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| International |
| Kiss this Money Goodbye |
| 2003-11-19 |
| EFL: In a stunning reversal, the Ford Foundation has admitted it erred in funding anti-Israeli Palestinian groups and has vowed to establish tough new guidelines to stop its funds from being used for anti-Semitic activities anywhere in the world. The group said it was "disgusted" by anti-Israel and anti-Semitic agitation action taken at the 2001 U.N. Conference Against Racism at Durban, South Africa, which the foundation helped finance. "We now recognize that we did not have a clear picture of the activities, organizations and people involved," conceded Ford president Susan Berresford in a Nov. 17 letter to U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.). In addition to establishing new funding guidelines, the foundation®s letter said the group promises to cease financing of pivotal anti-Israel groups and even recover funds where the grant®s intent was violated. In a section of Berresford®s letter titled, "Prevention of Funding for Terrorism," the Ford Foundation said it regularly checks approximately 4,000 active grantees against a State Department list to identify any that might be on the State Department®s proscribed list. "To date we have found no matches," the letter said. But, the letter continued, new measures will help ensure that funds will not be passed through one organization to another, or that Ford grantees use other independent monies to promote violence or terrorism. The Berresford letter also contained a section titled, "Prevention of Funding for Bigotry and the Destruction of any State," which declared that organizations promoting the delegitimization or destruction of Israel would be ineligible for funding. "Grantees refusing to sign this agreement will not receive Foundation support," the letter said. "We will never support groups that promote or condone bigotry or violence, or that challenge the very existence of legitimate, sovereign states like Israel." Meanwhile, in a special section specifically addressing the Durban conference, the Berresford letter completely reversed the earlier position of its vice president, Alexander Wilde. In statements and letters to the editor, Wilde had insisted, "We do not believe" that the events at Durban "can be described as ‘agitation.® " Oh, really? In her letter, Berresford said, "Ford trustees, officers and staff were disgusted by the vicious anti-Semitic activity seen at Durban, and we were disappointed that it undermined the vital issues on the meeting®s agenda." "The Foundation has reviewed its own information to establish whether Ford grantees took part in unacceptable, ugly and provocative behavior," she added. Promising action, Berresford®s letter said, "If the Foundation finds allegations of bigotry and incitement of hatred by particular grantees to be true, in conformance with normal Foundation policy, we will cease funding." In that vein, Berresford®s letter announced that the Foundation "has decided to cease funding LAW, a grantee that has been the subject of criticism." LAW, whose full name is the Palestinian Committee for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment, was a special focus of the JTA series. The group was a principal player in the anti-Israel agitation in Durban. An audit concluded it misappropriated millions in philanthropic funds. Tap, tap....nope. "LAW had over 30 donors in all, including European and Scandinavian governments, and an audit commissioned by Ford and other donors revealed that it had misused funds," Berresford said. Good decision. You realise, of course, you’re a target now. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #6 No money for anti-Semitic activities? Henry Ford is surely spinning in his grave. |
| Posted by: BH 2003-11-19 5:00:46 PM |
| #5 Kind of makes me wonder if the IRS has sent an audit letter. |
| Posted by: Anonymous2U 2003-11-19 12:57:15 PM |
#4 The group said it was "disgusted" by anti-Israel and anti-Semitic agitation action taken at the 2001 U.N. Conference Against Racism at Durban, South Africa, which the foundation helped finance."We now recognize that we did not have a clear picture of the activities, organizations and people involved," conceded Ford president Susan Berresford in a Nov. 17 letter to U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.). And they're just barely coming to this conclusion? If I were Ms. Berresford, I'd be embarrassed. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2003-11-19 12:48:21 PM |
| #3 Bwahahaha! I scoff at the Army of Steve!- a day late |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-11-19 12:30:47 PM |
| #2 That obscene Durban conference wound up its filthy business the weekend before 9/11. One of my first thoughts on hearing of the attacks in NYC and at the Pentagon was, "This is Durban by other means". Same intent, different tactics. |
| Posted by: Dave D. 2003-11-19 12:25:48 PM |
| #1 I don't believe them (the Ford Foundation). We'll see in coming years if they are telling the truth or just laying low for a while. |
| Posted by: Laurence of the Rats 2003-11-19 12:22:33 PM |