New Israeli law limits foreign funding to local NGOs

In an 11 to five vote backed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's Ministerial Legislation Committee on Sunday approved two controversial bills that curb overseas funding of human rights groups. The first bill, proposed by Likud Knesset parliament ministers Ofir Akunis and Tzipi Hotoveli, will cap foreign funding for political organizations at 5,400 U.S. dollars annually. Additionally, the legislation will prevent international organizations like the United Nations from funding other non- governmental groups in Israel, the Ha'aretz daily reported. The second bill sharply cuts certain organizations' tax-exempt status, boosting them into a 45 percent bracket, according to The Jerusalem Post. "There are tens of millions of euros being sent to NGOs in a secretive way," NGO Monitor's Communication Director Jason Adelstein told Xinhua, "like in the case of the NGO Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions or Breaking the Silence, just to name a few, and no one is supervising how much they get or what they do with it." One of the problems, Adelstein pointed out, is that many NGOs end up using the funds for purposes far afield from the donors original intent. "Some of these organizations receive the foreign funding and operate in the guise of human rights groups," Adelstein said, "but a big chunk of the funds are spent outside of Israel advocating for their programs, which in many cases don't have anything to do with Israeli issues or the advancement of peace." However, the bills are harsher than they should have been, Adelstein said. "We really believe that there is a need to monitor and make public how much money these organizations receive and how they spend it, but we believe that these two bills are harsh," he said, "but then again, that's the way a healthy democratic country operates, it's part of the normal legislative process." B'Tselem, one of the Israeli organizations that will be affected by the new bills, sharply decried Netanyahu's government as having brought Israel "to a new low," after supporting the bills. "This government will not silence us. B'Tselem will be silent only when human rights violations in the occupied territories cease," a B'Tselem's press release read on Sunday. "Until then, we will continue to expose the injustices of the occupation. Every democracy needs human rights organizations and B 'Tselem makes Israel a better place," the document read. Labor Party leader Shelly Yachimovich accused the government of "declaring war" on Israel's judicial system, as well as trying to limit free speech in the country, Ha'aretz said. "Netanyahu cannot hide behind his party's MKs anymore and wash his hands from the deluge of undemocratic bills," Yachimovich said, adding that the Labor Party would "continue to struggle with all its might for the preservation of democratic values and will work to thwart similar bills." Opposition leader Tzipi Livni of Kadima slammed Netanyahu, saying that Israel is a country "strong enough to not have to shut mouths and be the kind of country in which everyone can voice their opinions, even if we don't appreciate it."