NGO Monitor Digest (Vol. 3 No. 11) 15 July 2005
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CONTENTS: |
- NGOs BEHIND ANTI-ISRAEL DIVESTMENT CAMPAIGN
- CHRISTIAN AID WATCH: UNDER THE BLOGGER’S SPOTLIGHT
- PALESTINIAN NGOs CALL FOR BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT AND SANCTIONS
- SABEEL - AN ECUMENICAL FACADE TO PROMOTE HATRED
- EU ANTI-FRAUD OFFICE TO INVESTIGATE 32 NGOs
- HRW TARGETS ISRAEL AGAIN: ANALYSIS OF "FAILURE TO
INVESTIGATE WRONGDOING"
- UPDATE COMPARING HRW'S ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES IN THE
MIDDLE EAST - 2005 (JANUARY - JUNE)
- NEWS UPDATES
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NGOs BEHIND ANTI-ISRAEL DIVESTMENT CAMPAIGN |
The divestment campaign has
become the latest political instrument of the drive designed
to progressively delegitimize Israel in international frameworks
based on the 2001 "Durban strategy". This campaign is being
conducted by Protestant Church groups, such as the World
Council of Churches, the Presbyterians, the Anglican Church,
and the UCC.
As in the Durban conference
itself, as well as the university boycott efforts in the
UK, the NGO network is playing a central role in this divestment
movement. Groups such as Sabeel, a radical Palestinian religio-political
organization supported by groups such as the Mennonite Central
Committee, have provided the allegations and language repeated
in many of the divestment declarations issued by church
associations.
Indeed, divestment has been
a core theme in the radical anti-Israel activities of NGOs
claiming to promote human rights and assistance for the
Palestinians, as profiled previously by NGO Monitor. These
include Ittajah, BADIL, Al-Mezan, the Arab Association for
Human Rights, Nazareth (HRA), ADRID, MIFTAH, along with
others. The long list of extremist Palestinian NGOs involved
in the divestment campaign was published on Electronic Intifada,
which also disclosed that the campaign was timed to coincide
with the "one year" anniversary of the ICJ "advisory decision"
on Israel's separation barrier. In other words, the UN General
Assembly vote, which was also led by the NGO network, was
a means to the pseudo-legal ICJ process, which, in turn,
is being used to drive the political boycott and divestment
campaigns.
The funding for these political
NGOs spear-heading the anti-Israel divestment campaign comes
from a variety of sources: church groups in Europe and North
America (including the Mennonite Central Committee and Christian
Aid), government aid agencies (including Canada, Norway,
Switzerland and the EU), and foundations (such as the New
Israel Fund and the Ford Foundation).These groups continue
to exploit claims of support for civil society and human
rights in order to further narrow political objectives.
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CHRISTIAN AID WATCH: UNDER THE BLOGGER’S SPOTLIGHT
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“Over the last
seven issues of Christian Aid News more than 17 pages were
devoted to Israel and Palestine. Most of this coverage involved
political criticism of Israel. The most coverage any other
conflict zone got was 4.5 pages for Angola – …. Sudan, scene
of more than two million deaths in the civil wars of the past
two decades … got 2.5 pages.” - Christian Aid Watch
Read Article>>>>
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PALESTINIAN NGOs CALL FOR BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT AND SANCTIONS
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"One year on: Palestinian
civil society calls for boycott, divestment and sanctions
Appeal", Electronic Intifada, 9 July 2005. In addition to
displaying the pro-Palestinian NGO strategy linking the UN
and ICJ effort against Israel's separation barrier to the
boycott and divestment campaign, this website includes a detailed
list of the NGOs involved.
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article3981.shtml
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SABEEL'S ECUMENICAL FACADE |
The Sabeel Ecumenical
Liberation Theology Center and its head, Naim Ateek, are among
the major sources of the divestment campaign promoted by highly
politicized church groups. Sabeel's record clearly demonstrates
the central goal of delegitimizing and dismantling the State
of Israel.
Read Article>>>>
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EU ANTI-FRAUD OFFICE TO INVESTIGATE 32 NGOs |
Following several
allegations of fraud, the European Union is investigating
the misappropriation of aid funds provided to 32 NGOs and
charities. This development follows numerous analyses conducted
by NGO Monitor of EU-funded NGOs active in the Middle East
with documented histories of diverting resources from humanitarian
objectives to incitement and political campaigns.
Read Article>>>> |
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HRW TARGETS ISRAEL AGAIN: ANALYSIS OF "FAILURE TO INVESTIGATE WRONGDOING"
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Ignoring the controversy
regarding its agenda and involvement in political campaigning,
Human Rights Watch's compilation of allegations regarding
the Israeli military lacks credibility, erases context, and
exploits the language of international law.
Read Article>>>> |
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UPDATE COMPARING HRW'S ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES IN THE MIDDLE EAST
2005 (JANUARY - JUNE)
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NGO Monitor found
limited evidence of greater balance in the activities of Human
Rights Watch (HRW) regarding the Middle East. However, a June
22 report and press conference in Jerusalem concentrating
on allegations regarding Israel suggests that the core bias
in HRW's agenda remains.
Read Article>>>> |
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NGO MONITOR NEWS UPDATES |
| Ike Seamans, "Palestinian NGOs After Own Agendas,"
Miami Herald, June 17, 2005.
The Ford Foundation's response and author's comments>>>>
This article questions US
government plans to increase funding for Palestinian NGOs,
quoting Palestinians critics of the ''deep-seated financial,
moral and administrative corruption'' permeating many NGOs.
Citing NGO Monitor, the article highlights the human rights
facade of groups such as MIFTAH, and funders such as the
Ford Foundation.
“Three Faiths heads slam ACC”, Jewish Chronicle,
July 8, 2005.
Joseph Lelyveld, "Interrogating Ourselves", New
York Times, 12 June 2005.
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