Israeli officials deny State Department’s claim they weren’t told in advance of the defense minister’s decision to name six Palestinian NGOs as terror groups.

The State Department claimed that Israel had not informed the U.S. administration of its intention to declare six Palestinian groups as terrorist organizations, but an Israeli security source says that Washington was updated ahead of time, Hebrew-language media reported Saturday.

“We will be engaging our Israeli partners for more information regarding the basis for the designation,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters Saturday, adding that Israel “didn’t give us prior warning.”

However, according to the Israeli security source, “officials in the U.S. administration were updated ahead of time on the intention for this designation and some intelligence was shared on the subject.”

The six institutions in question, which belong to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, operate as an organized network under the direction of the terrorist organization and was involved in the execution of attacks throughout Israel, the Ministry of Defense stated.

“Those organizations were active under the cover of civil society organizations, but in practice belong and constitute an arm of the [PFLP] leadership, the main activity of which is the liberation of Palestine and destruction of Israel,” Defense Minister Benny Gantz’s office said in a statement.