Dutch government ceases funding for Palestinian group

Concerns over 'individual links' between the Union of Agricultural Work Committees and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine

The Union of Agricultural Work Committees is accused of having 'individual links' with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. AP

The Netherlands has said it will permanently stop funding a Palestinian organisation because of its “individual links” to a group proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the EU and US.

The Union of Agricultural Work Committees was one of six civil society groups that Israel in October designated as a terrorist group for alleged ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

“The individual links between the UAWC and the PFLP and the lack of openness over this subject from UAWC … are the reasons for no longer funding the activities,” the Dutch government said in a letter to parliament following an investigation.

However it added that the inquiry failed to show “organisational links between the UAWC and the PFLP”, and did not show “funding flowing between the UAWC and the PFLP”.

The PFLP has been accused of carrying out deadly attacks on Israeli soldiers and civilians for decades.

The UAWC — which works with small farmers and has received financial support from the Netherlands since 2007 — said it was “shocked and saddened” by the decision.

“From the onset, this investigation was politically motivated and responded to pressure from the Israeli government,” it said.

Israel accuses the PFLP of being behind a September 2019 bomb attack in the West Bank that killed an Israeli teenager.

Two people who were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the bombing — and are still under investigation — worked for the UAWC.

The UAWC ended the employment of the pair and informed Dutch officials. The organisation also claimed neither were involved in activities funded by the Netherlands.

But after an initial investigation, the Dutch government suspended payments to the group in 2020. It then launched an external inquiry into possible connections between the UAWC and PFLP.

The investigation showed the plausible existence of links “at the individual level” between UAWC employees and board members and the PFLP, it said.