JERUSALEM (JTA) — A Jerusalem-based watchdog group is suing the European Commission for failing to disclose its funding to nongovernment organizations.
NGO Monitor said Wednesday that it had filed a lawsuit at the European Court of Justice charging that the European Commission had failed to fulfill European Union transparency obligations after the group had tried for 13 months to secure documents detailing nongovernmental agency funding by the EC, the executive branch of the European Union.
Under the European Freedom of Information law, such funding details must be made available upon request. However, the EC cited “public security,” “privacy” and “commercial interests” in denying NGO Monitor’s information request.
NGO Monitor researchers identified nearly $48 million provided by the EC since June 2005 to nongovernment organizations active in Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Many of these organizations, the group said, are active in the strategy of demonization that seeks to isolate Israel by legal means and through boycott campaigns.
