JERUSALEM—The European Union announced that it will immediately stop funding and contact with the “Freedom Protection Council”, an NGO operating in Israel, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said.
In a statement, the office said that the EU decision to stop funding the ‘’Freedom Protection Council’’, is a result of ‘’Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “diplomatic efforts.”
The move marked an important achievement for Israel in its effort to reduce the scope of foreign-funded NGOs intervening in the country’s internal affairs.
The Freedom Protection Council, which was founded last year by Ilam—the Arab Center for Media Freedom Development and Research—consists of some 20 Jewish and Arab NGOs, including B’Tselem, Adalah, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel and the Mossawa Center.
This NGO ‘’undermines the State of Israel’s right to exist and seeks to defame it around the world,’’ the statement said.
“This is only the beginning. We will continue to take determined action against organizations that seek to delegitimize the State of Israel and strive to defame the state and the IDF around the world,” Netanyahu said.
When he meets European officials, Netanyahu prioritizes the cessation of funding for anti-Israel NGOs. Last Sunday, he reportedly rebuked visiting Norwegian Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Soreide for her country’s financial support of anti-Israel groups.