Israeli rights groups rail against planned law

By Tobias Buck in Jerusalem

Israeli human rights groups on Sunday accused the government of trying to silence dissent after ministers backed controversial new laws that effectively block key funding for organisations that monitor Israeli policy in the occupied territories.

Under the first proposal, donations by foreign governments to “political” non-governmental organisations will be capped at Shk20,000 ($5,400) a year – a fraction of the sum typically granted by European governments to some of Israel’s best-known human rights groups. The second draft law stipulates that all contributions from foreign governments to Israeli NGOs should be taxed at 45 per cent.

The new rules, which have yet to be approved by parliament, are likely to deliver a harsh financial blow to organisations that oppose the Israeli occupation and settlement activity in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, defend Palestinian rights and monitor the conduct of Israeli soldiers operating in the occupied territories.

They include Btselem, Breaking the Silence, Peace Now, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel and organisations that represent Israel’s Arab minority.

Many of these groups receive a large share of their budget from foreign governments, in particular from Europe, and organisations such as the European Union.

“I think this is a very disturbing development,” said Yehuda Shaul, co-founder of Breaking the Silence, a group that collects and publishes testimonies by Israeli soldiers. “Israeli society and Israeli politics used to be an open place where people could express their thoughts, no matter what. Now you see this administration trying to shut us down.”

Breaking the Silence says it receives just over 40 per cent of its €500,000 annual budget from the governments of Britain and Spain, as well as from the EU. The group made headlines around the world in the wake of Israel’s military offensive in Gaza in 2009, when it published testimonies detailing alleged abuses by the Israeli army, including cases where soldiers fired on unarmed civilians.

A statement issued by Btselem said: “Every democracy needs human rights organisations and Btselem makes Israel a better place. The [Benjamin] Netanyahu government is the one that is bringing Israel’s international standing to a new low.”

However, a government official argued on Sunday that funding by foreign states for local NGOs was “corrupting” the political process. “How can a foreign government fund political activities in another democracy? How would the British have reacted if France or Russia had funded groups arguing against the Gulf war?,” the official asked.

European diplomats have repeatedly urged the Israeli government to withdraw or soften the proposed legislation. They argue that EU governments fund human rights work all over the world, and that preventing such funding in Israel will harm relations between the two sides.


(2011-11-13/FT.com)