The bill’s sponsor, Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, has alleged that “blatant interference in internal Israeli affairs by foreign governments is unprecedented and widespread”.
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The legislation, which was accepted on Sunday and expected to be passed into law this week, requires organisations that receive foreign funding to declare their financial sources on every documented report.
They also allege that since pro-government and nationalistic nonprofit groups tend to rely on wealthy private donors – who are exempt under the proposed bill – the measure would eventually end up stifling dissent in the country.
On Saturday evening, dozens of left-wing activists protested against the bill across Shaked’s house in Tel Aviv, calling the bill a “witch hunt” that is aimed at silencing criticism on Israel by left-wing organisations. She said it relied on evidence from foreign-backed NGOs B’Tselem, Adalah and Breaking the Silence. The Palestinians strongly object to settlement of the area, saying it would separate a future Palestinian state in the West Bank from east Jerusalem, their hoped-for capital, and drive a wedge between the northern and southern flanks of the West Bank.
Representatives from such groups will have to a wear a tag while in the Knesset parliament. “The government led by Binyamin Netanyahu is chipping away at what is left of the democratic space in Israel”, he said.
Until recently, Bundestag members such as the Chairman of the German-Israeli parliamentary group, the Green Volker Beck, the project with clear words had criticized.
A statement in the name of “officials” at the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a move to revive and extend plans for construction in the zone east of Jerusalem known as E1, was launched during his previous government by then housing minister Uri Ariel, of the far-right Jewish Home party. Plans for settlements in both of these locations were frozen by previous Israeli governments and by the current government, under pressure from the White House and from other governments.
Matan Peleg, director of Im Tirtzu, said European organizations “give small organizations in Israel super power”. We thank you in advance. “Leave us alone”, Peleg said. At least 129 Palestinians have died in the same period, of whom 89 Israel says were attacking or attempting to attack Israelis.
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“Instead of dealing with the violence of the radical right, they are putting up a smoke screen by picking on human rights groups in Israel”, he added.
