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Foreign states funding legal defense of anti-Netanyahu demonstrators

‘Would it be conceivable for the State of Israel to fund protection for lawbreakers protesting against the German government?” said MK Ariel Kallner.

By Aryeh Savir, TPS

Foreign countries are funding the legal defense for anti-Netanyahu protesters at the prime minister’s residence on Balfour Street in Jerusalem, a discussion at the Knesset’s Lobby for the Fight Against Delegitimization and Anti-Semitism on Tuesday revealed.

Several organizations have been holding weekly demonstrations against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while calling for his resignation in recent months. While the demonstrations are not large, they are often violent and several are arrested at every event.

“Foreign-funded entities are at the center of controversy in Israel,” Itai Reuveni, of the NGO Monitor research institute, charged in a discussion on the issue.

Lobby chairman and Knesset member Ariel Kallner warned “this is a very serious phenomenon. Would it be conceivable for the State of Israel to fund protection for lawbreakers protesting against the German government? Would the German government pass over this in silence? The issue of foreign state intervention means undermining the sovereignty of the State of Israel.”

“Various countries, most of which have diplomatic relations with Israel, are working to undermine the agenda of Israeli society while blatantly interfering in Israel’s internal political and social discourse,” he added.

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Lobby member MK Keti Shitrit spoke about “HaMoked: Center for the Defense of the Individual,” a human rights organization that works against the demolition of terrorist homes.

The organization is funded by foreign governments and implements the policies of governments that oppose the demolitions.

Shitrit noted that many human rights organizations enjoy state tax benefits while promoting boycott and delegitimization activities from Israeli soil while being funded by foreign entities.

According to the Zionist NGO Im Tirtzu, between 2014-2019, the European Union has provided over NIS 9.5 million ($2.8 million) to HaMoked in both direct and indirect funding.

There are over 300 NGOs operating in Israel which are funded by foreign governments, and primarily by the Europeans, which operate to influence Israel in various aspects, and in many cases operate against the Jewish State.