NGO Monitor Analysis (Vol. 3 No. 6) 15 February 2005

CHRISTIAN AID ADVERTISES FOR MIDDLE EAST POSITION

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Christian Aid is currently advertising for the UK-based position of "Programme Officer for the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Israel". Responsible for a budget of up to £900,000 ($1.62 million), the job's purpose is: "To share in the work of the Middle East unit in developing and supporting programmes and partnerships in the region with responsibility for the Middle East programmes; to ensure that the concerns of partners are communicated in Christian Aid's education, campaigns, fund raising and media work; and to contribute to the development of Christian Aid's policy and strategy for aid and advocacy work in the Middle East."

Christian Aid's activities within the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have been carefully documented and analyzed by NGO Monitor, including its work with highly politicized partner organizations such as Adalah, Physicians for Human Rights - Israel, the Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees and Palestine Monitor. According to Christian Aid's job description, 70% consists of "Programme Management", which includes the appraisal, monitoring and reviewing of partners' projects. Another 15% of the job entails "Working with and supporting partners". With another 5% allocated towards "Advocacy", it is clear that the successful candidate for this position will have a significant influence over Christian Aid's direction in Israel and the Palestinian Authority. This minor emphasis on advocacy seems inconsistent with CA's anti-Israel campaigns such as the "Child of Bethlehem", "Peace Under Siege", etc.

Christian Aid states that Arabic language skills (there is no mention of Hebrew) and some formal education in Middle East studies are "desirable". Essential, however, is "Experience of living and/or working in the Middle East Region, including Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories". NGO Monitor has previously called for transparency and accountability in the hiring processes of NGOs, including Human Rights Watch, which has been responsible for hiring politicized staff members such as Joe Stork and Sarah Leah Whitson. NGO Monitor hopes that Christian Aid will be open and honest in its selection process in order to avoid a similar situation of individual employees working to further their personal agendas.