A comprehensive report released today by Israel’s Ministry of Strategic Affairs (MSA) reveales that contrary to offcial European Union policy and statements by EU Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini, the EU has continued to transfer millions of euros in 2017-2018 to NGOs which promote boycotting Israel.
The report follows a 2018 MSA study of EU funding for BDS organizations in 2016. At that time, Minister of Strategic Affairs Gilad Erdan urged Mogherini to end the transfer of funds to these groups. In response, the EU foreign minister replied that there were strict monitoring and verification procedures in place, and assured Erdan that no EU funds were being used to promote boycotting Israel.
Erdan’s ministry found that more than $5.7 million were 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 more than $852 thousand by the EU starting in 2018.
These findings support the findings of a recent report by the European Court of Auditors (ECA), the EU financial-audit body, which identified significant limitations on the EU’s ability to monitor the transfer of funds to numerous organizations receiving EU aid. The ECA warned that the Eu lacks sufficient information and transparency on how these funds were distributed or spent.
Minister Erdan addressed Mogherini in a letter this week, 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, supports boycott organizations.
Erdan also stated 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 end the funding of organizations that promote boycotts against the State of Israel.”