Israeli Academic Extremism
Knesset Member Daniel
Danon Calls for Investigation of Anti-Israel Political Groups
Operating in Israel with foreign funding
They call themselves the guardians of human
rights as a way to ease their conscience.
But some extreme left-wing organizations are
financially supported by foreign governments that are clearly
anti-Israel. A more obvious term comes to mind for such
organizations: fifth column. This is the appropriate name for those
who work nonstop to weaken the very state they live and work in.
Many of these groups
have been working for years against the IDF and the government, as
we strive to deal with the complicated realities of the Middle East.
In many other democracies (including those that fund these
organizations), these groups would have to deal with legal action
against them – not to mention widespread public outcry.
http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Op-EdContributors/Article.aspx?id=203013
Ideology bought
with euros
It is inconceivable that any
sovereign state would allow foreign elements to influence internal
matters.
By DANNY DANON
10/01/2011
They call themselves the guardians of human
rights as a way to ease their conscience.
But some extreme left-wing organizations are
financially supported by foreign governments that are clearly
anti-Israel. A more obvious term comes to mind for such
organizations: fifth column. This is the appropriate name for those
who work nonstop to weaken the very state they live and work in.
Many of these groups have been working for
years against the IDF and the government, as we strive to deal with
the complicated realities of the Middle East. In many other
democracies (including those that fund these organizations), these
groups would have to deal with legal action against them – not to
mention widespread public outcry.
As much as these organizations try to claim
that their actions are advancing the cause of peace, they are
actually pushing peace further and further away. Their campaigns
don't hold back from using any method available – they delegitimize
the state, attempt to limit our options and deter us from defending
ourselves. Moreover, they are causing irreparable damage to our
interests overseas – damage that no amount of effort by our
dedicated diplomats will be able to rectify.
WHILE WE recognize the importance of freedom of
expression, we all know that reasonable limits must prevail. There
must be fair and reasonable rules. How can we allow these foreign
interests to buy ideologies by paying millions of euros every year?
We must understand that that they have only one true goal – the end
of Israeli sovereignty over our hard-earned society.
Those who question
our obligation to investigate this noxious challenge must first ask
themselves important questions. What right do these countries have
to claim an interest in the internal social issues of our society?
Why do they feel entitled to meddle in our most sensitive diplomatic
and security decisions through devious, deceitful methods? Can one
imagine the Vatican allowing foreign groups to undermine its duly
formulated policies? Would the US sit by while nongovernmental
groups stalk and monitor its soldiers' every move during dangerous
combat missions?
Of course not! Such
behavior is routinely described as aiding and abetting terrorist
organizations, and its perpetrators usually face stern justice,
including imprisonment and fines. This natural reaction comes from
all democratic nations, without even mentioning the draconian
punishment meted out to terrorists and their facilitators by the
not-so-enlightened justice systems of our less-democratic neighbors.
It is inconceivable
that any sovereign, enlightened state would allow foreign elements
to influence the internal workings of its society. It is further
unimaginable that rational and fair leaders would not work
diligently to uproot such behavior. We should not be embarrassed,
but rather proud to state that it is our responsibility as leaders
to do the right thing for our country. We must never shy away from
defending our citizens.
If these
organizations do not realize that they are being manipulated by
outside extremists to harm our state, then it is our duty to act
decisively and legislate appropriately to protect our society.
Just as we send our
young men and women to the front to risk their lives for our state,
we must embark on this war of social norms to protect our democracy
and reinstill a sense of trust, confidence and pride in our society.
The writer, deputy
speaker of the Knesset and chairman of World Likud, was appointed
chairman last week of the Knesset commission of inquiry to
investigate the foreign funding of Israeli organizations.
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