Pro-Israel International NGOs found influencing KP’s health sector

PESHAWAR: A disturbing turn of events, a network of pro-Israeli international NGO operating within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s health sector has been uncovered.

According to reliable sources, these organizations, under the guise of public health and development, are allegedly promoting a pro-Israel agenda and exerting direct influence on policy-making at the provincial level.

Reports reveal that the provincial Health Department’s Tobacco Control Cell and a local NGO named Blue Veins have been receiving funding from two controversial international organizations, Bloomberg Philanthropies and Vital Strategies, both of which have strong connections to prominent Jewish-American businessmen with known support for Israel.

Vital Strategies is reportedly led by Bruce Mandel, a Jewish-American businessman with a history of supporting Israeli causes. Sources claim that Mandel and his family have previously provided funding for operations linked to Israel’s intelligence agency, Mossad.

Furthermore, they actively run Jewish cultural and missionary institutions in the U.S., where individuals associated with Israeli defense bodies have allegedly received training.

The organization, Vital Strategies, was initially founded in New Delhi, India, further raising questions about its global reach and strategic alliances.

Meanwhile, Bloomberg Philanthropies, led by former New York Mayor and billionaire Michael Bloomberg, has also come under scrutiny. Bloomberg is known as one of the most vocal political supporters of Israel in the United States and has reportedly donated billions of dollars to causes directly benefiting the Israeli state.

In 2014, during the Israeli military offensive in Gaza, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of Palestinians, Bloomberg made headlines by visiting Israel in his private jet after U.S. aviation authorities temporarily halted flights to the country.

The visit was viewed as a symbolic act of solidarity with Israel. In 2013, he was awarded the Genesis Prize, a prestigious recognition granted to individuals who significantly support Jewish causes and the state of Israel through philanthropy.

Despite being under the radar, these NGOs have allegedly gained access to provincial-level decision-making in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. High-level sources claim that health policy planning and key decisions are being conducted not in government offices, but within private NGO facilities.

It is further alleged that several district officials have been influenced through foreign trips and perks, enabling these NGOs to misuse the name of the provincial health department for financial approvals and decisions.

The Ministry of Interior reportedly issued formal instructions in February 2024 to the provincial authorities to take action against these unauthorized foreign-funded NGOs. Yet, according to insiders, limited progress has been made.

The revelations have raised serious concerns about national sovereignty, public health governance, and the undue influence of foreign entities.

Civil society organizations and political observers are calling for a transparent and comprehensive investigation to hold all responsible parties accountable and safeguard the integrity of public institutions in Pakistan.