Knesset to Vote on Proposal to Investigate Organizations Critical of Israeli Military

[freepalestine]

Knesset to Vote on Proposal to Investigate Organizations Critical of Israeli Military

Wednesday January 05, 2011 15:13 by Ramona M. - IMEMC & Agencies

The Knesset will vote on Wednesday on a proposal initiated by Yisrael Beiteinu to establish a committee of inquiry into groups that are critical of human rights violations committed by the Israeli military.
http://www.revleft.com/vb/../attachments/jan2011/the_israeli_knesset_in_session.jpg
(Eric Feferberg/AFP/Getty Images)

According to Haaretz, the proposal has the backing of a majority in the Knesset, including Likud, Shas, Habayit Hayehudi, National Union and United Torah Judaism.

"For a decade now, a coalition of international groups has been active, in cooperation with Israeli organizations, while taking advantage of discourse on human rights, with the goal of damaging the legitimacy of the activities of IDF soldiers, encouraging draft-dodging and branding IDF soldiers and commanders as war criminals," Yisrael Beiteinu's initiative states. The proposal also says the committee should "check what the sources of funding are for this anti-Israeli activity."

MK Nitzan Horowitz from Merez is critical of such a proposal. According to Horowtiz, the purpose of forming such a committee is to silence criticism, calling it, "a brutal act of political persecution using a coalition majority and Knesset funding, under the legal guise of an investigation committee."

"Human rights and citizens rights group save the honor of Israel in the world and maintain its character as a democratic state," he said. "It is moves like that being led by Yisrael Beiteinu that lead to Israel's delegitimization in the world and present Israeli democracy as fake. All to whom Israeli democracy is dear must oppose this committee of persecution."

Sixteen human rights groups signed an open letter protesting the initiative, including ACRI, B'Tselem, Yesh Din, Machsom Watch, Adalah, Mossawa Center, Ir Amim and Hotline for Migrant Workers.

"Investigate us all, we have nothing to hide. You are invited to read our reports and our publications. We will be happy if for a change you relate in a germane way to our questions instead of trying to besmirch us. It did not work in the past and it will not work this time," the letter said.

The executive director of The Association for Civil Rights in Israel, Hagai Elad, said yesterday: "What exactly do the Yisrael Beiteinu lawmakers think - that whenever they don't like criticism of government policy, they'll establish an investigative committee or try to advance legislation to shut people up?"
http://imemc.org/article/60352

[freepalestine]

Israeli lawmakers approve ‘McCarthy-esque’ panel to probe ‘left-wing’ groups

By Eric W. Dolan


Raw Story (http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/01/israeli-govt-sets-macarthyesque-panel-investigate-leftwing-groups/), January 5, 2011

Israeli left-wing organizations warned that the legislatures approval of a commission to investigate certain non-governmental organizations (NGOs) would "destroy democracy" in the nation.
The Knesset plenum approved a proposal by members of the rightwing Yisrael Beiteinu party Wednesday to investigate the sources of funding for left-wing NGO's accused of working against the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
"The delegitimization of left-wing organizations by establishing this McCarthy-esque commission will bring Israel negative coverage from around the world," Knesset member Dov Henin said while the bill was being debated, according to The Jerusalem Post (http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?ID=202356&R=R1).
The NGOs targeted for investigation were being blamed for material provided to the United Nation's Goldstone commission, which investigated violations of international human rights law during the Gaza war. The Goldstone report accused both the IDF and Palestinian militants of war crimes, but heavily criticized Israeli forces for a disproportionate military response.
The NGOs "are behind the indictments lodged against Israeli officers and officials around the world" and "are responsible for branding IDF soldiers as war criminals and encourage defamations," Knesset member Fania Kirshenbaum said.
Forty-seven members of the Knesset voted in favor of the proposal, while 16 voted against it. The bill was to be considered next by the Knesset House Committee before being returned to the full Knesset for another vote.
The New Israel Fund, which describes itself as the leading organization committed to equality and democracy for all Israelis, said the investigative commission "proved how much the status of democracy has deteriorated in Israel – even in the house of legislators."
"The political persecution of human rights group will cause great damage to Israel and across the world, and will lead to the delegitimization [of Israel] and the representation of it as a Marxist state in which a witch hunt is taking place," they added.
In response to the proposed commission, 16 Israeli NGOs issued a joint statement saying they had "nothing to hide."
"Investigate us all, we have nothing to hide," the letter (http://www.jewishjournal.com/israel/article/knesset_approves_probe_of_left-wing_groups_20110105/)said. "You are invited to read our reports and our publications. We will be happy if for a change you relate in a germane way to our questions instead of trying to besmirch us. It did not work in the past and it will not work this time."



:: Article nr. 73606 sent on 05-jan-2011 23:33 ECT


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