Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday told a cabinet meeting that he still supports Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked’s transparency legislation regarding Israeli NGO that receive funding from foreign organizations and governments — but would like to drop the part about forcing their representatives in the Knesset to wear special tags.
As to the bill itself, Netanyahu reiterated his point that increased transparency couldn’t possibly be anti-democratic. “In a democratic system we need to know who is paying for the NGOs, both left and right, up and down, and their receiving funding from [foreign] governments is definitely something the public is entitled to know” he said. Netanyahu suggested that, besides dropping the requirement to wear tags, “the bill should require reporting starting with the first shekel or the first dollar coming from foreign governments, and this way we’ll match our law with what is accepted in the US.”
Minister Shaked responded that she would consider the suggestion favorably.
Originally, the Shaked bill only required an NGO to report its funding sources if more than 50% of it comes from foreign sources. Netanyahu agreed with the fine of about $7,500 for violating the transparency law.
Regarding a meeting of the EU foreign ministers Monday to discuss increasing the division between the treatment of pre- and post-1967 Israel, Netanyahu said, “I hope that the discussions of EU foreign ministers will not result in the continued double standard regarding Israel. The attacks against Israel will not help the European Union become a partner in the Middle east negotiations. It is not right and we will not accept it.”