If Bibi Wants to Ban Foreign Funding for Israeli NGOs, Start With Moskowitz’s $100-million

One of my readers just conveyed to me a brilliant irony in the recent geshrei by the Netanyahu government about the alleged inference in domestic politics by European human rights NGOs, that funded Breaking the Silence’s report on IDF abuses during the Gaza war.  If we’re going to end such foreign funding, then why not do so fairly and equitably and ban ALL such outside sources including those which fund the settlements to the tune of scores of millions of dollars over the years.  Chief among these funders is U.S. hospital-bingo mogul Irving Moskowitz, in the news because he plans to turn a historic Palestinian landmark into a extremist settler residence on the way to making the Arab East Jerusalem neighborhood Sheikh Jarrah Arabrein.  Rabbi Haim Beliak, the world’s foremost Moskowitz-watcher, estimates that the latter has given $100-million to settlements over the years based on a review of his foundation’s 990 forms.  I think banning the few million dollars foreign governments give to Israeli progressive NGOs would be a small price to pay if we could also eliminate the settler gravy train.

But Bibi wants to have his cake and eat it too.  No funding for those pesky thorns in the side of Israel’s Occupation regime AND funding for settlements.  Nice work if you can get it.