Almost a month has passed since the Hamas militant group launched a deadly attack on Israel, killing 1,400 people and taking over 230 innocent civilian hostages. In retaliation Israel declared war on Gaza, implemented a siege, cut the civilian population off from basic necessities — such as food, water, fuel and electricity — and launched ongoing ground and air offensives.
The U.N. estimates that over half of Gaza’s inhabitants have become homeless. The death toll has surpassed 10,000; at least 4,000 of those are children. That is more conflict-related child deaths than the annual number of children killed in all of the world’s conflict zones since 2019 according to Save the Children.
To call this a humanitarian catastrophe is an understatement.
While humanitarian aid remains committed, and in some cases increased by donor countries, several European governments are re-thinking their financial aid to human rights and civil society organizations in the region.
On Oct. 10, Sweden and Denmark announced they would suspend financial support indefinitely to organizations in Palestinian territories, citing a need to conduct thorough reviews to ensure no funds are given to organizations that do not unequivocally condemn militant groups. The European Commission also announced that it is reviewing its development assistance to Palestinian organizations. On Oct. 25, Switzerland was the latest country to suspend its financial support to six Palestinian and five Israeli human rights organizations, while it carries out an in-depth analysis of whether the organizations’ communications are in compliance with the Department of Foreign Affairs’ Code of Conduct and anti-discrimination principles. Prior to the current war, these well-respected organizations were long-standing, funded partners of these same donors and organizations like the Nobel Women’s Initiative, where I work.
National and local civil society organizations play a crucial role peacebuilding and supporting democracy in the region. Donors recognize this. There has been a welcome trend in Western donor communities to bypass international organizations, and instead fund local organizations directly — precisely because they are best positioned to identify and respond to the most pressing needs of civilians, including marginalized groups.
Increasing aid to humanitarian organizations, while cutting it to local civil society goes directly against the trend. For example, the EU announced an additional $26 million in humanitarian aid for Gaza, delivered via UNICEF and other international organizations. Germany announced an additional $53 million to Palestinian territories through the World Food Programme, UNICEF and UNWRA.
During conflict a functioning civil society is critical — human rights violations escalate, as does misinformation, and those who are most vulnerable suffer the harshest consequences. Human rights and civil society organizations, regardless of their mandate, pivot to provide psychosocial support, shelter and services for victims of violence, and facilitate access to limited humanitarian aid. Equally important, local civil society organizations, also witness and document violations of human rights and international law, thus ensuring that, eventually, justice and accountability can be sought, and a truthful historical record created.
Few organizations in Palestine are willing to publicly raise concerns about the suspension of their funding for fear of jeopardizing relationships and losing even more support, now or in the future. But the implications of such cuts are devastating. In Gaza and the West Bank, transferring and receiving funds in the best of times is challenging, yet these organizations rely on this funding to plan their activities, staffing and programming. Sudden cuts to already committed funds, especially in times of crisis, can result in paralysis, loss of staff, a further reduction in services and potentially increased loss of lives.
As this crisis persists with no end in sight, the work of civil society is life-saving. These organizations have local expertise living the humanitarian catastrophe, seeing first-hand what is needed and responding to it under unbearable conditions. For years, international donors and agencies have championed localization. This is the time to put their money where their mouth is. They should be putting their efforts into negotiating a cease fire, not ceasing aid.
We have been pushing since 8 Oct for a cease fire. Alas,we must continue. Here is our text. With best wishes, René Wadlow, President, Association of World Citizens
Keep up the vital efforts. Here is our 8 Oct Cease-fire Appeal. We have to continue! Best wishes, René Wadlow, President, Association of World Citizens
AWC Statement on Violence in the Middle East
October 8, 2023
WORLD CITIZENS CALL FOR AN IMMEDIATE END
TO HOSTILITIES BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS
AND FOR A GENUINE PEACEBUILDING EFFORT IN THE MIDDLE EAST
The AWC, a Nongovernmental Organization in Consultative Status with the United Nations (UN) and accredited with the UN Human Rights Council, is deeply alarmed at the latest flare of violence between the armed militias of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and the Israeli Defense Force (IDF). Most importantly, we are appalled at the consequences of the deliberate attacks from both sides on the rights of civilians in Israel and the Gaza Strip.
Since the attacks launched by its forces in the early morning of October 7, Hamas has been targeting civilians in Israel, even capturing Israeli citizens, both civilians and IDF soldiers, to keep them as hostages. The legitimate cause of a people long deprived of their own land, a cause that even the UN recognizes as internationally legitimate, cannot be served in dignity by such methods that run counter to international law.
The current government of Israel has been constantly pushing the limits of disregard for the same international law, through repeated and insistent statements and practices aiming at systematic discrimination against the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). Within the internationally recognized borders of the State of Israel, the current Israeli Government has also sowed the seeds of discord and political strife by trying to lessen the powers of the executive branch and, in so doing, to end Israel’s tradition of democracy with checks and balances.
This misguided conduct has proved harmful to both the Palestinian people and the citizenry of Israel. It is now creating new chaos in the region amounting to, in the very words of Chapter VII of the UN Charter, a threat to international peace and security. The situation could get even worse as Hezbollah, notoriously backed by Iran, has now unwisely joined the fight from South Lebanon.
Once more, the rights of civilians in Israel and the Gaza Strip are falling victim to the hatred and violence unleashed by both sides in the absence of a badly needed but constantly denied international effort to tackle the Middle East conflict right from its root causes, including the Palestinian people’s demand for justice and the State of Israel’s need for security.
Consequently, the AWC reiterates its call for an immediate end to hostilities in Israel and the Gaza Strip. We also call for the release of every person, civilian or military, taken hostage by Hamas.
We further urge the international community to finally undertake a genuine peacebuilding effort in Israel and the OPT by addressing the root causes of the conflict and duly acting on the legitimate claim of the Palestinian people for justice and the equally legitimate claim of the Israeli people for security.
There is truly no other option now.
Thank you for everything you do. Your work is like a candle in the darkness.