Swiss Bill Calls on Government to Stop Funding Anti-Israel NGOs
by JNS.org
JNS.org – A Swiss lawmaker has introduced a bill — with the support of 41 Members of Parliament — that would stop all state funding to groups who support boycotts of Israel or “racist and anti-Semitic actions,” the Jerusalem Post reported, citing the Swiss-German daily newspaper Basler Zeitung.
The bill, initiated by MP Christian Imark, calls on the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) to stop direct and indirect funding to anti-Israel NGOs. In particular, the legislation targets Islamic Relief Worldwide, which received about $182,000 last year through the FDFA and was banned by Israel from operating as a charity over its alleged donations to the Hamas terror group; the Palestinian-run legal center Adalah, which received $71,000 from the the FDFA and opposes the Jewish character of Israel; and Gisha, an NGO that monitors Israeli activities in Gaza, which received $61,000 from the FDFA in 2015 and is known for fighting Israeli security measures.
The Bundesrat, the executive council of Switzerland’s government, will assess and respond to the proposed legislation on NGO funding.