oPt: Humanitarian organizations reaffirm decision to pursue petition before Israel’s High Court of Justice following recent hearing
Country: occupied Palestinian territory Source: Association of International Development Agencies Please refer to the attached file. Today, 18 members from a coalition of humanitarian organizations represented by the Association of International Development Agencies (AIDA), have reaffirmed their decision to proceed with a peƟƟon before Israel’s High Court of Justice, following the hearing held earlier this week. The petition was brought by AIDA and a number of other INGOs operating in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), following the introduction of a new Israeli registration system which placed dozens of international humanitarian organizations, including many AIDA members, at risk of further restricting their ability to operate in Israel and the oPt. Although applications under the new system were submitted, they remain stalled because of demands for extensive confidential staff data. Given the severe implications for humanitarian access, AIDA members continue this legal process because they believe the case raises essential questions of law that deserve full judicial consideration. At the hearing, the Court restricted arguments to the narrow issue of data privacy, preventing petitioning organizations from presenting the broader legal and security issues involved, including Israel’s obligations as an occupying power and the legality of measures that could impede humanitarian activity. AIDA members were deeply concerned that the hearing did not provide sufficient space to address these central questions, and that petitioning organisations, as well as diplomats, were not allowed in to the court hearing, while senior Israeli government officials, their entourages and other observers not affiliated with any of the proceedings, were permitted entry and were disruptive.