Im Tirtzu CEO Matan Peleg sent a letter to German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel on Tuesday night the eve of 1 Rosh Chodesh Iyar, accusing him of hypocrisy. In the letter, Peleg wrote:

“I read your response to Prime Minister Netanyahu’s statement concerning your meeting with the anti-Israel NGOs Breaking the Silence and B’Tselem, and I wish to tell you on behalf of Im Tirtzu, the largest Zionist movement in Israel, that we view your statement as inherently flawed, hypocritical and insulting.”

Peleg continued: “The only organizations in Israel that the German government funds are political propaganda organizations that promote defamatory criticism against Israel including false accusations of war crimes, ethnic cleansing and additional crimes against humanity.”

In the letter, Peleg asked the foreign minister how he would react if foreign governments funded millions of euros to radical German NGOs whose aim was to undermine the government:

“Would you be willing to accept Israeli funding of German propaganda organizations that accuse the German army of perpetrating crimes against humanity in Afghanistan?

“Would you be so tolerant if German propaganda organizations would receive funds from foreign governments in order to accuse the chancellor of violating the human rights of millions of Syrian refugees, after you paid money to Turkey to prevent them from entering Germany?

“Would it be acceptable to you if the Israeli government would fund German propaganda organizations whose goal is convince the German public to vote in favor of leaving the European Union?”

The letter concluded: “This is subversion, and nothing less. It is a breach of fundamental agreements between two friendly democratic countries that have no business interfering in the internal affairs of one another.

“Your insistence on meeting with these anti-Israel NGOs is unwarranted, and represents the actions of a persona non-grata.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)