Peace Now protest
Photo: Mati Elmaliach
In praise of ‘leftist law’
Op-ed: Foreign funding of leftist groups is a blunt interference in Israel’s domestic politics
The only problem with the law against foreign government donations to Israeli NGOs is the great delay in tabling it at the Knesset. It should have been passed a long time ago via an accelerated legislation process and with the support of an overwhelming majority.
The proposed legislation is a clearly needed law that merely seeks to prevent foreign countries from sticking their nose into our domestic affairs and managing our great conflicts via remote control.
Had Holland’s government donated a million euro to the Israeli Cancer Association, we could have lived with that. Even an Albanian contribution for the benefit of the Dead Sea would be received sympathetically around here. But why play innocent? Foreign governments do not donate money to consensual challenges. Their checks are only sent to pro-Palestinian NGOs.
There is no humanitarian generosity whatsoever here, but rather, a cynical outside plot to intervene in our most fateful disputes and promote the likelihood that they will be decided in favor of a very certain camp. The Peace Now and European Union circles cultivate a shared vision – withdrawal to the 1967 borders – and the Europeans are sending money to advance it.
Two weeks ago, an amazing British document was leaked, revealing that some 80% of donation money from Her Majesty’s government to the Middle East is poured into the coffers of our leftist camp. According to the document, the Treasury in London grants very small sums to human rights groups in Syria but large sums to organizations of Peace Now’s ilk.
Private donations are fine
A recent B’Tselem publication on the protests in Nabi Salah notes that the project is funded by the European Union. However, even B’Tselem’s leaders realize that the treasurers in London don’t care about the rights of Palestinian protestors – rather, they care about seeing us running away from Judea and Samaria.
They know that there is no majority in Israel for such flight, and therefore they attempt to promote it via government donations, in line with the finest colonialist traditions. Every euro donated under such circumstances constitutes a grave blow to Israel’s sovereignty and a blatant attempt to circumvent the rules of the democratic game here.
Leftists argue that the Right also enjoys plenty of foreign donations, which is true, but 100% of them come from non-governmental pockets, and that makes all the difference. Private individuals donate to organizations that are close to their hearts. This is voluntary money, devoid of diplomatic conspiracies, and therefore there is no problem with it. Only government money is a problem.
Once Sweden’s government surprises us and suddenly decides to donate a million pounds to the Yesha Council, the new law shall thwart this donation as well.
