Jeremiah Haber of the Magnes Zionist reports on proposed legislation endorsed by the Israeli government that would  place onerous reporting burdens on human rights non-governmental organizations within Israel,  and strip them of their status as public institutions.  If passed,  Haber warns, “it will be a black day for what is left of Israeli democracy.” Indeed, if anything it makes “the only democracy” in the Middle East fit in with other governments in the region:  civil society NGOS are subjected to similar reporting requirements in Iran, and are harassed in Egypt. Why Bomb Iran When You Can Be Iran? That seems to be the thinking behind the Israeli government’s endorsement of legislation that will require human rights NGOs in Israel (e.g., B’Tselem, Machsomwatch, Breaking the Silence, Adalah, etc.) to publicize contributions from foreign governments, … Read entire article »