Meretz MK Nitzan Horowitz has just issued a press release, condemning the attempt by right-wing Knesset members to create a parliamentary inquiry committee to look into the actions of the New Israel Fund. The aim, of course, is to intimidate the New Israel Fund, in an attempt to silence its important voice. Here is MK Horowitz’s statement as I’ve translated it:
Inquiry Committee against the New Israel Fund – Political Persecution of the Most Dangerous Kind
MK Nitzan Horowitz has warned against the attack on free speech in Israel being conducted by the far right and being encouraged by parts of the Kadima party.
“The persecution of human rights organizations in Israel has become a dangerous hobby, both in and out of the Knesset. Now elements in Kadima are also joining this witch hunt, with a dangerous proposal whose single goal is intimidation and the silencing of public discourse in Israel.
“Whoever in Israel is engaged in defending minorities, human rights, and freedom of expression has become a target for persecution on the part of the Netanyahu-Barak-Lieberman-Yishai coalition. Now joining these efforts are segments of Kadima, whose real place is on the extreme right.
“The New Israel Fund is one of the most important socially-minded organizations in the country. Civil society in Israel would be unimaginable without its years of contribution. The incitement campaign against it is political persecution of the most dangerous kind.”
I hope everyone who cares for democracy in Israel will take a moment to help us rebut this smear campaign.
Anti-Defamation League head Abraham Foxman says in New York Jewish Week that the Im Tirtzu campaign is an “outrageous broadside…it is absurd to blame Goldstone on NIF.”
Rabbi David Saperstein of the Reform Action Center says “In their twisted attribution of blame for the Goldstone Report to the NIF, these attackers are trying to delegitimize the New Israel Fund in much the same way that the Goldstone Report is being used to delegitimize Israel in the eyes of the world.”
Even Christians United for Israel (CUFI) spokesperson Ari Morgenstern distanced CUFI from Im Tirtzu’s ad campaign, “Although we are often demonized by our critics, CUFI never demonizes those with whom we disagree, and we object when anyone does.”
And two Maariv reporters rebutted the claims of their own paper, pointing out that only 14% of citations are from Israeli human rights groups, and that there are over 450 Israeli sources in the Goldstone report, including statements by Israeli generals, politicians and even (oh my) Maariv itself!
(English translation here: http://coteret.com/2010/02/03/two-senior-maariv-reporters-attack-the-anti-nif-campaign-sponsored-by-their-newspaper/)
We’ve asked all supporters of NIF and democracy to email Prime Minister Netanyahu to stop this bill before then. Please share this link far and wide: http://nif.org/bibi
Right now, we are all Naomi Chazan!
Stuart