[Opinion] Dutch court's anti-Israel ruling is meaningless, but part of a dangerous trend
Anne Herzberg analyzes lawfare campaigns against Israel since October 7.
Anne Herzberg analyzes lawfare campaigns against Israel since October 7.
The Danish government funds numerous Israeli and Palestinian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) directly through the Danish International Development Agency (Danida), the Danish Embassy in Tel Aviv, and the Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law Secretariat, and indirectly by outsourcing to church groups and aid organizations such as DanChurchAid and Oxfam GB. The Danish government also provides support to DanWatch, a vocal supporter of BDS (boycotts, divestment, and sanctions) against Israel.
On February 12, 2024, the Dutch Court of Appeal ruled that the Netherlands must cease transfer of US-owned F-35 fighter jet components to Israel. The appeal was initiated by four pro-BDS NGOs – Oxfam Novib, PAX, Rights Forum, and Amnesty International – which had sued the Dutch government to stop the transfers and had lost in District Court.
The German federal government provides millions of euros to political advocacy NGOs in Israel and the Palestinian Authority, through a variety of frameworks, including German federal funding programs of the Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the German Federal Foreign Office, government-funded church aid, and independent development NGOs.
The Norwegian government, via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) provides tens of millions of kroner (NOK) through direct and indirect funding processes to politicized NGOs operating in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza.
Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) leads massive and unprecedented political campaigns exploiting the Israeli legal system. In sharp contrast to NRC’s ostensibly humanitarian agenda, this massive program focuses on some of the most complex and sensitive political issues in the Arab-Israeli context.
The WESPAC Foundation refers to US-funded “atrocities” in “our homeland” and demands the US “end all aid to Israel, diplomatic, economic, military… to this apartheid, racist state.”
Anne Herzberg discusses various lawsuits filed by NGOs seeking rulings or injunctions that will block allied military support for Israel.
Ireland, via its program for overseas development Irish Aid, provides millions of euros through direct and indirect funding processes to politicized non-governmental organizations (NGOs) operating in Ireland, Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza.
NGO Monitor analyzes HRW's expanded demonization of Israel, calling for boycotts and lawfare, and focusing on lobbying Europe to pressure and isolate Israel. HRW also continued to downplay antisemitism under the guise of protecting free speech