9 January 2011 Human
Rights Organizations targeted in Israel
Stung by its growing
criticism of its apartheid policies and brutal treatment of the Palestinians,
Israel has now taken aim at its human rights organizations. The ultra-right
wing of the Knesset has been instrumental in crafting legislation aimed at
investigating and possibly de-funding human rights organizations such as
‘Breaking the Silence (BTS).’ This group comprises of former Israel Defense
Forces (IDF) soldiers who have given eye witness accounts of their unwilling
participation in the mindless brutality and dehumanization of Palestinians.
Yehuda Shaul, a founder of
BTS, decried attempts to silence his organization “a very sad day for Israeli
democracy.”
The highly respected
Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) described the decision as a "severe blow" to
Israeli democracy designed "to weaken human rights groups and make them
less effective in exposing, questioning, and affecting government policies.”
Other organizations included
in the witch-hunting are B'Tselem, which was instrumental in exposing the war
crimes committed by Israel during the Gaza offensive in 2008.
This does not bode well for
Israel’s false claim of being a functioning democracy. Before the ‘pro-Israel
letter lobby’ pops a blood vessel, I would hasten to add that I am equally
critical of the many autocratic Muslim countries that are also propped up by
our tax dollars.
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