[Opinion] BDS: The European-Funded 'Grassroots' Campaigns
Tamar Kogman questions why the EU seems to be compromising its values by supporting NGOs that are spearheading efforts to boycott Israel.
Publications: | Reports, Books, Academic Publications, Submissions, Resource Pages |
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Other Content Types: | Press Releases, In The Media, Presentations, Posts, , Key Issues |
Funders: | European Union |
Start date: | 1 Jan 1988 |
End date: | 26 Mar 2017 |
Tamar Kogman questions why the EU seems to be compromising its values by supporting NGOs that are spearheading efforts to boycott Israel.
NGO Monitor has prepared a position paper, which places the study by a committee in the European Parliament in the context of a growing debate on funding to NGOs, highlighting the need for greater oversight and proposing recommendations for future EU conduct.
Despite its stated opposition to BDS (boycott, divestment, and sanctions) campaigns against Israel, the European Union (EU) is a major financial backer of organizations that advocate for the country’s economic isolation.
In-depth analysis of EU funding reveals that 25% of all beneficiaries support BDS, a tactic that the EU claims to expressly oppose.
NGO Monitor research shows that the NGOs Adalah, Rabbis for Human Rights (RHR), and Negev Coexistence Forum for Civil Equality (NCF) receive European government funding for projects that contribute to the exacerbating of tensions between the Bedouin community and the State of Israel.
The violent events in the unrecognized village of Umm Al-Hiran highlight the way in which NGOs intensify conflict between the Bedouin community and the State of Israel, all while being financially backed by European governments.
Resolution 2334, adopted by the UN Security Council in December 2016 adopts the language used by multiple European-funded NGOs promoting anti-Israel campaigns, in the form of incremental strategies leading to full boycotts.
The International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) is a French NGO that pursues a “lawfare” strategy against Israel, accuses Israel of "war crimes" and "apartheid measures," and considers anti-Israel BDS (boycott, divestment and sanctions) activists “human rights defenders.” Some FIDH officials have alleged ties to the PFLP terror group.
An analysis of NGO ties to the PFLP, a designated terrorist organization, and the European funding to these NGOs.
Prof. Gerald Steinberg argues that those coming out in support of B'Tselem's presentation at the UN, and against PM Netanyahu and other officials, should instead engage with Israel's elected representatives through open discussions and accepted guidelines.