The Regavim Movement issued a statement on Wednesday in light of the European Union’s intention to sanction it, calling it an attempt to “silence” criticism.
“Regavim is a highly respected research and policy institute dedicated to lawful data collection and analysis regarding land-use policy in all areas under the jurisdiction of the State of Israel, including Area C of Judea and Samaria (the so-called ‘West Bank’),” the statement read.
“Our work includes exposing illegal use of public lands and national resources, environmental abuse, illegal construction and broader failures of governance on the part of the Israeli authorities. As part of our advocacy efforts, we also document and mount legal challenges against activities that constitute clear violations of both the spirit and the letter of international law and the Oslo Accords—including activities carried out or funded by the European Union itself,” Regavim went on to say.
Imposing draconian sanctions against a research and policy organization is a “blatant violation” of the E.U.’s “own proclaimed principles as a ‘community of laws and values,’” the NGO continued.
The statement emphasized that neither Regavim nor its director have ever been charged with any crime, nor can it be described as violent “according to any normal interpretation of the term.”
Regavim moreover condemned the moral equivalence drawn between it and Hamas by announcing sanctions against both at the same time.
The former is a “democratic civil society organization engaged in lawful public advocacy” while the latter is a terrorist organization “responsible for mass murder and systematic violence,” the NGO said.
It went on to condemn the E.U.’s failure to sanction Palestinian Authority officials in Judea and Samaria that it said consistently incite violence, glorify terrorism, support and actively perpetrate a “reign of terror” against both Israelis and Palestinian Arabs who pursue peaceful relations.
On Monday, E.U. foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stated that her organization “just gave the go-ahead to sanction Israeli settlers over violence against Palestinians.” She added that it had “also agreed new sanctions on leading Hamas figures.”
“It was high time we move from deadlock to delivery,” Kallas said. “Extremisms and violence carry consequences.”
The Regavim Movement and its director general, Meir Deutsch, were included in its blacklist.
