NGO bill in Israel threatens human rights organisations

Summary: Israeli human rights groups express concern about pending NGO Bill.

Pending legislation in Israel to restrict foreign government funding to NGOs could have serious consequences for many human rights organisations in the country. It would require NGOs that receive 50% or more of their funding from foreign governments to state that fact in all of their publications, written reports to Knesset members and decision-makers, at any hearing or discussion involving a written protocol, and in any oral discussion held in a place where public officials work. For organisations that conduct litigation or engage in public advocacy, this would mean identifying themselves as foreign-supported throughout their regular work.

According to SRT grantee the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, “The alleged objective of the bill is to promote greater transparency of organizations whose funding comes from ‘foreign government entities’ due to fear that these interfere in the internal affairs of the country. In fact, all NGOs receiving donations, and contributions from foreign political entities in particular, have long been subject to strict transparency requirements.” Many human rights organisations interpret the bill as an attempt to silence organisations that are critical of government policies both by delegitimising their work and making their jobs more difficult. ACRI points out that “The freedom to criticize the government and to monitor and assist those who are harmed by government activities are essential practices of democracy.”

The bill passed the first reading in the Knesset on 9 February 2016 and is awaiting further discussion.

SRT grantee, Adalah, has drafted a short paper highlighting a number of pending pieces of legislation of concern to the human rights community in Israel. The paper is available here:
http://www.adalah.org/uploads/New-Israeli-Discriminatory-Laws-March-2016.pdf?mc_cid=ab2dc6b28c&mc_eid=e61c993f3b.