Financial Aid or Censorship?

Some global financial donors, under the pretext of providing aid to Palestinian non-governmental organizations, impose conditions that deprive Palestinians of their right to self-determination, deny the legitimacy of their liberation struggles, and intensify the colonization of this land by Zionists. Below are examples of funding requests from Palestinian civil institutions to conditional international financial aid institutions that have been rejected for various reasons:

  • Palestinian NGOs applied for financial assistance to support the Palestinian liberation struggle against colonial settlement, apartheid, and the occupation of Palestine. However, the institution—seeking to depoliticize Palestinian narratives—responded: «We do not use these terms. Please resubmit under headings such as poverty alleviation or humanitarian aid.»
  • Palestinian NGOs requested funding to help Palestinians fully access their rights, including the right to self-determination and the right of return. However, the institution—aiming to discourage Palestinians from continuing their struggle—responded: «Select a realistic objective that can be achieved within a one-year grant period.»
  • Palestinian NGOs sought funding for a grassroots boycott campaign of Israeli goods. However, the institution—suppressing this form of resistance—responded: «We are concerned about being subjected to false accusations of antisemitism or frivolous legal claims.»
برخورد نهاد کمک‌های مالی بین‌المللی با فلسطین
  • Palestinian NGOs requested aid to help all Palestinians, but the institution—aiming to perpetuate Palestinian fragmentation—responded: «This institution only funds West Bank projects. Palestinians elsewhere must apply to other programs.»
  • Palestinian NGOs requested funding for a project in Area C (60% of the West Bank), but the institution—inviting Palestinians to surrender to Israeli violations—responded: «Funding this project is risky. Israel demolished 1,577 buildings in Area C from 2009 to 2022.»
  • Palestinian NGOs sought aid to promote fundamental human rights in Palestine, but the institution—aiming to normalize the Israelization of Palestinian land—responded: «We prioritize projects that promote dialogue. Add an Israeli partner to your proposal(!)»
  • The conditional international financial aid institution rejected funding requests from Palestinian NGOs whose charters reject the instrumental use of anti-terrorism laws, criminalizing opposition to Israel, and responded: «You must agree to implement our definition of terrorism; even if it’s misused to undermine your civil society and political activities(!)»
  • In response to funding requests from Palestinian NGOs that consider themselves accountable to Palestinian society, the institution conditioned that these NGOs must serve the donors’ goals, not address Palestinian issues: «We evaluate your work based on our criteria and priorities. Therefore, you must be accountable to us.»

رژيم اسرائيل در قبال متولدين فلسطيني و اسرائيلي، سياست‌هاي متمايزي را در شرايط مشابه اعمال ‌مي‌كند…

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