An NGO that aims to persuade Israelis from the former Soviet Union to support the two-state solution has been heavily backed by the European Union, Israel Hayom has learned.
Morashtenu, also known as Our Heritage – The Charter for Democracy, has received almost 500,000 euros (about 552,000 dollars) from Brussels as part of a three-year grant starting in April 2018.
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According to the Delegation of the European Union to Israel's website, the grant, which totals 498,461 euros, was part of the overall effort of the 27-member bloc to influence the attitude toward the peace process under the overall theme "Promoting the settlement of the conflict and changing public opinion among Russian-speaking Israelis."
The site further explains that the overarching goal of the grant is "to promote conditions for a negotiated settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and potential shifts in public opinion among the Russian-speaking community by building confidence and trust in the two-state solution among a population that has traditionally rejected and been omitted from the process, as well as to deconstruct a negative view of the Palestinian narrative."
According to the Israeli registry of NGOs, Morashtenu's offices have the same address as that of the Geneva Initiative, a group that is promoting the unofficial accord struck between Israelis and Palestinians some 15 years ago.
Olga Deutsch, the vice president at NGO Monitor that publishes "fact-based research and independent analysis about non-governmental organizations, their funders, and other stakeholders, primarily in the context of the Arab-Israeli conflict," said the EU should not actively take part in the political debate in Israel.
"As one of Israel's strategic partners, the EU should be aware of the sensitivities surrounding the effort to change people's political views in Israel, especially during the charged atmosphere of an election campaign," she said. "The European effort to redraw the political map in Israel based on social stereotypical characterizations in Israel undermines the social fabric in Israel and the EU's image among the Israeli public."
The EU responded with the following statement: "A thriving and open civil society has always been the basis for shared democratic values that are the foundation of the relations between Israel and the European Union. The EU supports programs as part of its peace-building initiative that is aimed at promoting peace and the two-state solution. The EU does not fund, either directly or indirectly, activities that are directed against political parties or to their benefit. NGOs in Israel get EU funding based on the prioritization of initiatives, not based on their political persuasions."
Morashtenu also provided a statement reading the following: "Promoting peace is Israel's top priority. With both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Blue and White leader Benny Gantz visiting the United States to learn about the administration's peace plan, no one can argue that there is improper interference by a foreign country in Israel. Of course, Morashtenu does not engage in political activity."
