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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan | |
| Israeli Justice Minister Shaked: 'We Will Not Commit Suicide' | |
| 2016-02-01 | |
| h/t Gates of Vienna SPIEGEL: Minister Shaked, the Knesset is currently discussing a bill you proposed that would require NGOs funded by foreign governments to disclose the donations they receive. The law would primarily affect left-leaning peace and human rights groups. Is this an attack on Israeli democracy? Shaked: This law does not hurt any democratic principles -- it does not harm the freedom of speech or the freedom of organization. We do not even limit the donations. It is just a transparency bill. The Israeli public has the right to know which organizations are representing foreign interests. SPIEGEL: Your proposal is strongly reminiscent of similar laws by authoritarian regimes like Egypt or Russia. You once claimed that the United States has similar regulations, but the US ambassador to Israel just publicly contradicted that statement.
Shaked: It is inappropriate for a country to intervene in the internal issues of another country like this. I want to bring the discussion back to the main issue at hand: Why doesn't anyone address the substantive question of why other states blatantly interfere in Israel's internal affairs? Israel does not meddle in the affairs of other states in a similar way, so why do other countries feel entitled to do this to Israel? These actions violate Israeli sovereignty and I expect European Union member states to act differently. SPIEGEL: So is your bill in fact targeting foreign governments? Shaked: Every time I meet an ambassador, I bring to the a table a list of NGOs I think are acting against Israel, promoting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) or denouncing our soldiers. I ask from them to stop contributing to these specific NGOs. But, unfortunately, it does not help. I do not want countries that are friends of ours to contribute to such organizations. SPIEGEL: So you are admitting that your proposal is about more than just transparency? Are you also trying to limit the work of certain critical organizations? Shaked: No. I am talking about two different paths here. I am saying that I am trying to minimize the donations to these groups by talking to diplomats. The transparency bill also has the purpose of enabling the Israeli public and members of Knesset to know whose interests certain organizations represent. A very friendly, open minded interviewer, neh? | |
| Posted by:g(r)omgoru |
| #1 So open minded! And so intellectually curious, too. |
| Posted by: Nguard 2016-02-01 09:10 |