NGO Transparency Law update: NGO reports to Israeli Registrar of Non-Profits in 2012
NGO Monitor’s initial report was based on the information published on the Israeli Registrar of Non-Profits website as of January 27, 2013. The Registrar’s website has since been updated with additional information, included in our report, as of February 11, 2013.
Contrary to claims made by B’Tselem in the Jerusalem Post, until 2 days after NGO Monitor originally published this report, February 5, 2013, B’Tselem’s website only listed foreign government donations for 2011. On February 5, B’Tselem added the quarterly reports for 2012. (This can be verified based on the date of the webpage and the dates of the PDFs posted on it.) Additionally, for unknown reasons, B’Tselem’s submissions for the 2nd quarter of 2012 do not appear on the Registrar’s website.
Donations to Adalah were not listed on the Registrar of Non-Profits website until after NGO Monitor’s first report was published (February 3)
All donors, names, grants amounts, and projects are taken directly from the official website of the Israeli Registrar of Non-Profits
Transparency regarding government funding for NGOs transcends partisan ideology, and is essential for ensuring the values of democracy and accountability.
NGOs receive funding via two primary channels: direct funding from bodies controlled by foreign governments; and indirect funding, provided by governments to third-parties (foundations, and humanitarian, development, and religious NGOs), which channel the funds to local NGOs.
The “Law on Disclosure Requirements For [Groups] Supported by a Foreign Governmental Body” (NGO Transparency Law – February 2011) provides an appropriate framework to inform the Israeli public, in a timely fashion, about foreign government involvement in Israeli political issues.
As implemented by the Israeli Ministry of Justice, the law is an international model for transparency. According to the law, a “recipient of support that received a donation from a Foreign Governmental Body will submit to the Registrar, within a week of the end of the quarter in which the donation was received, a report in an amutot18@justice.gov.il" target="_blank">online form which the Minister of Justice will formulate.”
Data
The Israeli Registrar of Non-Profits (Rasham Amutot) lists foreign government funding submissions from 31 NGOs in the total amount of 40,126,562 NIS annually (see appendix I).
The listed NGOs can be categorized according to the nature of their activities:
1. NGOs involved in polarizing activity and political advocacy in the context of the Arab-Israeli conflict.
2. NGOs dealing with different dimensions of the Arab-Israeli conflict, with the majority of activity aimed at cooperation and co-existence.
3. Other Non-Profits, dealing with various issues in Israeli society.
As of February 11, 2013, 14 political advocacy NGOs reported grants from foreign government bodies in 2012, totaling 25,881,545 NIS for the year (64.5% of total amount):
· These groups are B’Tselem, Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHR-I), Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI), Yesh Din, Bimkom, Ir Amim, Keshev, Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI), Hamoked, Social TV, Geneva Initiative (H.L Education), Rabbis for Human Rights (RHR), and Gisha.
· Many other political advocacy NGOs that regularly receive funding from foreign governments did not submit quarterly reports for 2012. It is unknown whether they did not receive foreign government funding during the reporting period, whether they have failed to act in accordance with the law, or whether they did not report due technical issues in the reporting system.
· The added transparency in 2012 reveals major funding by Norway (5,901,260 NIS) and via the NGO Development Center-NDC (4,310,499 NIS),1 which comprise 22.8% and 16.7% of reported grants respectively. (see appendix II)
· Some of the donors (conduits for indirect government support), such as Christian Aid, Diakonia, Oxfam Novib and the Norwegian Refugee Council, are also involved in highly biased delegitimization campaigns against Israel.
Reported foreign funding to political advocacy NGOs, by donor
Reported foreign funding for the year 2012 by NGO
NGO |
Total (NIS) |
1. B’Tselem |
4,655,527 |
2. Yesh Din |
4,424,234 |
3. The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) |
3,614,668 |
4. Hamoked |
3,382,893 |
5. Bimkom |
2,039,722 |
6. Public Committee against Torture – Israel (PCATI) |
1,961,352 |
7. Gisha |
1,632,285 |
8. Ir Amim |
1,055,806 |
9. Rabbis for Human Rights (RHR) |
982,049 |
10. Physicians for Human Rights – Israel (PHR-I) |
682,667 |
11. Keshev |
492,452 |
12. H.L Education (Geneva Initiative) |
390,662 |
13. Adalah |
311,352 |
14. Social TV |
255,876 |
Appendix 1 – List of All NGOs and Total Received
NGO |
Annual Amount (NIS) |
B’tselem |
4,655,527 |
Yesh Din |
4,424,234 |
Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) |
3,614,668 |
Hamoked |
3,382,893 |
Rabbeinu Chaim Huri Yeshiva |
2,480,000 |
Bimkom |
2,039,722 |
Public Committee against Torture – Israel (PCATI) |
1,961,352 |
Gisha |
1,632,285 |
Israel Festival |
1,557,262 |
Mifalot |
1,116,259 |
Ir Amim |
1,055,806 |
Abraham Fund Initiative |
1,012,951 |
Kav Laoved |
992,294 |
Rabbis for Human Rights (RHR) |
982,049 |
Assaf |
927,107 |
Merchavim |
724,838 |
Economic Cooperation Foundation |
721,721 |
Peres Center for Peace |
706,602 |
Mifgash |
669,704 |
Macro Center |
617,575 |
B’Zchut |
570,001 |
Keshev |
492,452 |
Physicians for Human Rights – Israel (PHR-I) |
682,667 |
Sikkuy |
452,319 |
MPHS |
444,295 |
Moked Siua |
420,068 |
H.L Education (Geneva Initiative) |
390,662 |
Israeli Center to International Immigration |
375,056 |
Keren Rashi |
313,216 |
Adalah |
311,352 |
Social TV |
255,876 |
Copro- Documentary Marketing Foundation |
143,749 |
Total |
40,126,562 |
Appendix 2 – Detailed List of Grants and Projects to Political Israeli NGOs
Norway
Donor |
NGO |
Grant (NIS) |
Grant Purpose |
Total |
Norway (Direct or via Embassy) |
Hamoked |
962,773 |
Legal assistance for Palestinian human rights in the occupied territories |
4,791,460 |
ACRI |
1,026,958 |
Promoting Human Rights for East Jerusalem residents |
||
Ir Amim |
513,478 |
Monitoring and Advocacy |
||
Gisha |
674,763 |
Promoting the organization’s objectives |
||
H.L Education |
390,662 |
Educational Activities aimed to promote the chances to reach an Israeli-Palestinian agreement |
||
Yesh Din |
1,222,826 |
Law enforcement + Lands project 2013 |
||
Norwegian Refugee Council |
Yesh Din |
90,840 |
Lands project |
1,109,800 |
192,280 |
Lands project |
|||
79,927 |
Law enforcement- Lands |
|||
Hamoked |
310,628 |
Palestinians freedom of movement in the West Bank |
||
284,925 |
Palestinians freedom of movement in the West Bank |
|||
151,200 |
Legal assistance for Palestinian human rights in the occupied territories, focus on freedom of movement in the West Bank |
NGO Development Center (NDC)
Donor |
NGO |
Grant (NIS) |
Grant Purpose |
Total |
NDC (Denmark, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland) |
Bimkom |
321,847 |
Planning rights in Area C |
4,310,499 |
373,860 |
Promoting the planning rights of Palestinians villages in Area C |
|||
PCATI |
43,727 |
Overall organization activity |
||
420,760 |
Overall organization activity |
|||
526,852 |
Overall organization activity |
|||
Hamoked |
419,524 |
Legal assistance for Palestinian human rights in the occupied territories, focus on freedom of movement in the West Bank |
||
564,039 |
Human rights of Palestinian’s hurt by the Israeli occupation |
|||
B’Tselem |
95,153 |
General Support |
||
483,597 |
General Support |
|||
358,165 |
General Support |
|||
74,706 |
General Support |
|||
Gisha |
159,377 |
Promoting the organization’s objectives |
||
ACRI |
151,816 |
Promoting Human Rights in the occupied territories |
||
241,347 |
Promoting Human Rights in the occupied territories |
|||
Adalah |
75,729 |
General Support |
European Union
Donor |
NGO |
Grant (NIS) |
Grant Purpose |
Total |
European Union or The European Commission |
Bimkom |
351,340 |
Promoting master plans for Arab towns according to their needs |
3,613,921 |
Yesh Din |
374,035 |
Security forces investigation project |
||
113,000 |
Lands project |
|||
100,800 |
Security forces investigation project |
|||
325,865 |
Lands project |
|||
391,605 |
MPCID project 2013-2014 |
|||
PCATI |
339,520 |
Training experts in documenting tortures |
||
B’Tselem |
71,163 |
Human Rights defenders project |
||
ACRI |
210,020 |
Human Rights defenders project |
||
308,260 |
Educating against racism |
|||
550,991 |
Promoting essential democracy project |
|||
RHR |
248,914 |
Legal work in south Hebron hills |
||
PHR-I |
228,408 |
Promoting health and social rights for residents with no status due to the Citizenship Law |
Germany
Donor |
NGO |
Grant (NIS) |
Grant Purpose |
Total |
EED |
B’Tselem |
742,718 |
General Support |
3,010,839 |
449,891 |
General Support |
|||
ACRI |
203,893 |
Educational and legal activity for the rights of the Arab public in Israel |
||
251,410 |
Educational and legal activity for the rights of the Arab public in Israel |
|||
PHR-I |
296,459 |
Promoting the right to health for West Bank residents |
||
Adalah |
121,865 |
Legal activities for equality |
||
Hamoked |
444,412 |
Legal assistance for Palestinian human rights in the occupied territories |
||
Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations |
Yesh Din |
250,000 |
Lands project |
Ireland
Donor |
NGO |
Grant (NIS) |
Grant Purpose |
Total |
Ireland (Direct) |
Gisha |
419,893 |
Promoting the organization’s objective |
1,138,490 |
Yesh Din |
400,000 |
MPCID project 2013 |
||
Bimkom |
318,597 |
Activities in area C and East Jerusalem |
||
Trócaire |
Gisha |
50,018 |
Promoting respect of international law among the Israeli authorities |
274,956 |
B’tselem |
224,938 |
General Support |
Sweden
Donor |
NGO |
Grant (NIS) |
Grant Purpose |
Total |
The Swedish Global Conflict Prevention pool |
Ir Amim |
542,328 |
General Support |
1,195,635 |
Diakonia |
B’Tselem |
149,147 |
international Humanitarian law |
|
ACRI |
295,309 |
Educational activity about international Humanitarian law |
||
Kvinna till Kvinna |
PCATI |
60,071 |
Legal Activity |
|
148,780 |
Legal Activity |
Denmark
Donor |
NGO |
Grant (NIS) |
Grant Purpose |
Total |
DanChurch Aid |
B’Tselem |
294,340 |
General Support |
1,192,331 |
891,859 |
General Support |
|||
6,132 |
General Support |
Netherlands
Donor |
NGO |
Grant (NIS) |
Grant Purpose |
Total |
Netherlands Embassy (Direct) |
Yesh Din |
120,300 |
Lands project + Law enforcement |
120,300 |
Cordaid |
Social TV |
222,115 |
Support for the production of Social TV’s weekly news magazine |
1,045,901 |
ICCO |
B’Tselem |
245,290 |
General Support |
|
Kierk in Actie |
ACRI |
202,596 |
Activity regarding rights in Jewish/Arab towns |
|
Oxfam Novib |
Bimkom |
300,900 |
Administrative Expenses and Fundraising |
|
Yesh Din |
75,000 |
Lands project + MPCID+ Gender Assimilation Process |
United Nations
Donor |
NGO |
Grant (NIS) |
Grant Purpose |
Total |
UN Habitat |
Bimkom |
373,178 |
Promoting master plans for Palestinian neighborhoods in East Jerusalem |
1,003,739 |
United Nations |
PCATI |
269,396 |
Legal Activity |
|
UNHCR |
PHR-I |
157,800 |
Medicine for refugees and operating the open medical clinic for refugees and asylum seekers |
|
UNDP |
Gisha |
91,165 |
Promoting the right of freedom of movement in the Palestinian territories |
|
PCATI |
112,200 |
Legal Activity in order to prevent torture and abuse |
Spain
Donor |
NGO |
Grant (NIS) |
Grant Purpose |
Total |
Direct (via AECID) |
RHR |
733,135 |
Legal work in south Hebron hills |
846,893 |
Direct (via ACSUR) |
Adalah |
113,758 |
Promoting Human Rights |
USA
Donor |
NGO |
Grant (NIS) |
Grant Purpose |
Total |
USAID (Direct) |
Keshev |
26,733 |
Periodic Activity Grant |
492,452 |
26,374 |
Periodic Activity Grant |
|||
26,396 |
Periodic Activity Grant |
|||
26,724 |
Periodic Activity Grant |
|||
386,225 |
Educational Projects advancing analytical media analysis |
|||
Catholic Relief Services (USA, UN) |
B’Tselem |
86,554 |
Video project |
297,484 |
133,750 |
Support for the video project |
|||
61,433 |
Support for the video project |
|||
The Foundation for Middle East Peace |
Social TV |
15,747 |
Support for the production of news articles |
United Kingdom
Donor |
NGO |
Grant (NIS) |
Grant Purpose |
Total |
UK (Direct) |
Yesh Din |
44,895 |
Lands project |
133,225 |
B’Tselem |
88,330 |
Support the video project |
||
Christian Aid |
B’Tselem |
198,361 |
General Support |
620,640 |
ACRI |
172,068 |
General Grant |
||
The British shalom salaam trust |
Social TV |
18,014 |
Support for the production of news articles |
|
Oxfam GB |
Gisha |
232,197 |
Promoting economic rights |
Belgium
Donor |
NGO |
Grant (NIS) |
Grant Purpose |
Total |
Belgium (Direct) |
Yesh Din |
149,670 |
Security forces investigation project |
642,934 |
243,000 |
Security forces investigation project |
|||
Hamoked |
245,392 |
Legal assistance for Palestinian’s human rights in the occupied territories, focus on East Jerusalem inhabitants |
||
Province de Hainaut |
Gisha |
4,872 |
Promoting the organization’s objective |
Finland
Donor |
NGO |
Grant (NIS) |
Grant Purpose |
Total |
KIOS |
PCATI |
40,046 |
Legal Activity |
40,046 |
Footnotes
- In 2008, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Switzerland established the Human Rights and Good Governance Secretariat (HR/GG Secretariat) run by the NGO Development Center (NDC) in Ramallah. This framework is a major source of NGO funding in Israel and the Palestinian Authority.