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Israel has outlawed two non-governmental organizations (NGOs) operating in the northern regions of the country, citing their connections to Hamas and the Northern Branch of the Islamic Movement, which was banned in 2015.
The organizations, “Ifshaa’ Al-Salam” (Peace Spreading Committees) and the “Social Peace Foundation for Reform and Arbitration,” were shut down following a series of intelligence operations led by the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and the Defense Ministry.
According to the Israeli authorities, the Peace Spreading Committees were linked to the Northern Branch, which had been banned for its ties to Hamas, its inflammatory rhetoric regarding Jerusalem, and its role in inciting violence.
Raed Salah, the leader of the Northern Branch and a prominent figure in the Arab-Israeli community, was arrested in connection to the activities of these groups.
Salah has been a controversial figure, previously arrested multiple times for incitement and leading protests in defense of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and against Israeli policies.
The statement from the Defense Ministry emphasized that “Ifshaa’ Al-Salam” had been operating as a cover for the Northern Branch’s activities, promoting the ideologies of the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas while disguising itself as an organization working to reduce violence in the Arab sector.
The committee’s operations reportedly included outreach to educational institutions within Arab communities, where activists promoted the banned Northern Branch’s ideology.
Salah, who has been described as a defender of Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa, was accused of using his position to inflame tensions and encourage violent protests.
The Israeli authorities claim that the committees were essentially a continuation of the Northern Branch’s banned activities, which have consistently aimed at spreading anti-Israeli sentiments within the Arab-Israeli community.
In addition to the closure of these NGOs, the Social Peace Foundation, an organization allegedly funding the committees, had its accounts frozen, further intensifying the crackdown on these groups.
Dr. Nathaniel S. Avneri, an expert on the Arab-Israeli community, noted that while the move would have significant economic and legal consequences, it was unlikely to end the groups’ activities.
He pointed out that such organizations would likely continue to operate under new names, making the effort a “game of cat and mouse.”
The Northern Branch of the Islamic Movement, which was officially declared an illegal organization in 2015, has been a source of division within Israel’s Arab population.
Its counterpart, the Southern Branch, has taken a more moderate approach, even participating in Israeli politics through the Ra’am party.
Despite this, the Northern Branch remains influential in certain communities, with leaders like Raed Salah continuing to serve as powerful figures.
The Israeli government’s efforts to curb the influence of Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood within the Arab-Israeli community have been ongoing, with the latest move against these NGOs representing a significant step in this direction.
However, experts like Avneri suggest that such measures may only be temporary, and that the groups involved are likely to regroup and rebrand in order to continue their activities.