The Israeli Knesset adopted a so-called 'NGO bill' last night, which targets non-governmental organisations which receive more than 50% of their funding from foreign governments, including from the EU and the UN.
Said Victor Boştinaru MEP, vice-president of the S&D Group:
"Israel is an important partner for the EU. Wvalues and vibrant civil societies with many non-governmental organisations that are essential elements of our democracies. Our parliaments and governments have the re share common esponsibility to promote and protect the work of human-rights defenders and ensure an environment where they can operate freely.
"We deeply deplore the adoption of the so-called 'NGO bill' in the Israeli Knesset last night, which is discriminatory in its nature and stigmatises human-rights activists and other civil society representatives and restricts their activities. This can only damage Israel’s democratic foundations.
"The European Socialists Democrats stand firm with the Israeli NGOs targeted by this bill."
