In practice, these people’s money is being wasted twice over: first, by their governments who use tax dollars to support groups that fight the State of Israel (such as in Sweden, Norway, Germany, and others) and second, by organizations which, at best, do nothing to help Israel and at worst, actively work to subvert Israel and the Zionist movement.
Many of the donors are shocked to hear for the first time how their money is being exploited by these organizations and the impact that the money of naïve donors has in Israel.
On multiple occasions, I met European citizens who donated to the “World Vision” Organization, which was indicted for transferring money to the terror group Hamas in 2016, and whose director in Gaza admitted to being active in Hamas’s military wing. Funds that were intended for the needy and children were in practice transferred for building attack tunnels and military equipment.
Similarly, the World Council (WCC) of Churches operates the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) through which, since 2002, around 2,000 activists have entered Israel as tourists, put on brown vests with the symbols of the organization and traveled to regions of conflict between the IDF and the Arab population. In a report published by NGO Monitor, it was noted that “these activists were then trained to lead anti-Israel campaigns, at times even antisemitic ones, upon returning to their homelands in over 22 different countries.”
It is needless to say how those campaigns serve as an excellent fuel for organizations promoting BDS. At times the campaigns themselves even support BDS, accuse Israel of apartheid, and even compare Israel to Nazi Germany. Remember, that all of this is done with the support of the WCC and with indirect funding (funneled through other organizations) from government sponsors like the Norwegian foreign ministry, the Swedish and Germany governments, the Finish foreign ministry, and UNICEF.
The Israeli government can condemn these governments and other international organizations, but each and every citizen who cares about Israel and wants to donate must make an effort to ensure that their money is not being wasted. Donors should investigate the organizations receiving their support and confirm that they help Israel and the Jewish pioneers in Judea and Samaria who are continuing to build the Zionist dream in the Land of Israel.
The writer is a lawyer, a pro-Israeli and anti-BDS activist, deals with land redemption, and is an activist for Jewish sovereignty in Judea and Samaria.