ifda dossier 74 - Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation

The process set out in the bill for the
exercise of this power involves entirely
unacceptable violations of the rights of
those affected. The policy may exercise their
discretion to seize property on the basis of
a mere suspicion (which will usually mean
information provided by the security ser-
vices), and arc given wide powers to enter
premises without a search warrant and use
any "reasonable" means necessary in carry-
ing out the seizure, surely leaving associa-
tions open in future to arbitriiry police
raids.
One further point; the court lias power to
order the foreclosure of any property
belonging to an individual or association, ie.
not only that found to have come from an
illegal source. Furthermore the bill provides
that any properly found on premises hcliev-
ed to be used by a "terrorist organisation",
even if only rarely, or in the possession or
control of a member, will be treated as the
property of the organisation unless the
contrary is proved. Therefore, for instance,
private houses of members of associations
may also be raided and anything found
confiscated until the member proves it
belonged to him or her and not to the
association.
.< "Illqul Corporations"
The third innovation provides for the
refusal to register and the closure of organisations.
Non-profit associations arc
regulated by the law of corporations and
must apply for regislr.-i lion on form;ition.
Under the bill llic 1tegistr;ir of Corporations
may refuse to register an "illegal
corporation". which is delinci.1 to include a
"ten-orist org.inisiition". one which serves thc
purposes of a "terrorist ori;;iiiisatioii". or
one which denies the existence of Hie stiite
of Israel. A court may review the decision.
There is also provision tor [lie liquid.-ition
of existing associations by a court on the
same grounds
The target of the Law
So why do the 80 or so registered Arab
non-profit associations believe that they are
among the intended targets of the new law?
Firstly, it is necessary to explain that the
background to these associations is 40 years
of neglect of and discrimination against the
Arab sector in Israel, as well as positive
attempts to obstruct its development by
such means as planning controls. The
Palestinian population, never integrated into
Israeli society and living in separate eom-
niunities, have always been treated as a
different category of citizen to whom little
or no responsibility is due. Although they
pay the same taxes as other citirens, the
Palestinians receive a negligible proportion
of state provision. Not only do Arab local
authorities receive one quarter the amount
pcr cupI;u of their Jewish counterp;irts, but
they arc left out of development projects
and lag far behind the Jewish Sector in
education, social services and every other
field. The Palestinian culture and Arabic
language (supposedly a second official
language in the state) are ignored and
suppressed.
As a result non-profit associations have
grown up in every field. It is not a matter
of parks and sports facilities, hut of basic
services and vit:il projects such as sanitation
systems, garbage trucks and kindergiirtcns.
Funding froni abroad plays a vital role. The
Jewish sector receives hundreds of millions
of dollars annually froni international bodies
such as the World Zionist Organisation and
the Jewish Agency', none of which is seen
by the Arab sector. The Arab sector rcceiv-
es funds Irom Church bodies and other
citi/cns' associations in Europe and tlie US,
and Iron1 wealthy I'alestinians and other
Arabs abro;id. Under the new law, any
lunds received from an Ar:ili source may be
viewed with suspicion and the integrity of