Regavim, a conservative Israeli organization, has filed an unprecedented appeal to the European Union Court of Justice in Luxembourg, demanding the complete cancellation of sanctions imposed on the group and its CEO, Meir Deutsch, by the EU Council last May. This marks the first legal challenge of its kind filed by an Israeli entity or citizen against European sanctions. The legal team is led by attorney Salomé Lemaitre from the Paris Bar and attorney Nick Kaufman from Jerusalem.
The appeal sharply criticizes the EU’s evidence file against Regavim, arguing it suffers from lack of professionalism and relies on publications from media outlets and organizations identified with the far left. The filing points to a series of distortions and misrepresentations—for example, attributing the demolition of a school in the village of Jabat al-Dib to Regavim, even though the demolition was carried out by Israeli authorities under an order from the Jerusalem District Court due to immediate danger of the structure’s collapse.
Regavim emphasizes that beyond the judicial critique of the evidence and procedures, the appeal challenges the very use of sanctions as an anti-democratic and oppressive practice, imposed without any hearing or due process in a manner that terrorizes any citizen. The sanctions significantly harm the rights of EU citizens to donate or support Regavim’s lawful activities, and prohibit business relationships with companies registered in Europe, including banks, credit card companies, clearing firms, and other international financial service providers.
“The European Union created an embarrassing legal smokescreen to persecute a legitimate civil society organization, simply because it publicly criticizes the EU’s illegal actions,” said Regavim CEO Meir Deutsch. “The appeal we filed in Luxembourg is designed not only to defend Regavim’s activities and cancel the severe economic damage caused by the sanctions, but also to stand firmly against the European attempt to terrorize civil society and the public in Israel, as part of its broader efforts to advance the establishment of a ‘Palestinian’ terror state that would endanger the future of the State of Israel.”