Protect the Protest in Palestine & Israel

Dear Friends,

Three weeks into the US–Israeli War on Iran, Israeli authorities have targeted Palestinian citizens of Israel (PCI) for online protest, old Facebook posts that display the Palestinian flag, and for attempting to report in Arabic on the War. With the overwhelming volume of news surrounding the war, these cases receive little attention beyond the local Arabic and Hebrew press. Nevertheless, they are significant, as they illustrate the extent of political persecution currently faced by PCI in Israel. These cases reflect a broader pattern of intimidation, silencing opposition to war and state policies, and the undermining of PCI’s fundamental rights to due process, protest, expression and the press in place since the onset of the War on Gaza.

Online protest. Adalah, together with the Human Rights Defenders Fund (HRDF), represented a PCI artist and activist who was arrested at his home on 2 March 2026 following the publication of a political analysis in Hebrew on his social media account regarding the assassination of Iran’s former Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei. In the post, the activist stated that he disagreed with Khamenei on many issues, but he also expressed appreciation for him. The police interrogated the activist on suspicion of incitement and identification with a terrorist organization, as part of an investigation into alleged “violations related to security and public order” online. During his detention hearing on 4 March, Adalah and HRDF argued for his immediate release, asserting that his post constituted lawful political expression, did not include any call to action, and does not encourage violence. Despite the police request for a five-day hold, the Court decided to release him under restrictive conditions, including a five-day ban on posting on social media. While the state practices a pattern of strict criminal law enforcement against PCI for political social media posts, extremist expression by Jewish Israelis – including clear incitement to violence – very rarely receives the same response.

Displaying the Palestinian flag: On 4 March 2026, Israeli police raided the home of a PCI woman, handcuffed her, and arrested and interrogated her over an old Facebook post depicting her and her children with a Palestinian flag. The police demanded that she hand over the flag, claiming it had been used to commit an offense. Despite her explicit request, she was denied access to legal counsel and was later released with the condition of five days of house arrest. On 9 March, Adalah sent a letter to the police demanding the return of the flag and her confiscated phone, and after the police refused, Adalah went to court. Adalah argued that her Facebook posts are not illegal, rendering both the arrest and investigation unlawful; that displaying or possessing the Palestinian flag—especially within a private home—is not an offense; and that such arrests and investigations require prior approval from the State Attorney’s Office, which was not obtained. Adalah further argued that denying the woman access to legal counsel and retaining her belongings also violated her rights. After about two weeks, the flag and the phone were returned to the woman.

In a follow-up letter to Israeli authorities, Adalah called for immediate intervention to halt the unlawful arrests of PCI for possessing or displaying the Palestinian flag and for clear and binding instructions to prevent such practices. Adalah also demanded that incitement investigations not be opened without prior approval from the State Attorney’s Office, as required by law.

Reporting on the War: Since the onset of the War on Iran, Haifa Municipal inspection teams have repeatedly interfered with PCI journalists during live broadcasts and filming, preventing them from carrying out their work. These teams have issued threats of fines or damage to equipment, asserted baselessly that a municipal permit is required for filming, and even threatened arrest or physical assault. Meanwhile, the police confirmed on several occasions that there is no legal prohibition against filming or broadcasting and that journalists are subject to the standard censorship rules applicable to all media outlets. On 23 March 2026, Adalah and NGO partners petitioned the Haifa District Court seeking an immediate injunction to compel the Haifa Municipality to cease interference in the work of PCI journalists in the city. The petitioners argued that these practices violate the journalists’ rights to freedom of expression and press freedom, as well as their right to employment, and directly impact the rights of the PCI public to access information at this critical time, from a central location such as the city of Haifa. The petitioners further contended that Haifa Municipality’s conduct is both systematic and discriminatory, specifically targeting PCI journalists, while allowing other media professionals to broadcast from the same locations without interference.

During these unprecedented times, Adalah needs your support more than ever. Thank you in advance for your donation.

The Adalah team

Dear Friends,

Many greetings to you from Adalah.

In this short report, we would like to update you on three new racist Israeli laws enacted since 7 October 2023 that severely restrict Palestinians’ freedom of expression and the right to protest. These measures impose sweeping limits on political speech and dissent, forming part of an alarming escalation in efforts to silence criticism of Israel’s policies toward Palestinians and to entrench state impunity.

Over the past two years, the Knesset has advanced a large volume of legislation that further erodes core civil and political rights, particularly for Palestinians. These laws build on existing restrictions—most notably Section 24 of the 2016 Counter-Terrorism Law—that already criminalize broad forms of political expression and have long been enforced almost exclusively against Palestinians on both sides of the Green Line. Framed as “security legislation,” the new laws deepen this pattern by aiming to suppress dissent and shield Israel from growing international scrutiny of its actions.

Criminalizing “Content Consumption”

Passed on 8 November 2023, this amendment to the Counter-Terrorism Law creates a new criminal offense punishable by one year in prison for the “systematic and continuous consumption” of publications produced by designated terrorist organizations. The definition of “systematic consumption” is broad: it extends beyond explicit support, sympathy with or encouragement of terrorist acts to include content that merely documents such acts containing such expressions.

The offense requires no act of publication or communication, and thus it effectively criminalizes private thoughts and passive exposure to information. Enforcement would require intrusive surveillance, violating the right to privacy and opening the door to mass monitoring, particularly of Palestinians.

Adalah warned in October 2023 that the amendment violates basic criminal-law principles by criminalizing thought rather than actions and demanded that the Israeli authorities withdraw the bill, which was later enacted into law. On 27 May 2025, several UN Special Rapporteurs issued a communication to Israel, expressing concern that “although the offence targets the physical act of consumption, this appears to be a proxy for restricting freedom of opinion,” a right that is non-derogable under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). They further stressed that the measure is “neither necessary nor proportionate” and therefore constitutes an unlawful restriction on freedom of expression.

Criminalization of Denial of the 7 October Events

Enacted on 21 January 2025, this law establishes a five-year prison term for any written or oral statement deemed to “deny the October 7 massacre” with an alleged intent to “defend,” “sympathize with,” or “identify with” Hamas.

The law fails to distinguish between incitement, which is already prohibited under Israeli law, and legitimate political opinion, critique, or skepticism. Most troublingly, Israel has not published any official investigation or authoritative account of the events of 7 October, leaving unclear what exactly constitutes “denial.” This ambiguity exposes individuals, especially Palestinians, to prosecution for challenging misinformation, discussing inconsistencies, or questioning official narratives.

The law is designed to create widespread self-censorship and a profound chilling effect on public debate, in violation of fundamental criminal-law principles requiring clarity and foreseeability.

Denial of Entry to Israel for Political Criticism and International Accountability Work

Under this amendment, passed on 19 February 2025, foreign nationals and employees of organizations they represent may be denied entry for: (i) calling for a boycott of Israel; (ii) denying the events of 7 October; or (iii) supporting international accountability efforts against Israel, including proceedings before the ICC or other tribunals.

On 25 June 2025, the Israeli Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism invoked the amendment to recommend banning the entry of several employees belonging to five major international organizations that document human rights violations by Israel against Palestinians.

This law seeks to isolate Israel from international oversight and obstruct investigations into war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and other grave violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). It also harms Palestinian residents of the OPT by restricting their ability to engage with international bodies, observers, and investigators. In addition, it may prevent Palestinian refugees and their descendants from visiting family members in Israel and the OPT for reasons solely related to political opinion.

Adalah will issue a comprehensive paper, in three languages, analyzing these laws, as well as dozens of other racist laws enacted since the start of the war on Gaza. Publication is expected later this month and we will update you as soon as it is released.

Thank you, as always, for your support of Adalah to “Protect the Protest”.

Best wishes and in solidarity,

The Adalah team