Christian Aid apologises for Israeli sexual abuse allegation 1

Finance | Gareth Jones | 16 Jun 2010

Christian Aid has been forced to apologise after it falsely claimed that Israeli settlers in the West Bank city of Hebron (pictured) had sexually abused Palestinian children.

The error occurred in a press briefing document on the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme, which sends volunteers to the West Bank and Israel to offer non-violent protection to Palestinians and Israeli activists.

The document misreported an interview with one of the participants, English social worker Miranda Pinch, claiming that she had been told by the head teacher of a school in Hebron that some children had been sexually abused.

In a statement which apologises “unreservedly” for the mistake, the charity said:

“The children had in fact been subjected to verbal sexual harassment, which is clearly different, from both settlers and Israeli soldiers.

“This was an unwitting mistake on Christian Aid’s part and we apologise for the misrepresentation of what had taken place.

“Christian Aid has interviewed the head teacher, who has confirmed that teenage girls had suffered verbal sexual harassment while passing through a nearby army checkpoint.”

The Charity Commission said concerns have been raised with it about the mistake and that it was “currently assessing what regulatory concern there may be for the Commission”.

Directory: Charity Commission | Christian Aid

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Colin Archer
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18 Jun 2010

So Christian Aid was ‘forced’ to apologise over the fine distinction between sexual harassment and physical sexual abuse. The organisation should be congratulated for this apology, which demonstrates that it is working to an entirely different standard of morality to many Israeli settlers, and many soldiers in the Israeli Defence Force. I have heard personally from two British people, one of whom was an ecumenical accompanier, the other on a visit with a Christian group, of appalling, outrageous treatment of Palestinians, whether children or adults, including the elderly. One of them described his visit as a ‘life changing experience’.

Many people and a number of charities are working for human rights and justice for Palestinians. They include a substantial number of Jews, Christians, and Muslims, as well as those with no faith. I know of one charity which will have to substantially reduce its activities due to lack of funds. I hope that Civil Society Finance can help mobilise sources of financial support for them and similar charities.

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