The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem (ARIJ) deplores the conduct of the Ministerial Committee on Legislation of 13 November 2011 which favoured the two draft bills that aims at putting severe restrictions on foreign governmental funding to Non-Governmental Organisations in Israel. ARIJ considers that the purpose and objective of two draft bills is to restrict and underestimate the work of Non-Governmental Organisations in promoting and protecting human rights. ARIJ recalls the contribution and importance of the Israeli civil society in monitoring and documenting human rights violations in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory. ARIJ further recalls on the importance to adhere to the Principles relating to the Status of National Institutions (The Paris Principles) adopted by General Assembly resolution 48/134 of 20 December 1993. ARIJ reaffirms that such draft laws aims at subverting and restricting freedom of expression including the right to receive and impart information and ideas in print or media or the like and hence violating the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. ARIJ rejects all measures that violates international human rights norms and informs that if such draft laws are enacted by the Knesset, it will be considered an Israeli state responsibility for an internationally wrongful act.
