Calls to Action Archives - The European Legal Support Center (ELSC)

Where do we find hope? A letter from ELSC’s Executive Director

11/25/202511/25/2025

2025 has been a year of immense challenge and unwavering solidarity.
Amid an unrelenting genocide in Gaza and escalating repression across Europe, our work at the ELSC has grown stronger, more urgent, and more necessary than ever.
From historic mobilisations like the general strike in Italy, to our legal victories across Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, and beyond, we continue to defend those standing for justice — and confront the systems that enable Israel’s violence.
This hope, this strength, comes from you.
As we look toward 2026, we are expanding our capacity to resist—and we ask for your support in our End of Year campaign.

Calls to Action

Appeal to the Spanish government

05/15/202405/15/2024

We are a collective of lawyers in Germany who have recently filed an urgent appeal against the arms shipments from Germany to Israel before the Berlin Administrative Court. We were informed by activists that the cargo ship “Borkum” will dock in Cartagena today – Wednesday, May 15, 2024 – loaded with arms shipments for Israel….

Calls to Action

UK Government Must Stop Crackdown on Freedom of Expression, Warn 46 NGOs including ELSC

03/08/202404/14/2025

ELSC is among 46 NGOs calling on the Prime Minister to stop the recent crackdown on fundamental rights to freedom of expression. The open letter has also been covered in the Guardian. 8 March 2024 To the Prime Minister, RE: Government proposals to crack down on the right to protest and free expression We, the undersigned, write…

Calls to Action

Human Rights and other Civil Society Groups Urge United Nations to Respect Human Rights in the Fight Against Antisemitism

04/04/202304/25/2023

The United Nations should respect human rights in its efforts to combat antisemitism, 60 human rights and civil rights organizations, including the ELSC, said in an open letter to Secretary-General António Guterres and the High Representative for the UN Alliance of Civilizations Miguel Ángel Moratinos initiated by Human Rights Watch.

Calls to Action

Avoid Assisting in the Forcible Deportation; Transfer of Human Rights Defender Salah Hamouri

12/14/202204/14/2025

Israel has recently announced it will imminently deport Palestinian human rights defender Salah Hamouri, an act that could be a serious violation of international law. We, the undersigned human rights organizations, call on commercial airlines to do everything in their capacity to refuse to assist in what could constitute a war crime by refusing to transport individuals undergoing unlawful forcible deportation and making a public statement to this effect.

Calls to Action

Help us carry on our fight for justice for Palestinian rights advocates

11/25/202204/14/2025

We have just launched our year-end campaign to gather the funds we need to continue our work in 2023!

Calls to Action

Dutch NGOs call upon the international community to take action against Israel for targeting Palestinian human rights organisations

08/23/202204/14/2025

After the Israeli army violently raided and closed seven prominent Palestinian human rights organisations last Thursday, this weekend it threatened the director of Al Haq (Shawan Jabarin) by telephone and detained the director of Defense for Children International – Palestine (Khaled Quzmar) several hours for questioning. This escalation proves once again that statements by European governments expressing serious concerns are insufficient. This, together with the killing of critical journalists and other Palestinian civilians with impunity, has reached the point where the international community must set a clear boundary. This is the limit, according to a broad representation of Dutch organisations.

Calls to Action | Statement

Over 150 Organisations Demand International Community Stand Against Raids and Closures of 7 Palestinian Organisations

08/23/202204/14/2025

The ELSC joined over 150 organisations to condemn the raids and closures of 7 prominent Palestinian organisations and urge the international community to take effective measures.

Calls to Action | Media Coverage

Over 100 Civil Society Organisations Call on DW to Retract the Biased Report and End the Smear Campaign

02/23/202204/14/2025

Over one hundred local, regional and international civil society organizations have signed an open letter in solidarity with Palestinians, condemning Deutsche Welle’s (DW) inaccurate and defamatory report, calling for the retraction of the accusations and demanding the protection of the right to Palestinian freedom of speech.

Calls to Action | Statement

60 International CSOs to Dutch Government: “Resume Dutch funding for UAWC, reject Israel’s designation of Palestinians NGOs”

01/26/202204/14/2025

Along with 59 other civil society organisations from all around the world, we asked the Dutch government to resume its funding for UAWC and to reject Israel’s designation of Palestinian NGOs. Indeed, the Dutch decision to cut funding was baseless, and the Dutch government also failed to reject the Israeli designation whereas it was recognised as unsubstantiated.

Calls to Action | Statement

The Netherlands must speak out against unsubstantiated accusations against six Palestinian organisations

11/03/202104/14/2025

Today, the ELSC joined 31 Dutch organisations to call the Dutch governement to condemn the recent allegations against six prominent Palestinian NGOs.

Calls to Action | Statement

Joint Letter: The International Community Must Support and Protect Palestinian Civil Society

10/29/202104/14/2025

The ELSC joined 234 organisations to express solidarity with Palestinian civil society and human rights defenders after the latest attempt from the Israeli governement to silence them. We collectively urge the international community to take all necessary measures to protect them.

Calls to Action | Statement

The ELSC calls on the EU to oppose Israel’s latest attempt to suppress Palestinian Civil Society

10/28/202104/14/2025

On 22 October 2021, the Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz announced the official designation of six prominent Palestinian human rights and civil society organisations (CSOs) as “terrorist” organisations.

Calls to Action | Statement

Open Letter to impose a comprehensive two-way arms embargo Israel

09/02/202104/14/2025

The ELSC joined a global coalition of leaders from civil society to academia, art, media, business, politics, indigenous and faith communities, and people of conscience around the world– to call upon the States Parties to the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) to act decisively to put an end to Israel’s use of arms and military equipment…

Calls to Action | Statement

31 Human Rights Organisations, Networks & Trade Unions Demand CAF be included in UN Settlement Database

12/17/202004/14/2025

31 prominent human rights organisations, networks and trade unions from Palestine and Europe have submitted a report to the OHCHR demanding that CAF be included in the UN database of businesses involved in Israel’s illegal settlement enterprise for its role in expanding and operating Israel’s Jerusalem Light Rail (JLR).

Calls to Action | Statement

Joint Open Letter to the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court: Time to Investigate Crimes in Palestine, Time for Justice

05/07/202004/14/2025

Along with 180 civil society coalitions and organisations, ELSC signed the Open Letter that was submitted to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda, on 29 April. We express our strong support for the opening of an investigation into Israeli war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which was initiated by Bensouda in December.

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