Release Date: 12 March 2009

New Report: Norwegian Government Funds Fuel Mid East Conflict

(Jerusalem) - Jerusalem-based research organization NGO Monitor today
released a report on the tens of millions of Norwegian Kroner (NOK) given
annually by the Norwegian government to extreme NGOs that demonize Israel
and fuel hostility. The report details how public funds, which are directed
to NGOs that operate in the Palestinian Authority and Gaza, fail to promote
coexistence or Palestinian human rights and democracy.

Norway's Ministry of Foreign Affairs allocated an estimated NOK 187million
in 2006 to NGOs active in the Palestinian Authority and Gaza. Many of these
funds are utilized by influential Norwegian humanitarian and development
NGOs such as Norwegian People's Aid (NPA). Yet, among its activities, NPA
has aligned itself with campaigns that accuse Israel of 'ethnic cleansing',
'apartheid' and even regard Israel's very creation as a 'naqba' (catastrophe
in Arabic). This highly damaging rhetoric alienates Israelis and
contributes to a deep sense of animosity between Palestinians and Israelis.

Another well-known aid agency, the Norwegian Aid Committee (NORWAC) also
receives significant funds from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
One of its leading representatives, Dr Mads Gilbert has repeatedly and
falsely accused Israel of deliberately targeting civilians. Gilbert is a
radical left wing political activist and has expressed sympathy with the
terrorist attacks on USA on September 11, 2001.

Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) received almost NOK 300 million in 2007 from
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its development wing NORAD. Far from being
apolitical, impartial or fostering coexistence, NCA affords legitimacy to
Hamas (a genocidal terror organization) by criticizing Norway's policy of
'withdrawing economic support' to the 'Hamas government'. This stance
directly contradicts the position of the Norwegian government from which NCA
receives funds.

Equally problematic is the money distributed by the Norwegian Representative
Office to local NGOs in the Palestinian Authority and Gaza. Among their
grant recipients are Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) and Al-Haq.
Both organizations have spearheaded a frivolous 'Lawfare' campaign to
prosecute Israeli military and political leaders in courts across the world
on spurious 'war crimes' charges. PCHR and Al-Haq have filed complaints
against Shaul Mofaz, Avi Dichter, Doron Almog and others. Yet the fact that
not one of these cases has been upheld in the courts indicates that
Norwegian public funds are being wasted by NGOs to advance their political
agenda. Meanwhile, Al-Haq is headed by Shawan Jabarin who has been denied
exit visas by Israel and Jordan on account of his alleged ties to the
terrorist group Popular Front for Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).

NGO Monitor's Executive Director, Prof Gerald Steinberg said, "The Norwegian
government must understand that the promotion of tolerance and coexistence
in the Middle East is totally incompatible with the granting of funds to
radical NGOs. These organizations are engaged in a campaign to demonize and
isolate Israel while they ignore the desperate need to promote human rights
and democracy in Palestinian society. Through providing this money, the
Norwegian government is complicit in the continued bitterness in the
region."

-------- ENDS ------------

Editors Notes:
Please click here or the link below to view the full NGO Monitor report on
Norwegian government funding
www.ngo-monitor.org/article/norwegian_ngo_funding_boycotts_and_apartheid_rhetoric_instead_of_peace_and_coexistence
NGO Monitor was founded to promote transparency, critical analysis and
debate on the political role of human rights organizations. For more
information, see our website at
www.ngo-monitor.org
Other recent publications and reports by NGO Monitor include:-
Amnesty's Gaza Report: Abolishing Israel's Right to Self-Defense - February
25, 2009
'Hijacked by Hatred': British NGOs Use Christmas for Anti-Israel Attacks -
December 23, 2008
NGO 'Lawfare': Exploitation of Courts in the Arab-Israeli Conflict - October
8, 2008
NGO Monitor's Executive Director is, Prof. Gerald Steinberg.
Members of NGO Monitor's International Advisory Board include Elie Wiesel,
Prof Alan Dershowitz, Sir Martin Gilbert and R. James Woolsey
For further information, comment or interviews contact Dan Kosky
+972 (0) 546-305-504
NGO Monitor - 1, Ben Maimon Blvd. - Jerusalem 92262 - Israel - T:
+972-2-566-1020
F: +972-77-511-7030
E: dan.kosky@ngo-monitor.org