Timeline: Documentation of NIF-Coalition of Women for Peace Relations
See NIF Announces End of Support for CWP, Confirming NGO Monitor Research for more details on New Israel Fund (NIF) claims regarding Coalition of Women for Peace (CWP) and its “Who Profits” BDS project.
2006 – NIF’s board disburses $230,805 in grants to CWP
2007 – NIF’s board disburses $54,690 in grants to CWP
2008 – NIF’s board disburses $93,457 in grants to CWP
2009 – NIF’s board disburses $10,545 in grants to CWP
April 2010 – NGO Monitor reports that NIF had provided $285,000 to CWP in 2006-2008
1) NIF officials deny that CWP is involved in BDS activities.
2) NIF officials identify the Ford Foundation as the source of the NIF funding to CWP.
3) NIF asserts that funding for CWP ended in 2006.
May 5, 2010 – Correspondence from Ford Foundation confirms that “The Coalition of Women for Peace is not a Ford Foundation grantee,” in contradiction to the NIF response.
December 13, 2010 – On its website, NIF declares that it “will not fund global BDS activities against Israel nor support organizations that have global BDS programs.”
December 14, 2010 – NGO Monitor issues a press release, noting that NIF’s ongoing funding relationship with CWP violates NIF’s own guidelines.
April 2011 – According to Robin Margo of NIF-Australia, during an address at Shalom College in Sydney, NIF board member Prof. Itzhak Galnoor states that NIF had not provided grants to CWP “for two or three years.”
May 11, 2011 – At a meeting attended by NIF-Israel CEO Rachel Liel, Prof. Gerald Steinberg references CWP’s use of NIF for tax-deductible donations. Liel denies that NIF is still providing funds to CWP, but does not address NIF’s indirect funding for CWP and “Who Profits”.
May 12, 2011 – NGO Monitor publishes a detailed and fully documented report on CWP. The report accurately depicts NIF’s support for CWP in 2006-2009, as well as CWP’s listing of NIF as a funding channel in the US, UK, and Switzerland.
May 12, 2011 – NIF releases a statement, alleging that “NGO Monitor today knowingly published false information” by identifying NIF as a CWP donor. NIF claims that “NIF provided its last direct grant to CWP in 2008, and CWP is no longer on NIF’s list of approved donor-advised organizations.”
May 13, 2011 – Prof. Gerald Steinberg’s letter to Rachel Liel demonstrates that NGO Monitor’s report is based on NIF’s own financial statements and that CWP continues to list NIF as a tax deductible channel.
May 15, 2011 – NIF releases another statement, claiming that “We have asked CWP to remove our name and funding direction from their website.”
May 16, 2011 – NIF contacts CWP, informing the group “of the NIF decision to stop acting as fiscal sponsor for the Coalition of Women for Peace.”
*** May 16, 2011 – According to CWP, NIF transfers funds to CWP’s bank account.
May 20, 2011 – NIF-Australia head Robin Margo publishes a statement, claiming that CWP “has received no further funding from NIF since 2009 and was removed from NIF’s donor-advised list at the beginning of this year.”
May 21, 2011 – CWP removes NIF from its donations page, but not from the donations page of the “Who Profits” website.
May 23, 2011 – CWP publishes a public letter to NIF, attacking the organization for being NGO Monitor’s “ally.” The letter contradicts many of NIF’s claims – including about the timing of the end of the funding relationship – and allegations against NGO Monitor, and confirms the accuracy of NGO Monitor’s account and related publications.