Israel's Shin Bet detains Palestinian NGO director after raid on offices

Israel’s internal security agency detained and interrogated Khaled Qazmar, Director of Defence for Children-International Palestine (DCIP), for hours on Sunday following a raid on the NGO’s offices last week. 

Qazmar was summoned to Shin Bet premises at the Israeli military base in Ofer, near to Ramallah and Beituniya.  

The NGO director was not allowed a legal counsel, according to the charity, and details of the interrogation are yet to be released. 

“He warned that this would happen, and called for action from the international community. This is the result of months of silence and failure of the US government to condemn the attacks on Palestinian society” tweeted Yumna Patel of Mondoweiss Bethlehem. 

At the same time on Sunday, Shin Bet was unsuccessfully trying to force Shawan Jabarin, director of NGO al-Haq, to attend interrogation at the Ofer military base. 

Israeli forces raided our office and welded our front door shut this morning, nearly a year after outlawing our work and calling us terrorists for protecting & defending Palestinian children's rights. This work isn't getting easier—but we aren't going anywhere. #StandWithThe6 pic.twitter.com/iAZK2DteZz

— Defense for Children (@DCIPalestine) August 18, 2022

The hashtag #StandWithThe6 is being used to spread information about Israel’s wave of attacks on Palestinian civil society, and refers to the six groups which were declared ‘terrorist organisations’ by Israel last October. 

All six organisations - and one other - faced raids last week as Israel cracked down on the NGO’s activities in the West Bank.  

DCIP’s offers free legal aid to children in detention, documenting violations of international law against young people. 

Israel is arguing that DCIP, along with the other five organisations, is a front for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

The six NGOs provide services to the Palestinian population across legal assistance, agriculture, women's rights and children's rights, producing development studies and documenting human rights violations.