<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[Occupied Palestine | فلسطين]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[occupiedpalestine]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com/author/hajarhajar/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[Netanyahu’s office parrots baseless spin on foreign funding of&nbsp;NGOs]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<p class="byline"><abbr class="published" title="Sunday, January 23rd, 2011, 3:44 am">Sunday, January 23 2011<span class="author vcard">|<span class="url fn n">Roi Maor | +972 Magazine<br />
</span></span></abbr></p>
<div class="inner-title">
<h1 class="post-title single-title entry-title"><a title="Netanyahu’s office parrots baseless spin on foreign funding of NGOs" rel="bookmark" href="http://972mag.com/netanyahus-office-parrots-baseless-spin-on-foreign-funding-of-ngos/">&nbsp;</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://972mag.com/netanyahus-office-parrots-baseless-spin-on-foreign-funding-of-ngos/"><img src='https://occupiedpalestine.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/roimaor.jpg' alt='' /></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;<br />
</a></h1>
<p><span class="inner-title_decor"> </span></div>
<div class="entry-content">
<div class="entry-data">
<p>The <a href="http://972mag.com/hard-right-hearts-human-rights/">fierce backlash</a> against <a href="http://972mag.com/knesset-committee-on-un-israeli-activities/">attacks on Israeli human rights NGOs</a> has pushed to the front an old argument against foreign funding for these groups. Various right wing <a class="external" href="http://www.haokets.org/2011/01/12/%D7%93%D7%A0%D7%99-%D7%95%D7%93%D7%A0%D7%99-%D7%98%D7%95%D7%A2%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%95%D7%9E%D7%98%D7%A2%D7%99%D7%9D/" target="_blank">columnists and politicians</a> have been parroting it, but now you hear it from <a class="external" href="http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2043016,00.html#ixzz1Bbj7Ndtz" target="_blank">Netanyahu’s office</a> as well:</p>
<div class="blockquote_wrapper"><span class="blockquote_decor ind-quote"> </span></p>
<blockquote><p>As  for questioning the legitimacy of foreign government funding of Israeli  NGOs, mentioning America’s Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA) may  have presented a more balanced picture… It is hard to imagine any  democratic country accepting foreign governments intervening in its  domestic affairs by funding domestic groups engaged not merely in  criticism of a particular government’s policy but also attacking the  very foundations of the State.</p></blockquote>
</div>
<p>Ron Kampeas <a class="external" href="http://blogs.jta.org/politics/article/2011/01/20/2742643/ron-dermer-ngo-funding-and-fara" target="_blank">tears this argument apart</a> quite effectively, and I have just two comments to add.</p>
<p>First, “attacking the very foundations of the State”? Are you  serious? B’tselem, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel,  Physicians for Human Rights – these groups are attacking the foundations  of the state? This statement proves the very point the PM’s office is  trying to counter. Democracy is in serious crisis when the head of  government considers calls to restrain the military and avoid harm to  non-combatants as an attack on the very foundations of the state.</p>
<p>Second, the comparison to FARA is ridiculous, as Kampeas notes. But you do not have to take my word for it. Just look at the <a class="external" href="http://www.fara.gov/links/quick-search.html" target="_blank">list of entities registered under that act</a>.  You will not find a single human rights organization there. But, you  might say, this just proves that foreign governments would not be so  brazen as to fund groups advocating controversial policy change in the  US.</p>
<p>You would be wrong. In 2009, for example, the EU gave 2.6 million  Euros to six groups advocating for abolishing the death penalty in the  US (Murder Victim’s Families for Human Rights, Death Penalty Information  Center, American Bar Association Fund for Justice and Education,  Reprieve, Witness to Innocence Corporation, National Coalition to  Abolish the Death Penalty). One of these groups, Reprieve, was even  given money to mobilize public opinion in Europe against the American  use of capital punishment.</p>
<p><a class="external" href="http://www.gallup.com/poll/1606/death-penalty.aspx" target="_blank">Two thirds</a> of Americans, both major parties, and almost all members of congress,  support the death penalty. The EU is investing millions each year in  advancing a politically marginal position, supported by a relatively  small minority of Americans. None of the groups funded by the EU are  registered under FARA (again, <a class="external" href="http://www.fara.gov/links/quick-search.html" target="_blank">see for yourself</a>).  Also, no one in the US thinks this situation is outrageous, forms a  committee of inquiry on this issue, or promotes legislation against  these NGOs.</p>
<p>So, no, Netanyahu, what is happening in Israel is not “normal,” and  other nations in the same situation, including the US, react quite  differently.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="entry-meta-tags"><span class="post_tag tags"><span class="meta-prep meta-prep-tags"></span><br />
</span></div>
<p><a href="http://972mag.com/netanyahus-office-parrots-baseless-spin-on-foreign-funding-of-ngos/">Netanyahu’s office parrots baseless spin on foreign funding of NGOs</a>.</p>
]]></html><thumbnail_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/roimaor.jpg?fit=440%2C330]]></thumbnail_url><thumbnail_width><![CDATA[]]></thumbnail_width><thumbnail_height><![CDATA[]]></thumbnail_height></oembed>