Finally, Shaked dealt with the objections based on damage to the freedom of association and occupation, saying it was nothing but an excuse. She reiterated that the proposed bill is simply logical, forcing groups who promote political interests to identify who outside the country is paying for it.
“The original sin of those NGOs that are so vociferous in objecting to this law is precisely the sin that you on the left would not admit, which is what this law is exposing. These NGOs, that won’t stop screaming, are not here to promote Israeli interests, nor are they driven by an Israeli concept of what’s good for us, neither from a left-wing nor from a right-wing perspective. These NGOs are serving foreign interests. They are financed by the taxpayers in foreign countries, dancing to the tune of the governments that fund them.”
Shaked mentioned one example of such grotesque foreign influence: following the 2008-9 Cast Lead operation against Gaza, the Dutch church organization ICCO wanted to send Breaking the Silence 42,000 euro (roughly $47,000), on one condition: they required no fewer than 90 incriminating testimonies against IDF soldiers.
“If you find the math too difficult, I’ll tell you that it comes down to 466 euro ($521) for every Israeli soldier’s head,” Shaked said, adding, “that’s what an IDF soldier is worth to Breaking the Silence. It’s those money transfers that anyone objecting to the new law is trying to protect. That’s the freedom of association in whose name you speak today, these are the fields of occupation you try to promote.”
MK Dov Khenin, the only Jewish member of the United Arab List, attacked the NGO Transparency law with an honesty one doesn’t often hear on the left. He argued that Prime Minister Netanyahu “remembers well the Rabin government that relied on outside support from the votes of the Arab public. He understands that if he wants to rule he has to remove the Arabs from the political map and the political discourse. This is why he is so invested in this delegitimization campaign that began with the election day lie about the Arabs flooding the voting booths, moved on to Arab MKs who supposedly are in lockstep with ISIS, and continues with the current incitement round.”
Interestingly, the MK Khenin speech could have easily been carried by Bayit Yehudi MK Bezalel Smotrich, with a few tweaks in style and direction.
MK Yael German (Yesh Atid) responded to Shaked’s argument saying, “The Justice Minister says we don’t understand Democracy, so she should add that the President of the United States also doesn’t know what’s democracy, and neither do the European Union, the Conservative and Reform movements and world Jewish organizations — they all don’t understand what’s Democracy, only she does.”
Couldn’t have put it better ourselves.