PMW Bulletin
June 14, 2012

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
p:+972 2 625 4140 e: pmw@palwatch.org

f: +972 2 624 2803 w: www.palwatch.org

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.