Ron Weiser and the New Israel Fund

“The New Israel Fund through its grantees has contributed to the betterment of society within Israel” says Ron Weiser, Honorary Life President of the Zionist Council of NSW. But wait there’s more…

“However in the last decade there is evidence that in terms of some of its grantees, it had lost its way as it strayed from its social and welfare activities.

Indeed, by NIF’s own statements and new guidelines late last year, it seems to have realised this.

There are certain red lines that the Zionist Council believes there is consensus on in this community.

One is the basic legitimacy and morality of the concept and existence of the “Jewish State”. And that undermining its legitimacy and morality goes against what this community stands for.Here we are not talking about the size of the State – therein is legitimate debate.

The second is that any support of the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign, Israel Apartheid Week, the attempt to equate Israel with Sth Africa during apartheid times, lawfare etc etc also crosses communal red lines.

The third is the understanding that anyone who supports the “2 State Solution” but simultaneously supports the “Palestinian Right of Return”, actually supports the end of the Jewish State.

It seems clear on past evidence that some NIF grantees such as Adalah, the Coalition of Women for Peace (CWP) and the Sheik Jarrah Solidarity Movement (SJSM)  to name but a few, cross some or all of the above red lines.

NIF grantees such as SJSM also call for the JNF and the Jewish Agency to be dissolved or fundamentally changed.

On the 6^th of April this year the CWP called for Goldstone to retract his “retraction”.

The Divestment website WhoProfits.org relied upon for its boycott list by Marrickville Council, calls for support by donations via NIF and is listed by NIF on its website as a grantee.

Adalah co-authored a report presented to the European Union in February this year which urged the EU to ‘Condition the upgrade of its relations with Israel, including any new bilateral agreement, on tangible improvements in the human rights situation in the OPT and in Israel’

According to NGO Monitor,NIF grantees the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI), Adalah, Bimkom, Gisha, HaMoked, Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHR-I), Public Committee against Torture in Israel (PCATI), and Yesh Din submitted a written statement to the Goldstone Commission on June 30, 2009.

That statement says NGO Monitor, included the following “offer our own distinct perspective – human rights violations for which Israel must be held accountable.” Alleged “violations” include “a deliberate new strategy for the ‘disproportionate use of firepower,’” “deliberately and knowingly shelling civilian institutions and rescue services,” and holding prisoners in “harsh, inhuman and degrading conditions.”

And there are numerous other examples.

Since the new NIF guidelines have been issued, we are unable to ascertain exactly how and if they are being implemented.

The question is really a simple one – and one that NIF should answer.

Does NIF continue to support organisations that cross our communal red lines?

Either they do or do not.

And if they continue to support organisations such as those mentioned above, it is up to NIF to explain why.