One of the most prominent organizations in Israel’s Arab sector is Women Against Violence. It’s one of the largest Arab civil society groups claiming to work on issues of violence against women and domestic violence—which is why the Israeli government has transferred millions of shekels to the organization over the years.
But it turns out the organization’s director, Naila Awad, has enlisted her feminist NGO in service of a distinctly anti-Israel agenda. She accuses Israel of “genocide” and says her organization won’t cooperate with feminist groups that “deny the genocide.” Women Against Violence has also participated in Tel Aviv protests against the government, claiming Israel created “starvation in Gaza,” and held conferences under the banner “Promoting Feminist Peace in a Time of Genocide.”
This is a central and significant organization in Arab society. Over the past decade, the State of Israel has transferred ₪41 million (~$13.4m) to this organization, which accuses Israel of genocide. The U.S. government has also transferred ₪2.5 million (~$800k) over the years, and the European Union has provided assistance as well, transferring about ₪1 million (~$300k) over the years.
The text reads:
“PROMOTING FEMINIST PEACE IN A TIME OF GENOCIDE AND FASCISM
We wish to announce that the conference planned for International Women’s Day has been postponed, and a new date will be published soon.
However, the postponement of the conference is not a postponement of the struggle! We continue to oppose the eternal war forced upon us by a fascist government under whose auspices women are silenced; the genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank continues, and Arab society is abandoned to its fate.
We have had enough of wars. We desire life. You will not silence us!”
We reached out to the organization’s director, Naila Awad, but she did not respond.