Published: 17 March 2023
Last updated: 5 March 2024
Core fundraising organisations that support Israel are finding it increasingly difficult to work with the far-Right coalition.
Israel’s National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has cut off funding for a violence reduction program in the Arab community, claiming the major American Jewish organisation subcontracted to help run the effort is a “leftist organisation.”
According to Israel's public broadcaster Kan, Ben-Gvir justified his decision to defund the program on the basis that the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) is a Left-wing Organisation.
Widely known as The Joint, JDC is the leading global Jewish humanitarian organisation and one of the largest Jewish organisations in the world.
Ben Gvir's comments were made during a ministry discussion about the future of the “Stop the Bleeding” program – a joint effort of, among others, the National Security Ministry, the State Attorney’s Office, Hebrew University, and the Prime Minister’s Office.
The program, which was part of a broader government campaign against rising crime in Arab communities, sought to encourage “integration and coordination between enforcement, prevention, treatment and community work” in seven municipalities, including the city of Lod – the site of fierce Arab-Jewish clashes during Operation Guardian of the Walls in May 2021.
National Director of JDC Australia Brett Kaye told The Jewish Independent that JDC had not been alerted to any change and had learned of Ben-Gvir's comments through the media.
He said "Stopping the Bleeding" is an important and successful Israeli government-led program that aims to reduce violence in Arab society.
"The program was conceived by the Israeli government and JDC was invited to develop certain elements in the program and join in its implementation due to our many years of professional experience in the social arena, our work in Arab society in particular, as well as our extensive experience in building integration between various ministries and communities," he said.
Kaye said JDC's work to support Israel's most vulnerable was more important than ever and support had not been impacted by the civil crisis.
"JDC is a non-political organisation and has been so since our founding in 1914. JDC operates in 70 countries around the world focusing only on its mission to save Jewish lives; build Jewish life; improve the lives of Israel’s most vulnerable populations; and provide a Jewish response to natural disasters and crises impacting all people. JDC has worked in strategic partnership with all Israeli governments and will continue its work lifting up vulnerable populations."
UIA Switzerland: 'This is not the Israel we want to support'
Other fundraising organisations are also in conflict with the new government.
Leaders of Keren Hayesod (United Israel Appeal) in Switzerland have appealed to their colleagues around the world to speak up against the attack on the state’s liberal and democratic values.
The Swiss leaders wrote to other UIA leaders, including UIA Australia, asking them to speak up against the government. They said the death penalty bill for terrorists, which passed its first vote earlier this month, was a red line. “This is not the Israel we want to support,” they wrote.
“The mantra of ‘We collect [funds] for the people of Israel; for the poor; for the elderly and for children,’ does not work for us anymore... Our mutual responsibility is not only about giving money – while we watch how this amazing vision called Israel is being threatened and emptied out of values we believed, we shared.
“Our support for Israel is unconditional as long as the basic principles of humanity are respected and as long as Israel continues to be committed to the principles of a liberal and democratic system.”
UIA Australia chairman Steven Lowy did not respond to The Jewish Independent’s request for a response.
On the other hand, fundraising organisations with agendas that directly support progressive causes in Israel are raising more than ever.
Since the beginning of the year, A Wider Bridge, which supports Israeli LGBTQ organisations, has donated $180,000, the same amount it has given annually in recent years.
'A red line': Swiss Keren Hayesod branch slams Israeli judicial reform (Jerusalem Post)
Keren Hayesod expressed that their support for Israel is "unconditional," as long as "the basic principles of humanity are respected."
For American Zionist LGBTQ group, Israel’s right-wing government has created a crisis (JTA)
A Wider Bridge has doubled its donations to Israeli LGBTQ groups this year, in the face of an Israeli government that includes anti-LGBTQ officials.
Photo: A JDC worker with members of Israel’s Arab community (JDC)
