Oxfam promotes EU’s bias; ignores terrorism, Hamas and Palestinian responsibility
On October 11, Oxfam GB’s Jerusalem office distributed a copy of a press release detailing a resolution passed by the European Parliament, which “calls for the lift [sic] of the blockade in Gaza and free movement for people and goods on all [sic] the Occupied Palestinian Territories.” (The document NGO Monitor obtained appears to be translation of the original press release about the resolution issued in Italian by Member of the European Parliament Luisa Morgantini).
The statement blames “the serious humanitarian crisis” entirely on Israel. It ignores Hamas’ failure to comply with EU demands to recognize the State of Israel, Palestinian infighting, corruption, and complicity in ongoing terrorist attacks-including a series of attacks targeting Gaza’s Erez border crossing (including attacks on June 19 and Sept. 18, 2007), and attacks by Hamas on the Karni crossing in May, 2007 (crossings which the EU Parliament demands be re-opened). The resolution uses highly charged language-accusing Israel of “massive devastation of public facilities and private homes, the disruption of hospitals, clinics and schools, the denial of access to proper drinking water, food and electricity”-without providing corroborating evidence.
Such a one-sided attitude is consistent with the European Parliament’s highly unfortunate decision to host a UN NGO “Peace” Conference in August, 2007 - a forum held under the auspices of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and the International Coordinating Network for Palestine, frameworks that promote the conflict through NGOs involved in implementing the Durban agenda of demonization. (EU-member Poland pulled out in protest at the anti-Israel radical agenda of this conference).
Oxfam’s stated humanitarian aim is to “help others to overcome poverty and suffering.” But the NGO’s endorsement of this highly one-sided statement, which manipulates the language of international human rights to vilify Israel alone, is merely another example of Oxfam’s record of issuing one-sided condemnations against Israel while muting the context of terrorism and erasing Palestinian responsibility. Oxfam has in the past also made use of classic anti-Semitic themes such as the blood libel-for example, in Oxfam’s poster in 2002 of the “Israeli orange” dripping with blood, which promoted the boycott of Israeli products, and of Israel in general. (Following a wide protest, this poster was withdrawn.)
