---
title: "NGOs warn U.S. Middle East Plan risks exacerbating instability and rights violations"
description: "As humanitarian, development, and religious organisations serving Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, we fear the US Middle East Plan may spark an escalation in violence and entrench violations of international humanitarian and human rights law."
url: "https://www.nrc.no/news/2020/january/ngos-warn-us-middle-east-plan-risks-exacerbating-instability-and-rights-violations"
language: "en"
published: "2020-01-29T09:22:16Z"
modified: "2020-01-29T09:22:16Z"
---

![Children walk past Qafisheh checkpoint on a muddy road on their way home from school in Hebron's Tel Rumeida neighbourhood. Photo: Ivan Karakashian/NRC ](https://www.nrc.no/globalassets/images/countries/palestine/the-children-who-cross-the-checkpoints/children-walk-past-qafisheh-checkpoint-on-a-muddy-road-on-their-way-home-from-school-in-hebrons-tel-rumeida-neighborhood-on-2-may-2019.-photo_-ivan-karakashian_nrc.png)

# NGOs warn U.S. Middle East Plan risks exacerbating instability and rights violations

Published 29. Jan 2020

[Palestine](https://www.nrc.no/themes?categoryId=94)

This article was first published more than 6 years ago

As humanitarian, development, and religious organisations serving Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, we fear the US Middle East Plan may spark an escalation in violence and entrench violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.

We urge the international community to pursue a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in line with human rights and international law that guarantees safety for all of the region’s people.

The situation facing Palestinians is already critical. Nearly half of Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza need humanitarian assistance. More than two thirds of Gaza’s population is food insecure and 90 percent lack access to clean water through the public water network. The health system in Gaza is on the verge of collapse and unemployment levels are unsustainable yet continue to increase – especially among women and youth. Any path forward must address this urgent and stark reality.

Any move to annex territory, transfer property, restrict movement, or limit access to goods and services following the plan’s disclosure would be in violation of international law. We condemn any acts of violence emboldened by, or in reaction to, the plan or any party’s response to it.

We call on the United States to support Israelis and Palestinians by opposing violence, ensuring respect for international law, defending human rights, and continuing to support lifesaving humanitarian assistance.

Signed,

Catholic Relief Services  
CARE USA  
Global Communities  
Islamic Relief – USA  
Lutheran World Federation  
Norwegian Refugee Council  
Mennonite Central Committee US Washington Office  
Mercy Corps  
Oxfam America