Say no to foreign money

Op-ed: Foreign individuals, groups should not be able to exert influence here through money

Reuters | Published: 08.16.11, 18:24

Amid the social and economic questions raised by the current situation and tent protest, we have seen the emergence of questions about the involvement of various funds and of Jews abroad in events in Israel via donations, public and political pressures, campaigns, and so on.

It started with the rightist claim that a millionaire affiliated with the Left is offering donations to the social battle and public protest, thereby affecting events in Israel and the state’s politics and policy. The leftist replied: Aren’t you fundraising abroad as well, thereby also affecting life in Israel? What’s the difference between raising funds for the City of David or any other Jerusalem or Judea and Samaria site and fundraising by people who hold opposite views?

The principled question here is whether those who don’t live in Israel, who are not citizens and do not serve in the army, who don’t sweat here in summer and whine in winter, who don’t stand in line at government offices and wait 10 hours at the emergency room, or who don’t get stuck in traffic – do such people have the right to influence the lives of Israelis?

One can’t have it both ways. If the Right is allowed to raise funds abroad for the benefit of Judea and Samaria and allow billionaires to set facts on the ground, it is just as legitimate for a leftist donor or funds to sponsor activities that are commensurate with their worldview.

If Israeli society is willing to see a foreign billionaire sponsoring an Israeli daily that affects Israel’s public opinion, it cannot suddenly post a “no entry” sign to others who wish to exert media or public influence in line with their own views.

Let us mature on our own

Yeshivas and communities are still grappling with the incisive, legitimate dispute over whether one should accept donations from Israel-loving Christians. Some claim this is kosher money, while others say it’s tainted. While the question here is somewhat different than the above question, the issue still remains the same: How appropriate and legitimate is it to use funds and people from overseas to influence events in Israel?

These are real, fundamental questions. I’m not sure an unequivocal answer exists. I do know, however, that in the interest of decency we must maintain consistency. If we say that those who do not live here cannot affect events here with their money, this argument must apply in all cases.

However, there is another issue here. Are we a sovereign, independent society that manages its life and disagreements here with self-dignity and mutual respect? A society that tells anyone who doesn’t live here that we truly appreciate their willingness to offer help, yet with all due respect, we wish to contend with and solve our problems on our own. We’re adults and do not need the uncle from America to help us. Or are we saying that any wealthy individual worldwide can offer his views here in Israel, regardless of where one lives, his level of Zionism, and his connection with our reality?

In the framework of social justice and the call for equality of rights and duties, we may also declare that in order to exert influence here one would need to live here, bear the burden, sweat with us, and fully tie his fate and daily lives with us. I instinctively recoil from those who sit in New York or Johannesburg or London, send us money, and preach to us.

With all due respect to the funds and the wealthy, independence also means disagreeing on our own, and finding the solution on our own. Independence means that those who live here can exert influence here, while those who do not live here should let us mature on our own.

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