Palestine, Jan. 2 -- Israel's threat to withhold registration from Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) and other international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) is a cynical and calculated attempt to prevent organizations from providing services in Gaza and the West Bank-which is in breach of Israel's obligations under international humanitarian law.

Denying medical assistance to civilians is unacceptable under any circumstance, and it is appalling to use humanitarian aid as a tool of policy or collective punishment. Now is the time for action: Israel is escalating its grave attack on the humanitarian response in Gaza and the West Bank, directly threatening medical care and humanitarian aid for civilians.

If the ...