Jewish Voice for Peace Seeks to Split Jews on Israel

Jerusalem - NGO Monitor released today a detailed report of the goals, tactics, and opaque financing of Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), a U.S.-based advocacy organization dedicated to driving "a wedge" within the Jewish community to create the impression that the Jewish community is polarized over Israel.

"Since American Jews are important supporters of Israel, JVP's attempt to divide the Jewish community is aimed at undermining U.S. support for Israel," Yitzhak Santis, NGO Monitor's Chief Programs Officer and the report's author, warned. "JVP also works to weaken this support in U.S. mainline churches and on American campuses. Our researchers discovered that this summer, Jewish Voice for Peace is joining the American Friends Service Committee to train student activists at a BDS boot camp."

JVP's strategy, as stated by executive director Rebecca Vilkomerson and others, is in-line with the 2001 Durban NGO Forum strategy of political war against Israel.

"JVP's tactics," said Santis, "include boycotts, divestment and sanctions (BDS), a sustained campaign of demonization against Israel, and support for a Palestinian claim to a 'right of return.'"

The NGO Monitor report shows that JVP views itself as the "Jewish wing" of the Palestinian solidarity movement. As such, JVP consistently partners with anti-Israel groups in the U.S. and abroad, including Electronic Intifada, American Muslims for Palestine, Adalah-NY, Code Pink, Sabeel, International Solidarity Movement, and the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation (of which JVP is an official member). JVP members also sailed in the 2011 Gaza flotilla.

"JVP's funding sources are far from transparent, and its website carries no information on its donors," Santis emphasized, "Yet, we discovered that a number of foundations that contribute to JVP also contribute to other groups active in the BDS delegitimization campaign. Most of JVP's funding sources remain hidden, leaving the question, who is funding this group?"

The report shows that JVP's last annual report was in 2005 and its budget in 2011 was $876,529. Figures for 2012 and 2013 are not yet available.

View the compendium Driving a Wedge: JVP's Strategy to Divide the Jewish Community

NGO Monitor, based in Jerusalem, provides information and analysis, promotes accountability, and supports discussion on the activities of NGOs (non-governmental organizations) involved in Middle East politics and human rights affairs.

# # #

mail@ngo-monitor.org

www.ngo-monitor.org

-----

If you found this post interesting or informative, please it below. Thanks!