The United States has sanctioned three prominent Palestinian
human rights organisations—Al-Haq, Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights, and the
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights—for their role in supporting the
International Criminal Court's investigation into alleged Israeli war crimes in
Gaza. These NGOs strongly condemned the move as a "heinous act" amidst
ongoing accusations of genocide and widespread international concern over the
conflict.
What prompted the US sanctions on Palestinian NGOs?
As reported by Middle East Eye, the US government announced
sanctions on the three Palestinian human rights groups for urging the
International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate Israel over its actions in
Gaza, which have been labelled genocide by multiple experts and leaders. The
sanctions freeze any assets the organisations or their personnel hold in the
US, prohibit transactions in US dollars, and aim to dissuade international
entities from engaging with these bodies. The move is tied to an executive
order signed by former President Donald Trump in February 2025 targeting ICC
officials who issued arrest warrants for Israeli leaders including PrimeMinister Benjamin Netanyahu for war crimes relating to Gaza.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated,
“These entities have directly engaged in efforts by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute Israeli nationals, without Israel's consent."
Rubio also said the US and Israel are not signatories to the Rome
Statute and reject the ICC’s authority in this matter, describing the court’s
actions as "politicised agenda" that disregards their sovereignty.
How did the Palestinian NGOs respond to the sanctions?
In a joint statement cited by Middle East Eye, Al-Haq,
Al-Mezan, and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights condemned the sanctions
“in the strongest terms,” calling it an immoral, illegal, and cowardly act
during a time of genocide against Palestinians. They criticised the US for
working to destroy Palestinian institutions striving for justice and
accountability for victims of Israeli atrocities.
Amnesty International’s Erika Guevara-Rosas, Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns, described the sanctions as a
"deeply troubling and shameful assault on human rights"
and a brazen
attempt to weaken the Palestinian human rights movement and international
justice mechanisms. She emphasised the vital role these organisations play
documenting violations amid war and genocide, despite severe repression and
accusations of terrorism.
What are the backgrounds of the sanctioned organisations?
Al-Haq, founded in 1979, is one of the oldest Palestinian
human rights organisations, operating mainly in the occupied West Bank. It has
been subjected to Israeli attacks, including raids on its Ramallah offices and
accusations of links to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
(PFLP), a charge Israel has failed to substantiate with evidence. The CIA
reportedly found no proof supporting Israel’s terrorist designation of Al-Haq.
Al-Mezan and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights have
been documenting Israeli military strikes and alleged war crimes in Gaza,
especially following the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israel
which triggered a large-scale Israeli military offensive resulting in the
deaths of over 64,200 Palestinians and widespread devastation in Gaza.
How does the international community view the situation?
The sanctions come at a time when genocide scholars’
associations and various world leaders have identified Israel’s operations in
Gaza as constituting genocide. The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights recently
published a comprehensive report concluding Israel committed multiple acts
prohibited under the 1948 Genocide Convention, intended to destroy Palestinians
in Gaza as a group.
These developments have further complicated international
discourse around the Israel-Palestine conflict, with many countries signalling
support for Palestinian statehood at the upcoming United Nations General
Assembly, despite US warnings that recognition of Palestine would "create big
problems" amid Israel’s plans to annex parts of the West Bank.
What is the broader context of this conflict?
Following the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023, Israel
launched an intense military assault on Gaza, described by many international
observers as amounting to a genocide. The humanitarian situation in Gaza
remains dire, with hospitals overwhelmed, mass displacement, and severe
shortages of food and medical supplies. Israeli strikes continue to devastate
Gaza City, with recent attacks killing dozens of Palestinians in a single day.
Meanwhile, Hamas has expressed willingness to establish an
autonomous authority to govern Gaza and is open to a comprehensive ceasefire
that includes the release of Israeli hostages, indicating some movement towards
potential conflict de-escalation.
This multi-dimensional crisis embodies deep geopolitical and human rights tensions, with the latest US sanctions reflecting broader US-Israel policy stances and provoking sharp repercussions in international human rights and legal communities worldwide. The targeted NGOs remain critical voices documenting and seeking accountability for alleged war crimes amid an ongoing conflict with devastating human costs.