135 Palestinian NGOs refuse to sign 2020 EU grant agreement over amendment calling for organizations to refute ties to terrorism, claim terrorist groups are “political parties”.

Jerusalem, Israel─ December 31, 2019─ Over 130 Palestinian organizations have refused to sign an EU grant request which stipulates among its criteria that beneficiaries must refuse to transfer any EU aid given to terrorist groups or entities.[1] The organizations in question steadfastly decline to do so, claiming Palestinian terrorist groups are merely “political parties”.

Shawan Jabarin, the executive director of the Palestinian boycott organization Al-Haq told the media outlet The New Arab, “We demanded to include conditions stipulating that we do not have to recognize the criteria listed regarding terror groups”.[2] A letter of protest was later sent to a meeting between EU representatives in the Palestinian Authority and representatives of Palestinian civil society organizations, led by Mustafa Barghouti, secretary-general of the Palestinian National Initiative, and Jabarin.

In recent years, the Ministry of Strategic Affairs has been revealing the shared ties between supposed Palestinian human rights organizations and terrorist groups. In its report released early this year, “The Money Trail”, along with additional findings from organizations such as NGO monitor, it was found that EU institutions have awarded millions of euros in financial aid to Palestinian civil society organizations which have ties to terrorist entities and promote boycotts against Israel.

Additionally, in the ministry’s “Terrorists in Suits” report, over 100 ties shared between BDS organizations and internationally designated terrorist groups were found, including the PFLP and Hamas. According to the report, so-called Palestinian civil society organizations act as medium for funds for terrorist entities, enabling them to raise money for their activities through legitimate bodies including the EU. The opposition of these organizations to criteria preventing the transfer of funds to terror related activities proves the report’s claim.

An Israel Security Agency investigation into the August 2019 “Ein Bubin” bombing, which resulted in the murder of 17-year-old Rina Shnerb and injury of her brother and father, some 50 PFLP terrorists were arrested. The PFLP is designated as a terrorist group by the EU, US, Canada and Israel.

Those detained included senior officials who served in Palestinian “civil society” organizations including one of the 135 Palestinian NGOs, Addameer. Addameer is an organizations which, alongside its ongoing campaign to boycott and delegitimize the State of Israel, calls for the release of PFLP terrorists while providing them legal representation.

[1] The New Arab, December 21, 2019, https://bit.ly/2tUmPxX

[2] The New Arab, December 20, 2019, https://bit.ly/375ml64

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