[Opinion] Europe's Strange Bedfellows
The EU and European governments must openly and honestly explain to the Israeli public and their own taxpayers what motivates funding to highly politicized NGOs.
The EU and European governments must openly and honestly explain to the Israeli public and their own taxpayers what motivates funding to highly politicized NGOs.
Yesh Din, an Israeli political advocacy NGO funded extensively by foreign governments, issued a report today calling for Israeli legislation to codify war crimes in Israeli law as a means to punish Israeli soldiers.
The EU transfers hundreds of millions of euros annually, in non-transparent processes, to political advocacy NGOs, many of which engage in activities contradictory to EU policy goals.
Prof. Steinberg describes the role of Norwegian-funded Palestinian Center for Human Rights in leading the campaign to to demonize Israel and label Israelis as war criminals at the International Criminal Court.
Instead of proceeding to legislative proposals, says Prof. Gerald Steinberg, Knesset members should hold hearings and invite European officials to explain double standards and huge budgets for fringe Israeli political advocacy NGOs.
Breaking the Silence uses the money it receives from European governments, largely through secret processes, for ideological campaigns outside of Israel. And their allegations ignore the complex moral dilemmas facing IDF soldiers every day.
BTselems claim to distinguish between civilian and combat deaths in this report is based on manipulated definitions and speculation, and the application of existing legal standards would result in very different conclusions.
Prof. Gerald Steinberg analyzes the implications of the British Board of Deputies' partnership with Oxfam Great Britain, and predicts that future Oxfam statements attacking Israel will trigger a very divisive conflict within the Jewish community.