Danish Funds for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Campaigns and Politicized NGOs: Government Funding & Support Analysis

Summary:

Denmark is a major government donor of humanitarian and development funds to NGOs engaged in intense political advocacy campaigns directed against Israel – including Al-Dameer, Al-Haq, Badil, B´Tselem, ICAHD and PCHR. Many of these NGOs actively support Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) and employ the rhetoric of human rights, international law and apartheid to delegitimize and isolate Israel internationally. NGO Monitor´s detailed research reveals that many of these organizations benefit from Danish funding through multiple channels: direct funding, government-funded Danish NGOs and other European bodies. Such funding is inconsistent with the stated goals of Denmark´s development agency and government, "strengthening democracy, good governance and human rights."

• DanChurchAid (DCA), a recipient of over $30 million from the Danish government, partners with and funds highly political NGOs that participate in the Durban strategy of isolating Israel through Boycott, Divestment and Sanction (BDS) campaigns, including BADIL, Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), and the World Council of Churches (WCC).
• DCA closely identifies with BADIL, which promotes the "Right of Return" and organized "a year-long campaign of public awareness-raising and education about the Nakba and Israel´s discriminatory Apartheid-like regime over the Palestinian people."
• As the head of a multi-donor secretariat, Mu'assasat, Denmark helped fund 24 NGOs in Israel and Palestinian Authority. Of note, Al-Haq promotes BDS and decries Israel's independence as "Naqba"; Defence for Children International / Palestine Section (DCI/PS) misuses international law and human rights rhetoric to condemn Israel, and falsely accuses Israel of deliberate attacks and "massacres"; Gisha misrepresents Israel's responsibility toward Gaza under international law, opening up Israel to unwarranted criticism.
• Many NGOs also indirectly receive Danish funds through EU mechanisms, including the European Instrument for Human Rights and Democracy (EIDHR) and the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EMHRN). EMHRN, is based in Copenhagen and provides a platform for and promotes the views of problematic and radical NGOs, including PCHR, Al-Haq, Al-Mezan, Public Committee against Torture in Israel (PCATI), and Adalah.

Background: The Danish International Development Agency (Danida)

"Denmark is one of the largest international donors to the Palestinians […] In 2007 alone, Danish assistance amounted to approximately 35,5 million USD (or almost 180 million DKK)."
– Representative Office of Denmark, Ramallah

Danish foreign aid and international development funds are distributed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Danish International Development Agency (Danida). According to Denmark´s official website, development assistance constitutes at least 0.8 percent of its GNP, making Denmark one of the world´s major donors. While Africa remains the primary focus, "Gaza/The West Bank" is listed as another main recipient of development aid, having received 73,450,000 Danish Crowns (DKK) (≈ $15.5 million) in 2007.[1] Thirteen percent of this sum, 5.02 million DKK (≈ $1 million) in project assistance and 4.83 million DKK (≈ $1 million) in humanitarian assistance, is channeled through Danish NGOs.[2] Denmark is also "one of the largest donors to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). In the last five years, Denmark has thus contributed more than 65 million USD to the regular budget and emergency appeals of UNRWA, including more than 14 million USD in 2007 alone."[3]

In this area, Denmark´s stated goal is:

"the strengthening of democracy, good governance and human rights in the oPt [like many NGOs and development agencies, the Danish government has adopted the politicized term OPT – occupied Palestinian territory – to refer to this disputed area]. Therefore, Denmark actively supports a number of vital Palestinian institutions involved in this endeavour."

Examples of "vital Palestinian institutions" which receive "significant financial assistance" from Denmark include the Palestinian Central Elections Commission and the Palestinian Independent Commission for Citizens´ Rights ("the Palestinian Ombudsman"). In 2007, Danida also extended comprehensive financial support to the Palestine Liberation Organization Negotiations Affairs Department, a political organization that promotes an anti-Israel political agenda, and uses demonizing rhetoric such as "apartheid", while denying the legitimacy of Israel as a Jewish state.

Denmark also directs funds through Danish NGOs that claim to focus on reducing poverty,[4] and these NGOs are regarded as important partners of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. These NGOs are used to channel emergency humanitarian relief,[5] as during the 2006 Lebanon War.[6] In 2007, the total budget for Danish NGO development was 932.4 million DKK (≈ $197 million).[7] Humanitarian assistance through NGOs was 407.1 million DKK (≈ $86 million).[8]

The three main frameworks for funding of highly politicized NGOs are DanChurchAid (DCA), Mu´assasat (the Multi-donor Secretariat) and its successor, and Danish government funding via the European Union, including support for the EMHRN, which is based in Copenhagen. In the following report, we will examine the available information (reflecting limited transparency from the Danish government)[9] on each of these frameworks.

Danish Funding through DanChurchAid (DCA)
DanChurchAid (DCA), a major Danish humanitarian NGO "rooted in the Danish National Evangelical Lutheran Church," aims to "assist the poorest of the poor" and is funded through private donations, foundations, Danida, the UN, the EU and other bilateral donors.

In 2007, the Danish government provided 176 million DKK (≈ $37 million) in funding to DCA.[10] In the first half of 2008, the amount was $16 million, which was 16.5 percent of Denmark´s funding for humanitarian aid allocated to date.

DCA works multilaterally – with close ties to the World Council of Churches (WCC) – as well as bilaterally with local churches, church councils and civil ("folkelige") organizations.[11] The WCC is a major supporter and leader of the anti-Israel boycott and divestment campaign. It is active in efforts to condemn Israel at the UN and funds the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI). EAPPI has demonstrated an anti-Israel agenda, especially in publications such as "40 Years of Occupation" with an article advocating illegal and inflammatory activities to "end the occupation" – including hacking government websites, commemorating "Naqba" and recognizing the "Right of Return." The WCC hosted the 2006 "global advocacy week concerning the situation in Palestine and Israel," including "solidarity visits with Christian Peacemaker Teams in Hebron," a "settlement tour with ICAHD" and an opportunity to "witnes[s] the destruction in Jenin Refugee Camp."

DCA’s international aid framework focuses on 12 areas, including Israel/Palestine,[12] and DCA partners include local churches, development programs, advocacy groups, and some of the most politicized NGOs (see appendix 1 for complete list):

• BADIL – BADIL is one of the most active NGOs in promoting extreme Palestinian political positions in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, using a distorted history of the Palestinian refugee issue, and emphasizing the so-called right of return." It is a signatory to an August 2002 call to boycott Israel, which repeats the NGO Declaration of the 2001 Durban conference. In November 2007, BADIL announced that it would lead the "Nakba 60 Campaign" – "a year-long campaign of public awareness-raising and education about the Nakba and Israel´s discriminatory Apartheid-like regime over the Palestinian people in the 1967 OPT, Israel and in exile." BADIL has received Danish funding through two channels -- DanChurchAid and Mu´assasat (see below).
  An April 2006 report, conducted by DanChurchAid and Trocaire and then published with permission by Badil, demonstrates DanChurchAid´s close identification with BADIL, especially in recognition of BADIL´s role in promoting the "Right of Return." The evaluators also praise BADIL´s "important role in the coordination and launching of the BDS campaign which seems to lack coordination at the national level."[13]
• B´Tselem - B´Tselem is an Israeli political group that was founded "to change Israeli policy in the Occupied Territories," using the language of human rights. Despite such clear political aims, B´Tselem receives considerable international funding, mainly from European governments. This NGO received 693,822 DKK (≈ $140,000) from DanChurchAid in 2006,[14] and DanChurchAid remains on its current donor list. B’Tselem also has received Danish funding through Mu´assasat (see below) and via the European Instrument for Human Rights and Democracy (EIDHR).
• Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) – The activities of PCHR are frequently political, promoting an anti-Israel agenda in the media and international frameworks. PCHR routinely accuses Israel of committing "war crimes", "ethnic cleansing" and "collective punishment" and is active in boycott and divestment campaigns against Israel (See detailed NGO Monitor report). Although PCHR documents intra-Palestinian human rights abuses, this NGO is also a key proponent of the Durban Strategy. In addition to DanChurchAid funding, PCHR has received money from Denmark through Mu’assasat and EIDHR.
• East Jerusalem YMCA – While YMCA/YWCA activities are generally non-partisan, in 2005 it launched an ongoing Boycott-Divestment-Sanctions Campaign with YMCA Palestine.

DanChurchAid and BDS
Despite supporting NGOs active in Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) – WCC, BADIL, PCHR and East Jerusalem YMCA – DCA claims to "NOT support a boycott of Israeli products." At the same time, "DanChurchAid is letting the consumer decide for him or herself what to buy and what not to buy." In the estimation of DCA´s evaluator of BADIL´s efforts, "DanChurchAid does not believe boycott to be morally wrong, but it does not believe that a general boycott will be effective."

Danish Funding to Palestinian Political NGOs Through Mu´assasat (the Multi-donor Secretariat)
Denmark funding for NGOs has also been channeled through multi-national frameworks that support numerous Palestinian organizations. In 2006, Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland jointly established a multi-donor NGO secretariat, Mu’assasat ("Institutions"), in Gaza and the West Bank, with Danida as the lead donor.[15] Mu´assasat was created to "[strengthen] the performance, outcome and strategic outreach of NGO programmes in human rights and good governance (HR/GG), improving coordination among HR & GG NGOs, and improving their internal performance in terms of accountability and organizational governance." (Mu´assasat ceased to exist and its website disappeared, along with other information, when its management company, Copenhagen Development Consultancy failed in July 2007.) As discussed below, a second attempt is scheduled to begin operation in July 2008.[16]

During its brief initial existence, Mu'assasat assisted a number of NGOs that exacerbate conflict, and whose agendas deviated substantially from the humanitarian claims. The Director, Khalil Nakhleh, who had served as a consultant to the European Commission, and as an official of the Palestinian Ministry of Education, often promoted this anti-Israel agenda. In a speech in Ramallah at Sabeel´s 6th International Conference "The Forgotten Faithful" on November 6, 2006, Nakhleh accused Israel of carrying out "ethnic cleansing" and a "system of apartheid and an ideology of exclusion," and proposed an international "coalition of the committed" against Israeli "apartheid," which "should discard and reject the often repeated slogan of a 2-state solution."

According to the website of the Representative Office in Ramallah (edited December 13, 2007), Denmark provided support for more than 20 Palestinian human rights and “good governance” NGOs through Mu´assasat. A June 10, 2008 phone conversation between NGO Monitor and Projects Responsible/Director in the Danish Mission Mrs. Rima Majaj confirmed that Denmark had funded 24 local NGOs while active in Mu´assasat. (See Appendix 2 for the complete list.) Funding for these programs and NGOs was $5,484,000.[17]

However, as NGO Monitor’s research shows, many of these NGOs focus on agendas that exacerbate the Israeli-Arab conflict through their political campaigning against Israel:

• Al Dameer – Gaza often engages in the demonization of Israel, and promotes a "right to resist". It is a member of the Palestinian NGO Network (PNGO), which was instrumental in producing many of the preparatory documents for the Durban 2001 conference and calling for embargoes on Israel.
• Al-Haq claims to be "an independent Palestinian non-governmental human rights organisation", but the evidence reflects its leadership role in political campaigning. It was an active participant in the 2001 Durban Conference, and lists "participation in…activities regarding boycott, divestment, and sanctions" (BDS) amongst its objectives. Al Haq’s General Director, Shawan Jabarin, has been linked to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). Its website openly identifies Israel´s independence as "Naqba" ("catastrophe").
• Badil – see entry above
• Defence for Children International (DCI) / Palestine Section – The activities of DCI are highly politicized and exploit the rhetoric of human rights to demonize Israel As NGO Monitor’s detailed research has shown, DCI/PS has a history of anti-Israel political campaigning in the UN and other frameworks. In a statement to the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) on September 29, 2007, DCI/PS condemned Israel for “deliberate targeting of civilians” in Lebanon, "terrorizing the civilian population" in Gaza and "collective punishment." This submission misappropriates international law, distorts the context of the conflict, and demonizes Israel through false accusations, all while ignoring the impact of intra-Palestinian violence on children. DCI/PS also continues to promote the myth of the “Jenin massacre” on its website, including a statement on the "horror" of the "Israeli army massacre in Jenin refugee camp" in 2002, despite widespread rejection of this narrative.
• Mossawa – Mossawa engages in political and legal campaigns that delegitimize Israel as a Jewish state with charges of racism and other pejoratives. Mossawa is influential in international forums, and has worked with Human Rights Watch, Amnesty, FIDH and Habitat International. Mossawa also received EIDHR funding concurrent with Mu´assasat support.[18]
• Physicians for Human Rights (Israel) – PHR-I is a highly political organization that often condemns Israeli government policies. Its mission statement claims that it "works to implement [justice, equality and mutual assistance] on a practical level struggling not only to aid the individual, but also to change the policies that are at the base of human rights abuses." PHR-I is involved in political campaigns that erase the context of Palestinian terror, and as a result the Israel Physician´s Union halted cooperative activities. In May 2008, PHR-I admitted research mistakes when the organization falsely reported that a Gaza cancer patient died while waiting for a permit to enter Israel. In addition to Mu´assasat funding, EIDHR provided PHR-I with €665,967 in the period of May 2002 to February 2006.
• Gisha - Gisha´s reports and legal actions filed in Israeli courts promote a selective human rights agenda, distort international law, use "apartheid" and "collective punishment" rhetoric, and strip away the context of Palestinian terror. A January 2007 document, "Disengaged Occupiers: The Legal Status of Gaza," posits that Israel continues to "occupy" Gaza after the 2005 Disengagement, an opinion that informs and shapes Gisha´s approach to Israel´s actions vis a vis Gaza. As NGO Monitor has firmly established, "This argument is false as a matter of fact and a matter of law, and largely parrots a ´legal´ opinion circulated by the PLO shortly prior to Israel’s disengagement." By downplaying Palestinian terrorism in Gaza and misrepresenting human rights issues, Gisha contributes to the impression that Israel imposes restrictions of the Palestinians without cause or purpose.

Mu´assasat also extended small grant support. As of February 26, 2008,[19] the small grant support (total of 140,000 USD) went to:

• ICAHD – focuses primarily on political and ideological denunciations of Israel, including "apartheid" rhetoric,
• Campaign for the Right of Entry / Re-entry to the Occupied Palestinian Territory,
• Arab Thought Forum (ATF) for a campaign against house demolitions in Wadi Qadrun in Jerusalem,
• Stop the Wall Campaign of Ramallah, for an information campaign on the UN Register on the Damages of the Separation Barrier

According to information obtained by NGO Monitor, some of the NGOs are continuing to receive funds from the donor states, including Denmark, although no details are available. A new multidonor program was scheduled to begin operating on July 1, 2008, with Switzerland – through the Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC) – replacing Denmark as the lead donor. The level of Danish involvement remains unclear.

Danish NGO funding through the European Union
Note: A detailed list of EU-funded Israeli and Palestinian NGOs can be found in NGO Monitor’s Europe’s Hidden Hand (April 2008).

Danish contributions to development cooperation within the European Union account for almost 15 percent of Denmark´s multilateral development assistance, or approximately 7 percent of Denmark´s total aid budget. Many local NGOs benefit from European Union funding through the European Instrument for Human Rights and Democracy (EIDHR), and thus, indirectly, from Danish funds. Moreover, the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EMHRN) receives 80 percent of its funding from the EU. EMHRN, based in Copenhagen, also receives direct funding from Denmark.

EMHRN encompasses over eighty NGOs, which claim to promote human rights. It receives an annual budget of approximately €1 million via EIDHR, under the general framework of supporting "democracy, good governance and rule of law." EMHRN’s official mandate is to develop "synergies between regional and local human rights work, the human rights instruments of the Barcelona process as well as the wider Arab world." EMHRN funds are allocated to conferences, research, and educational materials produced for its member NGOs. EMHRN assists these NGOs in influencing public opinion by providing them access to Europe’s policymaking community.

Other EMHRN activities include facilitating dialogue and assistance among its members and lobbying to advance the policy goals of affiliated NGOs. The EMHRN members from Israel and the PA consist exclusively of NGOs active in advancing Arab and Palestinian political goals. As shown in NGO Monitor’s detailed analyses, many of these NGOs are active in promoting the strategy of boycotts, divestment and sanctions (BDS) based on the final declaration of the NGO Forum at the 2001 Durban Conference. EMHRN reports often contribute to this process, advance specious Palestinian claims and erase the context of terror against Israel, thereby exacerbating the perception of the conflict in countries where EMHRN is widely received, especially across North Africa (Source: Europe’s Hidden Hand, pp. 23-25).

EMHRN provides a platform for and promotes the views of its partner NGOs, which include:

• Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) – see above. PCHR has been a member of the EMHRN since 1999.
• Al–Haq – see above. Al-Haq has been a member of the EMHRN since 2003.
• Al Mezan – Al Mezan´s activities reflect a radical anti-Israel agenda, including promoting claims of "Israeli war crimes", such as this article, where "Al Mezan confirms that the IOF have committed war crimes violating the texts of international humanitarian law." Al-Mezan also promotes accusations of apartheid, such as in this report (page 7) which states that checkpoints are a "place where the military humiliate[s] [Palestinians], reinforcing feelings of hatred. In reality, the checkpoint embodies an awful apartheid policy as facts on the ground prove." Al Mezan has been a member of the EMHRN since 2006, the same year it received funding from Mu´assasat (see below).
• PCATI - Public Committee against Torture in Israel PCATI´s activities are highly political, and its campaigns extend far beyond the specifics of its mission statement. In December 2006, the Israeli High Court rejected PCATI´s petition on targeted killings, on the grounds of legitimate self-defense against terror. PCATI has been a member of the EMHRN since 2001.
• B´Tselem – see above. B´Tselem has been a member of the EMHR since 1997.
• Adalah - Adalah published a so-called "Democratic Constitution" in March 2007, which calls for the end of Israel as a democratic society with a Jewish character (see Europe’s Hidden Hand, pp 22-23). Adalah has been a member of the EMHRN since 1997.

Conclusion
The Danish Foreign Ministry, through its international development agency – Danida – DanChurchAid, Mu´assasat, and via EU frameworks, provides significant funding to some of the most politicized NGOs. DanChurchAid, which receives tens of millions of dollars annually from the Danish government, supports and partners with active participants in the BDS campaign against Israel. Mu´assasat, which is being revived under the leadership of the Swiss, funded NGOs that distort international law and human rights rhetoric to condemn Israel. Such funding is inconsistent with Danish government policies and commitments to promoting peace and compromise, and does not help in attaining the stated goals of "strengthening democracy, good governance and human rights."

NGO Monitor sent this report to officials from the Danish Representative Office in Ramallah and DanChurchAid. While the Danish government did not respond, DanChurchAid did send comments (to read DanChurchAid´s letter, click here). To read NGO Monitor´s reply to DanChurchAid, click here.