Terror Victims to Germany: Stop Defending Palestinian Murderers and Funding ‘Far-Left Propaganda’

Israeli terror victims told the German government to stop sending money to defend terrorists “who have murdered our loved ones.”

By TPS

A group of more than 120 bereaved families sent a letter to German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Tuesday blasting Germany for funding “far-Left propaganda organizations” operating in Israel.

The letter, which was penned by the Choosing Life Forum of Bereaved Families together with the Zionist watchdog Im Tirtzu, was sent on the eve of Maas’ trip to Israel. Maas arrived in Israel on Wednesday for a very short trip to warn the government against applying sovereignty over parts of Judea and Samaria.

The Choosing Life Forum and Im Tirtzu said that in recent years the German government has provided more than 18 million euro ($20 million) to far-Left NGOs in Israel, many of which are leading the public opposition to Israeli sovereignty.

“From 2012-2019, Germany alone has provided €18,258,873 to 32 far-Left Israeli political organizations,” stated the letter, which was written in German, English and Hebrew.

“More than 17% of this sum was transferred to organizations that defend terrorists and their families in Israeli courts. Terrorists who have murdered our loved ones!” the letter said.

One of these organizations is the HaMoked Center for the Defense of the Individual, which in the past several years has submitted judicial petitions on behalf of 73 terrorists and their families. These terrorists are responsible for the murder of 71 Israelis.

The letter further noted that “this past Saturday night, protestors came out to Rabin Square in Tel-Aviv in order to demonstrate against Israel’s plan to apply sovereignty over parts of Judea & Samaria and the Jordan Valley. This was a legitimate protest and a healthy expression of Israel’s vibrant democracy”.

“At the same time, we are troubled by the fact eight of the organizations that helped organize the protest are funded by the Government of Germany,” the families said.

Addressing Maas directly in the letter, the families said that “if you wish to come to Israel to speak with your Israeli counterparts and try to convince them one way or another, that is legitimate and welcome. But if you are trying to exert your influence via political organizations that you fund in order to create social unrest that will serve your interests, that is subversion and impudence of the highest order, and it is unwelcome here.”

The group said that funding of Israeli political organizations by the German government “is a waste of taxpayer money that would be better invested on the citizens of Germany.”

“We are calling on your government to immediately cease all funding of all radical Israeli political organizations. This funding makes a mockery of any and all efforts to find a peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” the letter concluded.

Israel has repeatedly called on European Union countries to halt funding to several non-governmental organizations that promote boycotts against Israel, saying the financial support violates the EU’s stated policy of opposing boycotts against the Jewish state.

Some of the NGOs have links to terrorist groups.