Israel has  designated six prominent Palestinian human rights groups as terrorist organisations by issuing a military order.

The designated groups include Al-Haq, a human rights group founded in 1979, the Addameer rights group, Defence for Children International-Palestine, the Bisan Center for Research and Development, the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees and the Union of Agricultural Work Committees.

The Palestinian Authority condemned the move and termed it an assault on Palestinian civil society and the Palestinian people’s fundamental right to oppose Israel’s illegal occupation and expose its continuing crimes.

The United Nations Human Rights Office in the Palestinian territories said counter-terrorism legislation must not be used to constrain legitimate human rights and humanitarian work.