The Israeli Ministry of Strategic Affairs released Wednesday its newest report, “Blood Money”, which provides an in-depth analysis on the ties between the international-designated terrorist group the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and the Palestinian NGO “Addameer”. In the report, the ministry delves into the dangers which lay in the EU transferring funds to terror-ties civil society organizations.

According to the report, 11 past and present Addameer employees served in the PFLP, some of whom did so until recently. These senior officials have been recognized for acting as “human rights activist by day and terrorist by night.”

“The EU capitulated to Palestinian pressure,” said Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Gilad Erdan after the head of the EU representative office  to the West Bank and Gaza announced that Palestinian entities and groups which are affiliated, sympathize with, or support any of the entities mentioned in the EU-restrictive list, to include Palestinian terrorist groups, are not excluded from EU-funded activities.

The announcement by the EU representative in Ramallah, made to a group of Palestinian NGOs, contradicts the European Union’ terms  issued in 2019 obligating Palestinian institutions to ensure that no beneficiaries of EU funding for their projects or programs are affiliated with groups listed on the European Union’s terrorist organizations list such as Hamas, Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

“The EU had an opportunity to stand against terrorism. Unfortunately, the European Union capitulated to Palestinian pressure. Millions of euros, which have already been transferred by European countries to the Palestinian organization Addameer, illustrate the danger in the EU’s stance. This is a dangerous precedent which could enable terrorist groups an opportunity to launder their finances,” Erdan said.

The Ministry of Strategic Affairs released Wednesday its newest report, “Blood Money”, which provides an in-depth analysis on the ties between the international-designated terrorist group the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and the Palestinian NGO “Addameer”. In the report, the ministry delves into the dangers which lay in the EU transferring funds to terror-ties civil society organizations.

According to the report, 11 past and present Addameer employees served in the PFLP, some of whom did so until recently. These senior officials have been recognized for acting as “human rights activist by day and terrorist by night.”

• An Israeli Security Agency investigation revealed that the head of the PFLP terror cell who designed and detonated the bomb used in the August 2019 Dolev terror attack, which killed the 16-year old Israeli Rina Shnerb, was Samir Arbeed. It was also revealed Arbeed served as Addameer’s accountant until 2017.
• During Arbeed’s term, Addameer raised nearly two million euros from EU member states including Switzerland, Ireland, Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, Sweden, Spanish municipalities and the Basque government.
• Addameer also received funding from the Swiss Government to promote its activities against the International Criminal Court in The Hague (ICC). The organization last month submitted itself as an amicus curiae on behalf of Palestinian security prisoners during the ICC deliberations to open a case against the State of Israel.
• Khalida Jarrar, who according to the Israeli Security Agency led the PFLP in Judea and Samaria, served as Addameer’s general director for twelve years, vice-chairperson for eleven years and member of the General Assembly through 2018. Thus, Jarrar was both a high level PFLP operative and held senior positions at Addameer – concurrently.

Recent reports revealed that the PFLP has been in significant financial distress over the past few months. In light of such, there is a possibility that the organization will now try, even more than before, to increase its associations with civil society organizations. These include Palestinian NGOs such as Addameer and Al-Haq, which through their various ties to the organizations, may utilize to ​​obtain financial aid. The fear remains that these funds will be transferred to terrorist-related activities.