World
Dutch government cuts funding to West Bank NGO over ‘links to terror’
Decision follows probe sparked by arrest of two employees over murder of Israeli teenager
January 16, 2022 17:02
Decision follows probe sparked by arrest of two employees over murder of Israeli teenager
January 16, 2022 17:02The Dutch Government has stopped funding an NGO on the West Bank after British lawyers provided evidence of its links to a terror group said to be responsible for the murder of an Israeli teenager.
The Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC) has received more than €21.5 million from Holland since 2017.
But after the arrest of two of its employees over the killing of 17-year-old Rina Schnerb in 2019, the stream of funding was suspended and a probe launched by officials.
Now, following the investigation’s conclusions — supported by evidence from UK Lawyers For Israel (UKLFI) — the Dutch government has ended funding permanently.
The decision came after the UAWC was one of six NGOs outlawed by Israel last October for links to terror groups.
UKLFI had repeatedly raised concerns about UAWC’s links to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).
The terrorist organisation is thought to be responsible for a bombing attack on 23 August 2019 that killed Ms Schnerb.
Two men arrested for the bombing were employed by the UAWC, prompting the Dutch Ministry for Foreign Trade and Development Co-operation to suspend funding pending the outcome of an official probe.
UKLFI raised questions with the Dutch Government and sent information as part of the investigation carried out by investigative firm Proximities Risk Consultancy.
The firm found no proof of “organisational unity” between the UAWC and the PFLP or evidence the PFLP was directing the work of the non-governmental organisation.
But it did find evidence of individual links between 34 employees of UAWC and the PFLP.
Of the 34, 12 employees were both members of the UAWC board and held positions within the PFLP.
A joint letter by the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Ben Knapen and the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Tom de Bruijn states Proximities found no evidence that UAWC staff or board members used their position to organise or support terrorist activities, nor evidence of any links to the PFLP’s militant arm.
However, the letter flags up “organisational ties between the UAWC and the PFLP”.
This included 18 events between 2007 and 2020 including visits between representatives of the two organisations, expressions of solidarity and the use of each other’s buildings for training and meetings.
It concludes: “The findings about individual-level ties between the UAWC and the PFLP, and the UAWC’s lack of candour about the situation before or during the review, constitute sufficient reason in the government’s view to no longer fund the UAWC’s activities.”
Caroline Turner, UKLFI director, said: “This is fantastic news. Now we hope the other European funders of UAWC will follow suit and cease their donations.”
The UAWC said it was “shocked and saddened” by the decision and claimed the investigation was “politically motivated” and part of an “Israeli smear campaign”.
It added that Dutch government has found “no financial flows” or “indications of organisational unity” between UAWC and the PFLP, nor “indications that board and staff members have used their position at UAWC for terrorist purposes”.
“In addition, the Dutch Foreign Ministry determined that Proximities’ research provides no basis to conclude that UAWC has any organisational links with the PFLP. All of these findings reflect UAWC’s status and existence as an independent organisation, which has no political or religious affiliation with any party or political organisation.”
The decision was also condemned by the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organisations Network, which maintained the investigation had “cleared UAWC of Israel’s toxic allegations”.