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European Governments Meddle in Israeli Domestic Politics

[Jerusalem Post] Gerald M. Steinberg - When foreign governments team up with and provide financial support to private Israeli groups in order to oppose policies that are set by democratically elected leaders, this is a violation of Israel's sovereignty. The British Embassy in Tel Aviv is funding an Israeli NGO, "Bimkom - Planners for Planning Rights," to study the impact of the security barrier on Palestinian villages caught in the middle. In response, the Israeli Foreign Ministry stated: "It is interference by Britain in an internal Israeli matter. How would they react in London if our embassy was to fund research on a British organization that is trying to promote an agenda that is critical of [the government]?" For years, European governments have provided funding to Israeli domestic political groups. The new Israeli government willingness to confront such anti-democratic manipulation by European governments marks an important step. Israeli representatives should bring a detailed file on the funding provided for politicized NGOs to every meeting with European leaders. Europe cannot continue to provide funding designed to undermine the Israeli government's positions, both internally and in the international arena. The writer heads the Program on Conflict Management at Bar-Ilan University and is the executive director of NGO Monitor.
2007-02-21 01:00:00
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