KAIROS solidarity letter to Israeli human rights group B’Tselem
On January 5 2011, Members of the Israeli Knesset voted for a parliamentary inquiry to investigate the funding of Israeli human rights groups allegedly helping to build war crimes cases abroad against Israeli military personnel. The scope and details of the inquiry await definition in the Knesset’s House Committee.
Among those targeted is the respected Israeli human rights organization, B’Tselem. The Knesset established a panel of inquiry into specific organizations, including B’Tselem, ACRI (The Association for Civil Rights in Israel), Physicians for Human Rights, Breaking the Silence and the Public Committee Against Torture.
B’Tselem has responded to the Israeli government.
KAIROS and organizations around the world draw on B’Tselem’s excellent research into human rights violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. This latest move on the part of the government is but one example of attempts to portray human rights groups as disloyal to Israel and to undermine their work.
KAIROS’ long-time Israeli partner Bat Shalom has noted such patterns and expressed concern about the state of democracy and free speech in Israel.
KAIROS wishes to lend B’Tselem our support. Our letter of solidarity can be found here.
