NGO Monitor Launches a Plan to Prevent Diversion of Humanitarian Aid

June 18, 2024

The atrocities of October 7th reflect pervasive radicalization in Gaza and the West Bank. Development funds have been diverted and misused to construct terror tunnels and military infrastructure. School textbooks contain antisemitic and anti-Israeli material. Hamas enriches itself at the expense of the civilian population and has held hostage the people of Gaza since 2007. Even UN organizations have connections to terrorist groups.

Now is the time to act. USA and European governments are major donors to the Palestinians, and their strategic relationship must now be leveraged. A reordering and recalibration of development aid, in particular in a post-war scenario, must focus on concerted deradicalization of Palestinian society. European governments have the capacity to make a decisive contribution, and turn aid into a proactive agent so that supported projects renounce violence and promote coexistence.

The commitment of the international community to Israel’s security must also be applied to development and humanitarian aid. Public funds must not be used and misappropriated to promote antisemitism and hatred, violence, and terror against Israel.

The path to a peaceful, secure region is long, but the reconstruction of Gaza must mark the beginning of a paradigm shift in development cooperation. The status quo is not an alternative.

In this report, we offer concrete recommendations for policymakers on how to improve transparency, vetting criteria, accountability, and oversight, as prerequisites for recalibrating development aid for the Palestinians. The aim is to promote peaceful coexistence; support genuine human rights advocacy; and decisively combat hatred, terror, and antisemitism. By providing best practice examples from the USA and other European countries, the report demonstrates that improvements are both necessary and possible at all stages of development cooperation.