Volunteers protest National Service bill

Israeli organizations which contributed to the Goldstone Report criticized a proposal by MK Israel Hasson (Kadima) to revoke their right to use National Service volunteers on Sunday. Some claimed a deliberate witch hunt is being held against them.

"I feel persecuted," says Dr. Yishai Menuchin, director of the Public Committee Against Torture. "The rightist MKs continue to persecute human rights groups. They want to prevent us from being heard."

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Hasson is proposing to set new standards in the allocation of National Service volunteers which will limit the groups he believes were active partners in the drafting of the Goldstone Report.

The report, written by a committee headed by Jewish Judge Richard Goldstone, accused Israel and Hamas of committing war crimes during Operation Cast Lead. Goldstone later retracted some of his statements, but the widely publicized report has caused considerable damage to the State of Israel.

Menuchin, whose organization employs one National Service volunteer, added: "Hasson and his friends try to hurt us by setting up commissions of inquiries by harming funding, media access and now the possibility of getting the help of National Service volunteers."

Judge Goldstone tours Gaza (Photo: AP)

He claims the step will hurt the National Service's ability to help all sectors of the Israeli society and render it the "national-rightist service."

Rachel Benziman, CEO of Amnesty Israel is also enraged. "We shall act against the government and against the bill using all democratic means," she said.

Benziman rejects Hasson's claim that the groups provided the Goldstone committee with unfounded claims. "Every action we reported was checked. We never issue unchecked information and it's our duty to cooperate with human rights organizations."

Menuchin, on his part, claimed that the testimonies his group provided were based on extensive correspondence with the IDF and the Justice Ministry. "No one there claimed our information was fabricated. The Military Advocate General himself said the human rights groups' reports were very helpful with the inquiries."

Earlier this year, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman approached Science and Technology Minister Daniel Hershkowitz, who is in charge of National Service, asking him to revoke the National Service volunteer posts within controversial human rights groups.

This prompted criticism among the groups and a statement on behalf of Hershkowitz noted the minister does not share Lieberman's view.

A letter protesting Hasson's bill was sent to Hershkowitz with signatures of various National Service volunteers. Kadima Chairwoman Tzipi Livni refused to address the bill.

Attila Somfalvi contributed to this report

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