NGOs with an anti-Israel bias have been waiting for an opportunity to label Israel with terms such as ‘genocide’ for over 20 years, and the Gaza war finally gave them the opportunity, Dr. Gerald Steinberg, founder and president of NGO Monitor, told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday.
“We saw that with the coordinated ‘genocide’ campaign launched about a year after October 7. Discussions about using such terminology had circulated in NGO frameworks for over 20 years. They were prepared to use it as soon as they believed the opportunity arose,” he said.
Steinberg stated that by and large, the NGOs share a pattern of “political demonization of Israel, obsession with Israel, and reinforcement of each other’s messaging.”
The anti-Israel bias that exists within NGOs was brought back into the spotlight following the announcement that former Oxfam UK CEO Halima Begum is taking legal action against the organization for antisemitism. She has accused the group of pushing for the Israel-Hamas war to be labeled a genocide without sufficient evidence.
“It’s important to understand that there are hundreds of NGOs registered with the United Nations that claim to promote human rights or humanitarian aid while also maintaining active political advocacy roles,” Steinberg explained.
“Oxfam, for example, has an annual budget of about $1.3 billion. That’s enormous. It’s a powerful organization with a large public relations operation that significantly influences public and political opinion, including at the United Nations.”
However, he added, it is unprecedented for the leader of a major organization like Oxfam to acknowledge that these campaigns were planned in advance.
“That reflects a broader recognition of how far these NGOs have gone beyond reasonable criticism,” he said.
Steinberg further insisted that NGOs should be viewed by the international community as powerful actors shaping global narratives rather than small, altruistic volunteer groups.
“This entire industry requires careful, independent investigation. The lack of oversight has allowed a political agenda to override humanitarian claims,” Steinberg said.
Anti-Israel bias in NGOs happened gradually, Steinberg explained
The anti-Israel bias isn’t something that appeared overnight, Steinberg explained, adding that the takeover of the NGO industry was gradual, but today, organizations founded for different purposes have been transformed by activists whose fundamental objective is delegitimizing Israel.
When asked about possible ties to terror from NGOs operating within the Gaza Strip, Steinberg told the Post that NGO Monitor tracks over 300 organizations, and that some of the volunteers for these groups have become “virulent propagandists.”
“One example is Dr. Abu Sitta, who has been in and out of Gaza since at least 2018. On October 9, he accused Israel of “mass killing” and “indiscriminate killing” – language that escalated toward genocide accusations,” Steinberg said.
“Doctors Without Borders (MSF) provided him a platform. He became a primary source in global media for the claim that Israel bombed a hospital, killing 500 people. That allegation was later shown to involve a Hamas rocket misfire in a parking lot, with around 50 casualties. But once that narrative spreads, the damage is done.”
In Gaza, MSF recently left Nasser Hospital, and the IDF has stated that the hospital has been used as a base by Hamas.
MSF recently stated that they suspended non-critical operations due to armed individuals moving through the hospital and management concerns.
“This was widely known. Journalists and the IDF documented hospital use by Hamas years ago. It’s implausible that these NGOs were unaware,” Steinberg said.
“The question is why they’re acknowledging it now. I believe it’s related to Israeli requirements that NGOs submit staff names for vetting. Israel is demanding cooperation with security frameworks and screening of personnel to prevent terror infiltration. That pressure appears to be having some effect… If they knew hospitals were being used by Hamas and that aid was diverted to build hundreds of kilometers of tunnels – and remained silent – that makes them complicit.”
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