A new bill demanding increased transparency from nongovernmental organizations that receive extensive foreign funding is set to go to a vote in the Ministerial Committee for Legislation on Sunday. The bill, proposed by Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, reflects recent controversy over the aims of left-wing NGOs and concerns that some of them may be using foreign funding for defamation campaigns against Israel. If passed into law, the new transparency regulations will apply to all NGOs that receive more than 50% of their funding from entities abroad. Organizations that fall into this group will have to state the sources of their funding in their public reports, in all written communication with public servants and elected officials and in workplace meetings. In their annual reports, they will be obligated to name the foreign entities from which they received funding in the relevant year. Under the bill, representatives of these organizations will be subject to similar rules to the ones that govern lobbyists: When inside the Knesset building, they will be obligated to wear a nametag that also includes the name of their organization. If a representative fails to wear a tag with this identifying information, the Knesset can revoke his or her entry permit. "Guns and swords are not the only types of weapons," Shaked said, explaining the reasoning behind the bill. "Weapons also come in the form of funded lies about shooting machines used to slaughter innocent people, told as stories to the whole world by NGOs purporting to represent Israel's interests -- NGOs that in practice are funded by foreign countries using them to further their worldviews." In an effort to illustrate the problematic influence of these groups, Shaked explained that the U.N. report on Operation Protective Edge, "which accused Israel of war crimes and intentionally targeting civilians, was based on testimonies from organizations like B'Tselem, Breaking the Silence and Adalah." Kulanu faction chairman Roy Folkman said that the bill had undergone last-minute changes, wherein the clause stipulating a fine for NGO representatives who did not comply with nametag rules was removed. "We believe that criminal sanctions for someone who fails to wear a tag are an exaggeration, so we were stubborn about having that removed," Folkman said. Some left-wing party members voiced sharp criticism of the bill. Meretz leader Zahava Galon said the bill "means the hunt continues -- the persecution and gagging of organizations that challenge government policy. This McCarthyism reminds me of dark times." Zionist Union MK Tzipi Livni said that she is "in favor of transparency, but for everyone. I want to know which foreign entities fund all NGOs -- including [right-wing group] Im Tirtzu." Peace Now, which organized a rally against the bill in front of Shaked's Tel Aviv home on Saturday, released a statement saying, "Now, at a time when extremist right-wing groups are threatening our democracy, the justice minister chooses to advance a law against the Left with the purpose of limiting freedom of expression and singling out NGOs that oppose government policy."
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שיתוף כתבה
Justice minister blasts left-wing NGOs: Lies are weapons
Ministerial committee to review transparency bill seeking to label NGOs that receive more than 50% of their funding from entities abroad • Meretz head Zahava Galon: Bill supports persecution and gagging of organizations that challenge government policy.