The Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law Secretariat, jointly funded by the governments of Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, is managed by the Institute of Law at Birzeit University (IoL-BZU) in Ramallah and the NIRAS consulting firm. The Secretariat provides $6 million (for the period of 2013-2017) to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that lobby the EU and International Criminal Court, and are active in anti-peace lawfare, BDS (boycott, divestment and sanctions) and other forms of demonization campaigns against Israel. Some of these NGOs also promote antisemitic rhetoric and have apparent links to terror, specifically to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) terror organization. These activities contrast sharply with the Secretariat’s mandate of promoting human rights and IHL (documented in NGO Monitor’s previous reports.)

Supporting Political Campaigns on Behalf of Palestinian Prisoner-Terrorists

  • A number of core-funded NGOs are leading international campaigns on behalf of Palestinian prisoners (including convicted murderers). The context of terrorism is completely erased from these political campaigns.

Newly Discovered NGO-Terror Links

  • On February 23, Anas Barghouthi, a lawyer for Addameer, pleaded guilty to membership in the PFLP, adding to the numerous other Addameer officials associated with the terror group.

Anti-Peace Lobbying at the UN, EU, and ICC

“Jenin Massacre” Myth

BDS

  • On March 18, Al-Haq (core funding $870,000) published a video accusing private corporations of “complicity in Israel’s exploitation of Palestinian gas resources.”