Viva Salud strongly condemns the arrest of Dr. Mazen Rantisi, Chair of the Board of Health Work Committees (HWC), and Mr. Tayseer Abu Shalbak, HWC’s Financial Director, by Israeli forces on 21 June 2026, as well as the military order closing HWC’s headquarters in Ramallah for one year. Viva Salud is particularly concerned about the health and well-being of both Dr. Mazen Rantisi and Tayseer Abu Shalbak. Both men have pre-existing health conditions that require regular medical follow-up and access to appropriate care. Their detention therefore raises additional humanitarian concerns.
Health Work Committees is one of the leading Palestinian health and development organisations. Since its creation in 1985, HWC has provided essential health services to Palestinian communities through its network of clinics and health programmes, with a particular focus on the most vulnerable groups. Beyond healthcare provision, HWC actively advocates for the social, economic and political rights of Palestinians, as well as for the right to health under Israeli occupation and apartheid.
Viva Salud has worked in partnership with HWC since 1997. What began as cooperation around school health programmes in East Jerusalem has evolved into a long-standing partnership promoting the right to health, youth participation and social mobilisation. Over the years, HWC has become an important partner in programmes supported by the Belgian Development Cooperation (DGD) and other international donors. Together, our organisations have worked to strengthen citizens’ participation and defend the right to health in Palestine.
The arrest of two senior HWC representatives and the closure of the organisation’s headquarters raise serious concerns for the future of its activities and for the continuity of services provided to Palestinian communities. These measures also contribute to a broader climate of pressure and restrictions affecting Palestinian civil society organisations and health institutions.
This is not the first time HWC has been targeted. In recent years, the organisation has faced raids, confiscation of equipment, closure orders and the detention of staff members. The current measures therefore fit into a worrying pattern of actions affecting organisations that provide essential services and support to Palestinian communities.
Viva Salud stands in full solidarity with HWC, its staff, volunteers, patients and the communities it serves.
We call for:
- The immediate and unconditional release of Dr. Mazen Rantisi and Tayseer Abu Shalbak;
- The immediate lifting of the closure order imposed on HWC’s headquarters;
- The protection of Palestinian health workers, health institutions and civil society organisations from arbitrary measures and harassment;
- Continued support from the international community, including Belgium and the European Union, for Palestinian health and civil society organisations;
- Respect for the right to health and for the essential role played by organisations providing healthcare and social services to Palestinian communities.
For nearly thirty years, Viva Salud has witnessed the commitment of HWC to providing healthcare and defending the right to health under extremely difficult circumstances. We will continue to stand alongside our partners and to support their efforts to ensure that all Palestinians can enjoy their fundamental right to health, dignity and self-determination.
