In the context of the Arab-Israeli conflict, self-proclaimed human rights groups often fail to denounce acts of violence against Israelis. Some even minimize or incite terrorism. Worse yet, some NGOs have alleged ties to terrorist organizations.
Like other Human Rights Watch responses, this latest publication lacks credible methodology and manipulates the presentation of facts and law to advance a political narrative rather than engage in professional human rights research.
A number of European governments have joined the US and others in demanding that the Palestinian Authority (PA) end its policy of paying salaries to, and hence incentivizing, Palestinian prisoners convicted of terror crimes. Yet, in sharp contrast, a number of Palestinian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) receiving European government funding under the banner of human rights assert that terrorists have a “right” to receive salaries and that suspending these payments is a violation of international law.
A number of government-funded Palestinian and European NGOs repeatedly manipulate human rights through the use of “resistance” rhetoric, blurring the lines between violence and nonviolence, denigrating security concerns, and legitimizing attacks against civilians. Some of these groups also have ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) – a designated terrorist organization by the EU, U.S., Canada, and Israel.
An analysis of NGO ties to the PFLP, a designated terrorist organization, and the European funding to these NGOs.
Many highly politicized NGOs that are funded by the IHL Scretariat (composed of Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland and the Netherlands) have issued problematic statements regarding the recent wave of terror, which ignore attacks against civilians and Israel's right to self-defense.
In response to the recent wave of terror, government officials, repeating claims made by highly politicized NGOs, have accused Israel of using "excessive force" when responding to attacks against Israeli civilians, criminalizing Israels right to defend itself.
NGOs with stated human rights agendas, who are generally extremely vocal regarding the Arab-Israeli conflict, have avoided condemning the recent terrorist attacks against Israeli citizens, instead focusing only on the Israeli response to such attacks.
The information provided by IRW regarding its internal investigation is insufficient. NGO Monitor recommends that an independent, transparent, and comprehensive audit of IRWs international activities and funding mechanisms be undertaken immediately.
While some NGOs have condemned the recent series of attacks, others have either remained silent, blamed Israel, or have attempted to create an artificial balance and moral equivalence between terrorists and their victims.
The alleged channeling of funds from Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW) to Hamas demonstrates the need for an immediate, comprehensive, and transparent review by IRWs European donors and supporters.