A new report released Sunday claims that despite statements to the contrary, the German government has been donating millions of euros to groups promoting the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
The NGO Monitor watchdog group has found that between 2012 and 2015, Germany funneled at least $4.4 million to some 15 Israeli organizations, and 42 percent of the donations went to groups supporting an international boycott against Israel and policies negating Israel’s existence as a Jewish state.
The report found that the German Economic Cooperation and Development Ministry operates a Civil Peace Service (Ziviler Friedensdienst) project in Israel, but in fact, on the ground the project is headed by a different German group, KURVE Wustrow, which has partnered with two local organizations—the Israeli Coalition of Women for Peace and the Palestinian Popular Struggle Coordination Committee.
NGO Monitor argues that the Coalition of Women for Peace actively supports the BDS movement, including heading a project titled “Who Profits from the Occupation,” a database of potential boycott “targets.” The Popular Struggle Coordination Committee promotes violent riots across Judea and Samaria, and its Twitter account often features posts encouraging violence, the report said.
The German Embassy in Israel said that Germany “remains committed to the two-state solution and devising sustainable peace in the Middle East. The German government opposes any boycott of Israel, including BDS activities, as such action undermines the peace process. The German government’s funding policy seeks to support selected projects via earmarked funds. Germany will continue to invest in projects and initiatives that can promote and increase awareness to the two-state solution.”
By: Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org