The U.S. Department of State 2010 Human Rights Report does not mince words when discussing civil society and attempts to suppress it:
"As we have seen in the Middle East and elsewhere, governments cannot suppress civil society indefinitely, and they can never suppress it legitimately."
"In the last several years, more than 90 governments have sought to pass restrictive laws and regulations, hampering the ability of organizations to register, operate freely, or receive foreign funding."
"[the bill is] a first step on the way to uprooting the lesion that is the extreme Left from Israeli society."
In a July 2010 speech on the issue, Secretary Clinton spoke of a "group of countries where the walls are closing in on civic organizations". With bills on the "Taxation of public institutions that receive donations from a foreign state entity", clearly drawing on similar legislation passed in Vladimir Putin's Russia, Israel's government seems to be wholeheartedly committed to getting the country admitted to the club of nations the Secretary of State described.
And perhaps not only admitted, but also distanced from some other clubs. In 1995, the EU and Israel signed the "Association Agreement". The agreement, which entered force in 2000 after being ratified by the (then) 15 Member States parliaments, is since the legal framework for EU-Israel relations. The agreement states that the respect for human rights and democratic principles guides the internal and international policy of both Israel and the EU and constitutes an essential and positive element of the Agreement. The economic trade benefits resulting from the Agreement are broad; further, in direct terms, based on the Agreement, the EU makes approximately Euro 150 million in annual grants in Israel. Of these, the EU allocates 1 to 2 percent to human rights NGOs -- the funding that Netanyahu's government has been trying to suppress for over two years now. At least in terms of recklessly endangering Israel's relations internationally, there seems to be no discrimination between the cold shoulder given to international norms backed by both the U.S. and the EU.
Suppressing funding from Israel's closest international allies in support of Israeli civil society is, alas, not the only fashion in which this government expresses its anti-democratic vision: legislation against the rights of Israel's largest minority -- the Arab citizens -- is a cornerstone of constant legislative efforts; so are the bills aimed at weakening Israel's High Court of Justice and limiting its independence. With civil society, the courts, freedom of speech, and civil equality all under attack, one has to wonder what future "democracy" is this government trying to enact here.
For more than four decades, the occupation has caused numerous human rights violations against the Palestinians, and has poisoned Israel. Beyond the green line, speaking of the "rule of law" is at best cynical. No one could expect such non-norms to remain beyond the green line. Indeed, they have not. The current wave of legislation is at the same time both a result of this impossible combination -- and born out of a desire to further prolong it.
That analysis suggests the following: that saving Israeli democracy will be immensely difficult, for it cannot be done without ending the occupation. But at the same time, this is both hopeful and fair -- for saving Israeli democracy will also finally mean justice for the Palestinians. How could it, and indeed -- why should it -- be any different?
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While they continually point to their victims stated desire to see Israel erased from the Earth as their reasoning to further oppress, abuse, massacre, steal from, and generally abuse their victims, they are completely missing that instead of things getting better, they are, and only can get worse.
You do not build a sustainable peace on bullets and theft, you build it upon Justice for ALL, and EQUALITY under the LAW. Nothing else will ever work toward a sustainable peace of co-existence amongst people.
If Israel wants to last for a long time, they REALLY need to see, understand and APPLY this wisdom.
Wisdom, justice, equality, not bullets, oppression and abuse.... really very simple.
Just do the right thing, the rest will fall into place so easily.
They also try to stand for human rights and justice for all by supporting/participating in BDS (even as the Knesset tries to criminalise it), flytillas, flotillas, freedom rides, peaceful demonstrations in the Occupied West Bank. They can stop being intimidated to speak their minds, Unpleasant as it can be ( see Gideon Levy).
In these legitimate, nonviolent ways they are becoming heroes, alongside Palestinians and citizens of conscience around the world. These "ordinary" Israelis who choose not to remain silent -- especially the "Breaking the SIlence" group from the IDF--_are the quiet heroes of the movement for justice and peace.
Of course there are MANY Israelis, even the Orthodox Jews, that are well aware of how wrong it is for their State to do the Crimes against Humanity which they are doing.
While sadly our American "leaders" are being bought by AIPAC, and the many other tentacles of the Zionists, into "looking the other way", and, or, blindly supporting these crimes.
We the People are outnumbered and especially over powered by the rich and the powerful "special interests" which have a vice like grip on our government.
We can see how wrong this is, and the associated costs to our freedom, and our way of life, but what can we do about it?
I write letters to our leaders and they are never answered. I write on many "blogs" as I have been on this one. But, I spend the vast majority of my time fending off the IDF propaganda units who are infiltrating these very same blogs to continually beat the drum of Zionist support.
I just don't know how else to reach the PEOPLE who know in their hearts the difference between right and wrong, and therefore know that oppressing, massacring, stealing and abusing people is not right.
Every one of our Presidential Candidates ALL support Israel. In fact they are vying for the title of their most ardent supporter!
If I became much LOUDER, I wouldn't be surprised if my personal life would become affected, and not in a good way.
This is very frustrating, freightening, and feels like we are fighting the tide.
But, to YOU, and whatever other good people "fan me" and, or, likewise support the values of Justice for ALL, and Equality under the Law, I say THANK GOD FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
Mr. El-Ad this foreign funding of NGOs in Israel and WB is well above the numbers you quoted, according to NGO-Watch it is in excess of $200 million a year, of which direct foreign governments is only 20% of the total funding which is channeled via innocent sounding groups in Europe and America, their main aim is to destabilize Israel government and promote leftist regime that is more palatable to the US and EU interests in the Mideast, like Clinton’s successful measure against Netanyahu in 1996 and supporting Ehud Barak government which worked more closely with him in getting the Camp David offer that rejected by Arafat in 2000.
Israeli democracy IS intertwined with their SURVIVAL.
If Israel continues to massacre, abuse, oppress, and generally abuse civilians then why should it suvive?
Israel was created to provide a "peaceful Jewish homeland". Are they even close to that goal?
No, they are not.
If I were Jewish I would be much safer in Boca Raton, Florida, or MANY other places in the world than in ISrael.
Israel is based upon the greed of free land obtained by ANY means. That is in complete conflict with a peaceful Jewish homeland. Even the Orthodox Jews are aghast and against what the Zionist / Israel has become.
It is NOT a religious State, it is a military State.
There is NO GOD known to man who would support the theft of land through murders of human beings. Israel must address this reality, or she should perish.
As for Europe, its leaders are also veering pretty far to the right these days as Israel and Europe for once seem to have a common problem--an internal enemy that seeks to destroy them from within...effectively seeking to use democracy to destroy it. European leaders can't honestly chide Israel on this one without looking hypocritical.
As to the occupation, it wasn't born in a bubble. It's the result of wars and violence and its continued existence has undoubtedly saved Israeli lives, which should always be Israel's govt's predominant goal. The negative effects this has on Israel's enemies are merely icing the cake for Bibi, Liebs, and company. If Israel's enemies want this to change, they will have to change...until then, it's more of the same and I predict it will only get worse as peeps like Liebs attain more power.
Are the bills draconian? Perhaps, but compared to suicide bombings and lobbing rockets at sleeping children, they are child's play....
As for warfare, B'Tselem has the stats on deaths from rocket fire--28 or so.
Cast Lead--1300+
Neither is child's play.
Speaking of legislators, Danny Danon, Israeli MK (member of Knesset) said that "for every rocket fired into our southern towns, we will delete an entire neighbourhood in Gaza."
That is called collective punishment, It is also disproportional. And rockets are child's play compared to the atrocity of Cast Lead, the daily oppression, brutality and humiliation against the Palestinians in the occupied territories, and the frequent bombing raids and sonic flights that kill or deafen the kids in Gaza.
http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/week-s-end/the-necessary-elimination-of-israeli-democracy-1.397625
Anyone who is not Haroldpom can look here:
Haaretz (Hebrew: הארץ) (lit. "The Land", originally Ḥadashot Ha'aretz – Hebrew: חדשות הארץ, IPA: [χadaˈʃot haˈʔaʁets] – "News of the Land"[3]) is Israel's oldest daily newspaper. It was founded in 1918 and is now published in both Hebrew and English in Berliner format. The English edition is published and sold together with the International Herald Tribune.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haaretz
Israel urgently needs more legislation to shut down newspapers, prints and presses that are critical of its treatment of the Palestinians.
to people who want to destroy it
Oh no it won't. Justice for Palestinians will not be attained through a separate state. Hamas will not grant the Palestinians justice and neither will Fatah. The Palestinians will be in no better position than the people of Egypt, Iran or Syria. Sharia law does not bring justice to anyone. There will not be any Western style democracy for Palestinians. It is not in their "culture".
Israel has to embrace Justice for ALL, EQUALITY UNDER THE LAW, and all the other aspects of a TRUE democracy if she hopes to survive, beyond being a military State forever embroiled in a state of war.