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Israel mulls 80% tax on foreign donations to NGOs amid political rift
- On May 5, 2025, a committee of the Israeli parliament began discussing a bill that would impose an 80% tax on foreign donations to NGOs, with the debate taking place within the Knesset's Constitution, Justice, and Legal Affairs Committee.
- The legislation aims to reduce foreign influence on Israeli civil society, with proponents citing improper foreign interference and opponents warning of threats to democracy and free expression.
- The bill, sponsored by Likud’s Ariel Kallner and backed by the ruling coalition, includes barring foreign-funded NGOs from petitioning Israeli courts and allows tax exemptions for groups under 100,000 shekels annual revenue or government-funded organizations.
- Ariel Kallner emphasized that the legislation aims to maintain Israel's identity as a Jewish and democratic nation while preventing inappropriate foreign influence, highlighting that more than 1.3 billion shekels were transferred from abroad to 83 organizations between 2012 and 2024.
- The legislation requires approval through three separate votes in the Knesset and could drastically restrict the activities of NGOs funded primarily by foreign sources, sparking worries about suppressing opposition voices and undermining Israel's democratic principles.
11 Articles
11 Articles
Knesset debates far-right NGO bill aimed at decimating Israel's human rights groups
The proposed law would block nonprofits' petitions to the High Court and severely cut their funding. Opposition MKs called the bill 'a law for destroying civil society in Israel' and criticized its irony, highlighting Qatargate, where Netanyahu's aides allegedly staged a PR campaign for Qatar
Israel debates law cracking down on overseas funding of NGOs
An Israeli parliamentary committee on Monday began debate on a law that would impose an 80% tax on non-government organisations that receive the majority of their funding from foreign entities in a bid to reduce foreign influence on the state. Under the proposed law, these NGOs would not be able to petition Israeli courts, including the Supreme Court. Israel's finance minister, though, would be able to grant an exemption from the tax. Organisati…
The Next Target of Netanyahu’s Judicial Coup is Israel’s NGO Sector | New Israel Fund of Canada
Earlier this week, the Israeli Knesset began debating an anti-NGO bill that would tax foreign government donations to NGOs at 80% and strip them of standing before Israel’s High Court of Justice. When the Knesset returned from recess and brought this bill to discussion, it picked up exactly where it left off—consolidating executive power by bringing any and all external checks to heel; the next target of the judicial coup is the NGO sector. This…
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