PMW reports lead to closure of website and investigation of NGO

Burj Luq-Luq's website closed and PYALARA being investigated by its donor following PMW reports this week
on Palestinian NGOs' hate speech, promotion of violence
and glorification of terrorists

http://www.palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=157&doc_id=6984

by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik

This past Monday, Palestinian Media Watch reported on two Palestinian NGOs that were spreading hate speech and promoting violence against Jews and Israelis. 24 hours later, one NGO's website was closed down while the other NGO was being investigated by one of its funders, Save the Children UK.

PMW reported that the Palestinian UN-funded NGO, the Burj Luq-Luq Social Center, performed a puppet show for children, whose educational message was: "Hold machine guns, not cigarettes" because "youth are being killed by the Jews." The NGO posted the video of the puppet show on its website next to the names of its funders. After PMW's release, the website is now showing the following message: "Coming Soon! This website is coming soon, please check back later." [http://burjalluqluq.org/main/]

PMW also documented  glorification of terrorists by PYALARA, an NGO funded by the EU through the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Office, Save the Children UK and Cordaid. On their weekly PA TV program, the PYALARA hosts referred to terrorists including suicide terrorists as "more honored than all of us... They are the greatest role models for us." This came just weeks after PYALARA, by visiting their  families, glorified imprisoned terrorists who are serving many life sentences for sending suicide bombers to murder civilians, among them one terrorist sentenced to 26 life-sentences.

A complaint was sent by one of PMW's subscribers to Save the Children UK, who responded:

"Dear LP,

Thank you for your email.

I would like to assure you that we are taking this complaint extremely seriously and will be investigating your allegations as a matter of urgency. Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. I have passed your message to the person in charge of our work in this area, who will conduct the investigation and contact you directly soon.

Kind regards,

Sarah Tizzard

Supporter Care Adviser

Save the Children

supporter.care@savethechildren.org.uk"

Next to the video teaching children to replace cigarettes with machine guns on the Burj Luq-Luq website was listed names of the NGO's current and past funders: UNICEF, UNESCO, the French consulate, the Swiss Development Agency, the Youth Development Department, which belongs to the Association of Arab Studies the 'Orient House,' the Italian Institutions Union, the Faisal Husseini Institute, UNFPA, and the PA Ministry of Youth and Sports.

As reported by PMW, the Swiss Development Agency has not funded the NGO for a number of years. PMW has no information about the other funders.