Miri Regev
Miri RegevYonatan Sindel/Flash 90

Culture Minister Miri Regev blasted the New Israel Fund - an umbrella organization for radical far-left NGOs – on Monday, accusing the fund of ties to a former Knesset member convicted of aiding jailed terrorists.

Regev’s comments came in response to a report by Israel Hayom which claims the NIF helped advertise a farewell party for the disgraced ex-MK Basel Ghattas (Joint List).

Ghattas was convicted in March in a plea bargain agreement after he was caught sneaking cellular devices in to jailed terrorists and carrying messages to and from Hamas-affiliated terrorists held in Israeli prisons. In April, Ghattas was sentenced to two years in prison.

Following the report, Regev told Israel Hayom that the revelation validated her claims against groups affiliated with the NIF, which she says have funded incitement against the Jewish state.

“This is proof for my claims,” said Regev, citing her past battles against “certain movie theaters which give a platform for incitement to terrorism and which attack the symbols of the State of Israel as a Jewish state.”

“This is not the New Israel Fund – this is a fund that wants a new Israel – an Israel that gives a platform for the support and glorification of terrorists.”

Worse still, said Regev, the NIF is now apparently giving direct backing to terror supporters.

“It’s very sad to see an organization which touts ideas like tolerance and the rule of law every chance it gets, but then turns around and pays with its own money for advertising an event in honor of a man convicted of helping terrorists. The New Israel Fund is funding and supporting terrorists. [They don’t belong] in our schools.”