Political Activities of Israeli and Palestinian NGOs - II
NGO Monitor
May 16, 2006
Physicians for Human Rights - Israel, B'Tselem, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel , the Al Mezan Center for Human Rights and the Gaza Community Mental Health Program petitioned the Israeli Supreme Court and demanded that the IDF's decision to reduce the 'safety zone' for artillery fire on the Gaza Strip be cancelled. Their statements failed to acknowledge that terrorist groups exploit civilians as cover for launching attacks against Israel, or insist that the PA prevent such attacks.
However, in April, B'Tselem released a press statement which strongly denounced the firing of Qassam rockets into Israeli towns by Palestinian terrorist groups. The statement described these acts as "war crimes" and criticized the Palestinian groups who fire the Qassam's for launching them from areas where civilians live.
An editorial at the Miftah website dated April 20 described the suicide bomber who killed eleven people on April 17 as "innocent." The article stated that the bombing "took nine innocent Israeli lives and one innocent Palestinian life", described Israeli policy as "state terrorism" and called U.S. insistence on the PA to prevent terrorist attacks an "unachievable demand."