Contrary To Denials, New Israel Fund Continues To Fund BDS Movement

For Immediate Release

August 1, 2011

Contact: Jason Edelstein, +972-52-861-2129

BDS Leaders Continued to Receive NIF Funding in 2010

Contrary to NIF Denials, Coalition of Women for Peace received $36,503 last year

JERUSALEM – In contradiction to multiple public statements, the New Israel Fund’s (NIF) 2010 Financial Statement shows that NIF continued to fund the Coalition of Woman for Peace (CWP) – a leader in the global boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement. The financial statement reveals that in 2010, NIF authorized an additional $20,130 for CWP and disbursed $36,503 to CWP. $6,000 remains to be disbursed in 2011.

“The revelation about NIF’s continued funding to CWP reinforces core questions regarding NIF’s credibility, commitment to guidelines, and flow of information within the organization and to donors,” says Prof. Gerald Steinberg, president of NGO Monitor. “NIF officials tried to explain this discrepancy as the result of donor directed funding, but their financial statements do not distinguish between direct and donor advised grants. NIF has full responsibility – morally, legally, and financially – for the 2010 $36,503 disbursement to CWP.”

In May 2011, NGO Monitor revealed that NIF channeled money to CWP – a leading NGO in the BDS campaigns – between 2009 and 2011, NIF denials to the contrary. NIF responded with obfuscations and a flood of uncivil rhetoric, including the libel that “NGO Monitor knowingly published false information.”

“In the latest list of grantees, NIF confirms that funding continued for NGOs that lead in BDS and other elements of the delegitmization campaign against Israel,” adds Steinberg. “Adalah and Mada al-Carmel – two NGOs that have used ‘apartheid’ rhetoric and called for a ‘change in the definition of the State of Israel from a Jewish state’ – also received funding in 2010.”  

Full Report Below:

NIF 2010 Financial Report: CWP Continued to Receive Funds, Despite Denials

 

NGO Monitor July 31, 2011

• In July 2011, New Israel Fund (NIF) published its 2010 Financial Statement. This document details NIF funding for Coalition of Women for Peace (CWP) in 2010, and indicates that funds were also earmarked for 2011. (CWP is a leader of anti-Israel BDS campaigns.)

• The statement reveals that in 2010, NIF authorized an additional $20,130 for CWP, and disbursed $36,503, including $16,373 authorized in previous years that had not been transferred. (NGO Monitor reports show that NIF provided approximately $300,000 to CWP in previous years.)

• On May 12, 2011, an official NIF statement declared that “NIF provided its last direct grant to CWP in 2008” and subsequent transfers were “donor advised.” NIF’s financial statements do not distinguish between direct and donor advised grants, making NIF’s claim unverifiable.  Nevertheless, under U.S. tax law, and as reflected in NIF’s 2009 and 2010 financial documents, “donor advised” grants are within the sole discretion of the NIF Board of Directors.  No money may be distributed to any grantee without the approval of the NIF board, and donors are notified in advance that disbursements require that approval. NIF has full responsibility – morally, legally, and financially – for the 2010 $36,503 disbursement to CWP.

• NIF’s May 12, 2011 press release was headlined: “NGO Monitor attacks New Israel Fund based on information it knew to be wrong.” NIF’s release of its 2010 funding information unequivocally reaffirms the accuracy of NGO Monitor’s reports. (NIF has not apologized.) 

• In a May 20, 2011 statement, NIF-Australia head Robin Margo declared that CWP “has received no further funding from NIF since 2009” and criticized Dr. Ron Weiser (Zionist Council of New South Wales, Australia) for “suggesting publically... that funding may have continued into 2010.”

• According to the NIF financial statement, $6,000 remained to be granted to CWP in 2011. This is consistent with CWP’s statement that NIF continued to provide funds in 2011. (NIF later claimed that “Due to a clerical error, $100 was processed to CWP in May.” NIF did not relate to the $6,000 amount.)

Technorati Tag: Israel and BDS.