Background

Since 2009, the Israeli public, media, government and Knesset (legislature) have been conducting an intense debate on massive foreign government funding for highly political non-governmental organizations (NGOs). This ongoing conversation and various legislative initiatives have attempted to address the manipulation of Israeli democracy by foreign governments through NGO funding, and on the influence of these groups.

The resources provided below deal with the core questions and present the basic facts, to promote a more informed and substantive discussion on these complex issues.

Essential background:

• Report: NGOs in Israel 101: Background to the Debate and FAQs, November 15, 2011
• Table: Foreign Government Funding for Israeli Political NGOs 2009/2010, November 15, 2011
• Report: The Israeli NGO Transparency Bill – Essential Background and Translation, August 17, 2010

Reports and analysis

• NGO Legislation: Factsheet on Government Funding, November 2, 2015
• NGO Transparency Law Update: NGO Reports to the Israeli Registrar of Non-Profits, 2012-2014, February 8, 2015
• NGO Transparency Law update: NGO reports to Israeli Registrar of Non-Profits in 2012, February 4, 2013
• Knesset NGO Transparency Bill: Status update, November 16, 2011
• Foreign Government Funding for Israeli Political NGOs 2009/2010, November 15, 2011
• NGOs in Israel 101: Background to the debate and FAQs, November 15, 2011
• Changes in NIF Funding – 2010 Grants, September 7, 2011
• Background and Analysis Regarding Knesset “Anti-Boycott Law” July 13, 2011
• Analysis of European Parliament Plenary Session September 8, 2010: “Draft bill on Israeli NGOs”
• Selections from MEP statements during the debate on September 8, 2010
• The New Israeli NGO Transparency Bill- Essential Background and Translation, August 17, 2010
• NGO Letter to MEPs Distorts Israeli Legislation and Context, March 3, 2010

Translations of Proposed Legislation

• Income of Public Institutions Receiving Donations from A Foreign State Entity, December 1, 2011
• Law for the Prevention of Harm to the State of Israel through Boycotts, July 11, 2011
• Amendment – Banning Support by a Foreign State Entity, June 2011
• Taxation of public institutions that receive donations from a Foreign State Entity, June 2011
• NGO Transparency Bill, August 2010

NGO Monitor op-eds

• What are you hiding? NGOs, funding and websites, Naftali Balanson, Jerusalem Post, August 6, 2012
• Mouthpieces for Europe, Anne Herzberg and Naftali Balanson, Ynetnews.com, November 20, 2011
• Time to focus on transparency, Gerald Steinberg and Jason Edelstein, Haaretz, July 22, 2011
• BDS and limited boycotts: a distinction without a difference?, Gerald Steinberg, Bitterlemons, July 21, 2011
• Transparency for NGOs is not anti-democratic, Gerald M. Steinberg, Haaretz, February 23, 2011
• NGO inquiry committee has wrong focus, framework, Jason Edelstein and Gerald Steinberg, JTA, January 12, 2011
• Europe needs a parliamentary inquiry on NGO funding, Gerald M. Steinberg, Jerusalem Post, January 9, 2011
• A window into Europe, Asher Fredman, Jerusalem Post, September 14, 2010
• NGO transparency will protect democracy, Gerald Steinberg, Jerusalem Post, August 19, 2010
• The real danger to Israel´s civic society, Gerald Steinberg and Asher Fredman, Haaretz, August 6, 2010
• The battle for democracy, Asher Fredman, Ynetnews.com, May 27, 2010
• Not quite free, Gerald Steinberg, Jerusalem Post, April 14, 2010
• Right of Reply: Who’s afraid of NGO Monitor?, Naftali Balanson, Jerusalem Post, December 3, 2009
• Gerald Steinberg on European funding for Israeli NGOs, Gerald Steinberg, Rosners Domain, December 2, 2009
• Manipulating the marketplace of ideas, Gerald M. Steinberg, Haaretz, November 27, 2009
• Transparency, not ban, is the way to handle foreign NGO funding, Gerald M. Steinberg, Jerusalem Post, August 2, 2009

NGO Monitor in the Media

• Undermining Democracy, Editorial, The Forward, November 21, 2011
• Recklessness and Recklessness, Ben-Dror Yemeni, NRG, November 18, 2011 (Hebrew)
• Two Bills Take Aim at Left-Wing NGOs in Israel, Marcy Oster, JTA, November 17, 2011
• A Slippery Slope, Editorial, Jerusalem Post, November 15, 2011
• Israeli Legislation Limiting Foreign Government Funding of NGOs Causes Stir, Philanthropy News Center, November 15, 2011
• Critics of Knesset NGO Bills Say Israel’s Democracy Being Undermined, Marcy Oster, JTA, November 14, 2011
• Israeli Government Backs Limits on Financing for Nonprofit Groups, Ethan Bronner, New York Times, November 13, 2011
• NGOs: Bill a ‘Shameful Moment’ for Israel, Joanna Parasczuk, Jerusalem Post, November 13, 2011
• Knesset Committee to Vote on Bill Limiting Foreign Funding for NGOs, JTA, November 9, 2011
• The Danger of Foreign Funding, MK Tzipi Hotovely, Israel HaYom, November 9, 2011 (Hebrew)
• No Transparency in NGO Funding, Dennis Mitzer, Jerusalem Post blog, October 18, 2011
• NGO Monitor Slams Belgium Funds for ‘Anti-Israel’ Group, Benjamin Weinthal, Jerusalem Post, August 14, 2011
• A-G will defend Boycott Law despite ‘legal difficulties,’ Lahav Harkov and Joanna Parasczuk, Jerusalem Post, July 13, 2011
• Middle East Media Sampler #6 ,Daniel Goldstein, IDC Gloria Center, July 14, 2011
• Strike Down the Anti-Boycott Law, Totally Jewish, July 14, 2011
• Backlash as Israel gags boycotters, Simon Rocker and Anshel Pfeffer, The Jewish Chronicle, July 14, 2011
• Gush Shalom: Boycott Law ‘death’ of freedom of expression, Lahav Harkov and Joanna Paraszczuk, Jerusalem Post, July 13, 2011
• A-G will defend Boycott Law despite ‘legal difficulties, Lahav Harkov and Joanna Paraszczuk, Jerusalem Post, July 13, 2011
• Knesset c’tee approves bill outlawing boycotts on Israel, Lahav Harkov, Jerusalem Post, June 28, 2011
• Expose NGOs – democratically, Editorial, Jerusalem Post, June 27, 2011
• Balancing NGOs democratically, Editorial, Jerusalem Post, February 25, 2011
• Israel looks out for itself, Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post, February 24, 2011
• Knesset enacts law requiring NGO funding transparency, JTA, February 22, 2011
• ISRAEL: NGOs must disclose foreign governmental funding, new bill says, Batsheva Sobelman, Los Angeles Times, February 22, 2011
• Foreign Government NGO Funding Transparency Bill, Jonathan Hoffman, Jewish Chronicle, February 3, 2011
• Does Arab Money Fund Left-wing Israeli NGOs?, Nathan Jeffay, The Forward, January 19, 2011
• Proposed law to probe Israeli rights groups prompts fierce criticism in Israel, Leslie Susser, JTA, January 12, 2011
• Jerusalem slams EU session on Knesset NGO bill, Benjamin Weinthal, Jerusalem Post, September 15, 2010
• EU warns Israel over anti-NGO bill, Leigh Phillips, EU Observer, September 9, 2010
• EU accused of meddling in Israeli democracy, Leigh Phillips, EU Observer, June 30, 2010
• Steinberg: NGO funding in Arab-Israeli conflict ineffective, counterproductive, Dan Slobodkin, Jerusalem Dispatch, June 28, 2010
• Knesset Bill Would Expose Foreign Backers Of NGOs, Stewart Ain, The New York Jewish Week, April 07, 2010
• Israeli Rights Groups View Themselves as Under Siege, Isabel Kershner, New York Times, April 5, 2010
• The European lobby in Israel, Seth J. Frantzman, Jerusalem Post, February 23, 2010
• Israeli NGOs: Foreign political funding bill is pointless, Ben Hartman, Jerusalem Post, February 16, 2010
• NGO Monitor turns to EU court for transparency, Dan Izenberg, Jerusalem Post, January 21, 2010
• Watchdog group sues EU, JTA, January 20, 2010
• Israeli watchdog sues EU over NGO funding, AP, January 20, 2010
• ‘European funding of Israeli NGOs isn’t ‘meddling’ in policy’, Herb Keinon, Jerusalem Post, December 30, 2009
• Israel targets foreign gov’t NGO funds, Herb Keinon, Jerusalem Post, July 31, 2009

NGO Monitor Press Releases

• NGO Funding at Center of Israeli Debate, November 13, 2011
• Statement Regarding Proposed Legislation to End Government Funding to NGOs, November 9, 2011
• Wikileaks: US Cable Quotes NGO Monitor, September 5, 2011
• Background Regarding Proposed Legislation to End Government Funding to NGOs, June 14, 2011
• Statement and Background on New Initiative Impacting NGOs and National Service Volunteers, June 12, 2011
• Ha’aretz Corrects Inaccurate Report on NGO Debate in European Parliament, March 9, 2011
• NGO Monitor Statement on Foreign Government NGO Funding Transparency Law, February 22, 2011
• Knesset Committee Passes Foreign Government NGO Funding Transparency Bill, August 17, 2010
• NGO Monitor President to Address EU Parliament Committee, June 23, 2010
• Israel Watchdog Group Sues European Union for “Transparency Failure”, January 20, 2010
• NGO Monitor research to be featured at Knesset conference on foreign funding for NGOs, November 30, 2009
• NGO Monitor executive director to testify at Knesset session , June 11, 2007