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Seventeen Aid Groups Ask Israel’s Top Court to Halt March 1 Ban on 37 NGOs

COGAT defends the data‑sharing rules as security measures with limited impact.

Overview

  • The petition seeks an urgent interim order to keep operations in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem during judicial review, with the government due to respond by Wednesday afternoon.
  • Israel’s updated registration requires NGOs to submit lists of Palestinian and foreign staff, including names, passport numbers and identification numbers, to the Ministry of Diaspora and Combating Anti‑Semitism.
  • Aid organizations argue that handing over biodata would endanger personnel and violate neutrality and data‑protection obligations, and they propose independent sanctions screening and donor‑audited vetting as alternatives.
  • UN coordination bodies warn that forced closures would immediately shut health facilities and cut specialized care, while only 27 organizations have approved registration so far.
  • Groups report supply blockages and visa denials already constraining operations, as Israeli authorities say the deregistered NGOs account for less than 1% of aid entering Gaza.