Campaigning against Bills to Limit Funding for Israeli Human Rights Groups

The Israeli government has decided to freeze or postpone considering the Bills that were intended to restrict funding to Israeli human rights and social justice groups. This followed a concerted campaign both within Israel and internationally.

NIF mobilised to thwart two anti-democratic bills, which seek to limit funding to Israel’s human rights organisations and NGOs from foreign governments and other state entities [mainly US, UK and Europe].

In Israel, NIF and its flagship grantee the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) composed a ten-point paper to MKs, the media and opinion shapers. This set out our concerns that the Bill would damage Israel’s democracy and Israel’s image. NIF also issued a press release condemning the bill.

At the same time, NIF Israel swiftly mobilised a social networking campaign. A sarcastic ad was posted on its "Don't Remain Silent" Facebook page (in Hebrew) immediately after the Bills received the initial ministerial committee approval. The ad said, "Congratulations to the Israeli government on joining the exclusive club that restricts international funding of NGOs: Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, Belarus and China”.

Thousands of British and other supporters of NIF from around the world emailed the Prime Minister asking that the legislation be shelved.

Before proceeding to the full Knesset for their first readings, the Bills were presented once again to the Ministerial Committee. Amid criticism from President Shimon Peres, leading members of Likud and opposition MKs, the British Ambassador Matthew Gould and the US State Department, as well as public pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided to postpone the Bills.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
       “Congratulations on to the Israeli government on joining the exclusive club" – reads NIF's popular spoof Facebook ad.