New Israeli ministerial report asserts that contrary to Mogherini’s statements, the EU continues to fund organizations promoting boycotts against Israel

Yossi Lempkowicz

6 years ago

Israeli Minister Gilad Erdan to EU’s Federica Mogherini: “Instead of hiding behind empty statements, the European Union needs to implement its own declared policy and immediately cease funding organizations that promote boycotts against the State of Israel.”

JERUSALEM—A new updated report published by the Israeli ministry of strategic Affairs eveals that contrary to the declared European Union policy and previous statements by EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini, the EU has continued to transfer millions of euros in 2017-2018 to NGOs which promote boycotts of Israel.

In May 2018, the ministry had already published a in-depth study, titled ”The Money Trail”, regarding the EU funding of Israel-boycott organizations in 2016.

At that time, the Minister of Strategic Affairs Gilad Erdan urged Mogherini to immediately cease the transfer of funds to these organizations.

Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Gilad Erdan said 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 cease funding organizations that promote boycotts against the State of Israel.”

In her response, Mogherini said that that there were strict monitoring and verification procedures in place, assuring Erdan that no European Union funds were being used to promote boycotts of Israel.

Minister Erdan then instructed his ministry to expand its examination of EU data published during 2017-2018. He found that despite Mogherini’s statements, more than €5 million ($5,6million) funding was 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 over €750,000 from the EU which apparently began in 2018.

According to the Israeli ministry, these findings align with the findings of a recent report by the European Court of Auditors (ECA), the European Union’s financial-audit body, which identified significant shortcomings in the EU’s ability to monitor funds transferred to the numerous organizations receiving EU aid. The ECA warned that the European Union lacks sufficient information and transparency as to how these funds were distributed or spent.

In light of the findings of the updated ministry report, Erdan sent a letter to Mogherini in, which he emphasized ‘’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, supporting boycott organizations.’’

“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 cease funding organizations that promote boycotts against the State of Israel,” the minister wrote.