The United Nations has been sponsoring dozens of groups that are promoting boycott, divestment, and sanctions against Israel, a report released by right-wing watchdog group Im Tirtzu over the weekend has found.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
Some of these groups have alleged ties with terrorist organizations such as Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Im Tirtzu claimed.
According to the NGO's report, between 2016 and 2020, the UN funneled some $40 million to 19 Palestinian organizations associated with the BDS movement.
These organizations undermine Israel in international institutions and at least eight of them are been linked to terrorist groups in some form.
According to the United States Agency for International Development, two of these groups – the Union of Agricultural Work Committees and the Union of Health Work Committees – are branches of the PFLP, which has been designated as a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States, Japan, Canada, Australia and the European Union.
Im Tirtzu's report said that UN funding for these pro-BDS groups is channeled mainly by three of the international body's agencies: the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the United Nations Development Program, and the United Nations Children's Emergency Fund.
The report further notes that the UN is not entirely transparent in its reporting saying that "UN reporting often omits the 'implementing partners' that receive the funding to carry out the programs. This creates a situation in which millions of dollars in funding are unaccounted for."
"As with most rabidly anti-Israel NGOs, their names are innocuous and mislead people into thinking they promote human rights, but in reality they peddle malicious anti-Israel agendas," said Eytan Meir, director of external relations and development for Im Tirtzu.
In a statement, the UN said, "The United Nations system organizations continuously screen entities with which they come into relation against the United Nations Security Council consolidated list of designated entities which includes all individuals and entities subject to measures imposed by the Security Council.
"They also have regard to other relevant decisions of the Security Council as well as relevant decisions of the General Assembly."
Im Tirtzu Director Matan Peleg told Israel Hayom that "since the inception of the State of Israel, the UN has chosen to turn its back on it in almost every strategic event. … Since 1948, Israel is the most vilified nation in this institution.
"We call on Israel's most steadfast friend, which also happens to be the largest contributor to the UN – the United States – and urge the US administration not to take part in this scandal and deduct the funds given to these despicable groups from its donation to the UN."
Israeli Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan said he would present the troubling findings to the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and will "demand he holds a comprehensive discussion about the UN's financing mechanisms."
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
