Press Release:
Report shows overwhelming evidence of ties between Palestinian NGOs and PFLP terror group
A new report published by Jerusalem-based research institute NGO Monitor uses open sources and publicly available information to document the overwhelming evidence of ties between seven terror-linked Palestinian NGOs and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a terror organization designated by the US, EU, Canada and Israel.
Following Israel’s October 2021 designation of six of these NGOs as terrorist entities over their PFLP ties, the EU and certain European governments – including those funding these organizations – claimed that they had received “no substantial information” regarding “accusations of terrorism or links to terrorist groups” concerning the NGOs. As NGO Monitor’s 85-page report shows, irrespective of the information possessed by the Israeli government and intelligence agencies, the extensive documentation presented in this report renders these denials untenable.
The six Palestinian NGOs – Addameer, Al-Haq, Bisan, Defense for Children International – Palestine (DCIP), Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC) and Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees (UPWC) – were designated as terror organizations by Israel, citing their extensive links to the PFLP. A seventh, Health Work Committees (HWC), was designated in January 2020.
NGO Monitor’s research identifies at least 50 Palestinian NGO officials with links to the PFLP, including some who have been convicted for planning or executing terrorist attacks such as the August 2019 murder of 17-year-old Rina Shnerb. Five of the NGOs have highly visible organizational links to the PFLP.
While the report focuses on the seven NGOs designated by Israel as terrorist entities, NGO Monitor has identified a network of thirteen PFLP-linked NGOs operating in the West Bank and Gaza. This network has received over €200 million in aid over the past decade, and our report provides the substantial and clear evidence of the continued ties between these NGOs and the PFLP.
President of NGO Monitor Professor Gerald Steinberg noted: “When European officials say they see ‘no evidence’ of the terror links of their Palestinian NGO clients, they are ignoring numerous readily verifiable examples. There is no excuse for this blind abuse of taxpayer funds. Even without any classified intelligence, NGO Monitor’s report presents clear open source information that clearly reveals the links between the PFLP and European funded NGOs. Instead of ignoring the facts, it is time for European governments to act responsibly. “