Hollywood stars slam Israel’s labelling of Palestine NGOs as terror groups

Over 100 Hollywood celebrities have signed a letter criticising Israel’s labelling of six Palestinian NGOs as terror groups, international news agencies reported yesterday.

Among the signatories were Hollywood stars Richard Gere, Claire Foy, Tilda Swinton and Susan Sarandon; director Ken Loach, musician Jarvis Cocker, the band Massive Attack, and authors Philip Pullman, Colm Tobin and Irvine Welsh.

Sky News reported that the letter describes the Israeli move as “an unprecedented and blanket attack on Palestinian human rights defenders.”

“The designations target six of the most eminent Palestinian human rights defenders engaged in critical human rights work and cover all aspects of civil society in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”

The letter also stated that the six charities provide legal aid to Palestinians and document alleged human rights abuses by Israel, Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, as well as promoting the rights of women, farmworkers and children.

Israel has labelled Addameer, Al-Haq, Defense for Children International-Palestine, the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees and the Union of Agricultural Work Committees as terror groups.

This designation makes members of their boards and employees vulnerable to brutal Israeli measures, including detention and torture.

READ: ‘I have a special place in my heart for Palestinians’, says Hollywood legend Richard Gere