Opinion
In praise of ‘leftist law’
Hagai Segal
Published: 11.11.11, 00:05
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33 Talkbacks for this article
1. Wow, Hitler said the same about foreign Jewry & Marxists
Michael ,   London UK   (11.11.11)
He wanted to stamp out funding from foreign sources that interfered with domestic politics if it wasn't in a right-wing way, because in his opinion the Jewish and Marxist organisations wanted to destroy Germany in favour of 'internationalism'.
2. This article is like reading Mein Kampf
Michael ,   London UK   (11.11.11)
Just replace the words Israel with Germany, and foreign governments with international Jewry, and it teaches the same thing.
3. Easy for foreign governments to disguise contributions
elhrac ,   USA   (11.11.11)
They can easily channel donations through private individuals. All foreign contributions need to be banned.
4. I know you!
Davidi   (11.11.11)
Hey wait a minute. I know you. You are Hagai Segal of the Jewish Underground, the terrorist who participated in trying to assassinate the three Palestinian mayors in 1980. The one whose bomb blinded a fellow Israeli, a police bomb squad member. That's it. the Hagai Segal who was convicted of maiming and terrorizing, and who wrote the book "Dear Brothers" about your fellow Jewish terrorists. That's it! You are THAT Hagai Segal. And you have the chutzpah today to tell other Israelis what is legitimate or illegitimate protest? I'm just saying...
5. The road to authoritarianism
Gabriel ,   Tel Aviv   (11.11.11)
With all the problems in Israel, the far right wants to go chasing some invisible bad guy. Let's shut down those leftists! You may hate Bt'selem, but no decent country tries to defund human rights campaigners. Why does Segal want this? Because he wants the reporting on settlers burning attacking Palestinians gone. For people like him, the problem is not extremism, it's reporting it. Welcome to fascism.
6. I do note
Gee ,   Zikron Yaakov   (11.11.11)
That no government in the world funds NGOs to subvert foreign governments anywhere except here. These are not mere problems and insults but actual acts of war and their Israeli puppets are committing acts of treason.
7. Israel's enemies ONLY fund leftists. That says it all.
Chaim ,   Israel   (11.11.11)
The author is absolutely correct. While individuals should be free to fund whoever they like; foreign governments and NGOs should not be allowed to do so. Moreover, there is no comparison between funding patriotic groups which build Israel and leftist groups which attack and weaken Israel. This fact is obvious to Israel's enemies; who ONLY fund leftists. That says it all.
8. New law
Josh ,   USA   (11.11.11)
Israel must do everything in its power to frustrate, neutralize and elimnate the hostile foreign states' nefarious and subversive ends and deeds through the domestic spies. Memo to the EU, Britain, Sweden and others: The party is over, guys.
9. @ 8 Josh, USA
Phil ,   Herzliya   (11.11.11)
Be sure to include the USA in that memo because they are by far the biggest donors to "left wing", civil rights and human rights organizations in Israel and the West Bank.
10. Any Foreign Giverment is Hostile
joe tango ,   usa   (11.11.11)
Any Foreign Goverment sent funds to Leftist Organizations to Change a Elected Democratic Goverment is and should be considered a hostile act no matter whivh country it comes from. It is nothing more than moral imperislism and brings back the memories of Gunboat diplomacy.
11. Aw come on!
Tomer ,   Hod Hasharon, Israel   (11.11.11)
Are you seriously telling me that the settlements were built and maintained without a single cent from the US of A? All those mainstream Jewish and Evangelist Christian organizations? All those covert on-the-wrong-side-of-whacky groups? Ban foreign donations to rightist NGOs too!
12. #5, there are not "human rights" organisations
Danny   (11.11.11)
They are pure and simple propaganda. Every single one of these organisations has been caught lying year after year. You don't think it is weird that all of these organisations have to go to the EU for financial support? That as "Israeli" organisations they cannot get private donations let alone ones from Israelis to support themselves?
13. There is a more important difference between donations
Sami ,   TA   (11.11.11)
Donations to the Left come from those who hate Israel and seek its annihilation. Donations to the Right are not from such people.
14. law
Abraham Nachmias ,   Petach Tikva IL   (11.11.11)
I made myself a law! When people who are not Jewish and don't live in Israel feel so offended by new legislation, that assures me that this legislation is right on the point! Michael, if you care about Israel and it's future, whay are you not here fighting for your ideas? Please don't answer, we all know your answer!
15. #11 you're mistaken
Amihai ,   Yesha   (11.11.11)
This law isn't against foreign private funding (or there would be no NGO at all). If someone want to make something change, it is his right to try. But this law t is against funding of organisaton by foreign governments. Especially when they are funding exlcusively and massively "N"GO which hold a certain political position. Because then it's INGERENCE ! And when an organisation is mostly founded by governements, it cannot be seriousely considered a "non governmental organisaton" ! By the way, almost every single democratic country in occident has a simillar law. Especially the US, which heavily monitors funding of NGO.
16. Absolutely! Foreign governments should NOT be dictating
Hippocrates ,   Earth   (11.11.11)
Israels internal policies. Europe should not be playing remote control with Jewish lives, you've done that before, for 2000 years. No thank you. The thousands that have been murdered owe a lot of that blood to the meddling policies of certain foreign countries.
17. Michael #1
joe tango ,   usa   (11.11.11)
Michael do you work for the British Goverment?
18. Follow-up on my first letter, Reply
Josh ,   USA   (11.11.11)
By throwing the most possibly imaginable disgusting, beyond the pale, totally untrue, reckless and pure hatemongering comments ("fascist" - a national hobby of the leftist idiots, without realizing the actual meaning and/of origin and background of the very word; Hitler, Mein Kampf and so on and so forth) and factually flawed, devoid of sane rationality and reason (Philo, Herzliya) spewing venom, but also vapid stupidities here from various opponents of the proposed law, the "fascist" bugs have come out of the woodwork to howl. Your little play of deceit, under-the-table shady deals to the universal detriment of the people and your devious and outrageous tactics amounting to hugh treason in the book seem to be all, but over. As I said, the party is over, be prepared!
19. A good start, but...
Ozraeli ,   Australia   (11.12.11)
This is a good start, but is lacking in a few areas: 1) It should start at a lower level, not IS 20,000 (~US $6000), probably IS 5000 or US $2000 (like many other countries). Because Israel is such an expensive country, the perception of "Institutional level" cost starts too high; 2) There should be taxation on contributions. Israel already taxes personal worldwide income, so this is nothing new. Why should NGO's receive tax free income,only to convert it to personal salaries of "Professional Protesters"? It costs a lot of money to maintain a country, especially a democracy, with all its internal filtering mechanisms. If someone wants to contribute money in order to influence political activity, why shouldn't they contribute to maintain the very system that allows it?
20. foreign funding
moron ,   galut   (11.12.11)
leftist groups are the problem--takes no brains for jews to see left and jihad are allies against israel
21. Hitler also wanted a united Europe under a single currency
Daniel Teeboom ,   Netherlands   (11.12.11)
22. Foreign funding is terrorism
Ibrahim El -Awal ,   Dearborn, USA   (11.12.11)
Free speech cannot be licence to destroy, kill or murder. It is also that free speech is the property of a community. Outside interference is not free speech, it is a terrorist activity. Outside funding takes no responsibility of the results of their interference. The law is long overdue.
23. as far as this article goes.....
Gabriel ,   Leiden, Netherlands   (11.12.11)
I take no lessons from a convicted terrorist. None at all.
24. Gabriel #23 your country funds terrorism
Gee ,   Zikron Yaakov   (11.13.11)
Think about it. Your country supports genocide and ethnic cleansing AGAIN. Just as your country supported Nazis your country now supports people that advocate the exact same thing again. What would you think if another country started funding groups that attempted to subvert your government? Bet you wouldn't like it, in fact I bet it is a crime in your country.
25. Her majesty's new form of colonialism!
(11.13.11)
26. Foreign Funding Curuption
Joe Sombrero ,   USA   (11.13.11)
If you want to see why the law regarding selection of justices as well as the NGO Bill and foreign funding needs to be passed you need only to look at the following article Haaretz "U.S., EU pressure Netanyahu to scrap proposed bill against Israeli NGOs" Sun, November 13, 2011. It is my opinion there maybe a lot of corrupt politicians both in and out of the Israeli government, maybe even reporters, Justice officials police and NGOs who are corrupt to the core who are the puppets of the United States and the EU who are in business to influence Israeli policy for these governments. That is my opinion. What is needed is a team of investigators to be assembled to investigate who might be influenced by this NGO funding and if people who are being influence are trying to influence Israeli policy.
27. Foreign government meddling
Beverly l ,   Toronto Canada   (11.13.11)
I wonder how long the Canadian government would allow French funds to come into Canada to support Quebec separatists? When Charles De Gualle made a comment supporting the separatists there was a political firestorm. I do not understand why Israel allows itself to be treated as a non-state. Stop looking to the quartet for help.
28. to #1 karl marks was German jew, he couldn't be forign
ghostq   (11.13.11)
hitler never claimed what you said unless you know more about germany than assumed.
29. NGO Stands for "Non Governmental Organisation"
Nic ,   UK   (11.13.11)
They should operate independently from any government despite any governmental contributions made. In this case, contributions by foreign governments are being made to influence the actions of the NGO's they are funding
30. Fascism raises its head
Dan   (11.14.11)
Silencing those who criticise government policies is a characteristic of fascism. It doesn't matter if the critics are citizens or NGOs and it doesn't matter how they manage to survive. The democratic response to criticism is good argument, but Netanyahu & Co. have no good arguments to defend their suicidal policies, so they are abandoning democracy.
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