Union of Agricultural Work Committees

The Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC) is a Ramallah based Palestinian non-profit organization that was established in 1986 to improve the performance and professionalism of Palestinian farmers. The Union also aims to help Palestinian farmers market their produce and provides agricultural employment opportunities through a framework of cooperation with domestic, Arab, and international agricultural development institutions.[1]

"UAWC" redirects here. For other uses, see UAWC (disambiguation).

The UAWC was established in Jerusalem by a group of volunteer agronomists and development workers "loosely affiliated with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)".[2] It is one of the oldest Palestinian non-governmental organizations.[3] In 1993, UAWC developed its organizational structure, consisting of a general assembly, board of trustees, general director, and two executive directors; one for the West Bank and one for the Gaza Strip.[4]

UAWC initially focused on forming Agricultural Cooperatives and Committees in the different Palestinian rural areas of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.[5]

UAWC is a member of the Palestinian NGOs Network and supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign against Israel.[6]

Funding

UAWC receives funding from numerous Western governments and aid organisations including the European Commission, World Vision Australia, AusAID, and FAO. UAWC is in partnership with many international and local organizations like Action Against Hunger, Oxfam, NARC and LRC.

In February 2012, Shurat HaDin, the Israel Law Center, alleged that World Vision Australia (WV) and AusAid were providing "financial aid to a Gaza-based terrorist group," the UAWC, which is a "front for terror group the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine." WV "suspended its dealings" with UAWC until the outcome of an investigation of the matter.[7][8]

WV resumed working with UAWC after AusAID and World Vision found the allegations were unfounded. According to The Australian newspaper, 'AusAID has written to Shurat HaDin to confirm that a detailed investigation has been conducted into the claims and no evidence has been found to substantiate them'.[9] However, the Jerusalem Post says that they conducted an independent investigation which "revealed that the PLFP’s Arabic language website includes detailed reports on the UAWC’s work."[10]

In July 2020, the Netherlands suspended funding to UAWC over its links to PFLP, after it was revealed UAWC used subsidies to pay the salaries of two PFLP members suspected of murdering 17-year-old Rina Shnerb in August 2019.[11][12] According to NGO Monitor research, since 2013, the Netherlands has provided UAWC with approximately €20 million in grants.[13]

Affiliate of PFLP

In his 1997 book Building a Palestinian State: The Incomplete Revolution, Professor Glenn E. Robinson writes that agronomists that established the UAWC were loosely affiliated with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).[2] The PFLP is an Arab nationalist organization responsible for numerous acts of terrorism dating back to the 1960s and has long been regarded as a terrorist organization by the governments of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, European Union, and Israel. Researcher Caroline Abu-Sada, in her book about the Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees (PARC), also mentions UAWC as affiliated to the PFLP.[14] [15]

According to Shurat HaDin (Israel Law Center), UAWC as well as the Union of Health Workers Committees (UHWC) are closely affiliated with the PFLP. Shurat HaDin has confirmed that both groups receive money from Oxfam.[16] Oxfam Wereldwinkels Belgium, for example, has had close ties with UAWC since 2002 and met them at several occasions. They promote and sell UAWC products in Belgium.[17][18]

Awards and honours
  • UAWC won the Food Sovereignty Prize in October 2014[19] which is awarded by the US Food Sovereignty Alliance, an American NGO established to mobilize and educate US and international activists on the "food crisis".
  • In November 2014, the UAWC won the Equator Prize for its role in sustainable development and fight against poverty through its Seed Bank project initiative.[20] The award was given by the United Nations Development Agency (UNDP) in New York.

Bibliography
  • Robinson, Glenn E. (1997). Building a Palestinian state: the incomplete revolution. Indiana University Press. p. 54. ISBN 9780253210821. union of agricultural work committees palestine.

References
  1. Goals
  2. Robinson, Glenn E. (1997). Building a Palestinian state: the incomplete revolution. Indiana University Press. p. 54. ISBN 9780253210821. union of agricultural work committees palestine.
  3. Amira Hass (January 22, 2009). "Palestinian farmers are being treated like criminals". Haaretz. Retrieved 2009-01-22.
  4. http://www.uawc-pal.org/
  5. and Resistance.php Establishment and Resistance
  6. Palestinian civil society applauds UK Co-operative movement decision to end trade with companies involved with Israeli violations of international law
  7. Australian groups accused of aiding PFLP-linked group
  8. World Vision to investigate terror link
  9. "Vision back as AusAID dismisses 'terror' link". The Australian. March 2, 2012.
  10. Australian NGO resumes support of Gaza group
  11. JTA and TOI staff. "Netherlands suspends aid to group that employed suspected Palestinian terrorists". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
  12. Pfahler, Lennart (2020-07-26). "Terror im Westjordanland: Rina (†17), ihre Mörder und das Geld aus Europa". DIE WELT. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
  13. "Analysis of UAWC's Response to the Dutch Funding Freeze over Terror Links".
  14. "Palestine : insécurité alimentaire, sous-produit de l'occupation, CETRI dec. 12, 2008".
  15. "ONG palestiniennes et construction étatique: L'expérience de Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees (PARC) dans les Territoires occupés palestiniens, 1983-2005, Presses de l'Ifpo, 13 févr. 2013 page 167, 180".
  16. "Oxfam accusé de financer le terrorisme".
  17. "Oxfam Belgium ties to UAWC".
  18. "Coordination visit Els Keytsman of Oxfam Belgium to UAWC".
  19. http://foodsovereigntyprize.org/the-honorees/
  20. http://www.equatorinitiative.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=818&Itemid=1031&lang=en#union-of-agricultural-work-committees-–-palestine
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