NGO Monitor estimates that European governments – directly through governmental mechanisms, and indirectly via church and other humanitarian groups – and UN agencies contribute over €100 million to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) active in the Arab-Israeli conflict. This includes Israeli, Palestinian, and European groups that are, to varying degrees, active in political campaigns that target the State of Israel.

To demonstrate the basis for this estimate, NGO Monitor researchers prepared the attached table with available numbers from 2015, the most recent year with the most comprehensive date. The table presents €117,223,442 in known funding that originated with European taxpayers and/or UN agencies.

Where possible, NGO Monitor compiled information provided by the funding governments. With a handful of exceptions, however, most governments do not provide a centralized, comprehensive list of their grants to NGOs. Therefore, NGO Monitor researchers meticulously examined official documents from both donors and NGO grantees, including audited financial statements and submissions to the Israeli Registrar of Non-Profits.

Particular care was taken to remove instances of overlap or doubling of reports. For instance, the €12.9 million euro spent in Palestinian areas by Norwegian Refuge Council is not included in the numbers listed for the UK, EU, Norway, Switzerland, Spain, and Belgium (the funders for this NGO). Similarly, information from an NGO was only used when there was no corresponding data from the funder.

NGO Monitor is aware of many governmental grants to NGOs where, due to a lack of transparency on the part of donors and recipients, the amount provided is undisclosed. For example, all of the largest and most well-known Palestinian human rights NGOs (PCHR, Al Haq, Al Mezan) list on their website European governments as supporters, but none publishes audited financial statements or amounts. Such funding is not included in the table.

In addition, many European NGOs, which receive government funds and are active in advocacy and other public campaigns targeting Israel, do not disclose their budgets for such activity. A (very) partial list: FIDH, LDH, La Cimade, MRAP, Christian Aid, War on Want, Kerk in Actie, Kurve Wustrow, Diakonie. These, too, are not included in the table.

FrameworkAmount (euros)Notes (which projects are included)
Secretariat4,675,537Israeli and Palestinian NGOs: 24 core, 18 project
Sweden11,891,511Palestinian and Swedish NGOs, $4m unspecified
Switzerland428,032Palestinian NGO
Denmark670,255Danish organization: DanWatch
Netherlands487,188Israeli and Palestinian NGOs
Norway8,869,54424 Palestinian NGOs, Norwegian NGOs
Belgium3,309,86817 Israeli and Palestinian NGOs, 3 Belgian NGOs
France5,087,481Israeli and Palestinian NGOs, 3 French NGOs, other projects
Germany5,268,281Israeli NGOs
EU13,400,000Israeli, Palestinian, and international NGOs
Spain5,200,000Spanish and Israeli NGOs
Ireland720,000Palestinian NGOs
UK1,810,070MAP, CAFOD,
OPT Humanitarian Fund2,678,867Spain, Norway, Ireland, Switzerland, Germany, Sweden, Belgium - to ACF, UHWC, PUI, Educaid, War Child Holland, CARE International, UAWC, Secourc Islamique France.
UN1,749,163Israeli and Palestinian NGO Databases
Norwegian Refugee Council12,930,308Funding from UK, EU, Norway, Switzerland, Spain, Belgium
FIDH670,300Swedish funding earmarked for West Bank and Gaza; more FIDH expenditures undisclosed.
OXFAM27,900,000All Oxfam branches’ expenditures in West Bank and Gaza
Diakonia3,008,611Funding from Sweden and Switzerland
Cordaid834,875Israeli and Palestinian NGOs
Trocaire788,000Funding from Ireland
DanChurchAid2,989,337Funding from Denmark
FinnChurchAid620,700Funding from Finland
HEKS1,235,515Funding from Switzerland
Total117,223,442