Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) accused of delegitimizing Israel, calling for boycotts, and having ties to terrorist organizations: Inside the damning report that led to the denial of registration for the French, Belgian, Dutch, and Spanish branches.
In December 2025, the Israeli government released a consolidated 25-page report that delivers a scathing critique of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). Prepared under Government Resolution 2542, the document justifies the rejection of registration applications from the four main operational branches: MSF France, MSF Belgium, Artsen zonder Grenzen (Netherlands), and Médicos Sin Fronteras (Spain).
Israeli authorities claim these branches have abandoned humanitarian neutrality, instead promoting an extreme anti-Israel political narrative that repeatedly accuses the Jewish state of “genocide,” “ethnic cleansing,” and “crimes against humanity.”
Background: Government Resolution 2542 and the Registration Process
Introduced to regulate foreign organizations operating in Israel, Resolution 2542 imposes strict registration requirements. NGOs must submit full staff lists (including Palestinian employees) and prove they do not engage in political activities hostile to the State of Israel.
The four MSF branches applied between June and July 2025. All were denied following review by Israel’s Inter-Ministerial Team, which cited serious violations of the guidelines (particularly sections 7.1).
Key Accusations in the Israeli Report
1. Systematic Delegitimization of Israel
The report highlights a deliberate campaign that goes far beyond legitimate criticism. MSF routinely uses terms such as “genocidal war,” “genocide,” “systematic extermination,” and “Ethnic cleansing” to describe Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Examples from official MSF statements:
• MSF France (September 5, 2025): “MSF denounces the genocidal war waged against the Palestinian population, marked by mass killings, the systematic destruction of civilian infrastructure, a deliberate siege and famine, as well as the forced displacement of the population, described as ethnic cleansing.”
• MSF Belgium (June 16, 2025): “The war waged by Israel against the population of Gaza is a genocidal war.”
• MSF Netherlands (September 18, 2025): “Stop the genocide… The only witnesses to their genocidal campaign are deliberately targeted.”
• MSF Spain (December 8, 2025): “The genocide in Gaza has been carried out not only through killings, detentions, and direct attacks, but also through the systematic destruction of infrastructure and the denial of means of survival.”
According to the report, these accusations aim to strip Israel of international legitimacy and fuel boycott and isolation campaigns.
2. Calls for Boycott and Arms Embargo – Links to BDS
MSF France is singled out for explicit calls to halt French arms deliveries to Israel, aligning with BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) campaigns.
Example:
• “MSF calls on France to ensure that no French weapons or ammunition are used by the Israeli army in its genocidal war in Gaza.”
The report also cites “Braderie pour Gaza” fundraising events in Paris (2024) organized by BDS France with visible MSF France support, including stands featuring pro-Palestinian symbols.
3. Alleged Ties to Terrorist Organizations
The report claims MSF Belgium employed individuals linked to designated terrorist groups:
• Fadi Al-Wadiya, a Gaza-based MSF employee, identified as a senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad operative and rocket expert (corroborated by an Israel Defense Forces statement).
• Mahmoud Abunejeila, referenced in MSF reports, who publicly expressed support for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).
These cases, the report argues, suggest a risk of terrorist infiltration or manipulation of humanitarian operations.
4. Denial of Israel’s Democratic and Jewish Character
MSF Belgium’s February 2025 report “Inflicting Harm and Denying Care” is cited for framing Israel as an oppressive, colonial state guilty of “apartheid,” “systemic oppression,” and “collective punishment.”
Excerpts:
• “Obstacles to Palestinian access to healthcare… are part of a wider system of collective punishment imposed by Israel.”
• “This surge in violence is… part of a long history of systemic oppression and colonization by Israel.”
5. Funding and Political Statements by Leadership
Despite near-total reliance on private donations (98–99% for France, 99% for Spain, 99.6% for Netherlands), the report argues this financial independence does not mitigate the branches’ extreme politicization.
Senior MSF officials have gone beyond humanitarian commentary:
• MSF France’s CEO called the Gaza siege “collective punishment” and “acts constituting war crimes and genocide.”
• MSF Netherlands’ General Director participated in boycott rallies.
Conclusion: Rejection Upheld on Security and Neutrality Grounds
The Israeli report concludes that Médecins Sans Frontières fails to meet the neutrality and impartiality standards required of humanitarian organizations operating in Israel. The registration denials—and potential expulsion of foreign staff—are framed as necessary measures to protect national security from perceived hostile activities.
Dated December 2025, the 25-page document has sparked intense international debate over the boundaries of humanitarian advocacy in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Keywords: Médecins Sans Frontières Israel, MSF registration denied, Gaza genocide accusations, MSF BDS boycott, MSF terrorism links, Israeli government report 2025