Israel withholding NGO employees' work permits

and constricting world knowledge of its activities in palestinian territory. and unfortunately, alot of israel's methods of late, along these lines, are reminiscent of a more sinister comparison than burma...albeit more subtle. "ahhhh, but's its the law". yes indeed it is; and THAT'S what makes it so ominous.

The Red Cross has never visited Shalit.Period.

to the collection of our national stupidities. Let the lord have mercy on our soul

Rogue nation, my ass. Every country has the right to issue or not issue work permits to foreigners. Try and get a work permit for the U.S. or U.K. If it will make you happy, BW, you are welcome to ask your government to keep Israelis from working in your NGOs and give us the right to do the same without criticizing us.

Israel is illegally occupying the West Bank under International Law. as you cannot under the Geneva Convention (Israel is a signatory) take land by force. This section of International Law was used to kick Saddam Hussein out of Kuwait in 1991. So to suggest I am making the law up shows that you are refuting an allegation with another allegation and trying to muddy the waters a standard zionist technique we have grown wise to. So having established that Israel is breaking the Geneva Convention (remember the West Bank is not a part of Israel) then articles for the protection of those under occupation come into being. That means visits by the Red Cross at the very least, and the Red cross can authorise other NGO's to undertake work on their behalf. Either way if this continues, we will issue more arrest warrants in London against Israelis who are taking part in it's administration, the soldiers enforcing it and the politicians who ordered it.

throw them all out once and for all . They all should be Persona-non-grate on any parts of the territory of Israel . Let them use Egypt to enter .

"the unsc cannot override article 80 of the un charter 1945" It hasn't. //Article 80 1. Except as may be agreed upon in individual trusteeship agreements, made under Articles 77, 79, and 81, placing each territory under the trusteeship system, and until such agreements have been concluded, nothing in this Chapter shall be construed in or of itself to alter in any manner the rights whatsoever of any states or any peoples or the terms of existing international instruments to which Members of the United Nations may respectively be parties. 2. Paragraph 1 of this Article shall not be interpreted as giving grounds for delay or postponement of the negotiation and conclusion of agreements for placing mandated and other territories under the trusteeship system as provided for in Article 77// --- There are no entities under trusteeship today. The trustee council is dormant.

There is only one way to handle a rogue nation, which Israel is rapidly becoming, and that is to deny and Israeli the right to visit any of our countries, the right to work in our countriesd and the right to hold dual citizenship. We can make a difference by writing to our own governments and insisting that no Israeli have the right to work in any of our countries for any reason.

the unsc cannot override article 80 of the un charter 1945 nor can it decide in a vacuum a state that does not exist or might never exist. unsc 1860 has not de jure meaning and is probably intended that way !1

HOW?

I can't say I'm shocked or this is news since this has been business as usual for decades. Israel has run out of Palestinians to bar from Palestine - has ethnically cleansed many, arrested some, assassinated and murdered more - and of course denied entry to Palestinian-Americans and those of other nationalities - and as we continue to see this progression of tightening the noose - no one else is left but actual foreigners DOING HUMANITARIAN WORK - and this is how a sick and perverse regime evolves over time - rather than follow a path of enlightenment and liberalism, it becomes more tyrannical and insolent. The only question that remains is what will Comrade Lieberman do next? My guess is a policy of killing the first born of Palestinians is not far behind! And even that won't shock me or surprise me.

8 January 2009, - UNSC Res 1860 Recalling all of its relevant resolutions, including resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973), 1397 (2002), 1515 (2003) and 1850 (2008), Stressing that the Gaza Strip constitutes an integral part of the territory occupied in 1967 and will be a part of the Palestinian state,

Show us this law you have invented. How about a legal claim for the Arabs too. Since that is the basis of your 'occupation' claim. Bet you can't come up with those so-called laws.

For intelligent people this is long overdue. These organizations are attempting to subvert a democratically elected government. Next they should be declared as foreign agents and deported

Seemingly there are no depths to which my government will not stoop in its efforts to ensure the isolation of the Palestinians. The aim is clear: to achieve colonization and ethnic cleansing unimpeded by representatives of the international community. I only hope that the rest of the world finally shows the balls to stand up to the Israeli authorities. As to the matter of preventing foreign academics from working at Palestinian universities. Well, if this were Israeli academics being barred from European and North American universities you can only imagine the outrage and calls of 'anti-semitism'. The hypocrisy is breathtaking.

Since 1967 is "Judea and Samaria" area or "West bank" a disputed land, subject to a low intensity war still going on despite past attempts to find a final settlement. The Palestinians did not constitute a state before 67, it was instead Jordan, which after the defeat in the war gave up in 1988 the sovereignty over the territories. In other words, as long as Israelis and Palestinians do not find a compromise solution through peace negotiations, the territories remain a legally disputed land of "none", this means without being subjected to the sovereignty of any state. And since the status quo, due this ongoing low intensity war persists, both Palestinians and Israelis can live and build there, having both sides claims that are rooted in lived history, religion and myth. So, the solution can only be political and based on compromise. Now tell me, who is not willing to compromise, and on what: Israel, the Palestinians/Arabs, both together? Do you see the whole picture? Not yet?

It's very easy for a terrorist to be a ngo employee...Just a week ago,a jordanian doctor murdered a group of Americans in Afg...

Whats funny Mr. Teacher is if you were to conduct your own experiment (the hand over the heart...etc) on yourself and talk about Arab-bashing then you'd probably beat fast as well. Secondly, you tell those Ausies about how they conquested & destroyed the aboriginies...etc but your failings with such statements is that you make it sound like CJ & others actually SUPPORTED & PARTICIPATED in killing aboriginies themselves, or atleast claimed to support it. ie: you made a conclusion & didnt base it on something they said. Maybe CJ is against what his people did in the past & present. It doesn't mean that bcoz his country committed all that you said means that they have to shut up to others forever & have no right in expressing their opinions. Unlike you & many other Israelis unfortunately, some ppl still have the capacity to see other countries' crimes AS WELL AS THEIR OWN. You dont have to conform to supporting your school's sports team just bcoz you're from the same school Teacher

when the "conflict" is over, then i will care about NGOs...

The reason there are now laws against the illegal acquisition of territory by war and illegal annexation, which YOU support, is because of early colonization by the British et al. Laws I fully support, including the return and recognition of land rights for Aboriginal people exactly as they ask, just as I do the Palestinians their rights and Jewish folk. Even yours. "Put your hand over your heart & feel how fast your heart beats when you bash,Jews/Israel" Bashed Jews m' dear? Cite an example. I merely suggest Israel abide by the Law. If you call that uncontrollable anger & hate, I feel very sorry for you. "Isn`t your health..." My health is fantastic thx all the same...

The thing is everybody knows what Israel's trying to achieve. It's trying to ethnically cleans East Jerusalem and the parts of the West Bank it wants to keep, but it's trying to do it so subtly that the US and European public don't notice and make a fuss. That's why rather than kicking Pals onto trucks, it uses petty harrassment, petty humiliation, house repossessions, biased planning regulations, refesual to renew residency, seizure of land for military purposes etc. etc. Out of interest, do any even of Israel's supporters deny this?

Subject matter, reading your post/replying and checking ingredients for sweet potato and apple pie... I'm going to make one tomorrow. I'll eat a slice for you. Nice and steady 56 BPM both subjects. : )

You mean make the illegal occupation of Palestine a job creation opportunity for those illegally occupying Palestinian Land funded by charitable donations of their donor's? So that is what this is about, creating jobs in attempt to reduce the numbers of Israelis unemployed, preferably Israeli Jews who have illegally settled on occupied territories to legitimise their existence?

stop giving Visa's and work permits to Israelis wishing to travel and work within the European Union until this instruction from Lieberman is revoked. I cannot believe Jews of all people will allow the banning of charity workers. Although saying that if Israel had to pay for the occupation and providing for all the Paeople's needs in the occupied territories then perhaps the true cost will make it apparent that Israel can't afford it.

Can you provide sources and details of the Red Cross's visit to Gilad Shalit?

Oxfam, Save the Children, Doctors Without Borders, Terre des Hommes, Handicap International and the Religious Society of Friends (a Quaker organization) They have no business helping Palestinians right? I mean everybody knows these are untrustworthy organisations right? It's once more petty Israeli bureacracy that saves the day. Or loses the day, depending on your outlook ofcourse

Or employ some Israelis for these well paid jobs in stead of only Palestinians.Just like the red cross that should recognize the red magen david and not only the red crescent.

Where exactly did you hear that 92.5% of NGO's are spies? Was it in some survey handed out to NGO's where they were actually asked that question and gave responses that they were spies? Thats a very specific percentage but I'm curious of the source. Frankly you and others in these posts from Israel are an embaressment to Israelis as you live in a fantasy world and have no idea what you're talking about. You make Israelis look like a bunch of really bad conspiracy-theorists. Talk facts not fiction please

The Red Cross did see Shalit!!! Got anything else to say? This is a violation of internation law. Let them in if you have nothing to hide. It's not their safety you're worried about. Hamas and Gazans want as much international support as they can get. Foreigners are welcomed with open arms in Gaza.

CJ & others, All those who have big mouths & always find some fault with Israel no matter what the subject matter is. Are the same people who have stolen the Aboriginese Land, (Continent) enslaved them,robbed their children & what is worse experimented on their children,injecting them with disease. Just to mention one of them: Leprosy. You really have the nerve telling others how to behave & what to do & what not to do ! Experiment: Put your hand over your heart & feel how fast your heart beats when you bash,Jews/Israel.Time it. Then say you take a neutral subject & go over the same experimend.What will be the difference between the two: that is the amount of hatred swelling in your heart,when talking about Zion ! Isn't your health more important than uncontrollable anger & hate !? That might cause an early demise. Oh!

International law/community is very clear: it is a military occupation. Also Israel must think so since they haven't actually formally annexed the occupied territory and made it a formal part of Israel. I e the comparison with Alsace is irrelevant. The comparison with Cyprus could be relevant, and there is no concensus that Turkey has a right to occupied territory there.

What about the 9 U.S. doctors from Los Angeles who joined up with the IDF rescuers in Haiti? Why were Doctors without Borders and the French Government Airbus equipped with a field hospital turned away from the Haiti airport? Now we see Israel holding back visas for Doctors without Borders to help Palestinians! A valuable window time to save trapped Haitians was lost because of the overcrowding of the Haitian airport when thousands of U.S. troops were landed! There are more U.S. troops per capita in Haiti than per capita in Afghanistan!

It is clear under International Law that you cannot acquire territory by force. Think when Iraq invaded Kuwait. And who has actually officially acknowledged Turkey's occupation of Cyprus? Just what part of that do you not get. International Laws which were brought in to avoid a repeat of WWII also apply to Israel.

Pambered children of the hundreds of NGOs, humanitarian organizations and states, while millions worldwide are in much worse conditions without having even remotely the help or support the Palestinians enjoy (and waste) since decades. Doesn't surprise me that they are politically so comfy and indolent.

"israeli civil law is not applied in the territories..israel does not grant israeli work permits to foreign ngo`s" They're not in Israel. Territories illegally acquired by war and illegally annexed are NOT legally Israeli. Israel's SOVEREIGN territory is exactly the same as it declared, May 14th 1948. No more, no less.

dear mr. pacifici (sounds jewish roman, isn't it), maybe you should ask yourself why so many NGOs volunteers express negative opinion on Israel: maybe because they see the reality of occupation (kibush), checkpoints (machsum), the ridiculous use of religion and history to uncover what is really hidden beghind the mask of the 'only democracy in MO'. Israel has started as a dream and sorted out as a nightmare: of course not for you rich european or american jews, not for the israelis living in Tel Aviv or Herzlya. Go to Gaza, go to West Bank and see the results of 42 years of occupation, than thank every NGO worker doing the dirty job for you.

"Do you think America is above the law to kill innocent civilians in Afganistan and Iraq?" On purpose? No. "Israel will do everything to protect it country and citizens." Except stop illegally acquirng other folk's territory "Doesn`t America do the same a-hole?" No...The US has LEGALLY annexed territory it has claimed. BTW 'a-hole' what has your post to do with NCO's??

Denying Medical and Food aid from the occupied territories is central to the defence of Israel? Is putting pasta in the bellies of children now an existential threat to Israel on the West Bank now as well as Gaza? This measure announced on the day republicans won an election so as not to be reported by the country that bankrolls Israel, will be dropped once the EU gets round to threatening sanctions against Israel. Sarkozy has already fired a warning shot by threatening to rein in Israel.

I have to say CJ - from your posts on here I see a very different side to you. What counts as the sovereign territory of france to you? Are you posting somewhere that france should give back the alsace. Or The sovereign territory of cyprus / turkey? Who loses in war, loses territory. Simple. The whole international law bs is a smokescreen for people that want to protect pan-arab aggression.

I guess we share just the name, but indeed not the vision of reality in this part of world. You may not know in depth the work of the NGOs in Palestine, otherwise you would not just bark like you did just to give air to the teeth. They are saving lives, and doing a lot of the work the the occupier (Israel) should to for the occupied (Pals). No usefull idiots, please keep it for someone else.

It sounds like battening down the hatches for a long siege.

You may have hit the nail on the head. The 'economic success' of Israel has been shown through their application to the OECD apparently Israel is poorer than Iceland. Therefore Israel cannot afford to have a vibrant and successful Palestine, probably supported with oil money next to it. As it would expose the lie that is Israel. Which has been exposed on our television screens this week with the shocking images from Haiti. Apparently Israel recieves more aid from the United States than Haiti which is apparently the poorest country in the Northern Hemisphere. No wonder they give so much money to AIPAC

CJK: "i said, and rightly so, that geneva does not require israel to give work permits to ngo`s." Israel is hoist on its own petard, Cippie. Article 30 says that Israel "shall facilitate, as much as possible, visits to protected persons by the representatives of other organizations whose object is to give spiritual aid or material relief to such persons." Which means that: IF Israel insists that an NGO "worker" must have a "work permit" from Israel THEN Article 30 of GCIV says that Israel shall give him a f**king "work permit". The only opt-out is to claim that the NGO is not involved in the delivery of "spiritual aid or material relief to such persons" Haaretz: "The groups are committed to the Red Cross code of ethics," So there goes that excuse, Cipora. In short: if the lack of a work permit hinders the legitimate activities of those NGOs then Israel is violating Art 30, precisely because that article prohibits an occupier from hindering them.

Despite all efforts of ones like the Leftie Esther in TA supporting you.

These NGO's. 92.5 % of all these NGO's are Spies ! Come on ! Tet's call a spade,a spade !

17: "CJ - GC IV is not appicable - please read it" Article 2 says that the GCs **become** applicable when two HCPs fight over territory. Israel and Jordan fought over the West Bank i.e. GCIV **became** applicable in June 1967. Once it does **become** applicable you have to go to Article 6 to find the conditions when it ceases to be applicable i.e. you can't use Article 2 for that purpose. And Article 6 clearly states that certain articles never cease applying to occupied territory. Not "occupied territory of another HCP", but simply "occupied territory". 42+ years, my friend, and the GC's have been applicable to the West Bank for every single second of that long, long, occupation.

Israel attempting to starve and deny healthcare, Palestinians to the negotiating table won't work. Also under the Geneva Convention Israel cannot stop the free movement of government NGO's within and on entry to the occupied territories. That particular section of the Geneva Convention was put in place to prevent what the Nazis did ever happening again. You want Israel to behave outside that framework so be it. Just don't come crying when we begin to impose sanctions on Israel for preventing humanitarian aid reaching the civil population of land that Israel illegally occupies. Did you think supplying a field hoospiyttal to Haiti would prevent condemnation of Israel's latest policy of trying to wipe out the Palestinian people?

Sounds like the Israeli military want to increase their hold on Israeli politics. Last few days we already read reports of many Israeli military intelligence people, publicly commentig on all sorts of diplomatic and political matters. In any other democracy in the world, a soldier speaking out like that would be fired from his job: a soldier is support to defend the country and be quiet about politics. Only in military dictatorships and in Israel, the army has such freedom to impose its opinion and power on the people. and now they want to take over typically Interior ministry burocracy. Pretty soon they will want to handle ALL visa application to Israel ('for security purposes')and then Netanyahu will become the clerk of the IDF chief of staff. Why don't Israelis see this?

israeli civil law is not applied in the territories. quite to the contrary. israel does not grant israeli work permits to foreign ngo's.

i said, and rightly so, that geneva does not require israel to give work permits to ngo's.

Many of these NGO workers are doing Israel harm with their one sided view. So, good that they are now more restrictive.

In an earlier Haaretz article it was reported that if Abu Mazen supported the vote to condemn Israel over Oferet Yetzuka in the UN, the Territories would be blokaded like Aza is already. This is probably the beginning of that process.

has Israel ever complied with International Law or the geneva conventions. Until the world holds them accountable to the same laws other countries follow Israel will do whatever suits her whims.

....withholding Israel critics "work permits". I salute you for doing so, and hope such a day will never come....

Most international NGOs are located in East jerusalem, with their foreign workers spending most of their time in East Jerusalem. Does the Ministry imply that East Jerusalem is under PA authority?????

"Many of the NGO`s are driven more for their hate of Israel and Jews.." 'many' ?? Two examples....thx "Hopefully the day will come when we have the luxury to debate extreme legal points without comitting suicide" Israel has the ability and the right to defend itself from all comers from within it's actual Sovereign territories.

and another opportunity to serve arrest warrants in London against Israeli officials and politicians. Under Geneva Convention members of Planet Earth should have free access to the occupied territories. Did you think by sending a field hospital to Haiti we wouldn't notice this major violation?

CJK: "geneva iv says nothing about ngo`s being given work permits." In which case *why* does Israel consider that there is any distinction *at* *all* between NGO's who were there pre-1967 and those that were there post-1967? Or, in short: you didn't answer CJ's question. Cippie, luvvie, there is nothing in the Geneva Conventions that says that ONLY THOSE NGO's WHO WERE ALREADY THERE BEFORE THE OCCUPATION are covered by Article 30. To claim that it does leads to manifestly absurd results i.e. IF THERE WERE NO NGOs ALREADY THERE then the occupying power can deny the entry of *any* "representatives of other organizations whose object is to give spiritual aid or material relief to such persons". Even - one can only assume - the icrc. M.a.n.i.f.e.s.t.l.y. A.b.s.u.r.d.

efforts in Haiti... natural and man made disasters can happen anywhere anytime. The day may come when Israel will require the NGOs humanitarian efforts which Israel is denying Palestinians.

"geneva iv says nothing about ngo`s being given work permits" Irrelevant. Israeli Civil Law is not applicable in "territories occupied" and illegally annexed territories.

About time but good nevertheless. Hope it sticks as these NGO's abuse and malign Israel continuously

CJK: "the icrc and eleven other ngo`s will retain the usual arrangements that have been in place. " They were registered with Jordan pre-1967, and therefore Israel cannot abrogate that registration. That much is true. CJK: "israel is not obligated to issue work visas to the other 140-150 ngo`s." That claim is false i.e. Israel does have an obligation to register *those* NGO's no matter how late they turn up to this particular occupation. The key phrase is here: "The groups are committed to the Red Cross code of ethics," Israel therefore can not *legally* deny them their status under the Geneva Conventions, and certainly not on an administative whim. Which is precisely what Israel is doing. Otherwise your claim leads to a manifestly absurd result: IF there were no NGOs in that territory BEFORE the occupation THEN the occupying power can ban all NGO's from entering AFTER the occupation is established.

What can Israel's motive be in blocking established humanitarian organizations from doing their work? It would seem that the healthiest and economically strongest Palestine would be in Israel's best interest so that the inevitable new neighbor state can sustain itself and put aggression and ranker behind and move toward viability. Why this haressment and obstructionism? It only makes Israel seem intransigent and self-serving. As a Jewish American with a great love for the State of Israel, I find it very confusing and misguided. What am I missing?

CS: " DOn`t recall seeingthis poster ever claiming the same rights for Gilad Shalit." That's because Gilad Shalit DOESN'T have the same rights. He is a serving soldier being held as a prisoner of war, and that precludes him from being a "protected person" under GCIV. His rights are described in GCIII, which deals specifically with prisoners of war.

geneva iv says nothing about ngo's being given work permits.

Becuause no "administration" of the Palestinians has allowed them to develop a health, education or social system for themselves. Israel has repeatedly dug up the roads and bombed the infrastructure. They cannot even rebuild the devastation caused in Gaza because Israel will not allow building materials in - can you imagine that? Plenty of money to build but the people still living in tents one year after the massive Israeli attack on the Gazan civilian population. Not exactly the way to win friends or influence people!

at least once.... You CAN point out where Geneva Convention IV differentiates between 1967 & today? Yes?

Its a joke, isn't it? An election conducted perfectly in accordance with international standards - no question about that. But guess what - it is the western "democratic" countries who decided not to recognise that result. Makes you wonder how "democratic' the electins in Iraq and Afghanistan really were!

Many of the NGO's are driven more for their hate of Israel and Jews than their concern for Palestinians. Don't let these people into Israel and deport those already here. Sometimes Israel is too democratic, does things that few other sane democracies would do in the same position, and often inflicts self imposed damage trying to prove it is super democratic. Hopefully the day will come when we have the luxury to debate extreme legal points without comitting suicide.

Why is it those who support the usurping of other folk's land, do no research? Preferring instead to repeat propaganda mantras and spout off in total ignorance.

It's only Israel's fellow travellers in the west that prevent sanctions against Israel.

"VERY GOOD, CJ! Let us start with Red Cross visiting Ghilad Shalit!" Why address this to me?

the icrc and eleven other ngo's will retain the usual arrangements that have been in place. israel is not obligated to issue work visas to the other 140-150 ngo's.

it seems like the entire world wants to save the palestinians from themselves.

You took the words out of my mouth. DOn't recall seeingthis poster ever claiming the same rights for Gilad Shalit.

DP: "VERY GOOD, CJ! Let us start with Red Cross visiting Ghilad Shalit!" Shalit is, to this very day, a serving soldier in the IDF. So when, exactly, did he become a civilian eligible for protection under the articles of GCIV? I think you will find that his rights are described in GC III "Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War" and not GC IV "Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War".

What about the 6 hospitals in East Jerusalem who depend on visiting volunteer expats who have been coming to these hospitals since before 1967. I expect there will be an uproar from the UN/US/EU if their nationals are prevented from going to these institutions. But will Israel care?

After finishing my study in the USA, I returned to Gaza with my American wife and 4 kids, the kids got their Israeli Issued ID cards, since I have one,meaning they are legal residents, but for the past 5 years I couldn't get my wife her ID or residency. Why the state of Israel does that? anywhere in the world you mary you give your spouse the residency but under Israel military occupation No. What do you call such policy???????

Art. 143. Representatives or delegates of the Protecting Powers shall have permission to go to all places where protected persons are, particularly to places of internment, detention and work. VERY GOOD, CJ! Let us start with Red Cross visiting Ghilad Shalit!

My government is trying to hide that it lacks intelligence, common sense, and good will. As it fast approaches complete witlessness it fails to hide its stupidity as it fails in all else except ever more demonstrations of its failure to govern well.

Well done! Most of the NGO members work with the PA only to help it against Israel. I met so many of them in flights to Israel, talked to them posing as a stranger and learned about their bias and hate of Israel.

Is Hamas am NGO?

they are in so deep now, what's one more added to the list? hardly noticeable.

... the occupation really is... every loop-hole, every peep-hole is dealt with...

Doctors Without Borders, Terre des Hommes, Handicap International and the Religious Society of Friends ... seek to delegitimize and ultimately destroy Israel? HOW?

Israel insists that it has successfully positioned itself between two chairs on, well, just about every issue to do with the West Bank. It is fighting "an armed conflict short of war", so neither the rules of occupation nor the rules of war apply to it because (and how clever is this?) it is doing both at once. The IDF has "authority" over the West Bank, but it isn't the "occupying power", even tho' that is the very definition of a belligerent occupation. It can extend Israeli civil law to the West Bank even though it makes no claim that the West Bank is actually Israeli sovereign territory i.e. it insists on the right to extend Israel's legal jurisdiction to foreign soil. Heck, for all I know Israel insists that in the West Bank "the sky is in the sea, the sea is where the sky should be". Israel a.k.a. "uppsie-down-town", where everyone has a kindergarden mentality.

These are openly pro-Palestinian organizations, instrumental in spreading Israel-bashing propoganda.

GC 1V Art 30 Apart from the visits of the delegates of the Protecting Powers and of the International Committee of the Red Cross, provided for by Article 143, the Detaining or Occupying Powers shall facilitate, as much as possible, visits to protected persons by the representatives of other organizations whose object is to give spiritual aid or material relief to such persons. Art. 143. Representatives or delegates of the Protecting Powers shall have permission to go to all places where protected persons are, particularly to places of internment, detention and work. They shall have access to all premises occupied by protected persons and shall be able to interview the latter without witnesses, personally or through an interpreter. Such visits may not be prohibited except for reasons of imperative military necessity, and then only as an exceptional and temporary measure. Their duration and frequency shall not be restricted. Such representatives and delegates shall have full liberty to select the places they wish to visit. The Detaining or Occupying Power, the Protecting Power and when occasion arises the Power of origin of the persons to be visited, may agree that compatriots of the internees shall be permitted to participate in the visits. The delegates of the International Committee of the Red Cross shall also enjoy the above prerogatives. The appointment of such delegates shall be submitted to the approval of the Power governing the territories where they will carry out their duties.

This will make things so much more difficult for aid workers in E.Jerusalem and the West Bank, as it is evidently intended. It is telling that the situation is compared to Burma, but I pray it doesn't get that bad.

Even Israel can't figure out how to be a petty bully anymore. Cracking down on folks like OXFAM, that well know terrorist organization. They have dual Israel/territory work permits, but spend most of their time in the territories. What a perfect opportunity to just give them permits for Israel and then let them work in the territories, thereby giving defacto recognition that the territories are REALLY just part of greater Israel. I guess while engaged in their petty humiliations, they hadn't thought of that.

NGOs conduct war by other means. Why should Israel facilitate those who seek to delegitimize and ultimately destroy Israel?