Transparencyīased on the meeting and NED’s statement, we note the following clarifications with respect to our previous report: NED’s guidelines and engagement on issues related to due diligence contrast sharply with the lack of accountability and the secrecy often characteristic of European government NGO funding. These exchanges included discussions of the grant and decision making processes, and contributed to the broader conversation about NGO accountability, evaluation, and funder responsibility. Gerald Steinberg met with the heads of National Endowment for Democracy (NED) in Washington D.C., and NED published a statement on its website. Ongoing dialogue with National Endowment for Democracy (NED) Ali Haider, “ Racism and Hate in the Center of the Consensus,” Walla News, January 30, 2013) claims that “he phenomena of racism, hatred, exclusion, and contempt have become household terms in Israeli society.”.Ali Haider, “ The Spread of Violence…Reasons and Implications,” Dugrinet, December 12, 2012) accuses Israel of “racism” and identifies the Israeli government as one of the main reasons for violence within Israeli Arab society.An op-ed by Ali Haider in Ha’aretz was headlined “ The cry of a persecuted minority” (October 4, 2009) and makes the blanket allegation of Israeli racism as part of the wider campaign of demonization. The introduction to the 2009 document also makes shrill, unfounded allegations about “fears for the democratic regime” in Israel, and suggests that “morality,” “values,” and “democracy” are not part of Israeli “politics and the political discourse.” This rhetoric is a central component of contemporary delegitimization campaigns and attempts to manipulate the Israeli democratic process.In the introduction to Sikkuy’s 2009 “ Equality Index,” co-executive directors Ali Haider and Ron Gerlitz make the false claim that Israeli Arabs are protected by “international law concerning the rights of indigenous peoples according to which an indigenous national group must be granted individual and group rights and has a right to live in its homeland together with all the citizens under a genuine egalitarian democratic regime.” (Beyond the labeling of Israeli Arabs as “indigenous,” the legal claim is unsupported.).These themes are part of a wider political campaign seeking to delegitimize the recognition of Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people. Sikkuy has contributed to efforts to portray Israeli Arabs as an “indigenous minority” subject to “discrimination” by Israel. Haider also represented Sikkuy at an Israel Democracy Institute Conference on June 30, 2013. As detailed below and in our original report, a number of opinion articles by Sikkuy officials, notably Co-Executive Director Ali Haider, contain allegations of racial discrimination as part of demonization campaigns.ĭespite reports that Haider has left Sikkuy, a phone call to the Jerusalem office on June 25 confirmed that he remains in his position. Sikkuy, an Israeli NGO claiming to “advance equality between Arab and Jewish citizens of Israel” and to address “barriers” to equality and development, is still listed as receiving a $1,061,275 grant through 2014. USAID has not indicated whether the grants to political advocacy NGOs such as Keshev and Windows were re-evaluated following NGO Monitor’s report on the activities of these NGOs. However, funding to Keshev, Windows, Geneva Initiative, and Kids Creating Peace expired and is no longer listed, without any additional information provided. Embassy in Tel Aviv and the USAID West Bank and Gaza Mission, updating its fact sheet of October 2012. In June 2013, USAID posted a fact sheet on the Conflict Management and Mitigation Programs managed by the U.S. This update covers developments since May, including:ġ) Additional and corrected funding information from USAID and National Endowment for Democracy (NED) Ģ) Issues related to USAID funding for Sikkuy and its involvement in anti-Israel campaigns ģ) Analysis of exchanges with NED on red lines, political advocacy, and donor responsibility for NGO activities andĤ) The importance of pre-notification and the limits of self-reporting by grantees. Six weeks after publication, it continues to resonate, including in the media. It was discussed in meetings with members of Congress, their staffers, and funding agency officials. Government Funding for Mideast Political NGOs” (May 2013) has had significant and positive impacts. NGO Monitor’s report “ Due Diligence and Accountability? The Negative Impact of U.S.
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