We publish a Press Release from Combatants for Peace that is reaching out with deep concern over a dangerous new legislative development that threatens this organization as well as other peace and human rights organizations in Israel.
The Israeli government’s Ministerial Committee for Legislation has just approved a bill that amends the Law of Associations (1980), imposing severe financial and operational restrictions on NGOs receiving funding from foreign governmental entities. If passed, this bill will dramatically limit our ability to operate, silencing voices for peace, human rights, and binational cooperation.
This bill doesn’t just restrict funding, it also seeks to bar NGOs from accessing judicial review in matters concerning human rights and petitions against governmental entities. The draft states:
“A court shall not consider any request submitted by an NGO whose primary funding comes from a foreign state entity if it is not funded by the state.”
This means that NGOs that rely on international funding – the vast majority of Israeli human rights organizations – would lose their ability to petition Israeli courts. This is a direct assault on democracy, stripping civil society of one of its most important tools to protect human rights.
Why This Matters
It shuts down legal challenges to human rights violations, denying justice to those who need it most.
It silences civil society, cutting off international support for organizations working toward peace, justice, and equality.
It undermines democracy by giving the government unchecked power to restrict dissenting voices.
It will deepen and entrench the occupation by removing one of the last remaining checks on government policies that perpetuate human rights abuses and violence.
What This Means for Palestinians
More land grabs & demolitions – With fewer legal challenges, Israel will be free to expand settlements and confiscate Palestinian land at an even faster rate.
More settler and military violence – Without accountability mechanisms, attacks on Palestinian communities will escalate unchecked.
Less international awareness – Human Rights organizations will be silenced, making it harder to expose the occupation’s daily realities.
An end to grassroots peace efforts – Groups like Combatants for Peace, which bring Israelis and Palestinians together for nonviolent action, will lose vital support.
How You Can Help
We urgently need your support to stop this dangerous legislation before it becomes law. Here’s what you can do:
Contact your representatives and your national government, urging them to speak out against this law and apply diplomatic pressure on Israel to protect civil society.
Raise awareness by sharing this information with your networks, human rights organizations, and media contacts. The more attention this issue gets, the harder it will be to push it through unnoticed.
Continue supporting our work – now more than ever, we need your solidarity to sustain our movement in the face of these threats.
This bill is not just about restricting Israeli NGOs – it is a direct attack on Palestinian rights, access to justice, and the movement for peace. By crippling civil society, the Israeli government would be ensuring that military occupation and settler expansion continue unchecked, with fewer obstacles to resistance.
It’s time to act. Together, we can defend the right to co-resist oppression, advocate for peace, and build a just future for all.
