EU Parliament Members Address “NGO Bill” in Open Letter to MKs

The Knesset on Monday night, February 8, approved the first reading of the so-called “NGO transparency bill.” 50 Knesset members voted for the bill, and 43 cast their vote against. Among the opponents were all MKs of Joint List and Hadash. On Monday morning, 52 members of the European Parliament sent the following letter to all members of Israel’s Knesset:

Dear Members of Knesset,

We write to you as Members of the European Parliament, who are committed to values of democracy, human rights, and freedom of expression, to convey our deep concern at the proposed “NGO Bill,” planned to be voted on in the Knesset.

2016-02-10

The Bill requires organizations which receive more than half of their funding from “foreign government entities” to include a notice to that effect in every public statement or publication, and communication with Israeli public officials, as well as announcing themselves as such, for the record at meetings with public officials or representatives.

We support transparency in the conduct of public affairs in any democracy. However, we are concerned that this law is inherently discriminatory. It is framed in a manner that delegitimizes and demonises NGOs which promote and defend human rights, as well as the European states and institutions that fund them.

The NGOs that would be affected by this law already publish their sources of funding, and are transparent about their donors. Nationalist NGOs, on the other hand, who’s agenda is in line with the current government, receive their funding from private individuals, Israeli or otherwise, as well as Israeli government ministries and local authorities. They do not publish or disclose their funding sources, and would not be affected by this law.

We see this as part of a worrying trend, promoted and condoned by the current Israeli government, to restrict, delegitimize, and stifle the work of NGOs, organisations, artists, writers, and thinkers who may be critical of current Israeli government policy.

Initiatives such as the nationalist campaigns by the NGO Im Tirzu presenting human rights workers as spies and traitors is an example of the highly inflammatory and dangerous discourse that currently dominates Israeli public debate. A legislative initiative recently proposed by the Culture Ministry, called “Loyalty in Culture,” would cut off government funding from artists expressing views critical of “the State,” and would mean a further limitation of cultural debate and discourse in Israel.

We strongly urge you, Israeli Members of Knesset, to be brave and strong in upholding Israel’s pluralist democratic values, and share our view that a vibrant civil society and open public debate, with organisations able to criticise government policy and hold it to account, or provoke critical thinking and active citizenship, are not a threat to democracy, but a great strength.

Human rights and peace-building NGOs serve as watchdogs of democracy, not enemies of the state. Legislation which limits, narrows, and hampers civil society action only serves to weaken Israel, and damage the potential for a political solution to the conflict with the Palestinians. These NGOs or artists are not “foreign agents,” but represent a legitimate and important Israeli voice, as well as a clear Israeli interest. Far from damaging Israel’s standing in the world, they prove that Israel has a strong tradition of vehement democratic debate, freedom of expression, and a wide plurality of views. If anything, Israel’s reputation risks being damaged by dubious government attempts to silence its critics.

The occupation of the Palestinian Territories, the peace process, and human rights are not only internal Israeli affairs, but matters of regional and global interest and concern. The European Union has invested billions of Euros of European tax-payers money in both Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Israeli science and technology, universities, and businesses benefit from European funds. Israel benefits from an Association Agreement with the EU, which is worth billions in trade and access to the European market. The EU also funds the Palestinian Authority, without which the administration of the Palestinian Territories would not be viable.

All the European funds and benefits that Israel enjoys are based on Israel’s commitment to human rights, democracy, end of occupation, and the peace process, leading to a viable and just two-state solution.

European funding of NGOs working for peace and human rights, therefore, is not anti-Israeli in any way, but an embodiment of the values that the EU and Israel purport to share, and on which our cooperation depends.

We condemn the current wave of violence against Israeli civilians, as we do all violence against all civilians, and call on the Palestinian Authority to do all it can to prevent these attacks. Likewise, we recognise that the occupation must end in order to guarantee the security and human rights of Palestinians and Israelis.

The Israeli government must work together with the Palestinian Authority to deescalate this current wave of violence, and to engage in a resolute and committed long-term plan towards realising the two-state solution, while upholding the human rights, in line with international law and for the sake of both peoples.

We urge the Israeli government and Members of Knesset to refrain from legislative measures, or from support of campaigns of incitement that aim to stifle or silence civil society organisations, artists, and public discourse. Instead, we call on you to cultivate and stimulate a vibrant and critical public debate, with independent NGO activity that promotes diversity, and an honest struggle for peace.

Yours sincerely,

 

Alyn Smith                            Ana Gomes                        Anneliese Dodds

Barbara Spinelli                   Bart Staes                           Claude Turmes

David Martin                        Dennis de Jong                   Dimitrios Papadimoulis

Eleonora Forenza               Ernest Maragall                   Ernest Urtasun

Eva Joly                              Fabio de Masi                      Gabriele Zimmer

Ian Hudghton                      Iris Hoffmann                       Jean Lambert

Jill Evans                            Jordi Sebastià                      Josep-Maria Terricabras

Julie Ward                          Julie Ward                            Jude Kirton-Darling

Karima Delli                       Liadh Ni Radia                      Lynn Boylan

Margrete Auken                 Marie Arena                          Marisa Matias

Marie-Christine Vergiat      Marie-Christine Vergiat         Marita Ulvskog

Martina Anderson              Martina Michels                     Matt Carthy

Michèle Rivasi                   Michèle Rivasi                       Molly Scott Cato

Neoklis Sylikiotis               Norbert Neuser                      Paloma Lopez Bermejo

Pascal Durand                   Patrick Le Hyaric                   Philippe Lamberts

Sargentini  Judith               Sergio Cofferati                     Soraya Post

Stefan Eck                         Tania Gonzalez Penas          Valero Bodil

Yannick Jadot

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