GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Palestinian banks in the Gaza Strip closed the bank accounts of dozens of associations and civil institutions, sparking anger among those associations and citizens who benefit from the services they provide — a step that prompted accusations against banks that they are tolerating Israel’s campaign against Palestinian civil society organizations.
In a Nov. 4 statement, the Palestine Civil Society Defense Coalition condemned the decision to freeze bank accounts, deeming it as an extremely dangerous step that undermines the Palestinian civil society and its active organization, especially since it was taken on the part of Palestinian national economic institutions that are supposed to serve the national economy in the context of the establishment of the Palestinian state.
