The US State Department said on Friday it was not notified in advance of Israel’s decision to declare six organizations belonging to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) as terrorist organizations.
Speaking to reporters, State Department spokesperson Ned Price that Washington would seek clarifications from Israel on the basis for this decision.
“We will be engaging our Israeli partners for more information regarding the basis for the designation,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters in a briefing.
"Israel didn't give us prior warning about this designation," he added.
Israeli Defense officials responded to the statement and said that US administration officials were given information about the decision beforehand and that the relevant intelligence was shared with the US by the Shin Bet.
Defense Minister Benny Gantz earlier on Friday designated the following PFLP-affiliated groups as terrorist organizations: Union of Palestinian Women's Committees (UPWC), ADDAMEER - Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association, Bisan Center for Research and Development, Al-Haq Organization, Defense for Children International–Palestine (DCI-P), and the Union Of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC).
Those organizations were active under the cover of "civil society organizations," but in practice belong and constitute an arm of the organization's leadership, the main activity of which is the liberation of "Palestine" and the destruction of Israel.
The declared organizations are controlled by the senior leaders of the PFLP and employ many "Popular Front" activists in field and management positions, including activists who participated in terror activity.
Israel’s move drew criticism from the United Nations and human rights organizations.