Israel's Surveillance of Global NGOs Revealed in Internal Document

Doha, Qatar Jul 21, 2026 ALN: An official document obtained by Al Jazeera reveals how Israel collected information on charities in 2013, singling out some of the world’s most well-known humanitarian organizations for their perceived positions on the Israel-Palestine conflict.

The file, a spreadsheet accessed via an Israeli ministry website, listed over 150 charities along with basic details such as the director’s name, organization address, telephone number, email, and area of work.

However, in a “comments” column, 15 organizations were noted with remarks like “critic of Israel” for France-based Premiere Urgence Internationale, “involved in anti-Israel campaigning” for Geneva-based Defence for Children International, and “highly involved in BDS” – referring to the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions campaign – for Mundubat in Spain.

The document suggested that Oxfam was “active in global BDS efforts” and encouraged NGOs to join “violations of international law” by supporting projects in the occupied West Bank “even if they have not been approved by the Israeli Civil Administration.”

Oxfam responded by stating that the comments “appear to reflect allegations and interpretations, rather than an objective assessment” of its work. The charity emphasized its commitment to international law and noted that Israeli settlements violate humanitarian law.

Tania Hary, executive director of Gisha, an Israeli NGO advocating for the freedom of movement for Palestinians, stated that the document “has nothing to do with security.” Instead, she described it as “further proof that the Israeli government has been tracking the activities of organizations that do life-saving work for Palestinians living under Israel’s brutal occupation for decades.”

The spreadsheet was obtained online via the Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs, previously known as Israel’s Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Social Services. The ministry did not respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment.

Many comments in the document cite NGO Monitor as their source, an Israel-based organization that describes itself as a nonpartisan research institute. However, NGO Monitor’s website lists campaigns that include “Mapping the anti-Israel NGO network in the US.”

Mayssoun Sukarieh, a senior lecturer in the Department of International Development at King’s College London, characterized NGO Monitor as a “right-wing” organization that monitors pro-Palestine individuals and groups.

‘Nothing to do with security’

The document was created in October 2013, a time when the BDS movement against Israel was gaining momentum. That year, renowned physicist Stephen Hawking refused to attend a conference in Israel due to the occupation of Palestine, various student bodies adopted academic boycotts, and Canada’s largest Protestant church, the United Church of Canada, began a campaign against goods made in Israeli settlements, which are illegal under international law.

Experts noted that the file illustrates Israel’s methodology in monitoring charities and the BDS movement four years before it enacted a law barring entry to anyone supporting the campaign.

In 2013, “Israel was starting to feel the bite of BDS, and the ministry wanted to cross-reference different aspects of these organizations,” Sukarieh explained, suggesting that the data collection may have been a precursor to the 2017 ban on BDS supporters.

Giovanni Fassina, director of the European Legal Support Center, remarked that the list was compiled during a period when Israel was enacting laws and combating BDS. He noted that in 2011, Israel enacted a law imposing sanctions on any individual or entity calling for a boycott of Israel’s West Bank settlements or of Israel itself.

Israel has been “blacklisting” groups and individuals for a long time, utilizing a network that includes organizations like NGO Monitor, he added. “This is not a new tactic. They have been doing this since 2013. In my opinion, the document shows the start of that process.”

Nonviolent BDS movement viewed as a ‘threat’

Other charities noted in the spreadsheet include the Spanish NGO ACSUR-Las Segovias, Denmark’s DanChurchAid, Diakonia/NAD of Sweden, the Stockholm-based Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation, the UK-based Medical Aid for Palestinians, Germany’s Medico International, the Norwegian Refugee Council, and the Palestine Solidarity Association of Sweden.

The file indicated that Tsafrir Cohen, director of Medico International, wrote about BDS campaigns and urged politicians to pressure Israel, being part of a group behind a 2012 report titled Trading Away Peace, which examined Europe’s role in sustaining Israeli settlements.

“The report did not even call for sanctions,” Medico’s Riad Othman stated, describing it as “rather tame.” He characterized the file obtained by Al Jazeera as signaling an “overreaction on the part of Israel.”

Othman expressed concern about the implications of differentiating between the economy of occupation and land theft versus the economy of Israel proper, questioning the future of the Israeli economy in such a scenario.

The Palestine Solidarity Association of Sweden, which no longer has staff or an office in occupied Palestinian territory, acknowledged that Israeli officials closely monitor networks supporting the Palestinian cause. They view the nonviolent BDS movement as a strategic threat.

The document noted that a representative from the Swedish NGO attempted to deliver aid to Gaza by boat as part of a flotilla, and that the group was “active in BDS” and campaigned to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement.

“We were and still are active in BDS, proudly so. We believe it is the most effective strategy to realize the rights of the Palestinian people and force Israel to adhere to international law,” a spokesperson stated.

The relationship between the NGO sector and Israel has been further scrutinized during Israel’s ongoing military actions in Gaza, which have reportedly resulted in over 73,000 Palestinian deaths since October 2023, according to health officials.

Throughout this military campaign, Israeli authorities have restricted charities from sending life-saving aid into Gaza, barred foreign humanitarian workers and doctors from entering, and demanded that 37 NGOs provide personal details of their Palestinian staff to continue their operations in Gaza.

Sukarieh noted that international charities have “always” been present in Palestine, performing essential work. However, she highlighted the numerous restrictions imposed by Israel and the constant monitoring of these organizations.