“Reports Israeli government plans to retaliate against Amnesty International over settlements campaign”, 12 September 2017

Responding to reports circulating in Israeli media today suggesting that the Israeli Finance Ministry is planning to take action against the organization and its donors under Israel’s controversial 2011 anti-boycott law, over its campaign calling on governments to ban imports of Israeli settlement products, Magdalena Mughrabi, Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International said: 

“The reports that the Israeli government plans to punish Amnesty International over its settlements campaign are deeply alarming. While we have not been officially informed of any such action by the authorities, if true, this would be a serious setback to freedom of expression and an ominous sign for the ability of human rights NGOs in Israel to operate freely and without arbitrary interference”…

Israeli media have reported that the Israeli authorities will change the status of Amnesty International’s Israeli section so that donations to the organization will no longer be tax-deductible. Amnesty International’s Israeli section only became eligible for the tax benefit last October…