Israel Matzav

The other half of the story

Last week, I blogged a suspiciously timed New York Times story that 'exposed' the extent of US tax deductible donations for 'pro-settlement' NGO's. According to NGO Watch's Gerald Steinberg, the Times only told half the story.

Based on NGO Monitor’s extensive research, the scale of tax-exempt funding from the US for the other side of the spectrum probably exceeds the $20 million average annually reportedly provided to support the settlement agenda. And, as in the case of groups targeted in the Times, radical left grantees push objectives that are also in direct opposition to US government policies.

NGO Monitor’s research shows how numerous groups that receive tax-exempt donations promote violent demonization, boycotts (illegal under US law) and “one-state” policies that are equivalent to seeking the destruction of Israel. These include Electronic Intifada, ICAHD-US, Friends of Sabeel, the benignly named Middle East Children’s Alliance and the Palestinian Right to Return Coalition.

The Free Gaza Movement, which sponsored the ships that included violent jihadists from the Turkish IHH organization, tells supporters to send taxdeductible donations through the American Educational Trust. And the International Solidarity Movement receives funding via directed donations to the AJ Muste Memorial Institute and the Middle East Children’s Alliance, both of which have tax-exempt status. ISM members regularly violate Israeli law through violent “direct actions,” including participation in the recent Free Gaza Flotilla.

Powerful Israeli left-wing groups that campaign against settlements also obtain funds in this way and use this money to lobby in the US against the policies of Israel’s democratically elected governments. This category includes American Friends of Peace Now, B’Tselem and Ir Amim (which is active in promoting the Palestinian narrative on Jerusalem).

Read the whole thing.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:34 PM