EU cuts grant to Palestinian group refusing to sign anti-terror clause

Organization loses funding for project seeking to expose alleged Israeli crimes in Jerusalem, says adoption of article 'criminalizes the Palestinian struggle'
i24NEWS|
The European Union has canceled a grant to a Palestinian non-profit organization after it refused to sign an anti-terrorism clause obliging it to guarantee that none of the funds would be transferred to members of terrorist organizations.
  • Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter

  • The Badil Resource Center for Palestinian Residence and Refugee Rights has obtained more than $1.9 million for a project called "Mobilizing for Justice in Jerusalem," which aims to expose alleged Israeli human rights violations and "international crimes" in the holy city.
    2 View gallery
    Palestinian protesters in Gaza City
    Palestinian protesters in Gaza City
    Palestinian protesters in Gaza City
    (Photo: Reuters)
    The organization, however, refused to sign article 1.5 of Annex II of the "General conditions applicable to grant contracts awarded by the European Union for external actions," declaring in a press release that the stipulation "criminalizes the Palestinian struggle against oppression and requires the recipient organization to perform ‘screening’ procedures which amount to policing its own people."
    “The inclusion of this article to contracts with Palestinian organizations contradicts the national role of Palestinian civil society institutions in the struggle for freedom from Israeli colonialism and apartheid,” Badil’s statement reads.
    2 View gallery
    A Palestinian hurling rocks at IDF soldiers
    A Palestinian hurling rocks at IDF soldiers
    A Palestinian hurling rocks at IDF soldiers
    (Photo: AFP)
    Olga Deutsch, vice-president of the Jerusalem-based NGO Monitor, said that her group applauds "the EU for its firmness in the application of its anti-terrorist clause and its resistance to pressure."
    "There is no doubt that radical groups like Badil, who promote anti-Semitism and the rejection of Israel, will never commit to fighting terrorism," she concluded.
    Comments
    The commenter agrees to the privacy policy of Ynet News and agrees not to submit comments that violate the terms of use, including incitement, libel and expressions that exceed the accepted norms of freedom of speech.
    ""