” The report added “Khan al Ahmar will remain high on our agenda for 2019”. 18 Regavim claims that it has filled up to a total of 6 petitions in the Israeli Courts demanding the demolition of Khan Al Ahmar. 19

Forcible or voluntary transfer of Palestinian communities living in the 1967 Occupied is prohibited and considered to be a war crime in International law. A statement issued by Amnesty international organization over the case of Khan Alahmar said: “Forcible transfer of people under occupation is a serious breach of the IV Geneva Convention. The deportation or transfer of all or parts of the population of the occupied territory within or outside this territory constitutes a war crime under Article 8 of the Rome Statute.” 20

Regavim publicly celebrates its work especially when it leads to the demolition of Palestinian structures. For example, in June 2019, Regavim’s Facebook page celebrated their achievement in pressuring the Israeli occupying authorities to demolish agriculture barracks and workshops that were the main source of income for two Palestinian families from Der Ballut village in the West Bank. 21

It is clear that Regavim is working to serve Israel’s colonial-annexation regime. Indeed, the organization receives political and financial support from Israeli state actors and right wing Zionist organizations worldwide. Additionally it receives exceptional access to the Israeli

18 https://www.regavim.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Regavim2018-Annual-Report-digital-view-2.pdf

19 https://www.jpost.com/Israel-Elections/Days-before-the-election-Netanyahu-promises-to-evacuate-Khan- al-Ahmar-585958

20 https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/09/israel-opt-israeli-court-approves-a-war-crime-by- ruling-in-favour-of-demolishing-the-entire-village-of-khan-al-ahmar/

21 (https://www.facebook.com/regavim/photos/a.112918748780762/2856474017758541/?type=3&theater) and (https://www.facebook.com/regavim/photos/a.112918748780762/2798450716894205/?type=3&theater)

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judicial system. The next section will discuss Regavim’s institutional and staff connections to Israeli state institutions and authorities.

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Section Two: Regavim’s institutional and staff connections to Israeli state institutions and authorities

● Regavim and state funding

Since it was founded in 2006, Regavim has been increasingly funded by Zionist settler organizations and councils which themselves receive funds from the Israeli state. For example, in December 2017, 40 million shekels were distributed by the Israeli government to Israeli settlements council’s funds, which are then channeled to encourage and support settlement colonial activity.22

A report submitted by Regavim to Israel’s Registrar of nonprofit organizations from the year 2006 to 2014, proves that most of Regavim totaling 20 million shekels was an allocated budget that came from public funds. 23

An investigative report conducted by shows that from the year 2006 to 2016, Regavim’s state funds rose from 70,000 shekels to more than 2 million Shekels. In total, Regavim has received approximately 12.115 million shekels --3.461 million dollars- from several settlement councils in the West Bank. 24 For instance, in 2011 the Swedish development organization “Diakonia” stated that a significant amount of donations from the settlement councils of Beit Yatir and Ma’on Tzviel in the south Hebron Hills were given to Regavim. 25

Moreover, the Samaria settlement council provided Regavim with an amount of 300,000 shekels in exchange for the organization’s handling of “illegal Palestinian construction” in the council’s jurisdiction. It was also noted that the Hebron Hill settlement council

22 https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-israeli-gov-t-funded-council-spent-millions-on-illegal- settlements-1.5883552 23 https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israeli-state-funded-settler-group-spied-on-human-rights-ngos-1.5392463)

24 https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israeli-right-wing-ngo-regavim-gets-millions-of-shekels-in-public- fund-1.5744933) . 25 https://www.diakonia.se/globalassets/documents/ihl/ihl-resources-center/rule-of-law_final_mar5.pdf

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provided the organization with 520,000 shekels between 2014 and 2016 for “protecting and liberating lands.” 26

Similarly, in the years 2013 and 2015, both the Mateh settlement council and the Benyamin settlement council supported Regavim with 2.4 million shekels .27 In the same context, the Israeli Non-Governmental Organization ‘’ stated that Regavim has also received “5,640,000 shekels from other public sources.” 28

By being mainly funded by Israeli state institutions, one can conclude that a big portion of Regavim’s budget is paid from Israeli taxpayers. 29 In fact, whether these taxpayers agree with Regavim’s colonial activities or not, they are technically fueling it.

● Regavim links to Israeli executive, judiciary and legislative authorities

Regavim is auspiciously linked to the Israeli executive, Judiciary and legislative authorities. It is important to note that most of Regavim’s staff are settlers who live in West Bank settlements. An investigation conducted by the Israeli organization Kerem Navot shows that at least 15 of Regavim’s key staff members live or have lived in Israeli settlements in the WestBank.30 For example, the ex-director general of Regavim, Yehuda Eliyah, lives in a house with a demolition order issued against it in the settlement of Haresh. Similarly, Regavim’s main attorney, Boaz Arzi, leads Regavim’s legal work and lives in a house on privately owned Palestinian land with a demolition order issued against it due to its lack of a building permit. Also, one of main Regavim founders, the attorney Donor Nir Zivi who represents Regavim in courts, lives in the settlement Havat Yair with demolition orders issued against his structures. Regavim’s spokesperson, Avraham Binyamin, lives in a territory to which entry was forbidden by the Israeli occupying authorities and demolition

26 https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israeli-right-wing-ngo-regavim-gets-millions-of-shekels-in-public- fund-1.5744933) Formatted: Font: (Default) Times https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israeli-state-funded-settler-group-spied-on-human-rights-ngos- New Roman, 12 pt, Font color: Auto, 1.5392463) Complex Script Font: Times New Roman, 12 pt 28 http://peacenow.org.il/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Mateh-Benyamin-Regional-Council_Report-3.pdf

29 https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israeli-right-wing-ngo-regavim-gets-millions-of-shekels-in-public- fund-1.5744933) 30 https://www.facebook.com/KeremNavotEn/videos/regavim-exposed/1075698095930168/

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order was issued against his structures. Regavim’s field coordinator, Yishai Hemo lives in the settlement of Itamar in the West Bank. 31

To shed light on Regavim’s link to the Israel executive and legislative authorities, it is important to highlight the case of MK Betzalal Smoritch, one of Regavim’s main founders and former director of the organization. Smotrich is currently the Minister of Transportation and Member of Knesset for the newly formed right wing coalition ‘United Right.’ Smotrich also lives in the settlement of built on privately owned Palestinian land in the northern West Bank. 32 Emphasizing the strong relationship between Regavim and the Israeli occupying authorities, Smoritch once said: “on the ground and in many departments of the Ministry of Interior, the Israel Land Administration, the Ministry of Justice etc., Regavim is regarded as a positive element whose aim is to help them meet the pressure exerted by the left.” 33

In addition to the executive and the judiciary, Regavim works with the police and the “ministry of defense” to provide support on the ground to occupying Israeli forces who carry out demolition orders against Palestinian structures in their area of responsibility. 34

More on this matter, Regavim worked closely with the Ministry of Justice headed by the Israeli right wing politician Ayelet Shaked and the Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. For example, as indicated in their 2018 annual report, Regavim celebrated imposing strict governmental anti-polygamy policy against Bedouin population in the Naqab to control the high birthrate among the community. Serving this aim, the government has formed a special directorate in partnership with the organization as stated in Regavim’s 2018 annual report: “For the first time in Israel's history, this newly formed directorate will coordinate among the relevant authorities in the Bedouin sector. The directorate, which includes a Regavim representative, has begun its work, and we congratulate Minister of Justice Ayelet Shaked and Attorney Emi Palmor, Director General of the Justice Ministry, for this historic step forward .” 35

31 https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/cdb1a7_a8795a3be9b84f078c4c9e78aef00a09.pdf 32 Ibid. 33 http://www.dci.plo.ps/print.php?id=125790y1202064Y125790) 34 https://www.regavim.org/shana-tova-from-the-flowering-north/ 35 https://www.regavim.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Regavim2018-Annual-Report-digital-view-2.pdf

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When preparing for the next Knesset elections in September 2019, Regavim organized an election tour to the new right chairwoman and ex-justice minister Aylet Shaked accompanied with her co-chair Naftali Bennett, former Minister for Education, in the Efrat Settlement south of Jerusalem. By consolidating strong connections with right wing politicians and Knesset members, Regavim assures to keep a leg in the legislative body to make use of it whenever needed. 36

For instance, in 2017, through the work of Regavim’s Co-founder MK Smotrich and their connections with Knesset members in the legislative committee the Knesset voted in favor of the new Israeli settlement “Regulation Law”. 37 The new law allows the Israeli government to ‘legally’ register confiscated Palestinian privately-owned land in which settlements are already built on to use for public good. 38 By doing so, demolition and evacuation orders will be suspended against settler constructions built on stolen Palestinian privately-owned land in West Bank settlements (including structures like Smotrich and Arzi’s homes).39 Following the decision, the Knesset issued a statement saying:

“in many cases, settlements were built in agreed-upon areas, and were even encouraged or built in coordination with the state, or were built in good faith by the Israeli residents, who were unaware that this was privately-owned land. Leaving the situation as is in these settlements, or their destruction, is liable to seriously, unjustifiably harm those who have lived there for many years. Therefore, the regulation of these settlements is necessary .40

The use of Regavim connections in the Knesset to serve individual interests is not inconsistent. Indeed in 2017, the Israeli state comptroller report pointed out that Regavim’s ex-director general Yehuda Eliyah also served as an assistant to the Binyamin Settlement Council. Holding these two positions at the same time and receiving funds from the Benyamin council is a ‘conflict of interest’ as confirmed in the report. 41 Shortly after the release of the report, Smotrich proposed a bill in the Knesset aimed to limit the authority of

36 https://www.timesofisrael.com/shaked-demands-half-of-potential-united-right-slate-as-merger-talks-heat- up/ 37 https://www.jpost.com/Opinion/How-the-Blue-Liners-forced-the-Regulation-Laws-passing-481435 and https://www.regavim.org/regavims-work-bears-fruit-with-passing-of-knesset-regulation-bill/ 38 https://www.loc.gov/law/help/israel-settlement/judea-and-samaria.php 39 Ibid. 40 .https://www.jpost.com/Opinion/How-the-Blue-Liners-forced-the-Regulation-Laws-passing-481435 41 http://peacenow.org.il/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Mateh-Benyamin-Regional-Council_Report-3.pdf

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the state comptroller. However, this time Regavim and Smoritich’s attempts failed and the bill did not see the light. 42

It is important to highlight that in 2005 Smoritich was arrested and interrogated by the Israeli security service, the Shin Beit for being accused of planning to blow up Israeli cars and structures to protest the Israeli government plan to withdraw from Gaza. The former Israeli deputy chief of Shin Beit Yitzhak ilan said about Smoritich: “He is a terrorist. He’s Jewish, but he’s a terrorist” and he added “at the time of the disengagement he wanted to blow up cars on the Ayalon highway, at rush hour, with gasoline. We caught him with 700 liters (185 gallons) of the stuff”. However, Smoritich was released three weeks later as he remained silent and didn’t confess. 43

On the Judicial level, the relationship with Regavim is witnessed in courts. Between the years 2005 and 2017, 63 legal petitions were filled by right wing organizations including Regavim against Palestinian constructions in the West Bank only. 44 In several cases where the court ruled to forcibly transfer Palestinian communities from Area C in West Bank, the courts granted Regavim the status of “ Amicus Curiae” - friend of court- which gives Regavim’s attorneys legal ability to advocate and push for demolitions in cases they are not part of. For example, the Israeli court ruled to carry out old demolition orders against the Palestinian village of , in the south Hebron Hills, directly after Regavim requested the status of amicus curiae for this case. This raises serious questions on Israel court’s impartiality. On this matter Diakonia report concluded: “Given that Regavim has received funding from settlements adjacent to the area in question, that would likely stand to profit from the removal of the communities therein, there appears to be a serious conflict of interest involved in the granting of such status to a settler organization. In conceding to the claims made by settler organizations, which find no grounding in international law and by additionally granting settler organizations amicus curiae status as in HCJ 413/13, the Court

42 https://www.timesofisrael.com/state-comptroller-regrets-mks-attempts-to-curb-his-powers/ and https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Right-wing-NGO-using-Israeli-state-funds-to-fight-govt-in-High- Court-514820 43 https://www.timesofisrael.com/former-shin-bet-deputy-chief-said-to-call-hardline-mk-smotrich-a- terrorist/ 44 https://www.regavim.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/RegavimMadidEng2806-4.pdf

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again creates a false equality before the law between the protected population and the settler community.” 45

Section Three: Regavim’s violations of International Law

The issue of non-governmental organizations obligations and responsibilities under international law is still uncharted territories. However, as elaborated in the previous section, the work of Regavim constitutes as aiding and abetting violations of international law.

The organization’s mission states “to ensure responsible, legal, accountable and environmentally friendly use of Israel’s national land and the return of the rule of law to all areas and aspects of the land and its preservation.” 46 This reflects a settler colonial impetus as the organization operates across the green line borders in historic Palestine including Area C in West Bank. 47 This perception of Area “C” constituting Israeli ‘national land’ is an endorsement of the annexation of the West Bank. This would be in violation of Article 2(4) of the UN Charter 48 on the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory through force - a peremptory norm of international law in and of itself.

Furthermore, the organization’s work is in violation of IHL and particularly the 4th Geneva Convention. 49 Paragraph 1 of Article 49 of the Convention states that “individual or mass forcible transfers,…, are prohibited, regardless of their motive.” Regavim’s work under the “…return of the rule of law to all areas and aspects of the land…” 50 portion of their mission is effectively leading to the demolition of Palestinian houses in West Bank including Area C and the East Jerusalem. House demolitions are among several methods employed by Israel towards the forcible displacement of Palestinians in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. For instance in the case of Khan Al Ahmar Regavim played major role in issuing demolition

45 https://www.diakonia.se/globalassets/documents/ihl/ihl-resources-center/rule-of-law_final_mar5.pdf 46 https://www.regavim.org/our-vision/

47 https://www.regavim.org/category/news/judea_and_samaria/

48 https://treaties.un.org/doc/publication/ctc/uncharter.pdf

49 https://www.un.org/en/genocideprevention/documents/atrocity-crimes/Doc.33_GC-IV-EN.pdf

50 Regavim (n 1)

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order by petitioning the community in the Israeli high court and as elaborated above the ICC considered the Israeli decision of demolishing Khan Al Ahmar is a serious breach of the 4th Geneva Convention and a war crime.

Additionally, Regavim’s work is also in violation of IHRL. This is particularly important due to the dual applicability of IHL and IHRL to the West Bank, and also it provides channels for accountability for Palestinians in the Galilee and the considering the inapplicability of IHL on Palestinian and Arabs holding Israeli citizens. Article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), 51 which Israel ratified on 3 October 1991 without reservations 52 states the following;

“The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right of everyone to an adequate standard of living for himself and his family, including adequate food, clothing and housing, and to the continuous improvement of living conditions…”

Regavim’s work not only violates residency and housing rights as enshrined in the aforementioned Article, but also violates other rights that are connected to residency rights, including education, healthcare, privacy and family rights, to name a few.

In terms of subject matter jurisdiction, Regavim’s work facilitated the commissioning of the following crimes: · Crime against humanity of “… forcible transfer of population”- Article 7(1)(d)

· War crime of “Extensive destruction and appropriation of property, not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly”- Article 8(2)(a)(iv)

· War crime of “Unlawful deportation or transfer or…”- Article 8(2)(a)(vii).

As a result and whether the international law holds nongovernmental organizations accountable for its violations or not, all organizations should respect the standards of International Human Rights, International Laws and IHL. Therefore, Regavim should avoid contributing to adverse human rights impacts through their activities and should

51 https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/ProfessionalInterest/cescr.pdf

52 https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/TreatyBodyExternal/Treaty.aspx?CountryID=84&Lang=EN

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end its complicity with the Israeli settler colonial regime and its violations of International law.

The Palestinian Civil Society Safeguard is a collective of Palestinian CSO representatives, Human Rights Defenders, academic researchers and others, who advocate for human rights and the protection civil space in the occupied Palestinian territory against incitement and smear campaign with the attempt to defame, delegitimize and CSOs and Human Rights Defenders, undermining their freedoms including freedom of expression, assembly and association and suppress any critical discourse about the Israeli government and its policies in the oPt.

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