Having Mastered Interfering In Israeli Affairs, Europe Sets Its Sights On The US

This is developing into quite a trend.

Recently in the news is the uproar in Europe over Israel wanting to pass a law that makes European funding of left wing groups in Israel transparent:

The Israeli Embassy in Brussels issued a statement last week criticizing a European Parliament session devoted to attacking a Knesset bill that seeks greater transparency regarding foreign governmental funding of NGOs operating in Israel.


According to the statement, the government “expresses disappointment over the [European] Parliament’s decision to maintain the issue of Israeli NGOs Bill on the Plenary Agenda, in spite of the major changes that the Draft Law underwent since the Parliament’s original decision....

As a result of these modifications, adopted in the course of the normal law drafting process, the Parliament will be debating tomorrow on a non issue.”

At issue is a behind-the-scenes funding of Israeli left wing groups in the effort to push a specific agenda.

This is nothing new. Back in 2002, CAMERA reported:

The EU reportedly provides much of Beilin's personal funding. According to an investigative report by Yoav Yitzchaki published in the Feb. 8, 2002 edition of the Israeli daily Ma'ariv, Beilin's salary is largely provided by the European Union (EU), as are his travel expenses. Beilin draws an annual salary of 350,000-400,000 NIS ( $80,000-$90,000) from the EU-funded Economic Cooperation Foundation (ECF) which he established.

Not satisfied with the hundreds of millions they pour into the West Bank in order to support 'President' Abbas, Europe pours money into groups to thwart Israel's government.

Glick noted that besides Beilin

In addition, it [the EU] funds organizations like Rabbis for Human Rights, which recently participated in organizing delegations of foreign activists who were brought here to stand in front of IDF tanks and attempt to force their way through IDF roadblocks.

The Jerusalem Post reported in 2001, when the destination of EU donations to Israel came to light:

European Union officials have defended the support they provide to Israeli leftist organizations, including Peace Now, the Four Mothers, and MK Roman Bronfman's Impact project.
MKs on the right have criticized Europe's intervention in Israeli politics following an investigation by Ma'ariv journalist Yoav Yitzhak that revealed that the European Union provides hundreds of thousands of euros a year to Israeli non-profit organizations affiliated with the Left.
"The European Union has always held a policy of supporting non-governmental organizations that work for peace, democracy, and human rights in the civil societies around the Mediterranean," an EU official told The Jerusalem Post. "The Israeli government is fully aware of this funding and has never complained about it. The EU has never provided financial support for political parties," he stressed.
..."We don't look at the political complexion of the people who apply to us," the official said. "We look at the project and if it meets our criteria, it is a candidate for our support." However, he said, "We don't support projects under the EU People to People program that do not support the peace process." [emphasis added]

No mention at the time as to just what their criteria are--or how many other democracies they are interfering in.

Back in the US, we have the recent revelation that J Street, which falsely claimed to represent the voice of the majority of American Jews, over $800,000 came to the group from an unknown woman in Hong Kong.

And now--we have straight interference in US affairs by Europe--with the encouragement of the US itself, as Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer slams 'foreign interference' in immigration lawsuit:

In a new twist in the fight over Arizona’s immigration law, Republican Gov. Jan Brewer on Tuesday asked a federal court to disallow foreign governments from joining the U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit to overturn the law.

The move comes in response to a 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling issued Monday, allowing nearly a dozen Latin American countries — Mexico, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru and Chile — to submit friend-of-the-court briefs in Justice’s challenge to SB 1070, which Brewer signed into law in April and is considered one of the nation’s toughest immigration-enforcement measures.

“As do many citizens, I find it incredibly offensive that these foreign governments are using our court system to meddle in a domestic legal dispute and to oppose the rule of law,” the Republican governor said in a statement shortly after the state’s motion was filed Tuesday evening.

Israel feels your pain, Governor Brewer--but it seems to be a trend.

Mark Krikorian writes on this:

you earn your sovereignty by defending it, and if you fail to do so, others will fill the vacuum. As a former boss once told me, you teach people how to treat you, and I'm afraid we're teaching puny nations all over the world that they can get away with this sort of thing.

A lesson for Israel too--and Europe as well.

[Hat tip: Jonah Goldberg]

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