MSA REPORT:DESPITE MOGHERINI'S STATEMENTS AGAINST BDS, EU CONTINUES TRANSFER
OF FUNDS TO ISRAEL BOYCOTT ORGS
Ministry of Strategic Affairs and Public Diplomacy


TO DOWNLOAD A COPY OF THE REPORT:
https://bit.ly/2HtKtrf

Contrary to statements by EU Foreign Minister Federico Mogherini opposing
Israel boycotts, the new MSA report reveals that funds continued to be
transferred to organizations which promote boycotts against the State of
Israel in 2017-2018.

Minister Erdan to FM Mogherini: "Instead of hiding behind empty statements,
the European Union needs to implement its own declared policy and
immediately cease funding organizations that promote boycotts against the
State of Israel.”

Jerusalem, Israel — January 23, 2019 — A comprehensive report released today
by the Ministry of Strategic Affairs (MSA) revealed that contrary to
declared European Union policy and previous statements by EU Foreign
Minister Federica Mogherini, the EU has continued to transfer millions of
euros in 2017-2018 to NGOs which promote boycotts of Israel.

The report follows an earlier in-depth study published by the Ministry of
Strategic Affairs in May 2018 regarding EU funding for Israel-boycott
organizations during 2016. At that time, Minister of Strategic Affairs Gilad
Erdan urged Mogherini to immediately cease the transfer of funds to these
organizations. In response, the EU foreign minister replied that there were
strict monitoring and verification procedures in place, assuring Minister
Erdan that no European Union funds were being used to promote boycotts of
Israel.

Minister Erdan instructed his ministry to expand its examination of EU data
published during 2017-2018, and found that despite Mogherini's statements,
and contrary to official European Union policy of opposing boycotts, more
than €5 million in funding was transferred to ten organizations promoting
boycotts against the State of Israel.

The MSA report also found that two of the most prominent Israel-boycott
organizations, Al-Haq and Al-Mezan, were awarded a multiyear grant of over
€750,000 from the EU which apparently began in 2018.

These findings align with the findings of a recent report by the European
Court of Auditors (ECA), the European Union's financial-audit body, which
identified significant shortcomings in the EU’s ability to monitor funds
transferred to the numerous organizations receiving EU aid. The ECA warned
that the European Union lacks sufficient information and transparency as to
how these funds were distributed or spent.

In light of the findings of the updated MSA report, Minister Erdan addressed
Foreign Minister Mogherini in a letter, emphasizing the need to end the
duality of EU policy which, on the one hand, officially opposes boycotts
against the State of Israel, and on the other, supporting boycott
organizations. "In December 2018, the European Court of Auditors… warned
that the European Council does not have adequate and sufficiently detailed
information as these NGOs use these funds”, and called on the European Union
to “Immediately end funding for NGOs which actively promote a boycott of
Israel.”

Minster Erdan said that in light of the report’s findings, "The time has
come for the EU to begin a deep reexamination of its policies. Instead of
hiding behind empty statements, the European Union needs to implement its
own declared policy and immediately cease funding organizations that promote
boycotts against the State of Israel.”