In response to the statement by EU foreign ministers, the Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism and Delegitimization - which chairs the inter-ministerial committee overseeing international organizations operating in Israel, Judea, Samaria, and Gaza - clarifies: Israel supports genuine humanitarian work but will not permit hostile actors or terror-affiliated bodies to operate under the guise of humanitarianism.
"The EU’s attempt to link Gaza’s humanitarian situation with Israel’s measures against foreign subversion is a smokescreen aimed at pressuring Israel to forgo its sovereign right to self-defense. European states themselves would never allow similar interference within their own borders," Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli stated.
"The ministry assists legitimate humanitarian organizations, but the EU’s statement addresses entities tied to terrorist and antisemitic groups, that harass IDF soldiers, promote delegitimization campaigns, and, in some cases, deny the Holocaust and the atrocities of October 7th," he said.
Chikli continued: "The International Non-Governmental Organizations Whose Main Activity Is with Palestinian Residents, with the Goal of Assisting Their Welfare (INGOs) procedure - established under Government Resolution 2542 of December 2024 - prohibits activity by organizations engaged in terrorism, antisemitism, delegitimization of Israel, or denial of the Holocaust and October 7th atrocities. Clear criteria guide the committee’s decisions, which involve representatives from the Ministries of Defense, Foreign Affairs, and National Security, COGAT, the Israel Security Agency, the Israel Police, and others."
Examples of organizations whose permits were revoked:
Rahma Worldwide Aid and Development - Linked to the designated terrorist group “Society of the Revival of Islamic Heritage” and involved in joint Gaza projects; currently under review for terror designation.
Catholic Relief Services - Connected via its affiliate to “Islamic Relief Worldwide,” a designated terrorist organization, and engaged in joint projects abroad.
Gaza Direct Aid - Publishes rhetoric denying Israel’s existence, calling it a “Nazi occupier” and “terrorist entity.”
Since August 2025, the committee has reviewed roughly 100 registration requests; only 10 have been denied.
Minister Chikli stated: “EU foreign ministers defend organizations promoting terrorism, antisemitism, and hostility toward the West, undermining both Israel and Europe’s own security. Many so-called humanitarian bodies conceal violent or subversive activity, including trespass, assault, harassment of soldiers, and BDS advocacy. Organizations unlinked to such conduct will be approved. In attempting to absolve itself at Israel’s expense, Europe harms its own interests. Those aiding these subversive bodies are not defending human rights - they are protecting the enemies of the entire West.”