Netherlands stops funding Palestinian NGO that Israel deemed terror group

Israel declared the UAWC a terror group last October due to the NGO’s ties with the Popular Front for Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).

By World Israel News staff

The Netherlands stopped funding on Wednesday one of the six Palestinian civil society organizations Israel controversially named a terror group last year.

The Dutch government cut ties with the Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC) after a year long review. This comes following Israel’s declaration last October due to the NGO’s ties with Popular Front for Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).

While the Dutch investigation did not find that the UAWC itself was linked to the PFLP, ministers still found the NGO’s political activity to be a breach of trust. A letter written by two ministers of parliament stated that the investigation found dozens of UAWC employees to be active in the PFLP for 13 years overlapping their work with the NGO.

“There were ties at the individual level between UAWC staff and board members and the PFLP for some considerable time. The great number of UAWC board members with roles in both organizations gives particular cause for concern,” the two Dutch ministers wrote.

Moreover, after having already donated €21.5 million to the NGO, the Dutch government ceased funding in 2020 after two NGO officials were indicted for taking part in a bombing that killed 17-year-old Rina Sherb the year before.

The Israeli foreign ministry called the Netherland’s decision “commendable.”

“Israel will continue its dialogue with the Netherlands and other countries regarding these organizations, support of which constitutes a violation of Israeli law,” the Foreign Ministry said.

In response, the UAWC said: “We are shocked that the Dutch government has ended its funding for a leading Palestinian civil society organization…based on alleged individual links.”