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US reviewing new Israeli intel on six Palestinian entities designated as terrorist groups

Israeli security forces last month raided the offices of the organizations in Ramallah, with soldiers reportedly confiscating dozens of documents, printers and computers.

U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price briefs reporters in Washington, May 11, 2021. Credit: U.S. State Department Photo by Ron Przysucha.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price briefs reporters in Washington, May 11, 2021. Credit: U.S. State Department Photo by Ron Przysucha.

The United States is reviewing new Israeli intel that purportedly details the terror ties of six Palestinian organizations outlawed by Israel in October 2021, State Department spokesman Ned Price said on Tuesday.

“Our Israeli partners have in recent days provided us with additional information. They provided this information not only to the department but also to a range of our interagency partners. We are continuing to review this and that process is ongoing,” Price told reporters during a briefing in Washington, D.C.

Israeli authorities in August ratified the terrorist designations of The Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees (UPWC), Bisan and Adameer. The designations of another three organizations—Al-Haq, Defense for Children International-Palestine (DCI-P) and Union of Agricultural Work Committees’ (UAWC)—were not finalized at the same time due to appeals submitted to the IDF’s Central Command.

Israeli security forces last month raided the offices of the organizations in Ramallah, with soldiers reportedly confiscating dozens of documents, printers and computers, and posting notices declaring the groups illegal.

Thereafter, the six organizations in an open letter called on U.S. President Joe Biden to condemn the Israeli government’s actions and reject its “unsubstantiated allegations” against the groups, Axios reported on Tuesday.

The outlet reported that the Israeli delegation that presented the latest intel included officials from the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), the Foreign Ministry and the Defense Ministry financial intelligence unit that had spearheaded the effort to outlaw the organizations.

They reportedly presented the evidence to counterparts from the State Department, CIA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

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