The European Green Party is calling for the rejection of the legislation which would place a ruinous 80% tax on Israeli non-governmental organisations (NGOs) which receive international funding.
In a preliminary vote, the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, today approved legislation which would levy an 80% tax on NGOs who receive foreign funding. The Association of Civil Rights in Israel accused the government of attacking liberal civil society groups while leaving right-wing organisations untouched.
The proposed legislation would pose an existential threat to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working on human rights in Israel and Palestine. Almost all of those organisations receive foreign funding, including from the European Union and its member states. This legislation would particularly impact human rights groups working in the Occupied Palestinian Territories such as B’Tselem and Breaking the Silence, which have long been targeted by the Israeli right.
This legislation was proposed by MK Ariel Kallner, who is a member of the ruling party Likud which just last week joined ‘Patriots for Europe’ as an observer member.
Vula Tsetsi, Co-Chair of the European Green Party (EGP) said: “This bill is the latest in a long line of attempts to restrict the vital work of human rights organisations in Israel and Palestine, who play a vital role in upholding Israeli democracy. Previous attempts have been shelved following an international outcry. The same must urgently happen now, especially as the EU meets with Israeli officials at the EU–Israel Association Council next week. The EU and its member states cannot leave this issue unaddressed, and must instead make urgent use of the resources available to them to firmly object to this undemocratic law.”
Ciarán Cuffe, Co-Chair of the EGP concluded: “This proposed tax will make it difficult, if not impossible to fund humanitarian NGOs in Israel. If passed, the law will affect all organisations working on human rights, peacebuilding, and a two-state solution. This attempt to silence human rights organisations must be rejected. We see a tendency, by Trump in the US, the European People's Party in the EU, and Netanyahu's government in Israel, to reduce the voices of NGOs and civil society. These voices are crucial and as Greens, we will always defend them.”
