Diakonia, “a Christian development organization,” receives over $40 million annually from the Swedish government, and is very active in supporting the Palestinian narrative. Its activities consistently present a simplified and highly misleading view of the conflict, in which Palestinians are always portrayed as victims, and Israel is guilty by definition. Diakonia’s “IHL in the OPT” initiative systematically distorts international law in condemnations of Israel, and promotes “lawfare” against Israeli officials.
The evidence, based on funding policies and activities, clearly suggests that Diakonia is not bringing the region closer to peace; but rather is fueling the conflict.
Highlights of the report include:
- By promoting a “right to resist” (meaning terrorism) and delegitimizing Israel’s right to self-defense, the Civil Society and International Humanitarian Law (IHL) programs exploit and misrepresent international law.
- The tendentious international law activities, including the Humanitarian Policy & Law Forum at Harvard University, receive more funding than any other program related to the region, and represent the only such political example in Diakonia’s worldwide activities. The members of the IHL Program’s International Advisory Council are almost entirely PLO advisors, Palestinians, and anti-Zionist Jewish activists.
- Some of the most extreme anti-Israel NGOs that employ inflammatory and, at times, antisemitic rhetoric (Alternative Information Center, Sabeel, Al Haq, Al Mezan) receive Diakonia funding.
- Diakonia’s repetition of the Palestinian position refers to the “continuing of the occupation,” the “building of the Wall,” and “the fragmentation of the Palestinian territory” as “structural problems” behind the conflict. The pre-1967 history of terror, war and rejection of Israel’s right to exist are erased.
- While some of the organization’s programs appear to be genuine and important humanitarian projects, the vast majority of resources are devoted to political campaigns, including a submission to the Goldstone Commission vilifying Israel and delegitimizing it's right to defend itself against rocket attacks.
