The financial dispute: A sharp public confrontation took place at the top of the EU following a precedent-setting decision by the European Parliament to create a blacklist of "human rights organizations" that abuse EU budgetary support.
Oliver Verhely, a senior EU official who is responsible, among other things, for its neighbourhood policy, wrote following the decision that "the Commission shares the parliament's vision of zero incitement and anti-Semitism, has given the EU's financial assistance to the Palestinian Authority in full compliance of its textbooks with UNESCO standards. The committee will fund without delay a second study of the contents of Palestinian textbooks."
Verheli's announcement that he intended to halt EU financial aid to the Palestinians upset EU Foreign Minister Josep Borrell. "The Palestinian Authority is in a difficult situation and risks bankruptcy if funding from the EU is blocked. As the High Representative, I will not allow this. We don't need new research, or anything to delay the payment of the financial aid that the Palestinian Authority needs. There is no discussion about looking for excuses to block this financial aid. At this point I am determined," Borrell told AFP.
Josep Borrell, EU foreign policy chief, photo: AFP
Borrell, known for his sympathy for the Palestinians and his hostility to Israel. Just two weeks ago, he announced a new page in relations with Israel at a meeting in Brussels with Foreign Minister Eli Cohen. His opposition to examining the inciting curricula in Palestinian books drew much criticism from a number of NGOs.
It should be noted that alongside the declarative decision of the European Parliament, the US Congress is also advancing a decision to halt funding to the Palestinians due to the incitement content in the textbook.
Money for Peace Projects
Marcus Sheff, executive director of the international research and policy institute IMPACT-se, which researches and analyzes textbook content around the world to encourage peace and tolerance, told Israel Hayom that "on both sides of the Atlantic, the largest donors to the Palestinian Authority and UNRWA took legislative steps last week against hatred. The European Parliament passed bipartisan legislation condemning incitement in PA textbooks and demanding a funding freeze.
US Congress, photo: Reuters
The U.S. Congress has reintroduced a bipartisan bill that would ensure that U.S. funds are not used by UNRWA, as they are today, to radicalize children in UN schools. Mr. Borrell should pay more attention to this legislation that draws the line and says taxpayer money cannot be used in this cynical way."
Attorney Arsen Ostrovsky, who heads the International Legal Forum, sent a strongly worded letter to Borrell, saying, "We wish to convey our complete disappointment and anxiety over your refusal to condition aid to the Palestinian Authority on the removal of anti-Semitic textbooks. With all due respect, this is not a 'search for excuses,' but a guarantee that EU aid funds go to projects that promote peace and tolerance and do not fan the flames of hatred." Ostrovsky notes that the forum represents more than 4,000 lawyers and activists committed to combating antisemitism in the international legal arena, including the European Union.
Blacklist
The European Parliament on Wednesday approved the EU budget and addressed the controversial issue of funding to NGOs around the world. The main reason for dealing with the issue is Qatargate – an affair in which Qatar allegedly bribed EU officials not to deal with its human rights situation or torpedo the 2022 World Cup.
The plenum of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, photo: AP
In a precedent-setting move, the parliament called on the EU's executive branch to establish a "blacklist" of organizations "whose activities include incitement to terrorism, hateful rhetoric, religious extremism or support for violence, or those that have exploited EU money... This is to make sure that they are blocked from all European institutions and European funding programs."
NGO Monitor welcomed the decision, saying, "The EU Parliament has chosen to use more forceful language than in previous years, showing that there is a limit to the irresponsible distribution of European taxpayers' money to organizations around the world. Before the next funding scandal comes, the EU Commission would do well to adopt parliamentary demands and start reevaluating how grants are given to organisations around the world."
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