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Dear Minister Coveney and Minister of State Byrne, I am writing in relation to the shocking military order issued last week by Israel’s Ministry of Defence that seeks to criminalise and ban six prominent, highly respected and effective Palestinian human rights organisations. As you know, the groups in question are Defense for Children International Palestine, Al-Haq, Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association, the Union of Agricultural Work Committees, Bisan Center for Research and Development and the Union of Palestinian Women Committees – all internationally esteemed defenders of Palestinian rights. This is a dangerous and deplorable decision, the culmination of decades of the Israeli state’s attempts to smear, silence and shut down Palestinian civil society organisations and to punish those human rights defenders who shine a light onto its crimes against the Palestinian people. This must be seen as a sinister campaign to completely shut down the crucial work of these eminent organisations, and by extension, to criminalise broader Palestinian society and further hamper people’s rights to organise and associate; it must be resisted. I join the outcry against this outrageous decision expressed by civil society and political leaders across the globe, including by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the International Federation for Human Rights. I am repulsed by this repressive and anti-democratic act and call on the Irish government to condemn it and to demand accountability for Israel’s illegal actions. I have read the Minister’s recent statement on the matter, and welcome your concern and reference to previous similar unfounded allegations made by Israeli authorities. Unfortunately, however, I feel these words falls far short of being the response that is so urgently required. Because the international community, Ireland included, has granted Israel impunity for its crimes against the Palestinian people, that state knows it can act ever more outrageously with no fear of being called to account. This unsustainable and unjust situation must end. As a first step, the Irish government must stand up for these brave human rights defenders who work tirelessly in support of their people. - This move must be publicly condemned by the Irish government; - The Irish government must put pressure on Israel to reverse the ruling; - There must be a commitment from the government that such arbitrary declarations have no legal standing and will have no effect on current or future Irish state funding to Palestinian civil society organisations; - Should the designation remain in place, there must be real and practical consequences for such an outrageous attack on Palestinian civil society. I await your response and appropriate action from the Irish government. Yours sincerely,