"Plans for closer ties between the European Union and Israel must be halted until there is a "comprehensive" ceasefire in the Gaza offensive, aid agencies demanded today... The coalition of agencies, including Oxfam, World Vision, Muslim Aid and Christian Aid, say Brussels should use ongoing talks on closer EU-Israel relations as a lever. An EU-Israel Association Agreement is being stepped up to "gradually integrate Israel into European policies and programmes", said the Commission. Under the deal, Israel is eligible for almost £13 million in EU "financial cooperation" in the next seven years... Daleep Mukarji, director of Christian Aid UK and Ireland, said: "Israel has shunned diplomatic efforts by the EU, and the EU's credibility is now at stake. It is inconceivable that we should extend further benefits of European partnership to a government that violates international humanitarian law and refuses negotiation in favour of continued violence. It is time for robust EU action to bring about an immediate ceasefire and end the violence on all sides."
I stopped giving to Christian Aid a long time ago and have never given to Oxfam or Muslim Aid. Many charities are now highly opinionated. Open Europe and Peter Hitchens recently exposed some pro-Lisbon Treaty charities. Those charities are entitled to their views, I suppose, but they'll never get another penny from me. Another problem with a lot of Britain's biggest charities is their large administrative costs. One of the most important things being done by the Centre for Social Justice is the construction of their alliance of effective poverty-fighters. The CSJ is building a list of organisations that we can support in full confidence that those organisations are focused on helping people and are succeeding in delivering that help. Hopefully the CSJ will soon team up with a national newspaper to promote those effective poverty-fighters.
