Spanish Government Funding for Ngos 2009 2011 Assessing Transparency Accountability and Impact on Israel

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

  • 8/10/2019 Spanish Government Funding for Ngos 2009 2011 Assessing Transparency Accountability and Impact on Israel

    1/63

  • 8/10/2019 Spanish Government Funding for Ngos 2009 2011 Assessing Transparency Accountability and Impact on Israel

    2/63

    Spanish Government Fundingfor NGOs: 2009-2011

    Assessing ransparency, Accountability, & Impact

    Soeren Kern, Author

    May 2013

  • 8/10/2019 Spanish Government Funding for Ngos 2009 2011 Assessing Transparency Accountability and Impact on Israel

    3/63

    SPANISHGOVERM

    ENTFUNDING

    PAGE

    2

    EXECUIVE SUMMARY

    Spanish government unding, in different orms,is allocated to a number o Palestinian, Israeli,

    and Spanish NGOs that are among the leaders inideological campaigns to delegitimize Israel viaBDS, laware, and other orms o demonization.

    Between 2009 and 2011, approximately 15million in Spanish government unds have beentranserred to political advocacy NGOs activein promoting this agenda through the differentunding rameworks (5 million to Israeli andPalestinian NGOs, and 10 million to SpanishNGOs.). Grantees include some o the most

    radical groups operating in Israel and thePalestinian authority:

    Applied Research Institute Jerusalem:176,637 (2011), 849,715 (2010) and98,347 (2009-2010) or planning or thegeopolitical uture o Jerusalem. ARIJ isactive in promoting BDS and other ormso anti-Israel delegitimization, includingmembership in the Palestinian Grassroots

    Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign and supportor the global anti-Israel boycott movement;ARIJ employs the rhetoric o ethniccleansing, transer, land grab, andcolonization activities in its publications.

    Breaking the Silence (BtS): 173,188 (2011),180,763 (2010) and 24,790 (2009). InMay 2011, El Paspublished a eature storyon BtS, and the members o this ringe group

    have appeared in numerous public events,acilitated by the unding received rom theSpanish government. BtS promoted manyo the war crimes accusations againstIsrael repeated in the now discreditedGoldstone Report, based on anonymousand unverifiable hearsay testimonies. Teirclaims are central to delegitimization.

    Israeli Committee Against HouseDemolitions: 181,508 (20092010).

    Promotes the demonization o Israel,supports boycotts and divestment campaigns,and leads the Gaza boat publicity missions.

    Founder Jeff Halper advocates or a one-state ormula that would eliminate Jewishsel-determination rights. ICAHD rhetoricincludes accusations o Israeli apartheid,bloody and sadistic actions, and atrocities.

    Popular Struggle Coordination Committee(PSCC): 107,700 (2011). PSCC saysit aims at strengthening internationalsupport networks and their direct tiesto the struggle or liberty in Palestine.According to its mission statement, PSCCpromotes a unique orm o communitybased organizing and resistance in thetradition o the first Palestinian Intiada.

    Tese diverse, non-partisan committees leadcommunity resistance to Israeli occupationin various orms, such as marches, strikes,demonstrations, direct actions and legalcampaigns, as well as supporting boycott,divestment and sanctions.

    Xarxa dEnlla amb Palestina: Funded byBarcelona and Catalonia, in May 2012, Xarxaorganized a concert in Barcelona to mark

    the Palestinian Nakba; in May 2011, Xarxasigned a letter titled Enrique Iglesias, dontsing or the Israeli apartheid!, which advisedthe Spainish musician against perorming ata concert in Israel on May 30.

    In March 2012, Spains new conservativegovernment announced austerity measuresthat would cut the total Spanish oreignaffairs budget, including development aid,by at least 1.4 billion in 2012. In response,some 500 Spanish NGOs published an openletter to Spanish Prime Minister MarianoRajoy asking him to make a commitmentto maintaining the previous Socialistgovernments ocus on unding developmentcooperation.

    Te levels o transparency and accountability orNGOs unding at Spains ederal, regional, andmunicipal levels are ofen highly inadequate;

    the process by which AECID chooses projectsand awards contracts to NGOs operating in thePalestinian Authority is opaque, and AECID

  • 8/10/2019 Spanish Government Funding for Ngos 2009 2011 Assessing Transparency Accountability and Impact on Israel

    4/63

    SPANISHGOVERM

    ENTFUNDING

    PAGE

    3

    has insufficient supervisory mechanisms todetermine how NGOs use government aidunds. Only a small handul o Spanish NGOsreceiving government money actually publishannual reports that would enable the generalpublic to assess how taxpayer monies are beingutilized.

    In 2012, the OECD published a Peer Review oSpanish development unding, which criticizedthe lack o oversight mechanisms and evaluationsystems in the aid budget.1

    1 See Spain: Development Assistance Committee (DAC),Peer Review 2011, Organization or Economic Co-operationand Development (OECD), available at http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/23/45/49356882.pd

  • 8/10/2019 Spanish Government Funding for Ngos 2009 2011 Assessing Transparency Accountability and Impact on Israel

    5/63

  • 8/10/2019 Spanish Government Funding for Ngos 2009 2011 Assessing Transparency Accountability and Impact on Israel

    6/63

    ABLE OFCONENS

    I. Overview

    able 1. Spanish ODA to the Palestinian Authority (2007-2011)

    II. Political Context o Spanish Foreign Policy

    III. Spanish Government NGO Funding Frameworks

    IV. Palestinian and Israeli Political Advocacy NGOs unded by AECID (2009-2011)

    Palestinian NGOs

    Israeli NGOs

    able 2. Palestinian and Israel Political Advocacy NGOs unded by AECID (2009-2011)

    V. Spanish Political Advocacy NGOs

    AECID-unded projects

    Regionally-Funded Projects

    able 3. Spanish Political Advocacy NGOs Funded by AECID and Regions (2009-2011)

    VI. Lack o ransparency in NGO Funding

    VII. Summary and Recommendations

    Appendix A: Complete List o NGOs Active in Israel/Palestinian Authority, Funded by

    Spain (AECID and/or Regions) (2009-2011)

    Appendix B: NGOs unded by Spanish Autonomous Communities (2009-2011)

    Appendix C: Other Spanish Entities Active in the Palestinian erritories

    6

    6

    8

    10

    11

    11

    14

    19

    20

    20

    23

    32

    33

    35

    36

    48

    60

  • 8/10/2019 Spanish Government Funding for Ngos 2009 2011 Assessing Transparency Accountability and Impact on Israel

    7/63

    SPANISHGOVERM

    ENTFUNDING

    PAGE

    6

    I. OVERVIEW

    he NGO Forum o the 2001Durban Conerence adopted

    a strategy o political warareand delegitimization againstIsrael, based on campaigns using

    allegations o apartheid, racism, war crimes,and similar rhetoric. Tis strategy has beenimplemented by a network o non-governmentalorganizations, ofen under the banner opromoting human rights, democracy, peace andhumanitarian aid. Te mechanisms, modeled onthose used to overturn the apartheid government

    in South Arica, include boycotts, divestmentand sanctions (BDS), and exploiting universaljurisdiction statutes and rameworks, such as theInternational Criminal Court, to promote legalcases against Israeli officials (laware). Mucho the unding or the NGOs that lead this ormo political warare is provided by Europeangovernments.2

    In this report, we examine the unding providedby the Spanish government, in differentrameworks, or these NGO activities.

    Te Palestinian Authority is the second-largestrecipient o Spanish government overseasdevelopment assistance (ODA).3 Only Perureceives more money rom Spain, which providesODA to 50 countries.4

    Te Spanish government provided the PalestinianAuthority with a total o 274.7 million in ODA

    (including both multilateral and bilateral aid)during the five year period 2007-2011.5

    2 Gerald M. Steinberg, Te Politics o NGOs, Human Rightsand the Arab-Israel Conflict, Israel Studies16.2 Summer 2011

    3 See http://www.aecid.es/es/donde-cooperamos/

    4 Ibid.

    5 See http://www.aecid.es/galerias/cooperacion/porPaisesdescargas/territorios-palestinos/erritorios_Palestinos.pd

    ABLE 1. SPANISH ODA O HEPALESINIAN AUHORIY20072011

    2007 53 million

    2008 69 million

    2009 71.3 million

    2010 32.5 million

    2011 48.9 million

    More than one-third o Spanish ODA to thePalestinian Authority is channelled to or through

    dozens o Spanish NGOs and humanitarianorganizations, many o which also provideimportant input into the ormulation o Spanishoreign policy vis--vis the Palestinian Authority.

    In 2011, Spain allocated to the PalestinianAuthority a total o 48.9 million in ODA.6Tis amount (which includes both multilateraland bilateral support) was distributed to thePalestinian Authority through three primarychannels:

    1) the central government in Madrid, primar-ily through the Spanish Foreign Ministry;

    2) the decentralized Spanish autonomouscommunities; and

    3) local municipal governments.7

    Spanish 2011 ODA or the Palestinian Authoritywas channelled as ollows: 69.3% o the undswere channelled through the Spanish Foreign

    Ministry and its primary aid-giving agency, theSpanish Agency or International DevelopmentCooperation (AECID). Te other 30.5%was distributed through Spains autonomouscommunities (25.3%) and local municipalgovernments (5.2%). Te remaining 0.2% wasdistributed through other ministries and/oragencies.

    6 Ibid.

    7 Ibid.

    8 Ibid.

  • 8/10/2019 Spanish Government Funding for Ngos 2009 2011 Assessing Transparency Accountability and Impact on Israel

    8/63

    SPANISHGOVERM

    ENTFUNDING

    PAGE

    7

    O the 69.3% o total ODA distributed throughthe Spanish Foreign Ministry, 36.6% involvedmultilateral transers and the remaining 32.7%were bilateral transers through the AECID. Teother 30.5% o ODA distributed through theautonomous communities and local municipalgovernments was all bilateral (i.e., Bilateral =AECID + Autonomous Communities + LocalMunicipal Governments).9

    In real terms, the multilateral component oSpanish ODA was 15 million, and the bilateralcomponent o Spanish ODA was 33.9 million.10

    Tis report by NGO Monitor focuses on the

    bilateral component of Spanish ODA whichincludes funding for NGOs routinely involvedin political warfare against Israel.

    Roughly 85% o bilateral Spanish ODA to thePalestinian Authority in 2011 was made underthe unding category Inrastructure and SocialServices, the constituent parts o which arebroken down as ollows: government and civilsociety (41.4%); health and reproductive health(22.9%); education (6.3%); water (4.6%); equalityor women (4.3%); and other inrastructure andsocial services (9.8%).11

    In addition to these two strategic lines o action,Spain has also provided at least 5.8 million(2009-2011) directly to the Palestinian Authorityunder the rubric o humanitarian assistance.

    Regionally, Catalonia provided 5,513,324to the Palestinian Authority during the our-

    year period 2007-2010.12

    Te Basque Countryprovided 3,233,769 during the three-year

    9 Ibid.

    10 Ibid.

    11 Ibid.

    12 Presentaci de lexecuci de lAOD durant el perode2007-2010, available athttp://www20.gencat.cat/docs/cooperaciocatalana/Continguts/01ACCD/06resultats_cooperacio_catalana/01resultats_2007-2010/documents/Ajut%20Oficial%20al%20Desenvolupament%202007-2010.ppt

    period 2008-2010.13 Te Province o Navarraprovided 971,356 during the our-year period2007-2010.14

    In March 2012, Spains new conservative

    government announced austerity measuresthat would cut the total Spanish oreign affairsbudget, including development aid, by at least1.4 billion in 2012.15 In response, some 500Spanish NGOs published an open letter toSpanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy askinghim to make a commitment to maintainingthe previous Socialist governments ocus onunding development cooperation.16

    In April 2012, AECID announced that Spainstotal budget or development cooperationwould be limited to 140 million in 2012, a 35%reduction rom the 217 million in 2011. Othat amount, 114 million would be or projectspreviously approved; only 26 million would beavailable or new projects.17

    In May 2012, Secretary o State or CooperationJess Manuel Gracia Aldaz said that althoughthe Palestinian Authority remained a priorityor the new government, austerity measuresmeant it would need to negotiate a reduction

    13 Evaluacin participativa del plan estratgico y directorcooperacin para el desarollo 2008-2011, available athttp://www.elankidetza.euskadi.net/x63-content/es/contenidos/inormacion/plan_director/es_plandire/adjuntos/evaluacion.pd

    14 II Plan Director de la Cooperacin Navarra, 2011-2014, Annex III, Page 108, available athttp://www.navarra.es/NR/rdonlyres/6FF12E49-D516-45DD-B83D-10F3B092DE72/183902/IIPDdefinitivo.pd

    15 See El Gobierno recorta 1.400 millones de euros encooperacin internacional, El Mundo, March 30, 2012,available athttp://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2012/03/30/solidaridad/1333114014.html

    16 See 500 ONG piden a Rajoy un compromisopresupuestario con las polticas sociales, El Mundo, March 29,2012, available athttp://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2012/03/29/solidaridad/1333010807.html

    17 See La AECID dispondr de 140 millones de euros paraONG en 2012, Europa Press, April 16, 2012, available athttp://www.europapress.es/epsocial/ong-y-asociaciones/noticia-aecid-dispondra-2012-140-millones-euros-ong-35-ciento-menos-2011-20120416172352.html

  • 8/10/2019 Spanish Government Funding for Ngos 2009 2011 Assessing Transparency Accountability and Impact on Israel

    9/63

    SPANISHGOVERM

    ENTFUNDING

    PAGE

    8

    in bilateral development cooperation.18 Teimpact on unding or political advocacy NGOsis currently unknown.

    II. POLIICAL CONEX OFSPANISH FOREIGN POLICY

    Analysis o Spanish government documentsreveals a high level o politicization in ODAallocated to the Palestinians. Nearly all othe Spanish NGOs involved in developmentcooperation with the Palestinian Authorityor with Palestinian solidarity groups areassociated with the lef or ar-lef o theSpanish political spectrum.

    he bulk o Spanish ODA orPalestinian causes was awardedwhile Leire Pajn, a ar-lefideologue and member o theSpanish Socialist Party, was the

    Secretary o State or Cooperation (2004-2008).19(Beore entering politics, Pajn was president oSolidaridad Internacional, an ideological NGOthat promotes Palestinian causes.20)

    Beore becoming the Secretary o State orCooperation in 2004, Pajn was responsible orestablishing the Socialist Partys relations withthe NGO community in Spain (2000-2004).21As a result, the directors o many Spanish NGOsreceiving ODA or the Palestinian Authorityhave close personal ties to Pajn and other topdecision-makers within the leadership o theSocialist Party.

    As detailed below, Spanish NGOs receivingODA support have requently advanced BDS,laware, and other orms o political campaignssingling-out Israel. Tese activities go ar beyond

    18 See Espaa reducir la ayuda al desarrollo a Palestina,aunque seguir siendo un pas prioritario, Europa Press, May29, 2012, available athttp://www.europapress.es/epsocial/politica-social/noticia-espana-reducira-ayuda-desarrollo-palestina-seguira-siendo-pais-prioritario-20120529151515.html

    19 See http://www.msps.es/gabinetePrensa/biografias/leirePajin.

    htm

    20 Ibid.

    21 Ibid.

    the officially stated objectives o providinghumanitarian and inrastructure support to thePalestinian Authority, and promoting the peaceprocess.

    For example, in January 2011 a public serviceadvertisement on Palestinian television calledor the boycott o all Israeli goods.22 Teadvertisement included an acknowledgemento sponsorship by the Spanish government,the Spanish Ministry or Foreign Affairs,AECID, ACSUR (a Spanish NGO, see below)and the Canaan Joint Development Project orJerusalem.23

    However, when the anti-Israel activity washighlighted, the Spanish government distanceditsel rom these efforts. For example, whenthe then Spanish Ambassador to Israel, lvaroIranzo Gutirrez, was asked about the televisioncommercial, he denied the Spanish governmentsfinancing o the advertisement.24 But Iranzoadded that while a boycott o Israeli productsis not a policy o the Spanish government, hereiterated that Israeli products originating

    rom the Occupied Palestinian erritories donot enjoy tax benefits in the European CustomsUnion. Te advertisement was then correctedso that it reerred only to goods made in Jewishsettlements.25

    Tis example and many others indicate thatthe Spanish government has not implementedmechanisms to prevent a repeat o suchactivities. Nor has the government reprimandedor disciplined those NGOs involved in politicalwarare against Israel.

    Spain has also been a European leader inNGO-led laware strategies against Israeli

    22 Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik, SpanishGovernment Sponsors PA V Ad Calling or Boycotto all Israeli Products, Palestinian Media Watch,January 11, 2011, available athttp://palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=157&doc_id=4274

    23 Ibid.

    24 Herb Keinon, Spain Denies Sponsoring Palestinian Ad toBoycott Israel, Jerusalem Post, December 1, 2011, available athttp://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=203280

    25 Ibid.

  • 8/10/2019 Spanish Government Funding for Ngos 2009 2011 Assessing Transparency Accountability and Impact on Israel

    10/63

    SPANISHGOVERM

    ENTFUNDING

    PAGE

    9

    officials. For example, in 2009 SpanishNational Court Judge Fernando Andreu said hewould redouble his probe o seven top Israelimilitary and government officials or suspectedcrimes against humanity. He claimed thatthe decision was made afer determining thatdocuments submitted by the Israeli Embassyin Madrid showed that Israel would not beprosecuting anyone or the targeted killing oSalah Shehadeh, the commander o the militarywing o Hamas, in Gaza City in July 2002.

    At the time, Spanish law (universal jurisdiction)allowed the prosecution o oreigners orgenocide, crimes against humanity, and torture

    committed anywhere in the world, i Spaindetermined that the suspects would not be triedin their home country.

    Te case was brought to the Spanish court by thePalestinian Center or Human Rights (PCHR),an anti-Israel NGO that is represented in Spainby Gonzalo Boy, a Marxist revolutionarywho was sentenced to 14 years in prison orcollaborating with the Basque terrorist group

    EA. A seven-page court document said theinitial evidence suggested that the attack in thedensely populated Gaza City, which killed 14civilians, should be considered a crime againsthumanity. Supporters o the lawsuit said Spainshould pursue the suit because it has universal

    jurisdiction in such cases.

    As head o Hamas military wing, Shehadehmasterminded hundreds o terror attacks,including a Jerusalem bus bombing in June

    26 For more inormation on this issue see, Anne Herzberg,NGO Laware: Exploitation o Courts in the Arab-IsraeliConflict, NGO Monitor Monograph Series, December 2010(2d ed.).

    27 El juez Andreu sigue con la investigacin contra Israelpor un bombardeo contra Gaza en 2002, El Pas, February27, 2009, available athttp://elpais.com/elpais/2009/02/27/actualidad/1235726225_850215.html.

    28 Gonzalo Boy est detrs de la querella contra el exministro de Deensa israel, Libertad Digital, January 30, 2009,available athttp://www.libertaddigital.com/mundo/gonzalo-boye-esta-detras-de-la-querella-contra-el-ex-ministro-de-

    deensa-israeli-1276349588/.

    29 See Auto de juez, January 29, 2009, available athttp://www.elpais.com/elpaismedia/ultimahora/media/200901/29/espana/20090129elpepunac_1_Pes_PDF.pd

    2002 that killed 19 Israeli civilians.30 He wasalso responsible or the Passover massacre at thePark Hotel in Netanya in March 2002 that killed30 civilians and injured 140.31Tis context wasmissing rom PCHRs filings.

    Facing international pressure to depoliticize theSpanish justice system, the Spanish governmentenacted a bill in November 2009 that wouldlimit the reach o its universal jurisdiction law.32Te move came afer the Spanish parliamentapproved a resolution in May 2009 urgingthe then Prime Minister Jos Luis RodrguezZapatero to limit the power o judges toprosecute people or atrocities and human rights

    crimes committed abroad under the concept ouniversal jurisdiction.33

    In April 2010, the Spanish Supreme Courtaffirmed a decision by the Spanish Court oAppeals to dismiss the criminal inquiry into thetargeted killing o Shehadeh.34

    Similarly, in January 2012, Spains new ForeignMinister, Jos Manuel Garca Margallo, declaredthat the Spanish government would in no casesupport a boycott o Israel.35He also challengedthe Israeli government to take advantage o themediating role that Spanish King Juan Carloscould play to grease riendship in the Arabworld.36

    30 See Herzberg, n. 26.

    31 See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passover_massacre

    32 See Boletn Oficial del Estado, No. 266, November 4,2009, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2009/11/04/pdsBOE-A-2009-17492.pd

    33 See PSOE y PP pactan limitar la jurisdiccin universal dela Audiencia Nacional, ABC, May 21, 2009, available athttp://www.abc.es/20090521/nacional-tribunales/psoe-pactan-limitar-jurisdiccion-200905211845.html

    34 See ribunal Supremo Sala de lo Penal, Auto 550/2010,March 4, 2010, available athttp://estaticos.elmundo.es/documentos/2010/04/13/auto_gaza.pd

    35 See Margallo dice que el Gobierno de Espaa nuncaapoyar un boicot al Estado de Israel, Radio y elevisinEspaola, January 19, 2012, available athttp://www.rtve.es/

    noticias/20120119/margallo-dice-gobierno-nunca-apoyara-boicot-israel-pide-tel-aviv-aproveche-mediacion-del-rey/490681.shtml

    36 Ibid.

  • 8/10/2019 Spanish Government Funding for Ngos 2009 2011 Assessing Transparency Accountability and Impact on Israel

    11/63

    SPANISHGOVERME

    NTFUNDING

    PAGE

    10

    But Margallo has not announced any practicalsteps his government would take to distanceitsel rom the previous governments support oanti-Israel policies.

    III. SPANISH GOVERNMENNGO FUNDING FRAMEWORKS

    Spanish ODA vis--vis the PalestinianAuthority is guided by andimplemented within the ramework o:

    1) he Memorandum o Understandingon Spanish-Palestinian Cooperation,

    signed in unis on July 29, 1994;

    2) he results o the Spanish-Palestinian andJoint Commission o January 2008; and

    3) he Master Plan or Spanish DevelopmentCooperation 2009-2012.

    Te previous Master Plans were:

    Master Plan or Spanish DevelopmentCooperation 2005-2008; and

    Master Plan or Spanish Development

    Cooperation 2001-2004.Spain provides financial support to thePalestinian Authority and NGOs via bilateral andmultilateral mechanisms (under the auspices othe European Commission, the United Nations,and international financial institutions such asthe World Bank.)

    AECID is the main implementing agency orbilateral assistance, and it operates a echnical

    Cooperation Office in Jerusalem (attached to the

    37 Acta acordada de la quinta reunin de la Comisin MixtaHispano-Palestina de Cooperacin Cultural, Educativa,Cientfica y cnica, January 22, 2008, available athttp://www.aecid.es/galerias/web/descargas/erritorios_palestinos/Acta_VCM_PP_espanol_para_Espana.pd

    38 Plan Director de la Cooperacin Espaola 2009-2012,available athttp://www.aecid.es/galerias/publicaciones/descargas/libro1_PlanDirector_LR.pd

    39 Plan Director de la Cooperacin Espaola 2005-2008,available athttp://www.aecid.es/galerias/publicaciones/

    descargas/Plan_Director0508_Esp.pd

    40 Plan Director de la Cooperacin Espaola 2001-2004,available athttp://www.aecid.es/galerias/publicaciones/descargas/Plan_Director2001-2004.pd

    Spanish Consulate in Jerusalem), rom whichaid to the Palestinian Authority is coordinated.

    According to an official state memo datedOctober 3, 2007, the echnical Cooperation

    Office in Jerusalem is charged with managing andadministering all AECID-related projects in thePalestinian territories.41Te office in Jerusalemis also responsible or identiying, ormulating,executing, monitoring and controlling bilateralcooperation projects.42

    According to AECID, the primary objective oSpanish ODA to the Palestinian Authority is toacilitate the creation o a viable Palestinian state

    by means o two strategic lines o action:1) capacity building or state institutions; and

    2) support o civil society activities to promotedemocratic values and oster a Palestiniancultural identity.

    Spain also provides substantial ODA unding tothe Palestinian Authority via Spains autonomousregions, including those o Andalusia, Castilla-La Mancha, Catalonia, Extremadura, Navarra,

    the Basque Country, and the Baleric Islands,as well as local administrations (includingBarcelona, Madrid, and Mlaga).

    Tese decentralized actors manage their ownaid programs, most ofen channelling undingthrough political advocacy NGOs. In 2011,more than 30% o Spanish development aid wasmanaged through decentralized rameworks.

    In January 2012, the OECD published a PeerReview o Spanish development unding.43Among other findings, the OECD criticizedSpain or the lack o oversight mechanisms andevaluation systems to manage its aid budget.

    41 Boletn Oficial del Estado, October 3, 2007, No. 237,available at http://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2007/10/03/pdsA40213-40215.pd

    42 Ibid.

    43 See Spain: Development Assistance Committee (DAC),Peer Review 2011, Organization or Economic Co-operationand Development (OECD), available at http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/23/45/49356882.pd

  • 8/10/2019 Spanish Government Funding for Ngos 2009 2011 Assessing Transparency Accountability and Impact on Israel

    12/63

    SPANISHGOVERME

    NTFUNDING

    PAGE

    11

    IV. PALESINIAN AND ISRAELIPOLIICAL ADVOCACY NGOFUNDED BY AECID 20092011

    In 20092011, 4.9 million Euro in Spanishgovernment unds were transerred toPalestinian and Israel political advocacyNGOs active in promoting an anti-Israelagenda.

    PALESINIAN NGO

    Applied Research Institute Jerusalem (ARIJ)received 176,637 (2011) rom AECID or a

    project to evaluate needs in Nablus, Salfit andQalqilya, 199,715 (2010)to evaluate needsin Jerusalem, Ramallah and Jericho, plus anadditional 650,000 (2009)or a project definedonly as support or NGOs.

    Separately, ARIJ also received 98,347 (2009-2010) or planning or the Geopolitical uture oJerusalem as well as evaluating Israeli planningin Jerusalem rom the national, district, andlocal levels rom 1948 to 2030.

    Founded in 1990, ARIJ claims to be a non-profitorganization dedicated to promoting sustainabledevelopment in the occupied Palestinianterritories and the sel-reliance o the Palestinianpeople through greater control over their naturalresources.

    In practice, ARIJ is very active in promotingBDS and other orms o anti-Israel activity. TeNGO is a member o the Palestinian Grassroots

    44 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), May 14, 2012, No. 115,p.10, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2012/05/14/pds/BOE-A-2012-6347.pd

    45 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), March 5, 2011, No. 55,p.11, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2011/03/05/pds/BOE-A-2011-4169.pd

    46 See Relacin de las ayudas y subvenciones de cooperacininternacional concedidas en el cuarto trimestre del ao2009, p. 2, available athttp://www.aecid.es/galerias/descargas/

    convocatorias/ Anexo_15_03_10.doc

    47 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), October 12, 2009, No. 246,p. 3, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2009/10/12/pds/BOE-A-2009-16278.pd

    Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign48 and supportsthe global anti-Israel boycott movement.49Tis Palestinian NGO employs the rhetoric oethnic cleansing, transer, land grab, andcolonization activities in its publications.50

    ARIJ runs an EU-unded project calledMonitoring Israeli Colonization Activities inthe Palestinian erritories.51 Te project callsor a Daily Report to shed the light on theIsraeli violations taking place in the occupiedPalestinian territory against lands and propertiesalong with a map depicting the location o theaffected areas.52

    ARIJ describes the purpose o the daily reportas ollows: Troughout the years o occupationo the Palestinian territory, Israel has engagedin excessive and disproportionate violations oevery existing humanitarian code and routinelyemployed its efforts to undermine any realaction towards a comprehensive peace with thePalestinians. Tese violations are consideredunlawul and breach o human rights and civilizedlaws including the right to Sel-Determination,

    the right to reedom o movement, the right towork, the right to medical treatment, the right toeducation, the right to an adequate standard oliving and access to holy places.53

    Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees(PARC)received 305,399 (2011)rom AECIDor a project called Improving the uture o

    48 See http://www.ngo-monitor.org/articlepalestiniangrassroots_anti_apartheid_wall_campaign_

    pgaawc49 See Palestinian Civil Society Calls or Boycott,Divestment and Sanctions against Israel Until it Complieswith International Law and Universal Principles o HumanRights, available athttp://www.bdsmovement.net/call#.tHMnKqYUM

    50 See Report on the Israeli Colonization Activities in theWest Bank & the Gaza Strip, Volume 109, August 2007,available athttp://www.arij.org/publications%288%29/Monitoring%20Report/109%28august07%29.pd

    51 See http://www.poica.org/

    52 See Monitoring Israeli Colonization Activities in the

    Palestinian erritories, available at http://www.poica.org/dailyreports/daily/index.php?Y=2012

    53 See ARIJ Daily Report, June 30, 2012, available athttp://www.poica.org/dailyreports/daily/view.php?recordID=4861

  • 8/10/2019 Spanish Government Funding for Ngos 2009 2011 Assessing Transparency Accountability and Impact on Israel

    13/63

    SPANISHGOVERME

    NTFUNDING

    PAGE

    12

    civil society by increasing their participation inpublic lie.54

    PARC operates a range o agricultural, economicand social projects in the West Bank and Gaza,

    primarily devoted to rural development.However, it is also involved in political advocacycampaigns utilizing demonizing rhetoric,including reerring to the IDF as the Israelioccupation orces.55

    It employs apartheid and other raciallycharged language, or example: Te occupationcontinued its aggression, settlement policies,building o the Apartheid Wall, the Judaization

    o Jerusalem, the siege and restriction o theentire Palestinian people movements on thecheckpoints that aim to penetrate and disruptthe unity o collective, national and liberalconsciences.56

    PARC alsely accuses Israel o war crime[s],and erases the context o terror that necessitatessecurity measures: Te creation o the so-calledbuffer zone land is considered one o the mostIsraeli practices in violation o the provisionso international law that constitutes war crime[sic].57

    PARC is active in the BDS movement againstIsrael. For example, in May 2012, PARC signeda letter applauding the decision by the Co-Operative Group, a British supermarket chain,or its decision to end trade with companiesinvolved with Israeli violations o internationallaw.58

    54 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), May 14, 2012, No. 115,p.13, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2012/05/14/pds/BOE-A-2012-6347.pd

    55 See Annual Report 2009, Agricultural DevelopmentAssociation (PARC), p.18, available athttp://www.pal-arc.org/annual/2009e.pd

    56 See Annual Report 2008, Agricultural DevelopmentAssociation (PARC), p. 9, available at http://www.pal-arc.org/annual/2008e.pd

    57 Ibid., 2009, 18.

    58 See Palestinian Civil Society Applauds UK Co-operativeMovement Decision to End rade with CompaniesInvolved with Israeli Violations o International Law, May3, 2012, available athttp://www.bdsmovement.net/2012/palestinian-civil-society-applauds-coop-9008

    In July 2010, PARC signed a letter warmlysaluting a decision by the Washington-basedOlympia Food Co-op to set a historic precedentby becoming the first US grocery store toremove all Israeli products rom its shelves.59

    PARCs letter employed inflammatory rhetoric,reerring to Israels colonial wall and accusingIsrael o human rights violations and oppressiono the Palestinian people. PARC also complainsabout Israels ever growing colonial settlements,the Wall and hundreds o military checkpointsin the occupied Palestinian territory Israelcontinues to ravage Palestinian livelihoods withull impunity.60

    PARC has also signed petitions calling or BDSagainst Israel61 and in support o the campaignto boycott Israeli academia.62

    In 2011, PARC issued the ollowing statement:PARC salutes all activists and internationalsupporters or the BDS campaign and especiallyour French riends and partners who were ableto rustrate the Agrexco attempt to conducta joint press conerence with a ew exploitedPalestinian producers.63

    Al Maqdese or Society Development (MSD)received 238,000 (2011) and 210,049 (2010)or a project called Improving awareness and/

    59 Palestinian Civil Society Salutes Olympia Food Co-opsDecision to Boycott Israeli Goods, July 26, 2010, available athttp://www.olympiabds.org/2010/palestinian-civil-society-salutes-olympia-ood-co-op%E2%80%99s-decision-to-boycott-israeli-goods.html

    60 Ibid.61 See Palestinian Call or Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions(BDS), available at http://www.pacbi.org/etemplate.php?id=66

    62 See Palestinian Popular Movements and Civil Society Re-Assert Call or Comprehensive Academic Boycott o ApartheidIsrael, available athttp://www.al-awda.org/academicboycott.html

    63 PARC Renounces the Utilization o its Name by the IsraeliCompany Agrexco, January 31, 2011, available athttp://www.pal-arc.org/press3112011.html

    64 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), May 14, 2012, No. 115,p.9, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2012/05/14/pds/

    BOE-A-2012-6347.pd

    65 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), March 5, 2011, No. 55,p.10, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2011/03/05/pds/BOE-A-2011-4169.pd

  • 8/10/2019 Spanish Government Funding for Ngos 2009 2011 Assessing Transparency Accountability and Impact on Israel

    14/63

    SPANISHGOVERME

    NTFUNDING

    PAGE

    13

    or legal deense at the national and internationallevel o the Palestinians o East Jerusalem, as anintervention against violations committed byIsrael.

    In its mission statement, MSD says it works todisclose, document, and publish Israeli violationsagainst Palestinians rights, and demands thatthe Israeli authorities stop these violations andrespect Palestinians individual and collectiverights according to the provisions and rules ointernational humanitarian law.66

    In March 2012, MSD published a statementaccusing Israel o racist practices in Jerusalem

    and called on the international community toundertake immediate, practical procedures toprotect Jerusalem, and to ulfill its responsibilitiestowards the city. Jerusalem is subject to Israeli

    violations and dominance over the city on adaily basis.67

    In March 2011, MSD published a report accusingIsrael o ruthless, unorgiving and above allillegal policies in Jerusalem. Te report alsoreers to an apartheid wall and accuses Israelo crimes so heinous they make a mockery ointernational law and Israeli legitimacy. MSDaccuses Israel o running a system o abuse andracism masquerading as security.68

    In June 2010, MSD published a report accusingIsrael o racist and oppressive policies topromote the Judaization o Jerusalem.69

    Maan Development Center received201,610

    (2011) rom AECID or a project to help

    66 See http://home.al-maqdese.org/en/2/1/107

    67 Within the ramework o Israels campaign todisplace Jerusalemites, Al-Maqdese calls on theInternational Community to Act Immediately, March5, 2012, available athttp://home.al-maqdese.org/en/2/9/1776/?tn=news_and_reports

    68 Moaz Al-Zatari and Jonathan Molony, Israeli Violationsin Jerusalem: 2000-2010, March 27, 2011, available athttp://

    home.al-maqdese.org/attachment/149

    69 Moaz Al-Zatari and Jonathan Molony, House Demolitionsin Silwan: Te Judaization o East Jerusalem, July 2010,available athttp://home.al-maqdese.org/attachment/126

    Palestinian armers adapt to climate change.70Maan received 83,330 (2010)rom AECID ora project called emergency action to improveliving conditions o Palestinian inhabitants inrural areas o the Jordan Valley.71

    In a Case Study on a Qalqilya armer, as well asin other such case studies, Maan DevelopmentCenter reers to Israeli colonization, and Israeligovernments are described as consecutiveoccupation governments since 1948.72 Itcontains testimony rom a local armer,accusing Israel o the atrocity o the occupationcutting off human fingers in order to capture thenecessary fingerprints.73

    Te anti-terror security barrier is consistentlyreerred to as the Apartheid Wall and thesection that surrounds Qalqilya is described [a]sa control mechanism, which takes on the ormo an enclosed cage in this area, transorming itinto an open-air prison.74

    reatment and Rehabilitation Center forVictims of orture (RC) received 185,110(2011) rom AECID or a project titledRestoration o human rights or torturesurvivors in the South and the North WestBank.75 RC received 182,487 (2010) romAECID or a project called Improve provisiono services to victims o torture and political

    violence or those living in the West Bank.76RC received 195,814 (2009)rom AECID or

    70 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), May 14, 2012, No. 115,p.8, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2012/05/14/pds/

    BOE-A-2012-6347.pd71 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), March 5, 2011, No. 55,p.20, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2011/03/05/pds/BOE-A-2011-4169.pd

    72 See Up Against the Wall: Te Story o a Qalqilya Farmer,March 2007, available at http://www.maan-ctr.org/pds/Qalqiliya.pd

    73 Ibid.

    74 Ibid.

    75 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), May 14, 2012, No. 115,p.8, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2012/05/14/pds/

    BOE-A-2012-6347.pd

    76 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), March 5, 2011, No. 55,p.12, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2011/03/05/pds/BOE-A-2011-4169.pd

  • 8/10/2019 Spanish Government Funding for Ngos 2009 2011 Assessing Transparency Accountability and Impact on Israel

    15/63

    SPANISHGOVERME

    NTFUNDING

    PAGE

    14

    a project called elimination o the consequenceso torture and organized violence.77

    RC has been outspoken in its opposition to theIsraeli blockade o Gaza. For example, in a press

    release dated June 2010, RC states: Te Israelimeasures and procedures against the PalestinianPeople have never been subject or any humanrights standards or measures, starting romoccupying other nations and keeping themunder severe oppression and ending with the lastmilitary attack on the reedom ships destinedor Gaza StripFor Israel, killing, detention,torture, closures, starvation, land confiscation,ethnic cleansing and houses acquisition and

    demolitions were not enough to suppress thewill o the Palestinian People to lie.78

    Popular Struggle Coordination Committee(PSCC)received 107,700 (2011) or a projectcalled Protect Deenders: Strengthening,promotion and deense o Human Rights in theOccupied Palestinian erritory.79

    Te PSCC says it aims at strengtheninginternational support networks and their directties to the struggle or liberty in Palestine.

    Te PSCC also says it promotes a uniqueorm o community based organizing andresistance in the tradition o the first PalestinianInt i ada.hese diverse , non-part i sancommittees lead community resistance to Israelioccupation in various orms, such as marches,strikes, demonstrations, direct actions andlegal campaigns, as well as supporting boycott,

    divestment and sanctions.81

    77 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), October 12, 2009, No. 246,p. 4, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2009/10/12/pds/BOE-A-2009-16278.pd

    78 See RC condemns the Israeli Piracy on the Freedom shipsbound to Gaza, June 1, 2010, available athttp://www.trc-pal.org/en/Views/PageView.aspx?pid=584

    79 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), May 14, 2012, No. 115,p.9, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2012/05/14/pds/BOE-A-2012-6347.pd

    80 See PSCC Mission Statement, available athttp://popularstruggle.org/content/mission-statement

    81 See About the Popular Struggle Coordination Committee,available athttp://www.popularstruggle.org/content/about

    All for Peace Radioreceived 101,675 (2010)rom AECID to improve Israeli access toconstructive message o Palestinians and vice

    versa in occupied territories.82 All or Peacealso received 80,969 (2009) rom AECID orproject called Voices o Dialogue.83

    Founded in 2004, All or Peace is a not-or-profit,joint Israeli-Palestinian radio station. It was takenoff the air on November 17, 2011 or operatingwithout a license. Israels CommunicationsMinistry said it issued the shut-down orderbecause the station was broadcasting into Israelillegally.84All or Peace Radio is currently waitingor a Supreme Court decision on the matter.

    ISRAELI NGO

    Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions(ICAHD) received 105,000 (20092010)rom AECID or a program titled Spaceso Coexistence: Work and awareness campsmeant to bring the Spanish youth closer to theproblems o house demolitions and the humanrights situation in the Palestinian erritories.85

    ICAHD also received 76,508 (2009) romAECID or a project called strengtheningthe cohesion and the operative capacity oPalestinian and Israeli organizations committedto dialogue in the peace process in the MiddleEast by way o dynamizing a platorm.86

    Separately, the Spanish NGO APY Solidaridaden Accin (see below) received 250,000 (2010)rom AECID or a joint project with ICAHD to

    82 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), March 5, 2011, No. 55,p.12, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2011/03/05/pds/BOE-A-2011-4169.pd

    83 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), October 12, 2009, No. 246,p.3, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2009/10/12/pds/BOE-A-2009-16278.pd

    84 Israeli Palestinian Radio Station Shut Down, AssociatedPress, November 20, 2011, available athttp://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4150508,00.html

    85 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), October 12, 2009, No. 246,p. 4, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2009/10/12/pds/

    BOE-A-2009-16278.pd

    86 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), December 4, 2008, No.292, p.6, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2008/12/04/pds/A48545-48553.pd

  • 8/10/2019 Spanish Government Funding for Ngos 2009 2011 Assessing Transparency Accountability and Impact on Israel

    16/63

    SPANISHGOVERME

    NTFUNDING

    PAGE

    15

    promote the education and awareness o humanrights, democracy and conflict resolution in thePalestinian Authority, Israel, and Spain.

    According to reports in the center-right

    newspaper El Mundo, the Spanish governmentsubsidized 45 Spanish volunteers in ICAHDs2010 summer camp and 42 Spanish participantsin ICAHDs 2009 camp.88According to ICAHD,Spain also subsidized 18 individuals at the 2008camp.89

    ICAHD promotes the demonization o Israel,supports boycotts and divestment campaigns,90and led the Jewish Boat to Gaza political

    publicity actions.91

    Founder Jeff Halperadvocates or a one-state ormula that wouldeliminate Jewish sel-determination rights.92Rhetoric used by ICAHD and Halper includesaccusations o Israeli apartheid, bloody andsadistic actions, and atrocities.93

    In August 2010, ICAHD built our homesin Hebron in cooperation with FundacinSocialismo Sin Fronteras with financial supportrom AECID.94 ICAHD said the homes wouldreplace structures that had been demolished bythe IDF because they were built without proper

    87 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), November 29, 2010, No.288, p.4, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2008/12/04/pds/A48545-48553.pd

    88 See Voluntarios espaoles reconstruyen dos casaspalestinas, El Mundo, August 15, 2009, available athttp://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2009/08/14/solidaridad/1250237376.html

    89 ICAHD Building Camp 2008: Day 1, July 18, 2008,

    available athttp://www.icahd.org/?p=345590 See http://www.icahd.org/icahdukdev/eng/documents/Manchester%20Boycott%20Model.htm

    91 See ICAHD Supports the Jewish Boat to Gaza, September27, 2010, available athttp://www.icahd.org/?p=6338

    92 Livia Bergmeijer, Interview with Jeff Halper:A two-state solution is no longer viable, we muststop talking about it, Ceasefire Magazine, April 24,2012, available athttp:/ceasefiremagazine.co.uk/jeff-halper-the-two-state-solution-longer-viable-stop-talking-it/

    93 See http://www.ngo-monitor.org/article/spanish_government_unding_or_icahd_more_hidden_european_

    government_unding_or_anti_israel_ngos

    94 See Campamentos de reconstruccin de casas palestinas,August 2010, available at http://www.icahd.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Prensa-Spanish.pd (link expired)

    building permits.95 According to ICAHD, 45Spanish volunteers were on the ground inJerusalem and Hebron, coming to understandthe reality o the Palestinian erritories throughhands-on work rebuilding homes destroyedunder Israels continuing occupation.96

    Also in 2010, ICAHD employee and JerusalemCouncil member Meir Margalit publisheda Spanish-government-unded book titledSeizing Control o Space in East Jerusalem.97Heaccuses Israel o de-Arabizing [East Jerusalem]at the expense o its Palestinian population andArab heritage, ethnocratic policy o contemptor Arabs, attempting to wipe the Arab presence

    off the ace o the earth, and colonialism.98

    In November 2010, it was reported that Spainsoreign minister, rinidad Jimnez, had invitedMargalit to help the Spanish governmentormulate oreign policy vis--vis Israel and theMiddle East.99

    Breaking the Silence (BtS) received 173,188(2011)100 and 180,763 (2010)101 to raiseawareness about the vulnerability o the humanrights o Palestinian people. BtS, an organizationthat produces reports aimed at internationalmedia outlets and university campuses, based onanonymous testimonies, also received 24,790(2009) to promote dialogue and reflectionabout Middle East peace process and createawareness among opinion makers and European

    95 Ibid.

    96 Ibid.

    97 Itamar Haritan, Book Review: Seizing Control o Space inEast Jerusalem by Meir Margalit, Palestine-Israel Journal oPolitics, Economics and Culture, available athttp://www.pij.org/details.php?id=1320

    98 Ibid.

    99 See Espaa pide ayuda a Meir Margalit para delinearpoltica respecto a Israel, November 30, 2010, available athttp://latinosenisrael.com/blog/index.php/2010/11/30espana-pide-ayuda-a-meir-margalit-para-delinear-politica-respecto-a-israel/

    100 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), May 14, 2012, No. 115,p.8, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2012/05/14/pds/

    BOE-A-2012-6347.pd

    101 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), March 5, 2011, No. 55,p.20, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2011/03/05/pds/BOE-A-2011-4169.pd

  • 8/10/2019 Spanish Government Funding for Ngos 2009 2011 Assessing Transparency Accountability and Impact on Israel

    17/63

    SPANISHGOVERME

    NTFUNDING

    PAGE

    16

    public opinion about deence o human rights inthe region.102

    Tese budgets have unded a BtS travellingroadshow to cities across Europe and the North

    America, accompanied by members o BtS whoconduct guided tours through an anti-IDFphoto exhibition and answer questions romparticipants.

    In June 2010, representatives o BtS attended theopening o a ten-day exposition called Breakingthe Silence which was held at the Circulo deBellas Artes in Madrid.103Tey also travelled toBarcelona, oledo, Seville, Vigo and Santiago

    de Compostella to participate in conerencesand debates in which they related their storiesto Spanish elite opinion makers, including

    journalists, and to the wider public.104

    Te group has received considerable presscoverage in Spain, acilitated by the undingreceived rom the Spanish government. InMay 2011, the Socialist daily newspaper El Paspublished a eature story on BtS, demonstratingthe close links and influence o political advocacyNGOs and the media.105

    In June 2010, the Barcelona-based newspaperLa Vanguardia published a lengthy interviewwith BtS co-ounder Simcha Leventhal, whowas invited to Barcelona to speak at theAteneu Barcelons cultural center by AmnestyInternational and Horitz Europa, a lef-leaningCatalan NGO. Te newspaper story was titled:

    102 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), January 30, 2010, No. 26,p.3, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2010/01/30/pds/BOE-A-2010-1433.pd

    103 See Representantes de Breaking the Silence, asociacin deex-militares israels, de gira por Espaa, ercera Inormacin,June 5, 2010, available athttp://www.tercerainormacion.es/spip.php?article15780

    104 Ibid.

    105 Enric Gonzlez, Exsoldados israeles narran lashumillaciones a las que son sometidos los Palestinos, El Pas,May 13, 2011, available athttp://internacional.elpais.com/internacional/2011/05/13/actualidad/1305237615_850215.html

    Te moral disintegration o Israel has continuedor 40 years.106

    In July 2010 BtS accompanied a group o ourdeputies rom the Spanish Socialist Party on a

    trip to Hebron. When Israel prohibited the grouprom entering the Gaza Strip, one o the deputies,Ftima Aburto, declared: We are indignant. Weconsider it an error that Israel tries to cover-upthe situation in Gazai they have to hide thetruth it is because there is something very badbehind itit is very suspicious.107

    BtS was particularly active in promoting the warcrimes accusations against Israel afer the Gaza

    conflict in January 2009, based on anonymousand unverifiable hearsay testimonies. TeUN Goldstone Commission report repeatednumerous BtS claims as the basis o mucho its accusations against the Israel DeenseForces (IDF). In April 2010, Judge Goldstoneacknowledged that many accusations ound inthis report were not based on reliable evidence,and that the war crimes allegations were not

    valid.108(BtS also receives unding rom George

    Soros, New Israel Fund, and the EU.)An analysis by Amos Harel in Haaretzconcludedthat Breaking the Silence...has a clear politicalagenda, and can no longer be classed as ahuman rights organization. Any organizationwhose website includes the claim by membersto expose the corruption which permeates themilitary system is not a neutral observer. Teorganization has a clear agenda: to expose theconsequences o IDF troops serving in the WestBank and Gaza. Tis seems more o interest to

    106 Flix Flores, Leventhal: La desintegracin moral de Israellleva 40 aos, La Vanguardia, June 4, 2010, available athttp://www.lavanguardia.com/internacional/20100604/53940267690/leventhal-la-desintegracion-moral-de-israel-lleva-40-anos.html

    107 Israel impide la entrada a Gaza a cuatro diputados delPSOE,Libertad Digital, July 25, 2010, available athttp://www.libertaddigital.com/mundoisrael-impide-la-entrada-a-gaza-a-cuatro-diputados-del-psoe-1276398167/.

    108 Richard Goldstone, Reconsidering the GoldstoneReport on Israel and War Crimes, Washington Post, April 1,2011, available athttp://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/reconsidering-the-goldstone-report-on-israel-and-war-crimes/2011/04/01/AFg111JC_story.html.

  • 8/10/2019 Spanish Government Funding for Ngos 2009 2011 Assessing Transparency Accountability and Impact on Israel

    18/63

    SPANISHGOVERME

    NTFUNDING

    PAGE

    17

    its members than seeking justice or specificinjustices.109

    Public Committee Against orture in Israel(PCAI)received60,000 (2010)rom AECID

    or a project to fight against torture, accessand legal advice or Palestinians incarcerated inIsrael.110

    In October 2011, PCAI published a report,financed by AECID, called Doctoring theEvidence, Abandoning the Victim: TeInvolvement o Medical Proessionals in ortureand Ill-reatment in Israel.111Te report accusesIsraeli medical proessionals o being requently

    involved either actively or passively in torture orill-treatment.112 Te report claims to presentthe legal situation which enables the persistenceo torture in Israel.113

    In 2009, PCAI signed a petition submittedto the Spanish government opposing aparliamentary resolution that limits the exerciseo universal jurisdiction o the Spanish courts.Te resolution was introduced in the Spanishparliament ollowing laware cases againstseveral oreign nationals including Chinese,American, and Israeli officials.

    (At one point in mid-2009, judges at theSpanish National Court were pursuing morethan a dozen international investigations intosuspected cases o torture, genocide and crimesagainst humanity in places as ar-flung as ibetand Rwanda even though most o these caseshad little or no connection with Spain. Tese

    109 Amos Harel, Gaza estimonies: Diverting the Debate romthe Real Issues, Haaretz, July 16, 2009, available athttp://www.haaretz.com/newsgaza-testimonies-diverting-the-debate-rom-the-real-issue-1.280139.

    110 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), March 5, 2011, No. 55, p.17, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2011/03/05/pds/BOE-A-2011-4169.pd

    111 Public Committee Against orture in Israel (PCAI),Doctoring the Evidence, Abandoning the Victim: TeInvolvement o Medical Proessionals in orture and Ill-reatment in Israel, (October 2011), available athttp://stoptorture.org.il/files/Doctoring%20the%20Evidence%20

    Abandoning%20the%20Victim_November2011.pd

    112 Ibid.

    113 Ibid.

    included a case against seven current or ormerIsraeli officials over an air attack in Gaza thatkilled Salah Shehadeh, a top Hamas terroristleader, in July 2002.)114

    HaMoked (Center for the Defense of theIndividual) received 147,690 (2011)115 and147,690 (2010)116 rom AECID or a projecttitled Question Systemic Denial: ImplementSocial Rights and Residence in East Jerusalem.

    Hamoked is an Israeli human rights organizationwhose main objective is to assist Palestinianso the Occupied erritories whose rights are

    violated due to Israels policies.117

    HaMoked has described Israels policies asethnic cleansing and racist using the rhetorico political warare. For example, in an interviewwith Te National, Dalia Kerstein, the director oHaMoked, said Tere is clearly a policy to pushPalestinians out o Jerusalem and Israel to reducewhat is called here the Palestinian demographicthreat. Its really a case o ethnic cleansing.118

    In June 2012, the Barcelona-based newspaper

    La Vanguardia published an article accusingIsrael o revoking the residency o 240,000Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank sinceit occupied their territories in 1967.119 Tearticle quotes Hamoked activist Ido Blum, whosaid this is a clear violation o international

    114 Soeren Kern, Spain Changes ack onUniversal Jurisdiction, PJ Media, May 28,2009 available athttp://pjmedia.com/blog/spain-changes-tack-on-universal-jurisdiction/

    115 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), May 14, 2012, No. 115,p.8, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2012/05/14/pds/BOE-A-2012-6347.pd

    116 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), March 5, 2011, No. 55,p.12, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2011/03/05/pds/BOE-A-2011-4169.pd

    117 See http://www.hamoked.org/home.aspx

    118 Jonathan Cook, Jerusalem Bookseller a Foreignerin Homeland, Te National, April 13, 2011, availableathttp://www.thenational.ae/news/world/middle-east/jerusalem-bookseller-a-oreigner-in-homeland

    119 See Israel expuls a 240.000 palestinos de Gazay Cisjordania en 27 aos, La Vanguardia, June 12,2012,available athttp://www.lavanguardia.com/internacional/20120612/54310791428/israel-expulso-a-240-000-palestinos-de-gaza-y-cisjordania.html

  • 8/10/2019 Spanish Government Funding for Ngos 2009 2011 Assessing Transparency Accountability and Impact on Israel

    19/63

    SPANISHGOVERME

    NTFUNDING

    PAGE

    18

    law, which should be considered as a orm odeportation, absolutely illegal.120

    Human Rights Defenders Fund (HRDF)received 60,000 (2011) rom AECID or a

    project called Strategic support or the legaldeense o children in East Jerusalem.121

    HRDF, which is based in Ramat Gan, says itsmission is to support non-violent activistsworking or democracy, liberty and equality, inIsrael and the territory it occupies.122

    HRDF is a political group that promotes thePalestinian narrative in a legal ramework.HRDF shareholders include Dina Goor,

    Mooky Dagan and Menucha Moravitz, all owhom are co-ounders o another politicaladvocacy NGO called Yesh Din (Volunteers orHuman Rights).123

    Other HRDF officials include Shai Carmeli-Pollak, an activist with the Popular StruggleCoordination Committee, (see above) andWiam Shabita, an activist with aayush, a pro-Palestinian group committed to tearing down

    the walls o Apartheid.124

    Rabbis for Human Rights (RHR) received146,043 (2011)125and 195,453 (2010)126romSpain or the deense o human rights, raisingawareness and improving legal and logisticalassistance or the Palestinian town o MassafirYattah (Hebron).

    RHR claims to seek to prevent human rightsviolations in Israel and in areas or which

    120 Ibid.

    121 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), May 14, 2012, No. 115,p.11, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2012/05/14/pds/BOE-A-2012-6347.pd

    122 See http://hrd.org.il/

    123 See http://hrd.org.il/?page_id=13

    124 Ibid.

    125 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), May 14, 2012, No. 115,p.8, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2012/05/14/pds/

    BOE-A-2012-6347.pd

    126 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), March 5, 2011, No. 55,p.14, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2011/03/05/pds/BOE-A-2011-4169.pd

    Israel has taken responsibility and to have noaffiliation with any political party or ideology.127

    In practice, as has been documented in detail,RHR is requently involved in politicized

    activities such as protests and legal advocacy onbehal o the Palestinian narrative.128

    Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI)(2009) received 100,000 or an 18-monthprogram beginning in December 2009 oradvancement o housing rights and shelteror Palestinian residents o Area C in the WestBank. ACRI is a controversial Israeli politicalorganization, and this project ocuses on highly

    complex and contentious issues in a partisanmanner.

    127 See http://www.rhr-na.org/issuescampaigns/israel-and-the-

    occupied-palestinian-territories/96-rabbis-or-human-rights-in-israel.html

    128 See http://www.ngo-monitor.org/article/rabbis_or_human_rights

  • 8/10/2019 Spanish Government Funding for Ngos 2009 2011 Assessing Transparency Accountability and Impact on Israel

    20/63 19

    Palestinian NGOs Amounts and Years

    Applied Research Institute Jerusalem(ARIJ)

    176,637 (2011); 650,000 (2009-2010);199,715 (2010); 98,347 (2009-2010)

    Palestinian Agricultural ReliefCommittees (PARC)

    305,399 (2011)

    Al Maqdese for Society Development 238,000 (2011); 210,049 (2010);349,510 (2009)

    Maan Development Center 201,610 (2011); 83,330 (2010)

    Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre forVictims of Torture (TRC)

    185,110 (2011); 182,487 (2010);195,814 (2009)

    Popular Struggle Coordination Committee 107,700 (2011)

    (PSCC)

    All for Peace Radio 101,675 (2010); 80,969 (2009)

    Sub-Total 3,366,352

    Israeli NGOs

    Israel Committee Against HouseDemolitions (ICAHD)

    105,000 (20092010); 76,508 (2009)

    Breaking the Silence (BtS) 173,188 (2011); 180,763 (2010);131,000 (2010); 24,790 (2009)

    Public Committee Against Torture inIsrael (PCATI)

    60,000 (2010)

    Hamoked 147,690 (2011); 147,690 (2010)

    Human Rights Defenders Fund 60,000 (2011)

    Rabbis for Human Rights 146,043 (2011); 195,453 (2010)

    Association for Civil Rights in Israel(ACRI)

    100,000 (2010-2009)

    Subtotal 1,548,125

    Total: funding for Palestinian andIsraeli Political Advocacy NGOs

    4,914,477

    ABLE 2. PALESINIAN AND ISRAEL POLIICAL ADVOCACY NGOFUNDED BY AECID 20092011

  • 8/10/2019 Spanish Government Funding for Ngos 2009 2011 Assessing Transparency Accountability and Impact on Israel

    21/63

    SPANISHGOVERME

    NTFUNDING

    PAGE

    20

    V. SPANISH POLIICALADVOCACY NGO

    AECIDFUNDED PROJECS

    APY Solidaridad en Accinreceived 250,000 (2010) romAECID or a political advocacyproject to promote the educationand awareness o human rights,

    democracy and conflict resolution in thePalestinian Authority, Israel and Spain.According to its annual report, APY is doingthis project in cooperation with its Israeli

    counterpart, the Israeli Committee AgainstHouse Demolitions (ICAHD), (see above).

    APY also received 280,297 (2011)rom AECIDor a project to promote sustainable managementand use o water resources or agriculture in theGaza Strip, and 247,306 (2010)or a projectto improve the socio-economic conditions,labor security and capacity to deend humanrights o 1,395 amilies o fishermen on the GazaStrip.

    APY also received 295,100 (2009) romthe Autonomous Community o Andalusiaor a project called Medical, Psychological,Physiotherapuetic and Social Assistance toVictims o the Attack on the Gaza Strip.

    In December 2010, APY sponsored a conerencein the southern Spanish city o Huelva titled TeRole o the Woman in the Palestinian-Israeli

    129 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), November 29, 2010, No.288, p.4, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2010/11/29/pds/BOE-A-2010-18309.pd

    130 See Fundacin para la Cooperacin APY Solidaridad enAccin, Memoria Actividades 2009, pp. 13-14, available athttp://www.apysolidaridad.org/images/PDFs/memoria_2009.pd

    131 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), January 11, 2012, No. 9,p.9, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2012/01/11/pds/BOE-A-2012-427.pd

    132 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), March 5, 2011, No. 55,p.17, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2011/03/05/pds/

    BOE-A-2011-4169.pd

    133 Boletn Oficial de la Junta de Andaluca (BOJA), March 29,2010, No. 61, p.1, available athttp://www.juntadeandalucia.es/boja/boletines/2010/61/d/upd/d37.pd

    Conflict in which the project coordinator,Natalia Snchez, reerred to Israel as a policestate. She also claimed that Palestinianwomen are living in apartheid conditions andthat to live under occupation is to live underconstant humiliation. Sanchez repeated aphrase she said was ofen used by Palestinians:the worst danger stems not rom Israelis butrather rom Zionism.

    In October 2011, APY signed a letter to SpanishForeign Minister rinidad Jimnez criticizing herspeech to the UN General Assembly. Te lettercomplained about Spains lack o protagonismin the deense o the right o the Palestinian

    people to have a state that is a member o theUnited Nations. Te letter calls on Jimnezto exert a decided external pressure on Israelbecause 20 years o negotiations have shownthat bilateral talks are insufficient to reach anagreement.

    Asamblea de Cooperacin Por la Paz (ACPP)(Madrid) received 480,000 (2011) romAECID or a project aimed at Improving access

    to ood and sanitation o 3,080 people in BeitHassan, Al-Nassaryia and Aqrabanyia, JordanValley, West Bank.

    According to ACPPs annual report or activitiesrealized between June 2010 and June 2011,ACPP also received 2,305,684 in unding romdozens o regional and municipal governmentsacross Spain or 19 different projects in the

    134 See El papel de la mujer en el conflicto palestino-israel,a debate en La Rbida, El Peridico de Huelva, December 7,2010, available athttp://www.uhu.es/otri/kimeraa/documents/news/odiel_inormacion_07_12_2010.pd

    135 Ibid.

    136 Ibid.

    137 See ONGs espaolas en Palestina critican el discurso deJimnez en la ONU, ABC, October 3, 2011, available athttp://www.abc.es/agencias/noticia.asp?noticia=947371

    138 Ibid.

    139 Ibid.

    140 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), January 11, 2012, No. 9,p.14, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2012/01/11/pds/BOE-A-2012-427.pd

  • 8/10/2019 Spanish Government Funding for Ngos 2009 2011 Assessing Transparency Accountability and Impact on Israel

    22/63

    SPANISHGOVERME

    NTFUNDING

    PAGE

    21

    Palestinian territories. Some o these projectswere o a political nature, including 122,210received rom the regional government o theBaleric Islands or a project to raise awarenessamong Israel and Palestinian populations o theenvironmental impact o the lack o peace andto promote a sustainable solution within theramework o the peace initiative o the ArabLeague.

    In 2008, ACPP was instrumental in establishingthe so-called Madrid Coalition, an alliance onearly 200 Palestinian, Israeli, and Europeancivil society organizations promoting a peaceinitiative sponsored by the Arab League.

    In a May 7, 2012 blog post titled 70 Days oHunger Strike, ACPP writes that the Palestinianhunger strikes reflect the brutality o Israelioppression over the Palestinian population.Te same blog post says that Israeli SupremeCourt decisions in practice have served tolegitimize torture.

    In 2011, ACPP produced a documentary calledPalestine Without Barriers that examines thelives o handicapped Palestinians in conflictzones. Te main objective o the film isto generate public pressure within Spain toconvince Israel to lif the blockade on the GazaStrip.

    In May 2010, ACPP issued a statementcondemning Israel or its unacceptable andinadmissible offensive against the Free Gaza

    141 See Memoria de Actividades: Junio 2010 Julio 2011,available athttp://issuu.com/acpp/docs/memoria_acpp_2010_2011?mode=window&backgroundColor=%23222222

    142 Ibid.

    143 See http://he-il.acebook.com/pages/Madrid-Coalition/200202077344?sk=wall&filter=12

    144 See 70 das en huelga de hambre, May 7, 2012, available athttp://asambleaacpp.wordpress.com/2012/05/07/672/

    145 Ibid.

    146 See Los Palestinos no quieren depender de laayuda internacional sino ser autosuficientes, January

    5, 2012, available at http://asambleaacpp.wordpress.com/2012/01/05los-palestinos-no-quieren-depender-de-la-ayuda-internacional-sino-ser-autosuficientes-entrevista-a-la-dra-jean-calder-y-dalal-altaji-por-ursula-urdillo/

    flotilla. ACPP accused Israel o war crimesand called on the international community toprevent acts like this committed by Israel romgoing unpunished and to give a firm response tothis crime.

    In February 2011, the newspaperABCreportedthat the Spanish government had withdrawnACPPs accreditation due to embezzlemento public monies and that AECID waswithholding urther transers o money to theNGO. Addressing the Spanish Parliament,the-then Secretary o State or InternationalCooperation, Soraya Rodrguez, admitted thatACPP (which according to ABC is linked to

    the Socialist Party) was involved in a case oembezzlement, but she also sought to deendAECID and asked opposition lawmakers toavoid making insinuations about the lack otransparency and not question the operation othe agency. It would be better to cease makingthese insinuations. Conservative lawmakersdisputed that assessment and insisted that theGovernment was not sufficiently transparent.

    NOVA-Centre per la Innovaci Social(Barcelona) received 187,100 (2011) romAECID or a project called Strengthening thePalestinian Civil Society that is committedto deending human rights and a nonviolentresolution o conflicts. In addition, NOVAreceived 322,560 (2010) rom AECID ora project called Promotion o a strategy orpeaceul management o conflicts and effective

    147 See Asamblea de Cooperacin por la Paz condena elataque israel a la flotilla que llevaba ayuda humanitaria aGaza, May 31, 2010, available athttp://acpparagon.blogspot.com/2010/05/asamblea-de-cooperacion-por-la-paz.html

    148 Ibid.

    149 Paloma Cervilla, El Gobierno retira la calificacin a laONG an al PSOE condenada, ABC, February 14, 2011,available athttp://www.abc.es/20110214/espana/abcp-gobierno-retira-calificacion-afin-20110214.html

    150 Ibid.

    151 Ibid.

    152 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), January 11, 2012, No. 9,p.15, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2012/01/11/pds/BOE-A-2012-427.pd

  • 8/10/2019 Spanish Government Funding for Ngos 2009 2011 Assessing Transparency Accountability and Impact on Israel

    23/63

    SPANISHGOVERME

    NTFUNDING

    PAGE

    22

    deense o human rights in Palestine andIsrael.

    NOVA also received 130,000 (2010: 45,000;2011: 45,000; 2012: 40,000) in conjunction

    with Servei Civil Internacional-Catalunya(SCI-Catalunya) (Barcelona) and AssociaciCatalana per la Pau (ACP) (Barcelona) romthe Autonomous Community o Cataloniaor a contract titled Research, elaboration ostrategies or the compliance o internationallaw and respect or human rights in the conflictbetween Palestine and Israel.

    In 2010, NOVA was tasked by the city o

    Barcelona to organize the first session o theRussell ribunal on Palestine, which washeld in Barcelona rom March 1-3, 2010.Issues discussed at the conerence includedthe settlements and the plundering o naturalresources, the annexation o East Jerusalem,the construction o the Wall in the OccupiedPalestinian erritory, and the blockade o Gazaand operation Cast Lead.

    NOVA supported the Rumbo a Gaza initiative,which attempted to break the Israeli blockade oGaza in 2011.

    In 2009, NOVA published an 84-page reporttitled Spain-Israel: Military, Armaments andSecurity Relations, which attempts to answerthe question o how Spain contributes to

    violence in one o the most battered regions o

    153 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), November 29, 2010, No.288, p.5, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2010/11/29/pds/BOE-A-2010-18309.pd

    154 Diari Oficial de la Generalitat de Catalunya (DOGC), July18, 2011, No. 5922, p.20, available athttp://www.gencat.cat/eadop/imatges/5922/11178007.pd

    155 See Primera sesin del ribunal Russel por Palestina enBarcelona, available athttp://noviolencia.nova.cat/proyecto/primera-sesion-del-tribunal-russel-por-palestina-en-barcelona

    156 Ibid.

    157 See http://noviolencia.nova.cat/en/news/1012-conerence-human-rights-and-universal-criminal-justice-gaza-today-and-tomorrow

    the world. Te report has a orward writtenby Jeff Halper, director o the Israeli CommitteeAgainst House Demolitions (ICAHD), a pro-Palestinian activist group (see above).

    Coordinadora Estatal de Organizaciones deComercio Justo (CECJ) (Madrid) received175,132 (2010)rom AECID or a Campaignto raise awareness about air trade.

    CECJ is a grouping o 30 different air tradeorganizations throughout Spain. Organizationsbelonging to CECJ are active in Spains BDSmovement against Israel. For example, CECJmember SODePAZ (see below) has a prominent

    section about BDS on its website.Fundacin Socialismo sin Fronteras(Socialism without Borders) (Madrid) received120,000 (2011) rom AECID or summercamps to rebuild Palestinian homes. Teorganization received 143,189 (2010) romAECID or raising awareness o human rightsin Palestinian territories and in Israel.

    Socialism without Borders, which works

    closely with ICAHD (see above), is dedicatedto rebuilding homes demolished by the IDF.In an article titled Rebuilding PalestinianHomes Made in Spain, published by the ar-lef newspaper Pblico, activists with the groupsaid we know it is very likely that the Israeliswill take down what we build, but we are here

    158 Alejandro Pozo Marn, Espaa-Israel Relaciones enmateria militar, armamentista y de seguridad. Balancey tendencias, November 2009, available athttp:/www.palestinaino.org/images/Pd/espana_israel_relaciones_militares_armamentisticas_seguridad.pd

    159 Ibid.

    160 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), November 29, 2010, No.288, p.5, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2010/11/29/pds/BOE-A-2010-18309.pd

    161 See http://www.sodepaz.org/palestina/

    162 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), May 14, 2012, No. 115,p.7, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2012/05/14/pds/

    BOE-A-2012-6347.pd

    163 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), March 5, 2011, No. 55,p.12, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2011/03/05/pds/BOE-A-2011-4169.pd

  • 8/10/2019 Spanish Government Funding for Ngos 2009 2011 Assessing Transparency Accountability and Impact on Israel

    24/63

    SPANISHGOVERME

    NTFUNDING

    PAGE

    23

    to demonstrate our will. Te budget needed oreach house is around $30,000.

    Asociacin Europea de Cooperacin conPalestina (ASECOP)(Mlaga) received 63,616

    (2010) rom AECID to improve access toemployment in Bani Naim (Hebron) by meanso greenhouse agriculture. ASECOP, a keyplayer in Spanish efforts to demonize Israel, hasalso received 2.15 million (2009-2010) romthe Autonomous Community o Andalusia (seedetails below).

    REGIONALLYFUNDEDPROJECS

    Asociacin Europea de Cooperacin conPalestina (ASECOP) (Mlaga) received1,308,468 (2010) rom the AutonomousCommunity o Andalusia or a total o fivemedical-related projects in Bethlehem andthe Gaza Strip. ASECOP received 844,546rom Andalusia in 2009. ASECOP also received63,616 (2010) (see above) rom AECID toimprove access to employment in Bani Naim

    (Hebron) by means o greenhouse agriculture.

    In 2010, ASECOP published a book titled,Voyage to the Land o Apartheid that chroniclesthe injustices experienced by the Palestinianpeople due to the military occupation. Tebook explains how the Palestinians are sufferingdue to the separation and isolation wall, theinnumerable checkpoints, the blockade oGaza, the 12,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli

    prisons, the requent states-o-emergencywhich prevent the population rom developing

    164 E. Garca Gascn, Reconstruccin de casas palestinasMade in Spain, Jvenes espaoles recuperan las casasdestruidas por Israel, Pblico, August 3, 2010, available athttp://www.publico.es/internacional/330697reconstruccion-de-casas-palestinas-made-in-spain

    165 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), November 29, 2010, No.288, p2, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2010/11/29/pds/BOE-A-2010-18309.pd

    166 See Appendix B, able B-1 below or list o all projects.

    167 Boletn Oficial del Estado (BOE), November 29, 2010, No.288, p2, available athttp://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2010/11/29/pds/BOE-A-2010-18309.pd

    168 See http://www.eldimoni.com/article.php?id_article=3352

    a normal lie, the killings and the daily militaryincursions, the orced military expropriations oPalestinian lands to build settlements

    ASECOP also awarded its first annual Yasser

    Araat Award to the author o the book, IsidrePalls, or his work contributing to the searchor peaceul solutions based on the respect orhuman rights and the resolutions o the UnitedNations. Te award is an initiative sponsoredby the Province o Mlaga to reward the bestworks o literature, journalism and essays thatdeal with the Palestinian problem.

    In April 2011, ASECOP awarded its second

    annual Yasser Araat Award to AntonioBasallote Marn, a post-graduate student atthe University o Seville, or his book titledParadise Usurped: Zionism and the PalestinianPeople, which seeks to deconstruct the allegedhistorical continuity between biblical Israel andthe modern State o Israel.

    ASECOP is active in Spains BDS movementagainst Israel. For example, in July 2011,ASECOP (together with the BDS GroupCatalonia) organized the boycott o a cosmeticsstore called Minus -417 in a shopping center inthe city o Sant Cugat near Barcelona.

    In a press release dated July 23, ASECOP wrote:Minus -417 Dead Sea Cosmetic ResearchesLtd is an Israeli company that illegally extractsproducts rom the Dead Sea in the occupiedWest Bank. Te exploitation o natural resourcesrom the Occupied erritories violates the

    Geneva Conventions and various UnitedNations resolutions. Moreover, it is a companythat receives direct support rom the State oIsrael, which is responsible or the oppression

    169 Ibid

    170 See http://www.eldimoni.com/article.php?id_article=4229

    171 La Diputacin de Mlaga y ASECOP firman un conveniopara editar el premio Yasser Araat, July 6, 2010, available athttp://www.iumalaga.org/node/9029

    172 Luis orres, Un joven investigador del pueblo palestinogana el II Premio Yaser Araat de la Hispalense, Sevil laActualidad, January 4, 2011, available atwww.sevillaactualidad.com/cultura/9052-estudiante-de-la-universidad-de-sevilla-gana-el-ii-premio-yasser-araat

  • 8/10/2019 Spanish Government Funding for Ngos 2009 2011 Assessing Transparency Accountability and Impact on Israel

    25/63

    SPANISHGOVERME

    NTFUNDING

    PAGE

    24

    and suffering experienced by the Palestinianpeople.

    ASECOP also organizes pro-Palestinianconerences and exhibits throughout Spain

    which ofen present a one-sided perspective othe Arab-Israeli conflict in which the Israelis areportrayed as the aggressors.

    For example, in October 2010, ASECOPorganized an exhibit at the Joaqun RoncalCultural Center in downtown Zaragoza calledPazlestina: A Broken Peace (Paz is Spanish orpeace). Te exhibition, which was later movedto different locations around the city, consisted o

    drawings, photographs, and inormation panelsthat explained the reality o the conflict in theoccupied Palestinian territoriesto ensure thatthe conflict does not become a normal situationwhen it should have been temporary andexceptional, or, in this case, it should never havehappened.

    In November 2010, ASECOP organized atwo-day conerence in the town o Antequera(Mlaga province) called Afer Gaza: What?which was billed as the first to publicly debatethe roots o the conflict between Israel and thePalestinians. Te event was highly biasedagainst Israel, who according to ASECOPspresident, Jehad Sueiman Rachid, up untilnow, has reused to accept a single alternativeto the peace process, despite the demands o theinternational community and the offers made bythe Palestinians.

    173 Envia un correu demanant lexpulsi de Minus -417 delSant Cugat Centre Comercial, June 23, 2011, available athttp://www.nodo50.org/casc/spip.php?article950

    174 See http://www.joaquinroncal.org/programacion/programaciondiadetalle.asp?idNodo=12&idE=4914&idR=28154

    175 La Asociacin Europea de Cooperacin con Palestinaorganiza una exposicin en Utebo, 20 Minutos, December 21,2010, available athttp://www.20minutos.es/noticia/909051/0/

    176 Antequera acoge el primer oro de debate sobre las races y

    repercusiones del conflicto entre Israel y Palestina, 20 Minutos,November 25, 2010, available at http://www.20minutos.es/noticia/884690/0/

    177 Ibid

    ASECOP, together with an organizationcalled Fondo Andaluz de Municipios parala Solidaridad Internacional (FAMSI), alsoorganizes the bi-annual Andalusia-PalestineSolidarity and Cooperation Meeting. InDecember 2010, during the opening ceremonyo the third such meeting, ASECOP presidentJehad Suleiman Rachid declared that Israelpractices a policy o terror against the Palestinianpeople in Gaza and he said that ASECOP wouldexercise all the pressure necessary to open andbreak the blockade o Gaza.

    Asociacin para la Cooperacin con el SurLas Segovias (ACSUR) (Madrid) was awarded

    a 900,000 (2010: 300,000; 2011: 300,000;2012: 300,000) contract by the AutonomousCommunity o Catalonia or a project titledPrevention o gender violence and participationo women in the occupied Palestinianterritories.

    ACSUR is also part o a consortium o sixSpanish NGOs (ACSUR, Mundubat, IEPALA,Fundacion CEAR, ACPP and Solidaridad

    Internacional) that received a total o 4.5million (2007-2012) rom AECID or a series ounspecified projects in the Palestinian Authorityto support initiatives or the construction opeace between Palestinians and Israelis by meanso strengthening civil society organizations onboth sides. An analysis o ACSURs 2010annual report shows that all 15 Palestinian andIsraeli partner NGOs collaborating with theSpanish consortium are activist groups that are

    politically biased against Israel.

    178 See http://www.andaluciasolidaria.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1136&Itemid=212

    179 Asecop ve bien que una nueva Flotilla de la Paz lleguehasta la ranja de Gaza, Europa Press, December 3, 2010,available athttp://www.europapress.es/epsocial/ong-y-asociaciones/noticia-asecop-ve-bien-nueva-flotilla-paz-llegue-ranja-gaza-20101203134935.html

    180 Diari Oficial de la Generalitat de Catalunya (DOGC), July18, 2011, No. 5922, p.17, available athttp://www.gencat.cat/eadop/imatges/5922/11178007.pd

    181 See http://www.acsur.org/IMG/pd/Proyectos_ACSUR_2010-2.pd

    182 Ibid

  • 8/10/2019 Spanish Government Funding for Ngos 2009 2011 Assessing Transparency Accountability and Impact on Israel

    26/63

    SPANISHGOVERME

    NTFUNDING

    PAGE

    25

    ACSUR also received 691,009 (2010)rom theAutonomous Community o Castilla-La Manchaor three different projects in the PalestinianAuthority, including one project to developemergency action to document, provide legalaid, lawsuits and incidents o the violationscommitted during the Israeli attack on the GazaStrip.

    ACSUR received 56,000 (2009) rom the cityo Barcelona or working on the First Session othe Russell ribunal o Palestine, which was heldin Barcelona.

    According to ACSURs 2010 annual report,

    ACSUR partners with radical organizationssuch as ICAHD, Ittijah, Palestinian Centeror Human Rights (PCHR) and Stop theWall. For example, rom 2008-2012 ACSURpartnered with Stop the Wall to strengthenlocal committees against the construction o theWall in Palestine.

    During that same period, ACSUR partnered withPCHR on a project (paid or by the AutonomousCommunity o Castilla-La Mancha) todocument human rights violations, awarenessand legal assistance in the Occupied Palestinianerritories.

    ACSUR has also promoted PCHRs lawarecampaign, which lobbied or the cancellationo the OECD meeting in Jerusalem in October

    183 See Annex B, able B-3 below.

    184 Diario Oficial de Castilla-La Mancha (DOCM), February11, 2010, No. 29, p.17, available athttp://docm.jccm.es/portaldocm/descargarArchivo.do?ruta=2010/02/11/pd/docm_29.pd&tipo=rutaDocm

    185 Butllet Oficial de la Provncia de Barcelona (BOPB),August 5, 2009, No. 186, p. 25, available athttps://bop.diba.cat/scripts/fpisa.asp?new?bop2009&08/091869999.pd&25

    186 Ibid

    187 See http://www.ongporpalestina.org/elconvenio/eng/acciones.php

    188 See http://www.acsur.org/IMG/pd/Proyectos_ACSUR_2010-2.pd

    2010, and also exploited Spanish courts to harassIsraeli officials.

    ACSUR is active in the Spanish BDS movement.For example, in July 2010 ACSUR actively

    promoted a campaign involving a multi-prongedboycott o Israel: institutional, commercial,cultural and sports, and academic. ACSURwrote: Civil society must give answers andalternatives to the complicity o the internationalcommunity against Israeli colonial occupationand its innumerable crimes against thePalestinian people. ACSUR joins the Boycott,Sanctions and Divestment movement as long asIsrael does not comply with international law.

    In June 2012, ACSUR announced theorganization o a major BDS conerence calledYesterday South Arica, oday Palestine, thatwas held in Barcelona rom October 19-21,2012.

    In May 2012, ACSUR organized a conerenceat the Crculo de Bellas Artes cultural centerin Madrid called Colonialism, Apartheid andNational Identity: Conflicts in the Constructiono Identities in the Shadow o Zionism, and ItsAlternatives.

    In March 2009, ACSUR sponsored a conerencein Barcelona called Seminar or a Global Day

    189 See An Open Letter to the OECD Regarding the Decisionto Hold the Annual ourism Conerence in 2010 in Jerusalem,September 27, 2010, available at http://www.oikoumene.org/fileadmin/files/wcc-main/documents/p3/pie/files/OECD.pd.

    190 See Ayer Sudrica, hoy Palestina. En el quinto aniversariode la campaa de boicot, sanciones y desinversiones al estadode Israel, July 8, 2010, available athttp://www.acsur.org/Ayer-Sudarica-hoy-Palestina-En-el,1157

    191 Ibid

    192 See I Conerencia Estatal por el Boicot,Desinversiones y Sanciones (BDS) contra el apartheidisrael, June 13, 2012, available athttp://www.acsur

    org/I-CONFERENCIA-ESAAL-POR-EL

    193 Semana de la Nakbah en Madrid, May 16, 2012, availableathttp://www.sodepaz.org/convocatorias-mainmenu-11/10-actividades/1907-semana-de-la-nakbah-en-madrid.html

  • 8/10/2019 Spanish Government Funding for Ngos 2009 2011 Assessing Transparency Accountability and Impact on Israel

    27/63

    SPANISHGOVERME

    NTFUNDING

    PAGE

    26

    o Action, Boycott, Divestment, and SanctionAgainst Apartheid and Israeli Occupation.

    In November 2011, ACSUR signed a letteradvising Jos Merc, a Spanish musician, to

    cancel a scheduled concert perormance at theIsrael Museum in Jerusalem on November 29.Te concert was to commemorate the 25thanniversary o the establishment o diplomaticrelations between Spain and Israel.

    Similarly in October 2011, ACSUR signed aletter advising Paco de Lucia, a well-knownSpanish musician, to cancel a scheduled concertin Israel on October 29 o that year.

    In January 2011, ACSUR produced anadvertisement that appeared on Palestinianelevision. Te ad promoted a boycott oIsraeli goods. Te Spanish embassy in elAviv said that the logo was used without ourknowledge. (See above.)

    ACSUR, in a press release titled YesterdaySouth Arica, oday Palestine, announced itssupport or the BDS movement, calling or the

    institutional, cultural, commercial and academicboycott o Israel.

    ACSUR is a signatory o the Bilbao Initiative runby a coalition o Spanish NGOs known as MiddleEast Without Wars and Oppression Network

    194 Barcelona: Seminari per al Dia dAcci Global deBoicot, Desinversi i Sancions contra lApartheid i locupaciisraelians, March 23, 2009, available athttp://www.acsur.org/Barcelona-Seminari-per-al-Dia-d

    195 Jos Merc cantar para Israel, November 26, 2011,available athttp://taulaperpalestina.blogspot.com/2011/11/jose-merce-cantara-para-israel.html

    196 See Carta a Paco de Lucia de la Red Solidaria Contra laOcupacin de Palestina-RESCOP, October 24, 2011, availableathttp://www.acsur.org/IMG/pd/Carta_Paco_de_Lucia.pd

    197 Polmica por el uso del logo de la AECID en un anunciode boicot a productos israeles, El Mundo, January 13, 2011,available athttp://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2011/01/13/solidaridad/1294904778.html

    198 Herb Keinon, Spain Denies Sponsoring Palestinian Ad toBoycott Israel, Jerusalem Post, December 1, 2011, available athttp://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=203280

    199 See Ayer Sudrica, hoy Palestina. En el quinto aniversariode la campaa de boicot, sanciones y desinversiones al estadode Israel, July 8, 2010, available athttp://www.acsur.org/Ayer-Sudarica-hoy-Palestina-En-el,1157

    (MEWANDO). On its webpage, MEWANDOaccuses Israel o a Zionist campaign o ethniccleansing in Palestine and promotes the boycotto the Israeli apartheid state. In its VisionStatement MEWANDO uses rhetoric reerringto Israeli politicians as criminal members suchas Matan Vilnai, Deense Vice Minister, [who]openly threaten a Palestinian holocaust.

    In October 2009, Carlos Sanchis, a member othe board o ACSUR-Las Segovias, criticized theSpanish government or being shaky towardits commitment to the Palestinians. Teywant to avoid awkward postures and prioritizethe improvement o relations with Israel during

    the Spanish EU Presidency, he said.

    ACSUR is a member o the SolidarityNetwork against the Occupation o Palestine(RESCOP).

    Fundacin Mundubat (Bilbao, Basque Country)is an important conduit through which theAutonomous Community o the Basque Countrydistributes development unds to the PalestinianAuthority. Mundubat received 275,208 (2010)rom the Basque government or a project calledLeadership and participation o women in Gazaand the West Bank.

    Te Mundubat website states: In such a tragic anddiscouraging outlook [in Palestine], Mundubatconsiders it a matter o justice to offer its supportand solidarity to a people the internationalcommunity keeps ignoring systematically. Teclosure policy imposed upon the erritories by

    200 See http://www.mewando.org/nuestra-vision/ (linkexpired)

    201 Ibid

    202 Ibid

    203 ONG palestinas e israelie